"My first experience with technology adoption for a law firm was probably in 1993. I was attending a partner meeting for a top Am Law firm to demonstrate the first version of Lexis on Microsoft Windows. My pitch was strong enough to get a partner to grab the mouse and try for himself. The problem was that he had never used a computer before. When the partner grabbed the mouse, he accidentally highlighted half the screen. Embarrassed, he walked away without saying a word."
"Recently, I was speaking with a legal innovator in charge of evaluating Harvey and Legora. My advice was to be realistic and manage expectations regarding likely adoption. Why? Because even the most pervasive AI deployments at firms may have just a small concentration of power users. I wrote earlier about the adoption curve, and in my opinion, most power users are early adopters, comprising a small percentage of attorneys in a firm."
"Mandatory changes, like the shift to Windows 11, are the exception. The new operating system will show up, and attorneys will adapt. Absent a mandate, most attorneys will behave like the early and late majority on the adoption curve. They will change after they see the benefits from their peers. Partners tend to behave like laggards on the adoption curve. Most won't change unless absolutely necessary."
Early demonstrations can embarrass inexperienced users and discourage future use, illustrated by a partner who had never used a computer and left after accidentally highlighting half the screen. Even with valuable tools, only a small concentration of attorneys become power users; most fall into the early and late majority, and partners often act as laggards. Billable-hour pressures leave little time for learning, so voluntary adoption spreads slowly and follows peer examples. Mandatory platform changes drive adoption, while realistic expectation management, focus on early adopters, and just-in-time training can improve uptake.
Read at Above the Law
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