Law firms are rolling out AI tools faster than they can measure how lawyers actually change their work habits, according to new research from BARBRI Professional Education. The report, based on interviews with 10 leaders across nine firms, found that Learning & Development, Knowledge Management, and Innovation teams are struggling to track adoption and prove return on investment.
"Either there are too many cooks in the kitchen, or nobody is managing it. It's feast or famine," one legal innovation consultant and former L&D director told researchers. The report, "Driving Change and ROI: Uniting Three Teams to Lead Law Firms into the Future," found that dynamic repeated across firms of every size.
What the research found
No firm has built the AI competency framework its associate pipeline needs, the report said. Firms grade their own technology rollouts a C. Collaboration between Innovation and L&D teams is improving but remains fragile.
Most firms know which lawyers have activated AI tools, but almost none know who has actually changed the way they work. The billable hour remains the most stubborn barrier to AI adoption, and training alone cannot fix it.
Building the infrastructure to measure change
"Rolling out the technology is only the first step," said Lucie Allen, Co-CEO of BARBRI. "The firms that will lead by 2030 are the ones that recognize tool adoption is only part of the transformation required. They will build new frameworks and align around incentives and measurements that turn activation into AI fluency. That requires L&D, KM, and Innovation to collaborate to create new development pathways."
For L&D teams specifically, the research points to a need for structured training pathways that go beyond initial tool activation. Resources like an AI Learning Path for Training & Development Managers can help those teams build the measurement frameworks the report says are missing. The broader challenge of turning activation into fluency is central to AI for Legal training efforts across the industry.
BARBRI assists all three functions to help firms close these gaps. Its Work-Ready series equips new associates with practice-ready skills for the modern business of law. Its recent acquisition of Lega extends real-world, build-as-you-learn AI fluency training to law students, legal professionals, and law firms.
Why this matters for legal professionals
For lawyers and legal operations staff, the practical takeaway is direct: knowing how to use a tool is not the same as being measured on it. The firms that will lead by 2030 are building competency frameworks and aligning incentives around AI fluency now. Professionals who can demonstrate changed work habits - not just tool activation - will be the ones positioned for advancement as firms rebuild their development pathways.
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