Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein hosted an AI workshop for general counsel and corporate leaders, pairing its own attorneys with in-house legal heads to examine how artificial intelligence might reshape the outside counsel relationship. The event signals a growing push among law firms to address client questions about AI's role in legal work before those questions become demands.
Inside the workshop format
Rather than a lecture-style presentation, the firm structured the session as a collaborative working meeting. Parker Poe attorneys sat alongside in-house counsel and corporate executives to test AI tools and discuss practical applications. The goal was not to showcase a proprietary product but to build shared understanding of where the technology fits - and where it does not.
This format reflects a broader shift in how law firms approach client education. General counsel are increasingly expected to understand AI's implications for cost, risk, and workflow. Workshops that involve hands-on experimentation can close the gap between vendor promises and day-to-day legal practice.
Why the client relationship is the focus
The outside counsel relationship has traditionally revolved around hourly billing and specialized expertise. AI introduces new questions: Will routine tasks be automated? How should efficiency gains be priced? Who bears responsibility when AI-assisted work contains errors?
By addressing these questions directly with clients, Parker Poe positioned the conversation as a joint problem-solving exercise. The firm treated AI adoption not as an internal efficiency project but as a topic that requires client input and alignment. For legal teams exploring how AI fits into their operations, resources like AI for Legal training can help bridge the knowledge gap between technical capability and practical use.
Broader industry context
Law firms across the Am Law 200 have launched AI committees, pilot programs, and client-facing initiatives over the past two years. The difference in Parker Poe's approach is the emphasis on in-person, small-group collaboration with the clients who control legal budgets. This moves the conversation from abstract capability to concrete impact on billing, staffing, and matter management.
Support roles within legal teams are also feeling the shift. As attorneys experiment with AI-assisted drafting and review, paralegals and legal operations professionals are rethinking their workflows. A structured AI Learning Path for Paralegals can help these team members adapt to tools that are changing how legal work gets done.
Why this matters for legal professionals
Client expectations around AI are hardening. General counsel are no longer satisfied with vague assurances that a firm is "exploring" the technology - they want to see deliberate, transparent adoption plans. Legal professionals who can discuss AI's limitations and appropriate use cases with clients will have an advantage over those who avoid the subject. The firms that treat AI literacy as a client-service skill, not just a back-office upgrade, will be better positioned as corporate legal departments build their own AI capabilities.
Your membership also unlocks:
