As AI becomes embedded in legal practice, law firms must strengthen their governance frameworks to protect client data, maintain trust, and meet evolving regulatory and ethical obligations. Effective AI governance extends beyond technology, it requires clear accountability, robust security controls, defined ownership of data access, and organization-wide policies that balance innovation with risk management.

This session will examine how firms can develop a comprehensive AI governance and security strategy, from evaluating the tools that support security objectives to establishing access controls, communication plans, and incident response procedures. Attendees will also explore the long-term financial implications of AI security investments and learn how proactive governance can reduce risk while enabling responsible AI adoption across the firm.

Every firm investing in AI runs into the same constraint, which is people. The work is changing faster than job descriptions, training programs and career paths can keep up with.

Tom Trujillo is Chief Innovation and AI Officer at McGuireWoods, having previously held senior legal and operations positions at Ford, Bank of America and Wells Fargo.

In this session he shares what he has learned building and leading teams through the change.

As the technology sprints ahead, which skills matter most today and which will matter in 2027?
What do you look for beyond the resume, when curiosity and adaptability are harder to screen for than credentials?
How do you develop the people already in the building and keep the good ones in a market where everyone is hiring?

Bring your own hiring and retention challenges.

This is built as a working conversation, with time set aside for questions from the room.

As law firms continue to invest in generative AI, the conversation is shifting beyond selecting the right tools and improving individual workflows.

The next frontier is the Agent Experience (AX), designing the environment in which AI agents can effectively access information, interact with firm systems, and execute complex legal and business tasks. As AI agents become more autonomous, firms must rethink how their technology ecosystem is structured to maximize performance, security, and business value.

This session explores the evolution from today's AI implementations to an agent-driven future, examining why the Model Context Protocol (MCP) has become a foundational component of modern AI architecture.

Attendees will learn how MCP enables AI agents to securely connect with firm data, applications, and knowledge sources, and how thoughtful MCP design directly impacts the quality, reliability, and effectiveness of agent outcomes. Through practical examples and forward-looking insights, this session will help legal professionals understand how to prepare their firms for the next generation of AI-powered legal work.

Corporate clients have stopped asking whether their firms use AI and started asking them to prove how. AI is showing up in outside counsel guidelines, security questionnaires now ask about model providers, subprocessors, retention and training data, and the partner who signs the response is rarely the partner who understands it. Meanwhile the first law firms have begun certifying to ISO/IEC 42001, and while the SOC 2 criteria themselves haven't changed, what auditors test in an AI-enabled environment has.

This session looks at AI governance from the outside in: what a sophisticated client will accept as evidence versus what gets sent back, which attestation actually answers the question being asked, how an auditor distinguishes a control that operates from a policy that merely exists, and what certification realistically costs a firm in time, money and partner attention.

As AI becomes an integral part of legal service delivery, law firms must demonstrate not only operational efficiencies but also measurable business value. This session will explore how firms can evaluate the economic impact of AI investments by identifying meaningful performance metrics, quantifying productivity gains, and connecting AI initiatives to profitability, client service, and long-term strategic goals.

Beyond internal performance, firms must also understand how AI influences client expectations and purchasing decisions. Panelists will discuss how clients perceive AI-enabled legal services, when and how to communicate the role of AI in legal matters, and whether AI should influence alternative fee arrangements and pricing models. Attendees will gain practical strategies for balancing transparency, innovation, and value while strengthening client relationships and positioning their firms for the next generation of legal service delivery.

Many law firms have invested in AI technology, yet adoption remains inconsistent and the full value of these investments often goes unrealized. The challenge is no longer simply providing access to AI tools—it's creating an environment where lawyers are confident, capable, and motivated to integrate them into their daily practice. True success comes from moving beyond adoption and toward enablement, where AI becomes a trusted part of legal workflows rather than an optional experiment.

This session will examine the leadership strategies required to drive meaningful change within law firms. Attendees will explore why lawyers resist new technology, how to address concerns surrounding AI's impact on their roles, and how education, communication, and practical training can transform skepticism into confidence. Learn how to develop a change management strategy that empowers lawyers to maximize AI's potential, improve productivity, and deliver greater value to clients while strengthening the firm's long-term competitive advantage.

Successful AI adoption is not driven by technology alone, it is built by the right people, working together with clearly defined roles, responsibilities, and objectives. As AI becomes embedded across every function of the modern law firm, firms need a strategic organizational model that combines governance, innovation, technical expertise, and end-user enablement.

This session will explore how leading firms are building multidisciplinary AI teams that transform AI from a collection of tools into a coordinated, firm-wide capability.

Attendees will learn how to structure an effective AI organization around three complementary pillars: AI Counseling, AI Testing, and AI Production. The discussion will examine how each team contributes unique expertise while operating under a unified strategy.

Panelists will share best practices for defining team responsibilities, establishing communication frameworks, avoiding duplication of effort, and ensuring every AI initiative is aligned with firm objectives. Whether your firm is launching its first AI committee or expanding an existing AI function, this session will provide a practical blueprint for building an AI organization that drives innovation, governance, and measurable business outcomes.

As law firms move beyond AI experimentation and toward enterprise-wide adoption, success depends on far more than selecting the right technology. Developing a comprehensive AI strategy requires alignment between firm leadership, IT, knowledge management, innovation, finance, risk, and practice groups to ensure AI investments support the firm's long-term business objectives. From identifying the right stakeholders and evaluating technology options to planning a successful rollout, firms must establish a structured roadmap that minimizes disruption while maximizing adoption.

This session will examine the critical components of building an AI strategy that delivers measurable value. Panelists will discuss how to navigate implementation challenges, create meaningful ROI metrics, justify AI investments to executive leadership, and develop a long-term financial plan that supports continuous innovation. Attendees will leave with practical strategies for transforming AI from a technology initiative into a sustainable business investment that improves efficiency, strengthens client service, and delivers lasting competitive advantage.

As AI becomes embedded in the daily operations of law firms, the most successful implementations will not be defined by the sophistication of the technology alone, but by how effectively it complements the people using it. While AI can automate repetitive tasks and enhance decision-making, the human element remains essential for applying legal judgment, building client relationships, and ensuring trust. Creating an effective partnership between lawyers and AI requires a deliberate focus on user experience, workflow integration, and thoughtful product design.

This session will examine how law firms can evaluate and implement AI tools that are built around the needs of their professionals rather than forcing users to adapt to the technology. Panelists will discuss the principles of human-centered AI, the importance of intuitive product design, and how understanding end-user behavior leads to higher adoption, greater productivity, and stronger business outcomes. Attendees will leave with practical strategies for selecting and deploying AI solutions that create a seamless and effective relationship between humans and machines.

Artificial intelligence is fundamentally changing how law firms deliver value to clients. By reducing the time lawyers spend gathering, organizing, and analyzing information, AI creates greater capacity for the work clients value most: strategic judgment, practical advice, problem-solving, and trusted relationships. But the opportunity extends well beyond making existing legal work faster. AI is enabling firms to rethink how legal services are delivered, and what services they can offer in the first place.

This session will explore how law firms can translate AI-driven efficiency into meaningful client value and new opportunities for growth. From large-scale document review and portfolio-wide contract analysis to helping clients interpret and act on their own data, AI is making new forms of legal service increasingly viable. The discussion will examine how firms can move beyond simply using AI to reduce hours and instead leverage its capabilities to strengthen client relationships, expand service offerings, and redefine what clients can expect from their legal partners.

As generative AI becomes embedded in legal practice, the role of Knowledge Management is undergoing one of the most significant transformations in its history. Knowledge managers are no longer simply responsible for organizing precedents and maintaining repositories, they are becoming strategic enablers of AI adoption, ensuring that the firm's knowledge is structured, accessible, and optimized to produce accurate, reliable, and valuable AI-generated results.

This session will explore how Knowledge Management teams can evolve their practices to support AI-powered legal work while maintaining governance, quality, and consistency across the organization.

Attendees will examine how knowledge managers can develop standardized processes, curate AI-ready content, and educate attorneys on effective prompting and responsible AI use. The discussion will also focus on creating scalable frameworks that simplify legal workflows, improve attorney productivity, and increase confidence in AI-generated outputs. Learn how leading firms are redefining the Knowledge Management function from information steward to AI strategist, positioning KM professionals as essential drivers of innovation, adoption, and long-term competitive advantage.

As law firms rapidly adopt AI, the cybersecurity landscape is evolving just as quickly. AI introduces new vulnerabilities, attack surfaces, and risks involving sensitive client information, confidential work product, and firm data. This session will examine the processes and safeguards firms should have in place to prevent, detect, and respond to AI-related cyberattacks, while establishing clear accountability for protecting the firm’s technology and information ecosystem.

The discussion will focus on building the right AI cybersecurity team, identifying the roles and expertise needed to manage emerging threats, and determining the financial resources required to support an effective security strategy. Attendees will explore how to develop a forward-thinking action plan that moves beyond responding to today's threats and prepares the firm for the evolving risks of AI, including ongoing monitoring, incident response, employee education, technology investments, and long-term security planning.

Artificial intelligence is no longer an emerging trend, it is reshaping the business of law. As firms accelerate technology adoption, leadership teams are challenged to make informed decisions about where to invest, how to maximize value, and how to align innovation with broader business objectives. This session will examine the strategic choices firms are making to improve operational performance, enhance client relationships, and create sustainable competitive advantages in an increasingly technology-driven legal market.

Bringing together industry leaders, this discussion will explore the priorities shaping the future of law firms, from immediate initiatives that will deliver results over the coming months to long-term strategies that will define success over the next several years. Panelists will share perspectives on building and retaining talent, managing organizational change without overwhelming employees, evaluating the broader impact of AI adoption, including sustainability considerations, and developing leadership strategies that enable firms to remain agile as technology continues to evolve. Attendees will leave with a practical roadmap for making strategic AI decisions that support growth, resilience, and long-term business success.

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