95% of legal professionals expect generative AI to become central to their workflows within five years. Yet only 40% are currently using or planning to use it. This gap between expectation and adoption reveals a profession standing at the water’s edge, watching an inevitable wave approach.
At OpenText World 2025’s Legal Tech track, experts shared how to ride this wave rather than get swept under it. Here are the five most critical insights.
1. Take stock of your dragons and unicorns: Prioritizing high-value legal AI use cases
Not every problem needs an AI solution. Andrew Kent, Director of Litigation Support at Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, suggests starting with two questions:
- What’s killing your productivity? (Your dragons)
- What critical goals do you need to accomplish? (Your unicorns)
One firm piloting OpenText eDiscovery Aviator praised its ability to slash document review time and costs while maintaining defensible workflows.
Jennifer Laws Harrell, eDiscovery Litigation Project Manager at Siemens Energy, aims to use eDiscovery Aviator GenAI to reduce the number of documents sent to outside counsel, thereby reducing review costs while preserving space for human judgment in crucial areas like custodian interviews and data collection.
Another speaker noted the potential for GenAI to assist in meeting international regulatory obligations, such as the EU General Data Protection Regulations.
2. GenAI as rocket fuel: Accelerating case narratives and early case assessment
Traditional technology-assisted review (TAR) helped lawyers prioritize relevant documents, but counsel still had to wait for review teams to finish before understanding the case story.
Not anymore. GenAI tools like OpenText eDiscovery Aviator Rapid Exploration let counsel find key documents immediately and use AI-generated summaries to piece together the narrative from day one. This capability transforms case strategy, enabling lawyers to understand their cases, formulate winning strategies, and execute faster than ever before.
3. Technical competence is now mandatory for legal teams
Since 2012, when the American Bar Association introduced technology competence standards, the bar has only risen. Today’s legal professionals face pressure from all sides: corporate clients demanding efficiency, internal AI mandates, and the competitive imperative to stay current.
Conference attendees emphasized the importance of knowing which technology fits each situation, validating AI findings, and guarding against hallucinations. Equally critical: partnering with the right technology providers who can guide change management and share best practices.
Alexandra Roy-Lévesque, National eDiscovery Team Lead at Norton Rose Fulbright LLP, remarked on the importance of having reliable project managers to assist with technical tasks and ensure the smooth progress of the review, aligning with tight deadlines.
One speaker predicted the rise of “hybrid attorney-analysts”—professionals skilled at interpreting AI-driven insights, noting that in this new landscape, discernment matters more than output generation.
4. The automation paradox: Balancing AI efficiency and job security
Fear of job loss is natural, but clinging to inefficient processes doesn’t serve anyone’s interests. When technology offers more accurate, cost-effective solutions—such as AI-assisted first-level document review—the profession must evolve.
The key is reframing: instead of resisting change, legal professionals should focus on delivering greater value to clients in new ways.
5. Overreliance on AI threatens critical thinking
While AI is transformative, overuse poses risks, especially for junior lawyers. Studies show that excessive reliance on GenAI erodes critical thinking skills and homogenizes writing styles. As AI-generated content feeds back into large language models, outputs become increasingly uniform.
One speaker warned against using AI to generate automated first drafts for tasks that require creativity and critical thought. Without proper guardrails and mentorship, young lawyers risk never developing essential analytical skills.
The path forward for legal AI: Trust, verify, and keep humans in the loop
Legal professionals at OpenText World are optimistic yet cautious. They’re implementing GenAI gradually, using validation workflows developed through years of technology-assisted review (TAR) experience.
Fern Boese, eDiscovery Specialist at Lawson Lundell LLP, noted that implementing GenAI review would be a true collaborative effort, with input from senior lawyers throughout the process to ensure quality and efficiency. As Naomi Carrera-McKail, litigation law clerk at Norton Rose Fulbright, put it: “My experience with TAR taught me that human oversight is non-negotiable. Technology amplifies judgment; it doesn’t replace it.”
By identifying their specific challenges, investing in technical competence, and applying AI strategically, legal professionals can harness this technology’s unprecedented potential—staying firmly on top of the wave reshaping the profession.
