AI is becoming a powerful business development tool for law firms — not because it replaces relationships, but because it helps lawyers prepare smarter, more relevant client conversations, allowing them to confidently explain how the firm’s AI capabilities create real value
Key insights:
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AI can help lawyers prepare better, more relevant client conversations — AI’s real value lies in synthesizing news, regulatory updates, client activity, and relationship data so lawyers have timely, tailored insights that make outreach easier and more meaningful.
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AI works best as a foundation for client discussions, not a script — Panelists at a recent Forum repeatedly stressed that AI-generated briefs and opportunity matrices should only guide lawyers, but authenticity, experience, and interpretation are still what make client conversations effective.
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Firms must actively and clearly talk to clients about their AI capabilities — Clients increasingly expect AI-savvy law firms, and those that can confidently explain how AI improves their service offerings while keeping humans at the center will stand out, while silence or vague messaging is a missed opportunity.
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AMELIA ISLAND, Fla. — During the Thomson Reuters Institute’s recent 33rd Annual Chief Marketing & Business Development Officer Forum (formerly the Marketing Partner Forum), one concept became clear very quickly: When it comes to AI in law firms, the technology itself isn’t the hard part anymore. The real challenge — and the real opportunity — is how firms use AI to deepen client relationships and, just as importantly, how they talk to clients about what they’re doing.
Indeed, more than three-quarters of respondents (77%) say they believe law firms should take the initiative to begin these talks with clients around AI usage, according to the recent Thomson Reuters Institute’s 2026 AI in Professional Services Report.
Across multiple Forum panel discussions, speakers returned again and again to the same idea: AI is becoming a powerful business development engine, but only if lawyers and law firm business development teams are willing to use it proactively and communicate its value in human terms.
AI as an assistant, not a replacement
One of the most practical discussions that arose during the Forum centered on using AI to make client outreach less painful and more effective. Too often, panelists contended, senior lawyers often don’t send regular client notes — but it’s not because they don’t care. These notes get put on the backburner because crafting them takes time away from billable work and is hard to prioritize.
You can find out more about next year’s Chief Marketing & Business Development Officer Forum 2027 here
Several panelists talked about how AI can change that equation by pulling together information from news coverage, regulatory developments, earnings calls, relationship data, and even what clients are actively reading. Instead of staring at a blank page, partners can walk into a meeting or send a note armed with relevant, timely insights that actually matter to the client, they explained.
“We can plant things in our lawyers’ and partners’ minds to move the needle with clients so they can open conversations with clients that will make a difference,” said one panelist.
Of course, the point isn’t to automate relationships, rather it’s to give lawyers a smarter starting point — a short list of clients to contact, paired with concrete conversation openers that feel tailored rather than generic. “Those conversations and what results from those conversations will be revolutionary for your firm,” the panelist added.
Another theme that resonated at the Forum was the idea of matching client needs with firm capabilities in a much more structured way. AI can help generate documents that clearly show what a client is dealing with and where the firm can help — essentially an opportunity matrix that’s built from real data.
Strong need for lawyer training around AI
Several speakers were quick to stress, however, that this doesn’t mean that AI should be left on autopilot. The best results come when firms train their partners before client meetings, using AI-generated briefs as a foundation, not a script. That balance — between automation and authenticity — came up repeatedly throughout the Forum. As several panelists described, AI can bring insights to the surface, but lawyers still need to interpret those insights, contextualize them, and deliver them in a way that feels personal.
“AI might get you 90% of the way there, but that last 10% still depends on human judgment, experience, and relationship skills,” said one law firm technology specialist.
Indeed, if there was one clear takeaway from the Forum, it’s that AI adoption rises or falls on training. Not broad, one-size-fits-all sessions, but bespoke, one-on-one training that shows lawyers exactly how AI helps them prepare for client conversations. Indeed, several panelists argued that it is essential that firms educate their attorneys on how to use these tools effectively or give them very specific guidance — anything less will lead to hesitation, confusion, or outright resistance.
Of course, the problem is that AI adoption isn’t waiting for everyone to catch up. As one speaker noted, the train is already leaving the station, and those firms that fail to bring partners along — especially by showing clear, practical benefits of AI use — risk falling behind quickly.
In fact, several panelists discussed how the excitement around agentic AI is real, but so are the risks. They warned against assuming these more advanced tools are smarter or more autonomous than they really are. In fact, AI agents are still constrained by the data and tools they’re given, and a flawed understanding at the leadership level can lead to poor decisions and misplaced expectations.
That said, business development was repeatedly described as an ideal starting point for experimenting with agentic AI. The workflows are less rigid or high stakes than agentic use for legal work, the feedback loops are faster, and early wins are easier to spot.
Talking to clients about AI matters
Overall, perhaps the most important takeaway from the Forum wasn’t technical at all. It was strategic.
Because clients are increasingly expecting their law firms to be AI‑savvy, firms have to be proactive in their response. Firms have to not just be using AI internally, but understanding how the technology improves their service, efficiency, and insight. Those firms that can clearly and confidently explain to their own partners and clients how AI supports their best efforts — and where humans still play a critical role — will stand out. Staying silent about AI, or worse, being vague and generic about its value, is a missed opportunity, several panelists explained.
Those law firms that thrive, especially around business development and client service, will be the ones that treat AI not as a back-office experiment, but as a client-facing capability — something to be discussed openly, thoughtfully, and authentically.
You can read the full Executive Summary of the Thomson Reuters Institute’s 33rd Annual Chief Marketing & Business Development Officer Forum here
