Linklaters bets on AI to boost business

In Short: Linklaters is betting on AI to shake up the legal scene, aiming to boost their market share and change how their lawyers work and wow clients.

What's Going On?

Linklaters is diving headfirst into the AI pool. They’ve got this snazzy AI chatbot named Laila, which has become quite the busy bee. Imagine 5,700 lawyers and business folks from all over the world—London, Paris, Madrid, you name it—asking Laila nearly 30,000 questions every week. Launched in November, Laila’s already a hit, helping lawyers with the tough stuff so they can focus on even tougher stuff.

Shilpa Bhandarkar, who heads up client tech and AI at Linklaters, thinks AI could seriously change the game for lawyers. Marc Harvey, co-chair of the AI steering group, agrees and says this tech will help them take on more complicated work. In short, they're using AI to work smarter, not harder, and grab a bigger slice of the market pie.

What Does This Mean?

With AI handling the mundane tasks, lawyers can focus on the juicy, complex cases, making clients super happy and probably boosting those billable hours. This isn’t just about convenience—it's about staying ahead in the cutthroat legal world.

But, wait, there's more! As AI takes over the nitty-gritty, lawyers get more time to woo clients and take on even more work. Plus, there are new legal challenges popping up thanks to AI, like keeping data private and secure. So, there’s plenty of exciting, high-stakes work to go around.

Also, Linklaters is getting serious brownie points for being tech-savvy, which is a big draw for new graduates who want to join a firm that's ahead of the curve. They’re not just using AI; they’re making sure everyone knows how to use it well and wisely. It’s all about finding that sweet spot between enthusiasm and responsibility.