Law Firms Wooing AI Experts as Clients Demand ‘More for Less’

Chatbots, data scientists, software engineers. As clients demand more for less, law firms are hiring growing numbers of staff who’ve studied technology not tort law to try and stand out from their rivals.

Law firms are advertising for experts in artificial intelligence “more than ever before,” says Chris Tart-Roberts, head of the legal technology practice at Macfarlanes, describing a trend he says began about six months ago.

“Competition for lawtech talent is fierce and has been for some time.”

The revolution in generative AI, machine learning that can make predictions, has accelerated the legal industry’s search for more effective ...