How Firms Can Turn AI-Enabled Client Intelligence Into Action

When I entered the legal industry 15 years ago, the conversation around client service was centered on relationships and a deep understanding of client needs. At firms, that focus has only expanded. What has changed is how we deliver on it.

I’ve been deeply engaged with how the legal industry has transformed through the use of better technology over the past decade and a half. What began as efforts to build better systems and processes has become a movement toward true digital enablement where data, automation, and artificial intelligence extend what great lawyers already do best—anticipate, adapt, and serve.

Technology is now the accelerant, not just the tool. The real intelligence isn’t found in dashboards or software upgrades, but in the insights that allow emotionally intelligent lawyers to act decisively in important moments. The firms that thrive in this era are the ones that align people, process, and technology around a single purpose—turning information into impact.

By embedding AI into customer relationship management, or CRM, platforms, lawyers, and business development teams can deliver more personalized, efficient client experiences through more automation. Below are practical strategies for integrating AI-enabled workflows that elevate CRM performance.

1. Use pilot groups.

Before a full rollout, start small. Identify pilot groups that represent different practice areas or client needs, and experiment with AI-driven workflows that make insights frictionless.

Lawyers shouldn’t need to log into a separate CRM system, search for a contact, and enter notes. Nor should they wade through time-consuming research materials or send mass requests for updates. The goal is to deliver insight at the speed of client service through alerts, nudges, or AI-generated briefings that align with daily habits.

Pilot projects are where firms can test new ways of embedding AI into these workflows, reducing “keying in” and replacing it with intuitive prompts that help lawyers act faster and smarter.

2. Build and involve interdisciplinary teams.

The most successful initiatives integrate marketing, innovation, technology, and practice leadership. When these disciplines collaborate, firms can connect the dots among client data, matter histories, and relationship insights.

AI helps bridge these worlds by connecting systems, dashboards, and anecdotal knowledge, allowing us to imagine more. The real story isn’t about AI replacing traditional CRM platforms. It’s about how we use AI to connect people and processes across the firm, turning disparate data into actionable client intelligence.

This integration also creates buy-in. When professionals from multiple teams contribute to design and implementation, they understand the “why” behind the change, and that clarity fuels adoption.

3. Focus on training.

Technology alone won’t drive transformation. Habits will. Client growth comes not only from systems but also from consistent, intentional behaviors that technology can support.

Training should focus as much on behavior as on functionality. Lawyers and business professionals must learn both how to use AI tools and how those tools align with relationship-building. AI can enhance emotional intelligence by surfacing timely insights, but people still need to recognize when and how to act on them.

You can’t improve what you don’t track. Training programs should reinforce this connection between digital tracking and relationship outcomes, helping professionals see how measurement leads to anticipation and ultimately prediction.

4. Evaluate and iterate.

Every successful AI journey is cyclical. The mindset shift must come first, followed by continuous evaluation and refinement.

At Vinson & Elkins, I often think of the process as TMAP: tracking, measuring, anticipation, and prediction. First, we track the activities that matter, such as outreach, events, and client touchpoints. Then we measure what’s working. Over time, patterns help us anticipate client needs. Ultimately, we aim to predict what clients will need next.

This process requires ongoing assessment and iteration. Firms should measure outcomes not by the number of tools implemented but by how effectively those tools help people connect, serve, and build trust.

Humanity at the Core

For all the focus on technology, this remains a deeply human endeavor. Curiosity, creativity, and communication are still the forces that drive relationships. AI simply gives us the ability to scale those qualities.

The goal isn’t to have the fanciest dashboard. It’s to have the clearest path to meaningful action. The firms that succeed will use AI to empower people rather than replace them, turning data into direction and information into deeper client connection.

This article does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Bloomberg Industry Group, Inc., the publisher of Bloomberg Law, Bloomberg Tax, and Bloomberg Government, or its owners.

Author Information

Aubrey Bishai is chief innovation officer at Vinson & Elkins.

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