How Lawyers Get into AI (or any trend)

Maybe you’ve heard that artificial intelligence (AI) is a big deal. AI has been around for a while, but with the introduction of easily accessible large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, it has taken on an entirely new dimension.?

Suddenly, the reality of AI has hit home, and it is quickly becoming one of the hottest markets in law. Firms are already adding dedicated AI groups to sort out the legal implications of this new technology.?

AI is the latest and most flashy development in the legal market, but the legal market is shifting constantly. Cannabis is another new market capturing interest. Startups are another example, as well-funded ventures challenge industry norms and regulations.?

If you are interested in riding the new wave trend, read on. Even if you aren’t interested in new trends but want to expand your presence in an old area, this is going to help.?

First, how do you spot an emerging trend?

The way to spot a trend is to follow the news.

New trends aren’t secrets, and if you’re paying attention to reputable news sources, you’ll start to see articles cropping up. Sites like ALM or Law360 are great places to find opinions and observations on what’s new and trending in the legal world.?

Once you start to see a concept pop up in a couple of places, you can suspect that a trend may be on the way.?

How do you get into a hot legal area??

At a high level, you’ve got to learn as much as you can about the topic and start to participate in the conversation.?

If you want to get into AI, you must read everything you can about it, learn about the technology, try it, read emerging legal theories on the topic, and take any CLE course that is even marginally related to AI.

Once you’ve started studying, share your observations. Write blog posts, articles for publications, and LinkedIn posts. Start giving talks at your chamber of commerce and networking events for colleagues and clients.?

Other people will be speaking, writing, and commenting on the subject. Follow them, connect with them, and reshare their content.?

Hold a breakfast or dinner event, host a panel, or start an interest group that meets regularly to discuss AI.?

Comment on legal decisions.?

The new trend is a conversation, and you want to put yourself in that conversation.?

Not every trend is a career changer

Keep in mind that Designing a Legacy and Planning Intentionally are essential to creating the career you want. Shifting your practice every time a new legal trend surfaces will make it hard for you to get known and build a solid career.?

It’s always okay to dabble, and think about new trends and how they affect your practice; in fact, you should. If you are an M&A attorney and know you will stay an M&A attorney but are interested in AI, talk about how AI impacts M&A.?

This makes you a better M&A attorney without necessarily turning your entire career toward AI.?

But maybe you do want to focus your career on the trends you are exploring. Maybe you are fascinated by AI and are finding a deep well of contacts and clients that need your expertise. If that’s the case, then you can keep going and redesign your career around the topic.?

You can’t shift your career with every trend, but deep expertise will help you make the shift if that’s the right move for you.?

This is also a good strategy to follow if your practice area is in a lull.?

One lawyer I knew practiced real estate law. He loved real estate and wanted to stay in real estate even when, as an associate, the real estate world collapsed around him in a cloud of subprime mortgage failures. (Remember that?)?

He lost his job and had to move to save living expenses. But he didn’t take his eye off the real estate ball. He took every CLE he could, he wrote on the topic, he spoke on the topic, and he took every real estate opportunity that came his way.??

When the recovery hit and the world needed real estate attorneys, his name was well known and at the top of many lists. He easily built his book of business and joined a prominent law firm as a partner.?

This wouldn’t have happened if he hadn’t focused on building his real estate reputation even when the topic was unpopular.?

So, build your expertise?

In the end, this all comes down to building your expertise mindfully.?

Use your CLE to benefit you. Don’t wait until the last day to tick the CLE requirement box; instead, learn something interesting.?

Follow speakers that add to your understanding, and engage with people with interesting viewpoints.

Your career requires that you Learn Continuously, and you also have to Develop Business by talking to people, writing articles and going to conferences. So go places that interest you, talk to people you want to talk to.?

The more you know, the more opportunities you will have to delve into a new topic, explore an old topic, and brand yourself as an expert.??

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I designed the 6-Pillars to Be(coming) a Happy Rainmaker to support lawyers who want to have a better career and live a happier life. You can learn more about all 6-Pillars here. I believe that .1 can make a difference, so I have a video series complete with interviews and ideas all about 6 minutes long (okay, some are 12, but most are around 6). I have links with resources to support you here.?

If you find yourself at a firm that doesn’t support you, doesn’t fit you, or for whatever reason you think won’t allow you to build your career, I’m here to help. There is an exact right perfect fit firm out there for you, and I’ll help you find it, even if it is your current firm.?