Decision reached
The client agreed in principle to a pilot group, with an AI policy required before it proceeded.
Pilot planning only. The next stage depended on policy approval. A completed pilot or wider AI rollout is not established.
Start with the work people need help with
Discovery covered document search, precedent consistency and how legal AI might support the practice. These were practical questions about finding and using information, alongside the wider technology review.
Platform demonstrations informed the discussion. NewLaw proposed bounded testing so the firm could compare how tools handled defined tasks.
Make the condition for proceeding explicit
The client supported creating a pilot group but wanted the firm-wide AI policy in place first. That condition applied both to the proposed pilot and to broader use of an existing AI tool.
The practical lesson
Agree the work to test and the rules for using information before expanding access. A pilot needs a decision it is meant to inform.