For years, law firm leaders have whispered a quiet untruth: “We’re just not built to be innovative. We’re married to precedent.”

They say it with a certain inevitability. As if the very strengths of law firms – rigor, risk-awareness, legal prowess, and precedent – make innovation impossible.

But – the leading innovators in law – the ones wowing (and winning clients) are saying just the opposite: Precedent isn’t the enemy of innovation. Complacency is.

And the numbers bear this out.

We asked over 100 law firm leaders to rate their own innovation. No client feedback. No outside validation. Just self-perception.

Here’s what they told us:

• 12.9% see themselves as extremely innovative
• 38.9% say they’re strong innovators
• 48.2% indicate they lag behind

As 86% of clients say they face unprecedented transformational change, nearly half of all law firms say they’re not keeping up.

The Extremely Innovative (12.9%)

These firms are breaking away from the pack. They’re fusing legal and business strategy, using Gen AI before clients ask, and redefining what client experience feels like.

They’re not just changing how they work – they’re changing how clients feel about the work. These clients report new regulatory interpretations or reinterpretations of precedent to meet their goals – as a result of AI. And – this totally new thinking comes in hours and days – not weeks or months.

Clients could not imagine these outcomes as little as 2 years ago.

The Strong Innovators (38.9%)

These firms describe themselves as measured – even deliberate. The extremely innovative are deliberate about transformation. The strong innovators are deliberate about caution. The strong take less risk – but risk less reward.

The unseen risk for the strong firms is clients wanting more – and switching firms to get it.

The Self-Proclaimed Laggards (48.2%)

To their credit, they know they’re behind. But awareness without urgency is just inertia. These firms risk clients leaving as they look for the creative and bold answers to resolve their legal issues – and drive their business a lot faster.

The Missing Innovation Link

Law firm self-perception is only half the story. When clients rank law firms on innovation it’s a different ball game. The gap between law firm thinking and client ranking isn’t a perception problem – it’s a looming business development problem. Clients are moving (and will continue to move) to the more innovative firms.

Too many firms define innovation by internal moves – a new tool, dashboard, or platform. But clients define innovation by what it does for them:

• Faster answers
• Smarter insights
• Fewer headaches
• Less risk
• Better outcomes

This is how clients think of innovation. And next week, clients weigh in.

The brand new BTI Innovation Icons 2025: Clients Rank Law Firm Innovation reveals how clients rank law firms for true innovation in:

• Legal Strategy
• Client Facing Interactions
• Gen AI Leadership
• Tech Savvy

This exclusive report names names. Shows strategies. Breaks down innovations. Tells you exactly where they think law firms stand – by name. All in granular detail.

Want early access?

Drop me an email and get the full report before public release – plus expert analysis on what it means for your firm. Or learn more here.

This is the fuel you need to push more boundaries and use the business development opportunity this presents.

The legal industry isn’t split between AI optimists and skeptics. It’s split between firms doing the work – and those thinking about it. And here’s the twist: even the self-described cautious firms are part of the advance guard.

They’re experimenting. Testing. Learning. And quietly building the foundations of a Gen AI-enabled practice.

Based on 680 attorney and business professionals’ responses about their firm’s prevailing attitude toward AI we found:

• • 53.9% are optimistic
  • 25.4% are cautiously optimistic
  • 9.6% harbor mixed views
  • 5.3% are agnostic
  • 5.9% are negative

One thing is clear: Caution isn’t resistance – it’s a strategy. And in Big Law, cautious adoption is downright aggressive innovation.

Here’s what the more optimistic firms are doing:

Testing AI internally before clients ask
Firms are piloting Gen AI in low-risk, high-impact areas like admin support, memo drafting, research, and marketing – building capability before everyone jumps in.

Giving junior lawyers long leashes
Young associates are diving into AI tools as natural users. Forward-thinking firms are giving them room to explore – then pulling those learnings into broader strategies.

Structuring AI with guardrails, not guesses
These firms aren’t waiting for someone else to figure it out. They’re setting up internal AI committees, creating opt-in models, and developing client-specific protocols often in partnership with clients – earning trust in real-time.

Using AI to deepen – not dilute – client value
The best firms see AI as a chance to offer sharper insights, faster execution, and smarter resource allocation. That is: augmentation – not automation.

Repositioning innovation as a process, not a project
The buzzwords are gone. These firms aren’t chasing headlines. They’re doing the quiet, gritty work of changing how legal service is delivered – without breaking what works.

Proving that AI fluency is the new business literacy
From BD teams to practice group leaders, firms are ramping up internal education. Because clients will soon expect attorneys who can talk tech, assess risk, and explain use cases in plain English.

Why This Matters

There’s a myth that only bold, early adopters win. But in law, calculated, deliberate action beats blind speed every time.

“Cautiously optimistic” doesn’t mean slow – it means measured, intentional, and aligned with client trust.

These firms will emerge stronger because they are:

• • Building AI muscle without betting the house
  • Earning internal buy-in before mandates hit
  • Creating client specific solutions through partnerships and beta projects
  • Designing scalable systems with confidence

The Bottom Line

Cautious firms aren’t lagging – they’re laying track for the next decade of legal work. They’re moving. Quietly. Strategically. And with more vision than many of their louder peers.

The quiet ones are making some of the loudest moves. Firms actively training it, testing it, and trusting it to bring transformation are ahead. Perfection may come later. Client benefit can come right now.

Attorneys are joining LinkedIn 50% faster than the average LinkedIn user.

It’s a digital treasure trove for clients and laterals and recruits – fueled by a mix of thought leadership, informal updates, celebrity news and the powerful pull of professional connection.

But not all law firms are capitalizing on it equally.

BTI’s latest research uncovers wide gaps in performance – and even wider gaps in belief and commitment. Some firms treat LinkedIn as an indispensable business development platform. Others? Not so much.

Meanwhile, in-house counsel are doing more than scrolling. They’re starting real relationships on LinkedIn. Often sparked by a smart post or insightful comment – typically through a mutual connection – it feels like a warm referral without the formalities.

And once the connection’s made, the usual vetting begins. But here’s the kicker: it all started on LinkedIn.

The firms seeing the biggest jumps in performance get this – and act on it. You can find these performance improving metrics in our new report – BTI Benchmarking Law Firm LinkedIn Performance 2025. These key metrics include:

• Number of followers
• Follower growth
• Engagement levels
• Posting cadence
• Touch points per partner
• The most effective strategies driving LinkedIn success
• All analyzed by firm size groups to help every firm

Join me in congratulating the firms showing the most improvement across these metrics over the last 2 years:

Law firms are growing their LinkedIn followers 54% faster than the platform average – and in-house counsel are among the most active players.

After a decade of flat activity, law firms are finally ramping up their LinkedIn presence. Posting is up. Follower counts are up. But the real story? Engagement is still wide open.

• Am Law 101–200 firms are dominating engagement – proving real connections still win
• Top 30 firms have the most followers but the lowest engagement – pointing to massive untapped potential

BTI’s just-released Benchmarking Law Firm LinkedIn Performance 2025 reveals the detailed benchmarks by size grouping for – and the firms outperforming all others in:

• Follower growth
• Engagement levels
• Posting cadence
• Touch points per partner
• The most effective strategies driving LinkedIn success

This exclusive analysis includes all the performance indicators you need to define your position – and drive new growth.

The firms showing the best-of-the-best engagement by firm size include:

Lateral partners don’t fail. Firms fail them.

The most talented laterals arrive with instincts honed for speed, autonomy, and action – the traits making them rainmakers at their prior firm. And the traits you admire.

So what goes wrong?

After dozens of conversations with top rainmakers, both pre- and post-move, one pattern stands out: Firms unintentionally stifle the very qualities making these partners successful. Here’s what they tell me:

No Room to Move

At their prior firm, they navigated protocols with precision. They knew where to push and how to win. And their new firm? It’s a maze of unspoken rules, vague approvals, and unexplained resistance. No one explains how things work – or asks how they are used to doing things. Result: Frustration – often from day one, especially on anything client-facing.

Decision-Making Blackout

At their old firm, they knew the guardrails – what they could do, who could approve, where they could bend rules to serve a client. At their new firm, the process is murky. Decision rights are assumed, withheld, or simply unclear. And no one talks about it until there’s a problem. Even the best laterals freeze. Or worse – move ahead and create unwanted attention.

Supportive, But Not Embraced

Leadership gives the public nod. But some partners – especially those who feel overlooked – quietly withhold support. They don’t offer introductions. They don’t advocate internally. They don’t help decode the culture. The lateral sees this. They feel it. And the disconnection starts early.

Handcuffed on Rates, Staffing, and Fees

Top laterals are used to autonomy. They can negotiate staffing, pricing, and terms without second-guessing. Now – their firms impose new layers of review or soft restrictions. In a top lateral’s eyes these layers are not just slowing them down – they are weakening client relationships. These partners built success on speed and judgment. The more a firm inhibits this dexterity the faster their confidence – and business – erodes.

Clients Don’t Automatically Follow

BTI research shows only 21% of clients will absolutely follow a partner to a new firm. Another 12% say it depends on the firm. That’s barely one in three. The rest? They stay behind or stall – unless the new firm makes sense for them. Lateral success is no longer just about the partner – it’s about the platform.

The Platform Gap

Cross-selling is hard. Even harder for a lateral with no internal network. Many laterals end up looking outside the firm for new business rather than tapping the client base they were promised. Why? Because the internal support, connection, and clarity just aren’t there. And when that happens, they start thinking about what comes next. Again.

The Successful Standouts

The laterals booking a slew of business – and are embraced by the firm – share key insights into their success:

• They talk explicitly about work style, expectations, support needs, and authority – before the move. They co-design how to work together.
• Top leadership actively introduces them to high-value clients and champions them internally. This sends a powerful signal across the firm.
• Laterals proactively introduce leadership to their top clients early – building firm buy-in and client trust.
• They hold a “post-decision, pre-offer” meeting with firm leaders to reflect on what they’ve learned – and align on what success will look like.

Lateral success isn’t about onboarding – it’s about integrating authority, trust, work styles, and access.

Get it right and you get the clients and a happy lateral. Get it wrong and you just paved the exit ramp.

The “If” is dead. Now, it’s all about how and what.

86% of law firm marketing leaders are already using Generative AI. The debate is over. It’s no longer if legal marketers will adopt AI – it’s how fast and how smart.

Most law firm marketing leaders (LFMLs) use Gen AI for immediate, practical needs. It’s become a go-to tool for getting more work done – faster, smarter, and better.

We uncovered 7 major uses as law firm marketing leaders shared their top use cases:

Document Drafting (36.36%)

Dominating the use cases by a ratio of 3:1 – LFMLs are quickly adopting Gen AI as a core tool. It plays a key role in:

• • • 1^st drafts
    • Clarity
    • Messaging
    • Removing unwanted emotionality
    • Honing tone and voice
    • Proof and polish
    • Content framing
    • Understanding unexpected responses
    • Repurposing content for different formats

Key insight: These tasks start with a known premise – you know what you need to produce, and AI helps deliver it faster and sharper.

Marketing Content (10.23%)

LFMLs use Gen AI to tackle high-value, revenue-adjacent content:

• • • Crafting pitches
    • Building proposals
    • Developing branding content and thought leadership
    • Recasting and refining firm narratives

Ideation and Creative (7.95%)

Sometimes you need to kickstart the creative engine. Gen AI helps by:

• • • Brainstorming topics
    • Exploring new audience angles
    • Finding creative approaches to issues and strategies

Analysis (7.02%)

Raw numbers mean little without insight. Gen AI is fueling new analysis and insights. Analyses include:

• • • Win/loss patterns in proposals
    • Insights into winning proposals
    • Patterns in losing proposals
    • Partner preferences and patterns in pitches and proposals

Research (6.82%)

Blending research assistant and analyst, Gen AI helps uncover:

• • • Issues facing top clients
    • Industry-specific risks and trends
    • Best practices
    • Understanding emerging issues
    • Insights into prospective clients
    • Legal marketing benchmarks and performance

 Communication (5.68%)

LFMLs use Gen AI to sharpen their communication across channels:

• • • LinkedIn comments and responses
    • Partner emails
    • Client emails
    • Department messaging

Code/Programming (4.55%)

The tech-savvy are going even further – coding custom Gen AI prompts to:

• • • Create spreadsheets
    • Build presentations
    • Design infographics
    • Boost personal productivity

The Big Picture

54.54% revolve around content – whether drafting, refining, or creating new messaging. As skills and comfort levels rise, expect even greater dominance in content creation and marketing functions.

CMOs can get more out of AI with the following recommendations:

• Share success within the department to encourage use and increase comfort
• Document your best prompts – and push/share with the department
• Always refine your prompt at least 3 times – iterations drive smarter, sharper outputs

What’s Next

Gen AI is now fully embedded in legal marketing. Soon, firms will move into client-facing applications – building private sandboxes to protect confidentiality and unleash powerful business development innovations. We already see a few aggressive law firms:

• Building proposal development platforms for pitches and proposals
• Experience databases
• More intelligent CRM

Gen AI is here. The only remaining question: who will run the smartest and fastest?

It’s the difference between advice and answers.

Advice includes an element of industry understanding and nuance. Answers state the facts. Clients pay premiums for advice. Not so much for facts.

Industry understanding includes 2 key elements: industry dynamics, trends and regulatory protocols and – from a business development perspective – more importantly – industry mindset. Each industry brings different thinking and views of risks. Knowing how to apply these nuances is the super power of industry understanding.

To help make this point – we highlight 3 of the largest industries as measured by outside counsel spending in our just released report BTI Most Recommended Law Firms 2025. Compare the different industry perspectives and the law firms clients point to as bringing the best understanding for each:

High Tech

Clients place a premium on the firms who feel like they are sitting next to them in the foxhole. These clients are aggressive and unrelenting – and expect the same from their top law firms. These 12 firms are best at bringing this stance to their clients:

A tense moment at the partner retreat: objections gaining momentum, partners digging in their heels. Then, the CMO rises from their seat, eyes blazing with conviction. “Obstacles? Sure. Hard? Absolutely. But the decisions are made. We’re doing this – and I’ll back every partner who’s in. This will succeed.”

Silence falls. Naysayers freeze. In that moment, they own the room – not the managing partner, but the CMO, fearless and unstoppable.

This is the empowered CMO, and they’re reshaping law firms. They don’t just market – they lead, they fight, they win. BTI’s latest survey of law firm marketing leaders lays it bare: how many CMOs hold this power, who’s driving this seismic change, and who’s charging toward this elite status.

22%* are Empowered – They command attention and everyone knows it. Not only are their decisions backed by conviction – but backed by data and firm leadership.

23% are Influencers – They sway decisions. Key leaders within the firm value their opinions – and back them. These CMOs are on their way to true empowerment.

Almost all of the remaining 55% are working to get themselves into these spots. Some of their key behaviors include:

• Unwavering belief in their approach
• Relying on passion as an equal element to strategy, data, and results
• Always socializing an idea or approach
• Socializing their ideas months (if not years) in advance of receiving approval
• Embracing supportive partners
• Going for the big wins
• Inviting themselves to leadership conversations
• Studying, preparing, and rehearsing what they will say at a leadership meeting
• Always adding to leadership conversations
• Initiating and maintaining dialogue with supportive partners
• Helping supportive partners with big wins
• Updating leadership on the big things – even when (and especially when) they don’t ask
• Always in motion and gaining momentum

Law Firms Ripe for the Empowered CMO

Law firm leaders are actively delegating decision-making to business professionals. This trend is only accelerating under the current law firm turmoil as leaders are otherwise engaged – creating a void. See the blog post on our Law Firm Leader Survey for more on this.

The window is now open. CMOs who step up now can ride this wave to a whole new level of job satisfaction.

Insights, answers, and industry knowledge aren’t limited to large firms. Corporate counsel are more open to using mid- and smaller-sized firms (500 attorneys or less) than at any time in recent memory.

These firms are acutely aware of how garden variety client service just doesn’t cut it. A savvy group of these firms is doubling down on all aspects of the client experience – and reaping big dividends.

You can learn who these firms are and how they are bringing new ideas and approaches – as part of the brand new BTI Most Recommended Law Firms 2025: Unlocking the #1 Source of Law Firm Growth. (It also includes the Largest and Mega sized firms.)

Please join me in celebrating each of these 112 firms earning more recommendations than most for their size:

BTI Most Recommended Midsize Firms 2025

Despite everything going on – clients are still out looking for law firms.

And – one thing hasn’t changed – corporate counsel rely on a peer recommendation to select the right firm for the job.

In fact, 86% of all law firm/client relationships have one thing in common – they started with an unprompted peer-to-peer recommendation.

There is nothing more powerful in developing business.

In-house counsel keep raising the hurdles to earn the coveted unprompted P2P. Garden variety client service just doesn’t cut it.

You can learn all about the new high hurdles clients set – and the elite firms earning the most recommendations in the brand new BTI Most Recommended Law Firms 2025: Unlocking the #1 Source of Law Firm Growth.

Please join me in congratulating the 23 firms earning the most recommendations overall: