Law Firm AI Positioning

Cleary acquired an AI company. A&O Shearman and Freshfields co-develop with AI labs and share the revenue. Latham subscribes and builds on top. Three strategies, three very different risk profiles.

Kirkland's $500M has a name: Palantir. The deal is a knowledge-moat play — deep in one practice — but it's built on and bound to Palantir, which means the odds ride on Palantir's track record. Here's how it wins and how it breaks.

Every firm in this series pointed its AI at its own lawyers. Cooley pointed it at potential clients — handing Y Combinator founders an AI tool that doubles as marketing and relationship capture. A look at why the move fits Cooley's franchise, and which firms can actually copy it.