An Above the Law piece on legal tech highlights a central theme: the intersection of knowledge management and artificial intelligence is becoming a defining challenge for law firms. The article features insights from Rachel Shields Williams, president of the Legal Marketing Association, who likens using legal tech to swimming in the ocean—an environment where conditions change and practitioners must stay alert to succeed.
The analogy underscores that adopting AI in legal settings is not simply a matter of installing software. Firms need robust knowledge management practices to give AI meaningful context and to ensure that outputs are reliable. Without that underlying structure, the technology can feel as unpredictable as a strong current.
Williams's perspective, as presented in the article, suggests that law firms should approach legal tech strategically rather than reactively. The convergence of knowledge management and AI offers an opportunity to improve efficiency, but only if firms understand the environment they are operating in and prepare accordingly.