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While not every firm uses artificial intelligence in day-to-day operations, a growing number of firms nationally and in Indiana are finding ways to employ the technology to meet firm and client needs.
The American Bar Association’s 2024 Artificial Intelligence TechReport, released earlier this year, found 30.2% of attorneys indicated that their offices were currently using AI-based technology tools, with reported usage rates running the highest within firms employing 500 or more lawyers at 47.8%
Lyndsay Capeder, Taft’s Stettinius & Hollister’s chief client and innovation officer, said the primary tenets of Taft’s Gen AI strategy include ensuring that the firm’s colleagues utilize Gen AI ethically, responsibly, in alignment with clients’ goals and expectations, and in ways that provide additional value directly to Taft’s clients.
“Several firm-approved Gen AI resources are available to Taft attorneys and professional staff to support legal work for/on behalf of clients, provided that such use is in alignment with Taft’s Gen AI strategy and policy. Taft does not deploy a one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to Gen AI tools – as it is with our approach to legal services, a tailored, client-centric approach is necessary to ensure that the appropriate tool meets the underlying legal support need,” Capeder said.
Capeder said Taft’s current Gen AI usage includes legal research, initial document drafting and editing, document review, summarization, and analysis, document and knowledge management and strategic insights.
She said tools are available for administrative support needs, and Taft continues to explore and evaluate tools and resources for such purposes.
Usage varies across Taft depending on need and interest level, among other factors.
“Taft takes a thoughtful and holistic approach to Gen AI adoption and integration—we do not require that certain tools be utilized, nor do we prohibit access, with certain exceptions and provided that users have completed the firm’s required Gen AI training and adhere to Taft’s Gen AI Policy,” Capeder said.
Mike Messaglia, a managing partner at Krieg DeVault, said his firm uses AI both externally, in terms of providing services to clients, and internally with an eye on efficiency.
He said AI is something the firm’s clients, particularly the bigger ones, are all using in some capacity.
Krieg DeVault uses Westlaw and is testing Microsoft Pilot, which Messaglia said integrates well with the suite of products the firm uses.
Efficiency boost, aid in client services
According to the ABA survey, the top three AI-based research tools that firms have already adopted or are seriously considering adopting are ChatGPT (52.1%), Thomson Reuters CoCounsel (26.0%), and Lexis+ AI (24.3%).
ChatGPT was the clear leader across firms of every size, according to the survey.
The following platforms were name-checked only by respondents at firms with fewer than 50 attorneys: Westlaw AI, Co-Pilot, Summize, DocDraft, and Alexi. Only individuals at firms with 50 or more lawyers cited Paxton AI, Henchman, Blue J Legal, and Robin AI as part of their current or prospective tech stack.
At Taft, Capeder said there isn’t one specific area in which Gen AI is used more than others.
“Our firmwide Innovation Tools & Technology Committee is intentionally separated out into three subgroups, that are focused on litigation, transactional, and operations, respectively,” Capeder said. “And our Client & Innovation Office, in addition to the work with those committee members, also oversees numerous working groups, pilot programs, demonstrations, and works with practice groups to identify needs and opportunities to utilize a variety of tools and resources.”
Capeder said in early 2023, Taft recognized the importance of providing resources and support necessary to support increased interest in AI from clients and Taft attorneys.
Taft’s Gen AI strategy was set by the firm’s Client & Innovation Office, in partnership with firm leadership and immediately focused on education and awareness.
Capeder said Taft was one of the first firms to partner with education platform Skillburst to develop and provide foundational Gen AI training specific to law firms.
Messaglia said Krieg Devault has an AI policy consistent with the Rules of Professional Conduct.
The firm does a lot of AI-related training and really started looking at use of the technology in 2023.
Messaglia said the firm started testing AI products in 2024 and rolling them out for use by the end of last year and beginning of 2025.
“We wanted to be at the forefront of this, as we saw artificial intelligence impacting the entire economy, not just law firms,” Messaglia said.
Future use of AI at firms
In the ABA survey, the majority of attorneys surveyed believe that the legal profession is still a few years away from the mainstreaming of AI for legal work, but 45.3% indicated that should happen within the next three years.
Only 12.8% of survey respondents believed that AI is already mainstream. The ABA Journal reported that was a jump from 2023, when just 4% believed this.
Patrick Wright, a partner at The Wright Firm who is on the planning board of the 2025 ABA Tech Show, told the journal that despite growing acceptance of AI and technology within the legal industry, the use of the technology still had a long way to go.
“We’re basically in the 1990s for the internet,” Wright was quoted by the ABA Journal. “Every day, there’s a new part that’s released that’s better than the last, and I think you’re going to see firms understanding the value of it.”
Capeder said Taft will continue to evaluate and test Gen AI platforms along with internal and client needs.
“We expect the resources within and utilization of Gen AI platforms will continue to evolve and we will be well-positioned given our focus on education and awareness around the ethical and responsible utilization of these tools,” Capeder said.
Messaglia said Krieg Devault will continue to explore what’s available, technology-wise, and use it in a manner consistent with the firm’s AI policy.
Overall, the legal industry is getting to a point in 2025 where more firms are using AI, Messaglia acknowledged.
“But it has not been universally adopted in the industry,” he said, adding that he thinks the industry can be “slow to change.•
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