0:05 – Michael Gibeault

Welcome to TCDI Talks, where we spotlight the people and ideas driving innovation in legal services and technology. I’m Michael Gibeault, your host, and today, we’re talking about what it really means to be intentional with innovation and AI, especially as legal teams move from experimenting with new tools to using them in meaningful ways.

I’m joined today by Ned Adams, Senior Director, Legal Services and Solutions Engineer at TCDI, who has spent more than two decades helping clients solve complex legal challenges and guiding organizations through every phase of eDiscovery.

We’ll be taking a look at his recent article on intentional innovation and what it means for legal teams in 2026. Thanks for joining me today, Ned.

0:55 – Ned Adams

Good to be with you, Michael.

0:56 – Michael Gibeault

So, let’s start right out. Your article talks about being more intentional with innovation and AI. What does that idea mean to you, especially in the context of legal technology right now?

1:09 – Ned Adams

Yeah. To be two letters, AI sure is a loaded topic. Even more so that it kind of means something different to everyone.

The culture at TCDI is very much grounded in Lean Six Sigma. So, for questions like AI and innovation, it’s important to kind of go back to that training and go back to a very simple but effective question, “What’s the problem that we’re trying to solve?”

From there, methodical process can take over. Once you understand that problem, do the analysis to find the right tool, implement that tool, and then create controls for future use. That’s how you can get to a successful innovation, whether it be AI or any other technology.

1:49 – Michael Gibeault

Well, Ned, you make the point that the industry has moved past just experimenting with AI. How are you seeing that shift in live matters and workflows?

2:00 – Ned Adams

Yeah, I mean, AI workflows are no longer an abstract idea to be afraid of. They’re becoming an expected part of service offerings to solve litigation problems. For example, leveraging AI in early case assessment or document review are two very common methods that can save our clients time while remaining repeatable and defensible processes.

At TCDI, we have a Military Spouse Managed Review team, and they are fantastic at working with clients to show them how AI can help them with their workflows while also minimizing risk.

There’s always going to be human-in-the-loop to verify results, but there’s a lot of excellent tools out there that we leverage to create successes for our clients.

2:39 – Michael Gibeault

Well, why do you think being intentional matters so much at this stage of AI adoption?

2:45 – Ned Adams

Being intentional in a period of rapidly advancing technology is one element to being a good partner to our clients.

Our clients trust TCDI with very valuable data, and over time we’ve created value for them with past technology advances. And AI is no different.

They’re looking to us to be a good steward of their data and to embrace change where we can. It’s not unusual for us to go to a client with an idea to help improve processes that benefits us both. That applies to AI or any other innovation that we then look to implement.

3:16 – Michael Gibeault

Ned, you mentioned that TCDI has tested a large number of tools. What have you learned from that process about what actually works and doesn’t work?

3:27 – Ned Adams

Well, I mean, right out of the gate, security is the first and most important step in analyzing these tools. If the security model does not match TCDI’s security standards, makes for a short test.

Once that hurdle is cleared, though, the fun begins. The TCDI Tech Lab was created to test these tools, and they actually get to have the fun in being able to see how they perform in a controlled environment.

This reinforces something that we mentioned already: being able to apply a process and then measuring those results. There’s a lot of comfort in that, and that translates to success for our clients.

4:01 – Michael Gibeault

So, when you evaluate new technology, what signals tell you it’s worth moving from a pilot to real use?

4:10 – Ned Adams

Yeah. There are so many cool tools out there, like the opportunities are endless, but in the end, does the tool perform as expected or as designed? Is it repeatable? Is it defensible, and can we implement that into our workflows?

Those indicators are what’s going to take a tool from the theoretical and move it into production. TCDI, for example, has spent a lot of time testing our own tool, SMART Data, which leverages AI to improve the quality of OCR text. Getting better text into AI models is a springboard to success down the road.

4:43 – Michael Gibeault

So, Ned, how should teams think about measuring success once AI is integrated into a workflow?

4:50 – Ned Adams

Yeah, the most obvious question is going to kind of mind for everybody is, “Did it save us any money?” And that’s an important question. Very important measurement.

But if you dig a little bit deeper, the things that I think about are things like driving efficiency, reducing steps. Can we move faster? Can we take on more work without increasing errors or increasing risk? Those are the real things that we’re looking at when we’re measuring success.

5:14 – Michael Gibeault

So, have client expectations changed as AI has become more common in legal services, and if so, how?

5:24 – Ned Adams

I mean, obviously the answer is 100% yes. And clients are looking at TCDI to assist them with solving problems.

Our approach is that same thing we’ve been talking about already: it’s a mindful implementation to make sure that we are understanding the problem and then use the correct tools and the correct steps to assist them with their workflows.

5:43 – Michael Gibeault

So, what role does leadership play in making sure innovation efforts stay focused and practical?

5:51 – Ned Adams

Yeah, we are so fortunate at TCDI to have leaders that give us that freedom to explore how to make our jobs better, and in turn, make our client experiences better.

Our solid foundation in problem-solving is evident in every group in the company, whether it be TCDI’s support, finance, client services, we are all looking at ways to drive efficiency and be a good partner to our clients.

6:14 – Michael Gibeault

And Ned, how do you balance staying curious about all these new tools while still keeping teams grounded in outcomes and results?

6:24 – Ned Adams

Yeah, everybody at TCDI has the training and has, is expected to look and try to define problems and find solutions. But that doesn’t mean that we’re just out testing 100 different products without any process applied to it.

Our Tech Lab enforces that we are going to test products for our clients, whether they are internal clients or external clients, to test and verify them for internal and external use. A popular phrase you hear in the halls of TCDI is “Trust but verify.” We’re going to measure. We’re going to verify the solution is doing what we think it’s doing. And there’s comfort in that process. And again, that’s how we can deliver innovation to our clients.

7:02 – Michael Gibeault

As organizations think about what comes next, where do you see the biggest opportunity to apply AI more intentionally?

7:12 – Ned Adams

Yeah, that’s a great question. And I think it takes us almost to a non-AI answer. Everybody needs to be having some analytical conversations internally.

You need to talk to your vendors, explore where your bottlenecks are. What workflows are ripe for redesign? What outcomes need improvement? Once those goals are established, next steps can be taken. Again, we’re going to define that problem so that we can take the next steps.

And sometimes solutions can come in unexpected ways. You may be looking at a process to change and then find three other processes that can change along with it to improve efficiency, whether it be inside TCDI or with our clients, or really whatever.

7:53 – Michael Gibeault

And Ned, if a legal team feels overwhelmed by all the options out there, where should they start?

7:59 – Ned Adams

The first thing I would emphasize is that they’re not alone. I attended multiple conferences last fall, and AI was a topic in almost every single session. We’re all together in this, and we’re going to find good solutions that work.

Research is key as you get started, along again with defining that problem that you’re trying to solve. TCDI actually just implemented a new AI Knowledge Center that you can find on our website. It’s got a lot of resources, blogs, articles that discuss our approach and our journey. I think it’s really helpful for everyone and it’s worth checking out.

8:32 – Michael Gibeault

So, Ned, to wrap up, what is one takeaway you hope people remember when they think about intentional innovation?

8:40 – Ned Adams

Yeah, AI is here, and not only is it here, it’s going to evolve in fantastic ways over the next few years. Instead of focusing on that shiny object, base your intentionality in secure and defensible methods that solve problems so that you can integrate that into the core of your processes.

AI belongs in that core, not on the fringes. And don’t forget to measure along the way, trust but verify, and make sure it’s addressing your problem.

Well, Ned, thanks so much for joining us and for sharing your perspective on what intentional innovation really looks like for legal teams. This has been a great conversation, and there’s a lot here for organizations to think about as they decide how to move forward with AI in a more meaningful and thoughtful way.

If you’d like to keep up with what’s next at TCDI, visit our website at TCDI.com or connect with us on LinkedIn. Thanks again for joining us. We’ll see you on the next TCDI Talks.