Legalweek 2026 made one thing clear: The conversation around AI in legal has moved from experimenting with GenAI to actually embedding it in workflows.
This year, a tone shift permeated through sessions, client meetings, and hallway conversations. Generative AI is no longer a curiosity or a future-state concept, but an operational reality. And with that reality comes a new set of expectations around implementation, governance, and results.
Here’s what stood out most from the TCDI team on the ground and their key takeaways from Legalweek.
Legalweek Takeaways
“I had a couple of takeaways from Legalweek 2026. First, it seemed like a lot of the conversations around GenAI have shifted from general interest and curiosity to “How do we get our teams to use it?” There has been a definite shift to more discussions around GenAI implementation, governance, and defensibility, which will likely result in greater adoption by the time Legalweek 2027 rolls around.
Secondly, the Javits Center is a great facility for conferences, but as someone who has a lot of off-site meetings during Legalweek, the location made it extremely difficult to move between the various locations. The result was the least amount of time that I have ever spent at the actual conference location and a massive amount of steps each day. Javits was good for my Garmin tracking, but a drain on logistics for the week. At least now we all have this year to learn from as we plan for 2027.”
“My big takeaway from all the client meetings I had at Legalweek is that expectations for AI in eDiscovery and litigation are shifting. I feel like the focus is moving away from document review and deposition prep toward more niche use cases, which excites me because that’s what TCDI is best at creating for our clients.
Clients seem to be looking for ways to solve problems that were just not feasible before, from spotting patterns across large, disconnected datasets to hunting for insights in unstructured datasets. They also seem to be thinking about AI not just in terms of asking, “How can this help my client save time or money?” or “Can this help my outside counsel get to info faster or better?” but “How can this get me better insight and help me find answers?”
I also heard people talk about decision speeds and looking for ways to drive consistency across matters. Overall, while I felt last year’s focus at Legalweek was all about accepting that AI is here to stay and getting it right with when and how to use it, the tone of the discussions this year was more about finding out what new results it can deliver. Lots of conversations about very specific use cases and how AI might fit into a process to make things faster and easier.”
“While this was my first Legalweek since joining TCDI, it was not my first rodeo. I have probably attended nearly 25 Legalweek/Legaltech events over the years, and it is interesting to see how the conference and conversations have evolved.
The word I would use to sum up this year was “perspective.” I had the chance to speak with clients, colleagues, prospects, and competitors, and each group discussed their thoughts and opinions through their own particular lens.
Many clients and prospects seemed overwhelmed by the conference and technology options, while other colleagues were generally more grounded and prepared for what they experienced. I did notice many vendors this year ranged from overconfident about their capabilities to slightly burnt out from all the various new technologies and competitors.
One common theme I heard from general counsels, compliance officers, and other in-house leaders was their desire for their eDiscovery leadership to integrate further and work more closely with legal operations. Other hot topics included using AI for workflows, expediting managed review, and minimizing the overwhelming volume of data being collected.”
“Whether it was the beautiful weather, the new location, or the content and attendees (or some combination of those), Legalweek was as energetic as ever. The panels provided valuable insight and discussion points that carried over into the coffee chats and networking lunches.
It seems we’re seeing the evolution of AI from “low-hanging fruit” use cases to more sophisticated applications that can solve challenging problems. The maturation of the technology, paired with creative and innovative human intelligence, will no doubt lead to an exciting future to be part of. “
“Reflecting on the 2026 Legalweek conference in New York, I came away with three major themes :
Experimentation to Adoption
The conversations I had and heard indicated that the shift in the legal industry’s mindset towards artificial intelligence is at hand. The dialogue and discussions on AI are no longer theoretical; they are now an operational imperative. In the last two years, most conversations seemed focused on experimentation and various proof of concepts. This year, the focus was clearly on functional, day-to-day deployment of AI within practical workflows. The gap between capability and adoption still exists, driven by limited training, inherent resistance, and a lack of clarity on how AI should be integrated into service models. This reflects the broader industry realization that success will no longer hinge on access to AI but more on the ability to operationalize it responsibly, with proper governance, and measurable outcomes.
Evolve, Adapt, or Deal with the Risk
A constant theme that has guided TCDI’s development and deployment of AI is our insistence on pragmatic guidance and how to implement AI in ways that are reliable, defensible, and aligned with current legal standards. The various conversations our team engaged in highlighted our commitment to proper governance, accountability mechanisms, and the need for human-AI collaboration models that preserve professional judgment and improve efficiency. Nearly everyone I spoke with was focused on embedding AI into real workflows rather than treating it as a standalone innovation initiative. This is a welcome evolution of the market. Clients are now pushing us to deliver faster, more cost-effective outcomes. Failure to adopt AI may soon be viewed as a competitive or even professional risk.
Change is Good
So much of the talk leading up to this year’s conference revolved around the change in location. The Javits Center was clearly a significant upgrade as an event venue. The vendor hall was very nice, the facility itself was terrific, and I am sure we will all make the necessary adjustments heading into 2027. That said, logistics were much more complex. Meeting locations were scattered and sometimes inconvenient, and we had to find unfamiliar places to grab coffee or a drink. However, I did benefit from an extra 10k steps each day, vastly improved my crumbling sidewalk and pothole navigation skills, found a delightful Yemeni coffee shop, and really enjoyed the diverse, gritty, creative, and complex culture unique to New York.”
“Legalweek this year felt less like a conversation about what’s possible with AI and more like a reality check on what’s actually being delivered. Across the board, firms are investing, training, and talking about AI—but when you get into real client conversations, there’s still a clear gap between capability and execution.
Clients are asking sharper questions:
- Where’s the efficiency?
- How does this impact pricing?
- What does this actually change in terms of outcomes?
At the same time, in-house teams are becoming more operational and data-driven, and they expect their partners to keep up not just with technology, but with real-world application. Many of these leaders are being asked to champion AI internally, and they want partners who can help them translate it, educate their teams, and make them successful in front of the business.
The takeaway for us was simple: this isn’t about selling innovation anymore. It’s about showing up with solutions and expertise that actually work in practice and align with how results are being measured.”
“Legalweek was once again all about AI. From the exhibit hall to conversations with clients, it’s clear that GenAI is rapidly becoming embedded in legal workflows, not just experimental. There is growing pressure for defensibility, transparency, and strong data governance.
Many of our conversations were shifted toward more strategic, advisory roles. Success will come from combining technology with disciplined processes and expertise. Overall, the gap is widening between those operationalizing AI and those still exploring it.”
“Attending Legalweek 2026 at the Javits Center in New York City was an energizing week filled with great conversations, new ideas, and plenty of opportunities to reconnect with clients and friends from across the country—and even a few from right down the street. It was especially rewarding to sit down with many of the clients I work with regularly but rarely get the chance to see in person, making those face-to-face meetings even more meaningful. From packed sessions and buzzing hallways to lively networking events and impromptu meet-ups around the city, the conference brought together the legal, technology, and eDiscovery community in a way that always makes Legalweek memorable.
Many of the week’s hottest discussions centered on the rapid rise of Generative AI in legal practice, including how organizations are integrating AI into their workflows, governing its use responsibly, and rethinking the future of legal services. Data governance, legal operations, and the growing complexity of modern discovery were also top of mind. It was especially exciting to watch clients take the stage to share their perspectives on eDiscovery, highlighting how innovative teams are using technology and AI-driven tools to manage data more effectively and drive better outcomes for their organizations.
By the end of the week, it was clear that Legalweek remains one of the best places to connect, learn, and leave inspired about where the legal technology industry is headed next.”
Looking Ahead
The last few years have been spent leaning into the existence of AI, and now the legal industry is entering a new phase. One where success will be defined not by who has access to AI, but by who can apply it effectively, responsibly, and at scale.
The conversation has shifted. Legalweek 2026 showed us that it’s time to prove the value of AI. And now the expectation is execution.
Interested in harnessing GenAI in your workflows?
Check out our AI Knowledge Center to learn more.
This blog was a compilation of thoughts from our team that attended Legalweek 2026.
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