At the Consero Litigation Forum, I had the privilege of moderating a Knowledge Bridge discussion titled “New Approaches to Managing Risk, Burden, and Spend.” The session brought together 38 corporate legal leaders for a thoughtful, forward-looking conversation about how legal departments are adapting. Not just to cut costs and reduce risk, but to innovate in a sustainable way.
What emerged was a candid discussion about how artificial intelligence (AI), Lean Six Sigma, and a culture of continuous improvement are redefining the practice of law itself.
The AI Conversation Everyone’s Having
It’s no surprise that artificial intelligence was front and center. Legal departments are all at different stages of their journey. Some are fully integrating AI into their everyday work, while others remain in pilot phases or watching from the sidelines.
Several attendees shared that their organizations have now received clear direction from leadership: to implement AI to drive measurable efficiency. We heard examples ranging from legal playbooks to supply chain management and M&A due diligence to contract drafting pilots.
Others were more cautious, raising questions about governance, data security, and reliability. Still, everyone agreed on one thing: AI is here to stay, and the conversation has shifted from “Should we use it?” to “How do we use it responsibly and effectively?”
Looking Back to See What’s Ahead
To put today’s transformation into perspective, I shared an example that resonated strongly with the group, which was the evolution of Shepardizing. Not long ago, attorneys spent hours flipping through Shepard’s books, manually updating citations and case histories. Then LexisNexis digitized the process, fundamentally changing how legal research was done.
That shift didn’t make attorneys less valuable. It made them more effective. They could focus on strategy instead of manual updates. AI is the next version of that story. Just as Shepardizing moved from print to digital, AI represents the next step in how legal professionals access, analyze, and act on information. The goal hasn’t changed. It’s still about making better, faster, and more informed decisions.
GC AI and the Next Wave of Legal Technology
Several participants shared their early experiences with GC AI, a new Generative AI platform gaining traction in the legal community. Many spoke enthusiastically about how it helps synthesize large datasets, summarize complex matters, and produce reliable first drafts, especially in areas like document creation and research assistance.
The tone in the room reflected a growing comfort with AI. The consensus was that tools like GC AI, when used with proper governance, are proving themselves as a reliable assistant. It’s not replacing people, it’s helping them move faster and work smarter.
Lean Six Sigma: The Process that Keeps Innovation Grounded
While technology was front and center, I emphasized that true innovation depends on strong process foundations. At TCDI, more than 70% of our team is certified in Lean Six Sigma at one level or another. And that’s not a vanity metric. It’s how we make sure technology gets applied with purpose, not just enthusiasm.
Lean Six Sigma offers the structure to measure progress, analyze data, and keep improving every day. It turns ideas into sustainable change instead of quick wins that aren’t sustainable.
Managing Risk, Burden, and Spend in a Smarter Way
The discussion also reinforced that while the tools may be new, the fundamentals haven’t changed. Legal teams still want to minimize risk, reduce burden, and control spend. The difference is in how they do it. With AI and process management, teams can anticipate problems earlier, balance workloads more effectively, and demonstrate real business value through data and outcomes rather than intuition alone.
Across the group, there was a shared optimism that when innovation is done right, it can elevate the legal function from a reactive cost center to a proactive strategic partner.
Final Thoughts
Moderating this Knowledge Bridge reminded me how cyclical (and yet progressive) change in the legal profession truly is. We’ve gone from Shepardizing with books to Shepardizing in databases, from fax machines to cloud collaboration, and now to intelligent automation. Each wave of innovation has redefined what efficiency and insights look like for legal professionals.
The real challenge ahead isn’t whether to embrace AI. It’s how to do it thoughtfully, with structure, ethics, and trust leading the way. The legal leaders who master that balance will not only manage risk, burden, and spend more effectively, they’ll shape the next chapter of legal innovation itself.
Michael Gibeault
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As Senior VP, Legal Services, Michael works closely with corporate legal and law firm clients alike, providing forensics, eDiscovery, and managed document review solutions while managing a team of Legal Services Directors. Michael’s tenured career has focused on supporting clients with creative and cost-effective solutions that rely on cutting-edge technology and highly skilled legal professionals.
