AI Adoption in Law Firms: Reality vs. Expectation
24 April 2025, 3pm BST
Law firms are leading the way in AI adoption, but what’s really driving adoption, and how is it reshaping legal service delivery?
Joe Cohen (Charles Russell Speechly), John Craske (CMS UK) and Conan Hines (Fried Frank) discussed this crucial topic, moderated by Definely's Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer, Feargus MacDaeid.
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Introduction
Get ready for a deep-dive into some of the topics raised in the Definely LegalTech Adoption Report 2025. We'll cover the drivers behind AI adoption in private practice, as well as challenges like security, AI accuracy and workflow integration.
We'll also explore how AI is impacting the relationship between clients and firms, and whether firms are leveraging AI to enhance efficiency, collaboration and service quality for clients.
We'll also look to the the next steps law firms need to take to evolve their use of AI while maintaining the human touch.
And you'll get the chance to ask your questions live as well.
Agenda
Webinar Host
Feargus MacDaeid
Feargus MacDaeid is co-founder and chief strategy officer at Definely. Registered blind, Feargus' personal and professional challenges as a Magic Circle lawyer at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer led him to create Definely with fellow co-founder Nnamdi Emelifeonwu. Definely is the only unified solution that helps lawyers at every pre-execution stage of the contract lifecycle.
With recent AI breakthroughs, Feargus is focused on ensuring that everybody can leverage this technology to maximize efficiency in the workplace.
Guests
Conan Hines
As the Director of Practice Innovation at Fried Frank, Conan Hines leads the firm's cutting-edge legal tech and AI initiatives, enhancing efficiency and advancing technological capabilities Firmwide to all personnel.
In this capacity he works hand-in-hand with the lawyers plus various departments at the Firm, including Information Services, Knowledge Management, Marketing and Professional Development. Before joining Fried Frank, Conan served as a Senior Legal Technology Advisor at a Magic Circle firm for six years, where he played a pivotal role in deploying advanced legal technology and AI solutions. Prior to that, he spent over five years at an AmLaw 100 firm, focusing on legal innovation and transformative technology strategies.
Conan's career began in law practice before transitioning to the ediscovery domain and ultimately stepping into the legal innovation space. With 18 years of experience in the legal field, Conan brings a wealth of knowledge and a forward-thinking approach to technologically empowering the practice of law with the business of law. He is also a board member of the International Center for Advocates Against Discrimination (ICAAD), an international NGO dedicated to addressing systemic discrimination in the legal system.
Joe Cohen
Joe is the Director of Advanced Client Solutions at Charles Russell Speechlys and is responsible for AI & Legal Tech, LPM, Process Improvement, Alternative Delivery and Software Development. Previously he has worked at Dentons, Linklaters, Slaughter and May and Deloitte in Innovation capacities.
Joe also runs various innovation culture initiatives internally such as the Russell Up scheme for trainee solicitors and a number of global, practice-aligned innovation committees.
Joe speaks at numerous industry conferences and is a renowned thought leader in the legal innovation space. He hosted the ‘Up in the AI’ podcast and was in the Lawyer Hot 100 list for 2025.
John Craske
John is responsible for CMS’ innovation strategy, with the aim of helping clients and their business work smarter and embrace the future. John leads their Legal Operations and Project Management, Legal Tech, Legal Innovation, Managed Legal Services and Knowledge teams. He is also responsible for their firmwide AI strategy.
John is a qualified solicitor with 20+ years of experience working across a variety of practice groups and business support roles, including knowledge management, IT, risk, project management and business change. John co-founded CMS’ Legal Services Unit (their in-house “legal process outsourcing” team) and advises clients on AI impact and opportunities, legal tech, digital transformation strategy, alternative resourcing and designing the approach to major legal projects / workstreams (using a fusion of people, process and technology).
John works with clients, suppliers and stakeholders across the business to help build specific solutions to business problems: using a blend of the range of tools and resources available in CMS.