Biglaw has found a new way to fill the billable-hour quota: tinkering with AI. Ropes & Gray is widening a program that started last year with its first-year associates, and the firm says it has invested more than 35,000 associate hours in AI time this year. For in-house legal departments, the interesting question is not whether law firms should learn AI, but who ends up paying for the learning curve. With top partner rates already nearing $3,000 an hour, legal departments would be wise to raise a simple question at the next budget review with outside counsel: how will all of those AI hours show up on our invoices – as lower bills, or as a new line item?
Over the years many associates have fought tooth and nail to get credit for their pro bono hours, in many cases to no avail. But credit for AI seems to be smooth sailing.
“Reuters reports that Ropes & Gray is now allowing its more than 1,000 associates and counsels to credit 100 hours of AI experimentation and training toward their required billable hours.”
Read: Ropes & Gray allows more attorneys to count AI testing toward billable hours at ABA Journal
