by Kelly L. Galligan, Casey R. Johnson, Lily Li, Sonia A. Lister, Arjun Sivakumar, and Isaiah Z. Weedn

In this column, the Young Lawyers Division gathered anonymous questions from lawyers in their first few years of practice. Each question is followed by thoughtful advice from several seasoned attorneys.

Q: How do you see the practice of law changing over the next decade? What are the biggest risks to practice?
A: Generative AI is the proverbial 800 lb. gorilla looming over the practice of law. The rate of AI advancement (as well as our AI awareness)–from “cute toy” to “industry gamechanger”–has been truly astonishing.

There have obviously been a variety of other tech developments that have previously impacted, among other things, legal workflows, matter staffing, and billable hours (e.g., typewriters/word processors to networked laptops, physical law library to Westlaw/Lexis, endless boxes of hard-copy documents to streamlined document collection and review platforms, etc.). But AI feels different; it’s coming at us faster and the potential impact seems likely to be both broader and deeper than what has come before.

Will the billable hour model survive this latest existential threat or will we finally have a (some would argue, overdue) reckoning? Will an AI-fueled elimination of “low value” legal work lead to more strategic, deep thinking and better outcomes or just facilitate fewer attorneys handling more matters with little service quality impact? How do we develop today’s junior attorneys into tomorrow’s expert practitioners if many of the “on-the-job training” opportunities are eliminated or eroded by AI? These are just a few of the big, structurally significant questions we’ll collectively have to answer (probably on a shorter timeline than most of us are comfortable with). ~ Isaiah Z. Weedn, Special Counsel and Director of Litigation Training, Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton, LLP

Legal practice is heading for a transformation that’s bigger than anything we’ve seen since the adoption of email and online research. Tech is the main driver: AI will handle more routine tasks, clients will expect faster and more transparent work, and remote collaboration will be the norm, not the exception. That means lawyers will spend less time on repetitive work and more on strategic thinking, judgment, and advocacy. The biggest risk? Getting stuck in old habits. If we resist tech or ignore new ways of delivering value, we risk becoming irrelevant. But if we adapt, there’s a chance to do more meaningful work—and to serve clients in ways that actually feel human. ~ Sonia A. Lister, President of Jackson Tidus

I think the future of law is exciting! With technology, we’re going to be able to learn so much more, move faster, and deliver better results for our clients. It makes us sharper, more efficient, and ultimately better lawyers. The real risk is not keeping up. If you close yourself off to change, you’ll miss the opportunity to grow right alongside these advancements. If we stay curious and embrace technology, the next decade will make us better lawyers than we ever imagined we could be. ~ Kelly L. Galligan, Partner, Rutan & Tucker

Q: We often assume business development comes later in law firm careers. What are practical ways a newer associate can start contributing to business development without overstepping their role or seeming too forward?
A: Associates can make a real impact on business development right out of the gate—no awkward glad-handing required. Start by being reliable: deliver great work, meet deadlines, and make your colleagues’ lives easier. Then, look for small ways to help: offer to write a blurb for the firm’s newsletter, volunteer for community events, or share interesting articles with partners. If you have friends or former classmates in business, keep in touch and think about how you might connect them with the right lawyer in your firm. It’s about being curious and generous, not pushy. Over time, people notice, and you’ll build a network without even realizing it. ~ Sonia A. Lister, President of Jackson Tidus

Start now! One of the best things a young lawyer can do is get involved with a board, a committee, or an organization early in their career. Over time, you’ll earn the goodwill and respect of your peers, and when you’re ready to take on a bigger role, you already have the relationships and reputation in place. It’s never too soon to show up, volunteer, and contribute. ~ Kelly L. Galligan, Partner, Rutan & Tucker

Network with your peers! Cohort-based networking is the best way to develop relationships with attorneys of the same experience level. While it may seem more beneficial to network with established attorneys or high-flying GCs, don’t underestimate where your peers will be in the decades to come. Some of my best clients and referral sources were friends that I met while part of the OCBA Young Lawyers Division or even while breaking into the OC legal market. ~ Lily Li, Founder, Metaverse Law

Q: What are some professional organizations you recommend young attorneys join?
A: The OCBA is a must! It’s such a great way to meet colleagues, mentors, future clients, and friends. Affiliate bar associations (like OCWLA or HBA) are also wonderful for building community and leadership opportunities. It’s a surprisingly small legal community, and once you get involved, you’ll start to see the same faces again and again. Also, don’t overlook nonprofit boards or community organizations. Sometimes the most rewarding connections come from serving alongside others with a shared passion outside of law. ~ Kelly L. Galligan, Partner, Rutan & Tucker

Developing a network of other lawyers, particularly newer lawyers, who work outside of your place of employment can be invaluable. OCBA’s Young Lawyers Division or an OCBA Section in your practice area are great places to start. As a plaintiff’s trial lawyer, I gravitated to the Orange County Trial Lawyers Association, which is where I focused my efforts and forged relationships with folks who are still my closest friends and confidants more than twenty years later. PLC Advocates is also a great group of newer lawyers, who share an interest in pro bono work and giving back to the community. Every new lawyer should find at least one group to join! ~ Casey R. Johnson, Partner, Aitken Aitken Cohn

As with many questions posed to lawyers, the answer is, “it depends,” and it primarily depends on you. What do you care about beyond networking? What do you like to do? What are your particular strengths and weaknesses that might impact your ability to contribute? What and/or who gives you energy? What/who takes it away? How do your interests, characteristics, etc. align with available organizations/opportunities? How do those organizations/opportunities align with your professional goals?

Meaningful involvement in any professional organization requires a significant time investment. You are more likely to continue to make (and see a return on) that investment if you are motivated to show up as your best self for well-considered reasons beyond a vague sense that it “might be good for your career.” ~ Isaiah Z. Weedn, Special Counsel and Director of Litigation Training, Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton, LLP

Q: How do you see Artificial Intelligence impacting the long-term future of the billable hour?
A: Despite repeated predictions of its demise—especially during economic downturns—the billable hour model has endured. AI, at least in the foreseeable future, is unlikely to dislodge it either. Human oversight, judgment, review, and strategic thinking remain essential in every aspect of legal practice, justifying the time billed by attorneys who provide these critical services, even if AI is utilized as a tool. And indeed, clients generally prefer ongoing oversight, control, and accountability for legal costs, which the billable hour model provides.

One interesting caveat is that in past predicted extinction events for the billable hour model, it was clients who were expected to push for fixed fees. However, if AI truly does end up handling large volumes of legal work with far less human oversight (again, a far-fetched scenario), it will be attorneys who would potentially need to rethink their own pricing models to recover the value of the technological investments that facilitated such a service model. ~ Arjun Sivakumar, Litigation Partner, Brown Rudnick LLP

AI is going to shake up the billable hour. As AI takes on more research, document review, and even drafting, clients will ask: why am I paying by the hour for something that takes seconds? We’ll see a shift toward fixed fees and other value-based pricing. That’s a good thing—it rewards creativity, insight, and real results, not just time spent. Lawyers who embrace AI as a tool (rather than a threat) will have more time for the work that clients truly value. The billable hour won’t vanish overnight, but its grip will loosen, making the profession more flexible for both lawyers and clients. ~ Sonia A. Lister, President of Jackson Tidus

AI will automate the rote, repetitive work. I think that’s a good thing because it means lawyers will be valued (and compensated) for what really matters, like negotiating, strategy, critical thinking, relationships, and judgment. Clients don’t pay us just to type. They pay us to solve problems. If you focus on honing those higher-level skills, you’ll always be in demand, no matter how the billable hour evolves. ~ Kelly L. Galligan, Partner, Rutan & Tucker

Q: How were you able to ensure you did not become obsolete or behind the times throughout your career? Any advice?
A: I made it a point to stay plugged in—not just to legal developments, but to what was happening in business, technology, and in the world in general. I also learned a lot from my colleagues. Seek out mentors of all ages, and don’t underestimate what you can learn from those just starting out. Staying relevant isn’t about knowing everything—it’s about being open, adaptable, and always willing to try something new. ~ Sonia A. Lister, President of Jackson Tidus

Do not forget to cultivate your personal interests and passions outside of your day-to-day legal career. I have always been a science fiction geek and constantly wanted to learn more about cutting-edge technologies, new developments in computing and physics, while still reading speculative fiction. Ultimately, this personal interest helped me launch a data privacy and AI law firm before such things were cool. If you are already interested in an area, you will be more likely to stay on top of industry developments in this space—own what is unique to you. ~ Lily Li, Founder, Metaverse Law

When I was an associate, I made it a point to be helpful to those senior to me. Now that I’m a partner, I realize how helpful junior attorneys can truly be. Not just in the quality of work, but in bringing fresh ideas, new technologies, and more efficient ways of doing things. Seniors value that more than you might think. The law is always evolving, and tools like AI are a great example. Don’t wait for someone to tell you how to use them. Play with the tools, research how they work, and experiment with ways they can be applied responsibly. The more curious and proactive you are, the more confident and indispensable you’ll become.” ~ Kelly L. Galligan, Partner, Rutan & Tucker

Dear Counsel is an occasional advice column where seasoned attorneys are asked to respond to questions from associates. Please email questions to Nasser Khateeb (OCBA Young Lawyers Division’s Community Outreach Committee Co-Chair) at nkhateeb@umbergzipser.com for possible inclusion in a future column. By submitting a question, you release copyright claims and consent to editing the question for brevity or clarity. The OCL Editorial Advisory Committee has sole discretion over which questions to feature in a future issue. Responses are personal opinions, and are offered as such; no legal advice shall be construed from any such column.