From Talent to AI - key themes looking ahead to LVNx 2025

In just a few weeks, I’ll be heading to Chicago to join global leaders in the Legal Value community at the renowned Legal Value Network conference, an event that’s already generating plenty of discussion online and in conversations. The agenda is jam-packed, and the list of speakers is impressive – a who’s who list of Legal value experts.

There are several themes running through the conference, but understandably, the one that I’m most interested in is talent, recruitment and people strategy. It’s great to see that there are plenty of sessions touching of the importance of developing effective talent strategies, whether through lateral hiring, building talent communities and deploying leadership development programs.

Legal Value Talent

One of the challenges that the legal value world faces is how to attract, develop and retain talent in this market, one that is continually evolving and shifting. New disciplines are emerging all the time – there is a session with Kevin O’Sullivan talking about Legal Program Management - for example. Many sessions also touch on how data driven decision making is being woven into people strategies, and how, in a world of AI, getting the right people in place, with the right skills, to leverage it, is absolutely vital for boosting profitability. More on that later.

Over the past few years, we've seen how legal value roles evolve, and continue to do so. What were once seen as ‘support roles’ in LPM, Pricing, Data, and Practice Management are increasingly being perceived as ‘strategic leadership positions.’ Alongside this trend, the skill sets required for these roles are broadening. Senior professionals now need to collaborate across functions and influence beyond their core expertise.

This shift is reflected in the hires we’ve been involved with seeing and the roles our clients are looking to fill. The ability to lead and collaborate across different functions to drive change, profitability and strategy is becoming increasingly important. Many of the scheduled sessions at LVNx are exploring this evolution, highlighting how these positions are shaping the future of firms, and how the legal value function is no longer optional but essential.

AI & Data

As I’d expect, AI is a dominant theme across the schedule. AI is becoming a valuable tool for Pricing, LPM,  and Legal Ops in particular. Sessions are tackling issues such as generative AI’s impact on legal tasks, pricing models, client expectations and talent development. Others are looking at practical applications of AI, like SALI recoding and leveraging analytics. Ethics remains a key factor in the adaption of AI – balancing the benefits of AI with human judgement and responsibilities to clients. It will be interesting to see how firms are viewing the integration of AI, and how they are navigating the change this will mean to traditional models.

There is no doubt, an increased focus on data and AI are here to stay. We expect to see a steady increase in roles requiring more sophisticated AI skills in the coming years.

Pricing, Profitability and Value Delivery

Pricing remains central to legal value conversations, and there are plenty of sessions centring on the topic, echoing conversations we’re having on a daily basis with Pricing leaders. The main thrust is the emphasis on moving from cost-based billing to client-centred value, whatever that looks like, be it AFAs, rate setting, discounting, budgeting, matter management and aligning pricing with long-term client relationships. The focus for pricing is on transparency and collaboration to deliver sustainable profitability. 

I'm excited to see that many of the sessions on the topic of pricing and LPM are beling delivered by people in my network, and I am hoping to join several of them.

Delivery for clients

Everything comes back to the fight for greater market share and profitability, which can only be achieved by meeting clients’ demands for transparency, value and innovation in the delivery of their matters. There is set to be much discussion around new, innovative ways to deliver for clients - the implication being, if firms don’t meet these demands, they will lose out to competitors who will. To bring creativity and innovation, Legal Operations and the adoption of AI will come to the fore here, looking at streamlining processes, new frameworks for execution of strategy, embracing change and adopting new ways of working. Keith Maziarek, Legal Value Network Board member, is involved in a discussion on collaboration and problem solving with Laura Terrell and Kristina Lambright, looking at how solving problems requires working with different stakeholders - a topic that seems to sum up much of what I've mentioned above.

All of these themes, and more, are up for discussion in Chicago. And there is a talent implication for them all.

Simply put, without the human capital and skills to take firms forwards, embrace AI, work together and collaborate effectively, they risk being left behind. 

Whether they look at upskilling existing teams, lateral hiring, bringing in outside expertise or investing in leadership development, as I said earlier, having the right people, with the rights skills to leverage the tools available, will make or break the financial future of law firms.

I am really excited to attend this year's conference and listen to the elite of the legal value world discussing these themes, and more, and to discussing the topics with my existing network and new connections.

If you want to arrange a meeting, or just get in touch and let me know where you’ll be. Visit the LVNx Elevates site for more infomation on the agenda and speakers.

See you in Chicago!