Our Take
Standard conference promotion disguised as news, with the actual legal AI developments buried in webinar announcements.
Why it matters
Big Law firms are investing in formal AI training programs, signaling a shift from ad-hoc adoption to structured implementation across practices.
Do this week
Legal teams: Register for the AltaClaro webinar on May 21 to see Orrick's AI training simulator before committing to your own program.
Conference adds Big Law speakers on AI training
Legal Innovators California will run June 10-11 in San Francisco, featuring speakers from major law firms discussing AI implementation. The event includes partners from Orrick and Linklaters addressing legal AI training programs.
Two webinars precede the conference. AltaClaro hosts the first on May 21 with Orrick experts covering AI training simulators. Litera runs the second on May 26 with Linklaters and Stanford Law School speakers, including Megan Ma from Stanford.
The conference offers free registration for senior roles in law firms and in-house legal teams. A separate development: New Zealand legal AI company Jude operates at www.Jude.Law, predating recent celebrity marketing campaigns in legal tech.
Firms formalize AI training beyond pilots
The speaker lineup indicates major law firms are moving past experimental AI use toward systematic training programs. Orrick's AI training simulator represents structured skill development rather than informal tool adoption.
The involvement of Stanford Law School suggests academic institutions are building curricula around legal AI implementation. This coordination between law schools and major firms typically precedes widespread industry adoption of new practices.
Focus on training infrastructure first
The emphasis on training simulators and educational programs signals that implementation success depends more on systematic skill development than tool selection. Firms investing in formal training infrastructure appear to be preparing for broader AI deployment across practice groups.
The timing of these educational initiatives, combined with Big Law participation, suggests the legal industry expects AI adoption to accelerate significantly in the second half of 2026.