A growing number of law firms are experimenting with a new approach to technology adoption: allowing junior lawyers to spend up to 20% of their time exploring, testing, and learning AI tools. Instead of treating AI as something to “roll out” from the top down, these firms are building internal expertise organically — and fast.
For law office managers, this trend offers an important lesson: AI fluency doesn’t come from one-time training sessions. It comes from structured permission to learn, experiment, and share. And while the initial focus may be on junior lawyers, the real payoff comes when this model expands to include paralegals, legal assistants, billing teams, and administrative staff.
Why the 20% AI Model Is Gaining Traction
Firms adopting this approach are responding to a simple reality:
AI tools are evolving faster than formal policies, vendor training, or CLE programming can keep up.
By giving junior lawyers dedicated time to explore:
- Legal research tools
- Document drafting and summarization platforms
- Contract review and comparison tools
- Internal knowledge-management systems
firms are creating in-house expertise that’s tailored to their actual workflows, not generic demos.
The key insight for office managers?
This model works because it treats AI as a skill to be developed, not software to be installed.
How to Create AI “Champions” Within Your Firm
You don’t need to officially allocate “20% time” firm-wide to borrow the concept. The goal is to intentionally develop AI champions — people who learn deeply and then help others.
- Identify curious, credible staff members
AI champions don’t have to be attorneys. In fact, some of the most effective champions come from:
- Paralegals who manage document-heavy workflows
- Legal assistants who handle intake and correspondence
- Billing or operations staff who work across systems
Look for people who ask good questions, enjoy problem-solving, and already help colleagues informally.
- Give them permission — and boundaries
Explicitly authorize time for learning and testing AI tools, paired with clear guardrails:
- Approved use cases
- Data privacy rules
- No client-facing outputs without review
This removes fear and inconsistency while encouraging experimentation.
- Make knowledge sharing part of the role
Ask AI champions to:
- Host short “lunch & learn” sessions
- Create simple tip sheets
- Share real examples of what worked (and what didn’t)
This spreads capability without overwhelming the entire firm at once.
Designing Internal AI Training Programs That Actually Stick
Traditional tech training often fails because it’s too theoretical or too broad. Firms seeing success with AI are keeping training practical, role-based, and continuous.
Start with real workflows, not tools
Instead of “Here’s how this AI platform works,” frame training as:
- “How to draft a first-pass motion outline faster”
- “How to summarize long discovery documents”
- “How to standardize client emails without sounding robotic”
This makes AI immediately relevant.
Create tiered learning paths
Different roles need different levels of depth:
- Foundational awareness for all staff (what AI can and can’t do, ethical considerations)
- Applied training for frequent users (paralegals, juniors, admins)
- Advanced experimentation for AI champions
Tiered training avoids overwhelming staff while still moving the firm forward.
Build repetition into the calendar
AI skills degrade without use. Short, recurring sessions — even 15 minutes once a month — are more effective than annual trainings.
Bringing Administrative Staff Into the AI Conversation
One of the biggest missed opportunities in AI adoption is excluding non-attorney staff.
Administrative teams are often best positioned to benefit from AI in:
- Intake summarization
- Scheduling coordination
- Document formatting and version comparison
- Policy and procedure drafting
Including them early:
- Improves efficiency across the firm
- Reduces fear of job displacement
- Builds loyalty and engagement
As office manager, you can position AI not as a threat, but as a support tool that reduces repetitive work and increases value.
Your Role as Law Office Manager
In this emerging model, your leadership role is pivotal. You are the bridge between strategy and execution.
You can:
- Set expectations for responsible AI use
- Coordinate training across departments
- Ensure consistency and compliance
- Translate experimentation into standardized processes