How a Big Law heavyweight is shaping its AI rollout around Palantir's model (www.businessinsider.com)

Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer, a newly formed legal powerhouse, is revolutionizing its approach to artificial intelligence by appointing Ilona Logvinova as its first global chief AI officer. With her background at McKinsey and Mastercard, Logvinova aims to transform the firm into a modern legal entity capable of delivering efficient and competitive services. She emphasizes that the challenge lies not just in acquiring AI tools, but in altering established behaviors within the legal profession, which hasn’t significantly evolved in centuries. HSF Kramer is adopting a model similar to Palantir’s "forward-deployed engineer" approach, where legal engineers work directly with lawyers to integrate AI tools like Legora into their workflows and ensure real-world application. This initiative is significant for the AI/ML community as it underscores the growing demand for advanced technologies in traditional sectors like law. By focusing on practical implementation, HSF Kramer hopes to avoid the pitfalls of underutilized software, ensuring that investments in AI yield tangible benefits. Logvinova’s strategy of treating software acquisition with a venture capital mindset—scanning the market and evaluating potential technology partners—highlights an evolving perspective on legal tech investment. This adaptation not only positions the firm as an innovator in legal services but also sets a precedent for how AI can reshape workflows and client interactions across the industry.