AI Won’t Replace Lawyers—But It Could Compromise the Pipeline That Trains Them

While most law firms have their sights set on boosting efficiency and productivity through AI tools, it’s crucial not to overlook their impact on the talent pipeline. Firms must think beyond short‑term profit and efficiency gains and adopt forward‑looking strategies that preserve their organizational future—and the future of the legal profession.

I can’t help but think back to the Great Recession, when firms drastically cut first-year hiring over a period of a few years, leaving a gap in the talent pipeline. As the economy recovered, firms turned to the lateral market to shore up their midlevel and senior associate ranks—only to find it had all but dried up. Suddenly, every firm was competing for the same vanishingly small pool of well-trained associates, many of whom were overextended and burning out, while junior attorneys were pushed prematurely into roles they weren’t yet equipped to handle.

That talent gap eventually closed as those associates aged into partnership and new cohorts caught up. But the lesson is clear: once the pipeline is choked off, rebuilding it isn’t easy—and it takes time. With AI, however, the consequences could be far more serious. If we allow technology to constrain the learning and development of junior lawyers, we risk creating long‑lasting generational gaps—and threatening both firm resilience and the vitality of the legal profession.

Last week, Wharton’s Cornelia Walter published an article examining the challenges organizations face as AI takes on work traditionally performed by junior employees. While her piece is not specific to law firms, the issues she highlights are especially relevant to the legal profession. Much of the early training for associates comes from handling the very routine, repeatable tasks that AI is poised to absorb. If firms don’t address this shift head-on, they risk cutting off the pipeline that produces their future leaders.

To counter this risk, Walter introduces the “GROOM” framework—a structured approach to preserving and reimagining professional development pathways in the AI era. The framework includes the following elements:

• G – Gap Analysis: Identify critical skill areas that are endangered.

• R – Redesign Development Pathways: Create new roles that blend AI support with real‑world decision‑making.

• O – Optimize Knowledge Transfer: Pair seasoned professionals with emerging talent through structured mentorship; institutionalize documentation to preserve organizational wisdom.

• O – Organize Cross‑Functional Exposure: Avoid hyper‑specialization at the entry level. Offer rotations or cross‑practice assignments so junior employees develop broader understanding and context.

• M – Monitor and Measure: Track the effectiveness of knowledge transfer and training outcomes to ensure the pipeline remains robust and effective.

By weaving this framework into strategic planning now, firms can avoid repeating past mistakes on a far grander scale.

Conclusion

AI offers extraordinary gains in efficiency, but those gains must not come at the cost of developing future leaders. Firms focused solely on short-term productivity risk choking off the talent pipeline they rely on for success and sustainability. To thrive, they must invest in systems that nurture junior talent alongside AI adoption. Wharton’s GROOM framework offers a precise, actionable roadmap—helping firms preserve institutional knowledge, build resilient development pathways, and ensure the legal profession remains strong for generations to come.

By: Kandice Thorn, Founder, WorkBetter for Lawyers