AI in Action: How Law Firms Are Using AI for Marketing & Business Development

By: Jonathan Fitzgarrald, Managing Partner, Equinox Strategy Partners

Roger is one of the most accomplished trial lawyers I know. His Fortune 500 client roster is the envy of most litigators and he is completely at ease in front of any jury. So, I was intrigued when he called to ask for help preparing for a coming conference. (Spoiler alert: the event was two days away.)

Roger would be meeting with a dozen or so general counsels (GCs)—all of whom he didn’t know and all of whom likely had sophisticated, well-established outside counsel relationships. His challenge: how to stand out in a sea of qualified competitors.

“Can we meet for lunch tomorrow to map out my approach?” Roger asked. “Sure,” I said, “but only if you send me the list of GC names in advance.”

How Typical ‘Rogers’ Approach Business Development
At most firms, the Rogers of the world tend to approach business development in one of two ways. They either ‘wing it’—relying on experience and charm—or they delegate the task to their marketing professionals, who pull together background research that often goes unread. Either approach leads to missed opportunities.

But armed with the right AI tools, my approach with Roger was dramatically different.

AI-Powered Prep Work
With less than 24 hours to prepare for lunch with Roger, here’s what I did:

• I used ChatGPT to generate a summary for each GC and company, including recent news, leadership profiles, and business priorities. This information would give Roger an overview and baseline for each interview.
• I ran each company through Lexis+ to cross-reference the company’s legal needs with Roger’s firm’s experience, highlighting the most pressing needs that Roger (or his firm) is uniquely qualified to address.
• I used Introhive to map shared connections and identify who at Roger’s firm has the strongest relationships with each GC (because a little name-dropping never hurts).

I wrapped all of that intelligence into 12 one-sheet briefings—customized, clean, and strategic.

Without AI, gathering and synthesizing all that information would have taken 20–30 hours. With AI? Just two.

Over lunch, Roger and I reviewed each briefing and crafted a tailored approach for every GC on his list. The outcome? Roger left the conference having formed meaningful connections with each GC—and secured new opportunities from 11 of the 12.

Why This Matters
After more than two decades coaching lawyers, I have heard every excuse as to why business development efforts fall short. Here are the top three and the AI tools that can help overcome them.

Excuse #1: I Don’t Have Time
AI doesn’t just save time, it makes time. Tools like Lexis+, Clio, and Harvey can:

• draft first versions of outreach emails to prospects and dormant clients.
• create pitch decks and customized marketing materials.
• suggest timely thought leadership topics based on legal trends.

This ‘first draft’ advantage gives lawyers a head start by turning a blank page into a launching pad.

Excuse #2: I’m Not a Salesperson
Lawyers don’t need to be. Tools like Google Gemini, Jasper, and Thomson Reuters’ CoCounsel analyze client activity, industry alerts, and legal developments to identify timely, relevant touchpoints. Consistent outreach keeps lawyers top of mind when the next legal need arises.

AI tools can even generate personalized emails, LinkedIn posts, and calendar reminders—ensuring outreach feels genuine, not generic. In short, AI makes authenticity scalable.

Excuse #3: I Don’t Know Where to Start
The hardest part of business development is often knowing where to begin. Tools like ChatGPT and Introhive can help segment clients by:

• Value to the firm
• Risk of attrition
• Potential for cross-sell/collaboration with colleagues

They also score relationships so you and your team know who the true connectors are, and which relationships need strengthening.

Strategies Firms Are Already Using
AI is not theoretical anymore. Below are the strategies I am seeing in action at forward-thinking firms.

• Relationship Radar: Client Relationship Management (CRM) and AI tools provide a live feed of who is talking to whom, who has gone quiet, and who is due for outreach.
• Predictive Cross-Selling: Tools like Salesforce Einstein and Microsoft Dynamics highlight untapped services a client is likely to need next.
• Experience Tracking: AI platforms such as CoCounsel and Harvey help firms catalog past matters and pitches, maintaining institutional memory even when individuals move on. This is particularly helpful at firms that are rapidly bringing on new attorneys all the time.
• Lateral Recruiting: Leopard Solutions and Firm Prospects analyze market data to identify candidates who align with a firm’s strategic goals—and can even predict which lawyers are most likely to make a move.
• Award Nominations: Automated tools like ChatGPT now streamline submissions to Chambers, Legal 500, and other rankings.

Final Thought: The Win Still Goes Through YouL
Let’s be clear: AI is not going to replace business development professionals. But it will replace business development professionals who refuse to use AI.

You are the bridge between smart tools and even smarter strategy. The firms that win in this new era will be those that pair human expertise with AI horsepower.

Your competition is already using AI. The only real question is: why aren’t you?