Cooley and Fenwick veterans launch AI-native law firm General Legal

General Legal, a startup law firm, has launched with backing from experienced professionals from Cooley, Fenwick, and Thomson Reuters, aiming to prove the transformative power of artificial intelligence in the legal field. Co-founder and CTO Javed Qadrud-Din argues that traditional law firms struggle to integrate AI due to established workflows and partner resistance, while an “AI-native” firm can build processes from the ground up to leverage AI for routine tasks, allowing lawyers to focus on strategy and judgment.

Qadrud-Din predicts a growing divide between firms that adopt AI and those that don’t, stating that firms failing to embrace AI will struggle to compete on cost and efficiency. The primary challenge isn’t the technology itself, as AI tools are readily available, but rather the organizational changes required – including accepting lower billable hours and adapting hiring models.

General Legal’s strategy involves hiring experienced attorneys without ingrained traditional habits. The firm believes that, for in-house counsel, the choice will be clear: those outside counsel who can deliver faster and cheaper results through AI will be favored, while those who don’t risk losing clients.

(Source：Complete Ai Training)