PLI Legal Ops Institute 2025 - Panel 2 💡 Thinking Outside the AI Box – Process Optimizations With or Without GenAI

Continuing the report back on the Practising Law Institute (PLI) Operations Institute 2025, following our first panel on “real-world GenAI use cases” moderated by Meredith Gordon, the 2nd panel discussion dove deeper into a question every legal ops and innovation leader now faces: To GenAI or Not to GenAI? Choosing the Right Tool for the Job.

The first panel had noted curation is everything—both in selecting the right tool and in managing the data that powers it. A key principle that carried throughout the conversation is don’t abandon tools that are fit for purpose just because a new one glitters.

This panel featured leaders who are not only deploying GenAI for their legal teams, but also making judgment calls about selecting the best tool for the job.

🧩 Building Governance and Guardrails

Each represented organization has taken a distinct approach to AI governance:

• Stacy Lettie shared how Organon’s “GenAI Factory” vets every use case, balancing creativity with ROI.

“We wrote the business case for an AI FAQ bot using ChatGPT itself—ROI and headcount reduction included.” — Stacy Lettie, Organon

• Jamal Brown described JP Morgan Chase’s centralized vetting process, where teams present their business case, impact metrics, and client value proposition before approval.
• Mike Ferdinand explained Clifford Chance’s layered model: regional AI innovation groups feeding into a global governance board to align legal tech priorities across practices.

“We aim to keep pace with our clients—each practice group leads on transformation priorities.” — Mike Ferdinand, Clifford Chance

In the case of HEARST, approach depends on project scope: some initiatives or tools are built or bought within Legal, others in partnership with central GenAI or Tech Services teams.

⚙️ Iteration = Innovation

Several panelists emphasized that GenAI shouldn’t always be the first move. Many successful projects started with foundational work in people, process, and data—laying the groundwork for more advanced automation.

“We focused on people, process, and lastly, technology—for a reason.” — Stacy Lettie, Organon

Examples included playbooks, chatbots, templates and workflow automation that paved the way for later AI readiness.

🚦 When GenAI Isn’t the Answer

Panelists discussed pragmatic reasons when not to use GenAI. Common factors: speed to delivery, scalability, and business priorities.

• Jamal Brown shared an onboarding/offboarding automation project for 2,500 team members. The team used existing workflow and semantic search tools rather than GenAI—achieving two-thirds time savings.

“Sometimes the smart move isn’t smarter tech—it’s smarter process.” — Jamal Brown, JP Morgan Chase

• Mike Ferdinand described a rapid-deployment project integrating HighQ, DocuSign, and Office & Dragons to deliver a high volume output. Within one week, the team delivered results without a GenAI layer.

He also shared how Clifford Chance uses Fliplet (a low-code app creator) to train 200 lawyers, using ChatGPT only to score responses—showcasing selective, contained AI use.

🎯 Takeaway: Judgement Is the New Superpower

Across every example, the throughline was discernment. Successful innovation leaders don’t chase AI—they curate solutions that fit purpose, timing, and readiness.

When to GenAI isn’t a technical question—it’s an operational one.

To view the PLI Legal Operations Institute 2025 recording, visit: https://www.pli.edu/programs/legal-operations/416133 (requires paid registration if your team does not have a subscription).