The column's evidence is anecdotal and early. It does not provide systematic data on lawyer hours or billing outcomes. Its proposed fix for training is also untested: Patrice argues junior lawyers should learn by checking AI output rather than producing first drafts, a shift he acknowledges is needed as entry-level work moves to bots and Biglaw associate classes shrink. Whether firms will adopt that model is unresolved.
The pressure is commercial. Patrice notes clients expect lower bills from AI, and some are pressing for them now. A CNBC report from October 10, 2026, on a Clio survey of UK and Irish firms makes a parallel point: AI is challenging the assumptions the profession was built on, forcing firms to rethink how lawyers spend time, how they charge for it, and how new lawyers learn. For attorneys, the practical questions are concrete. Track whether your firm's time records show more hours on AI-assisted matters. Review how supervision and training of junior lawyers is changing. And expect client billing demands to test the billable hour directly.