Making legal technology work: Skills, specialists and strategy

By Jamy Sullivan, JD, Executive Director, Legal Practice Group, Robert Half

Artificial intelligence (AI) and legal technology in general are reshaping how legal professionals work, from client intake to case management to discovery. Robert Half research shows that 85% of law firm leaders and 95% of legal department leaders say their organizations are using or implementing AI-enabled software. And 89% across both groups are increasing their investment in AI tools. While the data also shows that AI and legal tech implementation is a priority for legal leaders in 2026, there is still a difference between rolling out legal technology and maximizing its value. Real gains come from professionals with the judgment and skills to use and adopt these tools well.

That means rethinking who you hire and how you develop your current team—not just for technical proficiency, but for the adaptability and analytical thinking these tools demand.

Legal technology skills, specialists and strategy 3 essential skills for legal technology integration 1. Tech-savviness paired with legal expertise 2. Data literacy and analytical thinking 3. Adaptability and continuous learning The value of investing in specialized roles

3 essential skills for legal technology integration

Your legal talent management strategy should include seeking professionals who combine core legal knowledge with technology proficiency and essential soft skills. Here are three key attributes your law firm or corporate legal department should evaluate when hiring and looking to develop your people.

1. Tech-savviness paired with legal expertise

The focus by legal organizations on legal technology is paying off in productivity, enhanced client service, competitive advantage and improved work-life balance. According to Robert Half research, 65% of legal leaders say AI-powered tools in particular have freed their teams from repetitive tasks, allowing them to focus on more strategic work.

But building a tech-savvy staff doesn’t mean hiring a programmer or data scientist with a little legal knowledge. Look for people with solid legal expertise who also show genuine curiosity about new tools and a willingness to learn. During interviews, ask about a recent platform or process they had to master. What did they do when they encountered something unfamiliar? How did they help colleagues adapt?

Create multiple ways for your team to build skills. Formal training establishes foundations, but lunch-and-learn sessions, quick video tutorials from vendors and peer-to-peer coaching can also be effective. When someone becomes proficient with a tool—say, a contract lifecycle management platform or e-discovery software—ask them to champion its use and share what they’ve learned.

Want to dive deeper into how AI is reshaping legal teams? Read how firms are rethinking talent strategy in response to legal tech integration.

2. Data literacy and analytical thinking

Advanced legal technology solutions process vast amounts of data that can predict trial outcomes and reveal business insights. This wealth of information demands a new type of legal professional—one who combines traditional legal expertise with the ability to use and analyze outputs from modern data tools.

Data literacy is all about asking the right questions. What does this eDiscovery result tell us about the case? Do these billing patterns across multiple matters suggest a systemic issue? How confident should we be in this AI-powered prediction?

When asked about the soft skills professionals need most to complement AI, 73% of legal leaders cited critical thinking and problem solving. An analytical approach when using legal technology tools is critical, and these skills can be developed through exposure and mentorship. Pair someone with strong analytical instincts with a colleague who’s proficient in data tools. Create scenarios in which your team must interpret findings and explain them to clients.

3. Adaptability and continuous learning

Adaptability and continuous learning also stood out in the research as soft skills that complement AI, cited by 62% of legal leaders. Because AI and other legal technology tools keep evolving, someone who mastered one document review platform five years ago but resists learning newer systems won’t keep pace in today’s environment. During hiring, look for examples of how candidates have navigated change, such as learning new research databases, adapting to different practice-area demands or troubleshooting process breakdowns on their own.

In your training and development, build flexibility into how people work. Recommend your teams switch between digital research platforms and solve the same problem, comparing outcomes. When new legal technology arrives, frame it as a learning opportunity rather than a disruption.

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The value of investing in specialized roles

While building these three essential attributes—tech-savviness, familiarity with data tools and analysis, and adaptability—across your workforce creates a strong foundation, the increasing complexity of legal technology also demands targeted expertise in specific areas that can further enhance your organization’s capabilities:

Cybersecurity specialists help protect firms and companies from digital threats. They assist in creating security policies that meet legal requirements, build incident response plans, and guide organizations through the complex mix of technology and regulatory obligations. When breaches happen, they help firms respond quickly and appropriately, protecting both legal interests and reputation.

Data privacy experts help ensure client and customer information is protected and bring deep knowledge of breach response and compliance requirements across jurisdictions. They develop robust security policies and train teams on practical steps to protect sensitive data, helping them meet obligations under frameworks like CCPA and GDPR while maintaining client and customer trust.

AI governance specialists combine deep knowledge of emerging frameworks—from the EU’s AI Act to rapidly developing US state regulations—with practical understanding of how AI systems are deployed. They advise on compliance requirements for AI use, help navigate ethical concerns like bias and transparency, and identify potential liability risk before they become problems. For example, when a financial services client wants to implement AI-powered solutions for credit decisions, these professionals can assess whether the tools meet applicable transparency and fairness requirements while helping your client document a defensible compliance process.

Legal operations professionals within corporate legal departments focus on improving efficiency, controlling legal spend and increasing predictability across matters. By analyzing billing data, case timelines and outside counsel performance, they help legal teams identify cost drivers, reduce fees and deploy technology to better manage litigation volume, contract workflows and compliance demands.

eDiscovery specialists use advanced analytics to spot patterns across emails, chats and documents that human reviewers might miss. Today’s eDiscovery professionals often use generative AI to summarize key findings and identify conceptual relationships between documents.

Legal professionals have always adapted, from early productivity tools to document management systems and from traditional discovery to the rise of eDiscovery. AI is the latest shift, but the pattern holds. The legal teams that come out ahead won't necessarily be those with the biggest budgets or the most recognizable brands. They'll be the ones who paired legal technology with professionals who knew how to use them.

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