Building the Operational Backbone of AI-Native Law Firms

Law firms in the 80s thought it would be reasonable to opt out of the then-new technology, email. AI is facing the same moment today.

In this episode of State of Innovation, Will Ayers sits down with Aderant President and CEO Chris Cartrett on what it really means for law firms to lead in the age of AI. Chris shares Aderant's vision for the AI-native law firm, why the legal back office is the foundation of that transformation, and what hesitant firms risk by waiting.

Tune in to hear why Chris believes AI in legal is the "opt out of email" moment of our generation, what Aderant 2030 looks like as a blueprint for the firms ready to lead, and how the shift from hours to outcomes is already happening on the ground.

Highlights:

• The AI-Native Law Firm: What it actually means for a firm to go AI-native and why core legal workflows are about to change permanently
• Real Results, Right Now: From a 70% reduction in deductions to $14 million recovered for an Am Law 100 firm, firms are already winning today
• Leaning In: Why hesitation is the biggest risk of all and what it practically looks like to lean into AI transformation in 2026

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Introducing Chris Cartrett, President and CEO at Aderant
(03:17) Aderant 2030 and the AI-native law firm blueprint
(04:22) What AI-native actually looks like day to day
(05:51) Owning the operational backbone for top law firms worldwide
(09:53) $14M in deductions, and where firms are winning right now
(11:07) How executive visibility changes with real-time intelligence
(14:29) Advice for firms still sitting on the fence
(16:55) What leaning into AI looks like in 2026