Almost overnight, generative AI became the topic that all players in the legal ecosystem couldn’t avoid. For firms, this year has so far meant evaluating how such technological advancements can be leveraged to their competitive advantage, and of course, ensuring generative AI tools are used safely by their lawyers.

While firms’ focus for now remains on how generative AI will change the delivery of legal services, its impact could be far broader. After all, law firms’ back-office functions won’t be immune from the technology’s disruptive potential. To be sure, exactly how generative AI developments will bolster—or threaten—non-legal jobs is still an open question. But some firm professionals are already preparing for how their capabilities could expand, and their responsibilities could shift, going forward.