The next generation of elite law firms may have little in common with today’s leading global providers of legal services. Whereas historically top-performing law firms combine stellar talent with marquee clients, brand reputation and client-focused excellence to rise to the top, future leading law firms are equally likely to rise to power using a distinctly different recipe: namely, a mixture of market savvy, strategic agility and operational effectiveness powered by data.

The notion of harnessing the power of data is not a new one. Pundits across sectors have been touting the utility of big data and artificial intelligence for more than a decade. Yet few companies—in any industry—have been able to truly transform data into competitive advantage. The primary obstacle? A noteworthy 93% of companies reported people and process are standing in their way, according to a NewVantage survey of C-suite executives as reported in Harvard Business Review.