What the Best Law Firms Are Doing Differently in the Age of AI | Reena SenGupta

In this episode of Beyond Billables: Lessons from Top Law Firm Partners, host Stephen Rodney sits down with Reena SenGupta, who leads RSGI, about how AI is reshaping legal services. They examine AI’s shift from adoption to infrastructure, the changing relationship between law firms and in-house teams, pricing, knowledge management, and the capabilities lawyers need to develop. Reena draws on more than 30 years in the legal sector, beginning with Chambers & Partners before establishing her own company in 2001. As the creator of the ranking methodology used by Chambers & Partners and the FT Innovative Lawyers programme, she brings a research-led perspective on how firms, legal teams and individual lawyers are responding to technological change. Expect to Learn: How to assess AI by the commercial and legal outcomes it produces rather than the number of prompts used. Why AI efficiency may expand legal work and create new tasks rather than lead directly to lower headcount. The capabilities lawyers need to develop, including contextual advice, leadership, boldness and the ability to connect disciplines. How accessible institutional knowledge can help firms develop lawyers more quickly and deliver more contextualised advice. Why value-based billing requires law firms and in-house teams to work together to define the value of legal work. How leaders can encourage AI empowerment by reducing fear and helping lawyers see how technology can improve their professional capability. Episode Breakdown with Timestamps: [00:00] – Teaser [01:33] – Welcome & Introduction to Beyond Billables with Reena SenGupta [06:01] – Major AI Studies: Harvey, Deloitte, Pursuit, and the FT [11:33] – The Jevons Paradox: Why AI Is Expanding Legal Work [19:02] – Multidisciplinary Teams: AI as an Enabler of Institutional Knowledge [26:11] – The Indian Partner with 20 Agents: Productivity Exploding [31:33] – Mind the Gap: Clients and Law Firms Discussing Value [38:11] – The Frozen Middle: Enabled but Not Empowered [45:13] – Success Beyond Billables: The 75% Associate Walkout Example [48:56] – Norm Law and Private Equity: Conflicts and Structure [49:33] – Closing Remarks and Thanks Connect with Reena SenGupta: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/reena-sengupta-0719bb4/ Company’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rsgi-co/ Company’s Website: https://www.rsgi.co/ Connect with Stephen Rodney: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenmrodney/ Company’s Website: https://www.intogreatcoaching.co.uk/ Company’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/intogreat-coaching/ Connect with IntoGreat Coaching: Website: https://www.intogreatcoaching.co.uk/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/intogreat-coaching/ Listening Links: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5itRkdqnE9iUG7XuVXfur9?si=cd8ec898274442d9&nd=1&dlsi=6ff13118ea1a44b4 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-billables-lessons-from-top-law-firm-partners/id1847593311 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@StephenRodney-i8l