The AI-Native Legal Department: How General Counsel Are Rebuilding Legal for the AI Era

SmartEsq convenes leading legal executives to discuss how artificial intelligence is redefining the legal department, the role of outside counsel, and the future delivery of legal services. The webinar “The Future Legal Operating Model: How AI Is Reshaping General Counsel, Outside Counsel and Legal Value,” takes place on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, at 12:00 p.m. EST. The discussion will examine evolving legal operating models, the changing role of outside counsel and how legal leaders are creating greater business value through technology and organizational transformation. Register: https://share.hsforms.com/1I6ebw7ebRlifvzxWfSdoowrxg2r

Artificial intelligence is fundamentally changing how legal work is performed, managed and valued. As enterprise AI adoption accelerates, General Counsel are rethinking legal operating models, redefining relationships with outside counsel, and shifting expectations around efficiency, expertise and business value.

To explore these changes, SmartEsq will host an executive virtual roundtable, “The Future Legal Operating Model: How AI Is Reshaping General Counsel, Outside Counsel and Legal Value,” on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, at 12:00 p.m. EST.

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The executive roundtable brings together General Counsel, Chief Legal Officers, legal operations professionals and law firm leaders to examine how legal departments are being rebuilt for the AI era. As the role of legal continues to evolve, the discussion will focus on the changing legal operating model, the future of outside counsel and the practical decisions legal leaders are making to deliver greater value to the business.

Panelists include:

• Mara Reilly, Board Member, SmartEsq (Moderator)
• Audrey Jean, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary, 3E
• David Willbrand, Chief Legal Officer & Corporate Secretary, SHINE Technologies
• Tom Pfennig, Founder & CEO, TRANSFORMING.LEGAL
• Yifeng Chen, General Counsel, Plaisance Capital Management

Discussion topics include:

• The emerging AI-native legal operating model
• How General Counsel are redefining the role of outside counsel
• Where AI creates value—and where human judgment remains indispensable
• Governance, trust and enterprise AI adoption
• The future economics of legal services and legal department transformation

“AI is fundamentally changing how legal departments operate,” said Esther Chiang, CEO and Co-Founder of SmartEsq. “General Counsel are asking new questions about where work should happen, how outside counsel creates value, how legal risk should be managed, and what skills will define the next generation of legal leadership.”

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