Troutman Pepper Forms Task Force to Advance Generative AI in the Practice of Law

Few technologies have impacted the world and workplace as rapidly as generative artificial intelligence (AI). The global generative AI market is expected to reach $42.6 billion in 2023.¹

As with most emerging technologies, AI brings both promise and a measure of risk. To help the firm and its clients successfully but safely use these disruptive tools and technologies, Troutman Pepper announced today the formation of its Generative AI Task Force. The Task Force is a logical extension of Troutman Pepper‘s multifaceted efforts in the AI space and will unify and amplify the firm’s existing talents and experience using AI and advising clients seeking to do so.

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“Troutman Pepper has always been on the leading edge of these issues. To capitalize on the work we’re already doing and the broad legal expertise we have in the AI space, we’re thrilled to officially launch our Generative AI Task Force. The team is up to date on the legal issues rife in the implementation of generative AI across industry sectors and shares news across practices of our own research and development that delivers client value,” said Will Gaus, Troutman Pepper’s chief innovation officer and Task Force lead. “We will continue to welcome and actively pursue new opportunities to expand—with appropriate care and due diligence—the use of AI in our firm and in the profession of law.”

The Generative AI Task Force combines the skills and services of attorneys and professionals from across the firm with expertise in technology, data analytics, business litigation, privacy, information security, compliance, client service, innovation, eDiscovery, legal ethics, and more. Many of the Task Force members have already developed, tested, piloted, thoroughly vetted, and implemented custom internal and client-facing AI solutions. Specifically, the Task Force is focused on:

• Consolidating the firm’s AI expertise and defining the procedures and policies needed to leverage generative AI for gaining efficiencies in both firm business operations and client work.
• Educating the firm and its clients about the benefits and risks of generative AI.
• Coordinating the various constituencies across the firm who will play a role in building and supporting these activities.

Troutman Pepper clients and the firm will continue to benefit from the expertise of Task Force contributors’ prior and ongoing hands-on AI experience, including:

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• Troutman Pepper eMerge’s participation in an early pilot evaluating the performance of GPT-4 when searching, categorizing, and analyzing documents in discovery and internal investigations on RelativityOne.
• The creation of the bespoke application Xtractor, a custom solution that employs AI and machine learning, including Azure Cognitive Services, to convert unstructured text from forms into structured data. Xtractor reduces the time it takes to review documents, saving legal teams hundreds of hours and clients thousands in legal fees. Xtractor won the coveted Best Innovation: Enterprise award from Relativity in 2022.
• A partnership with CaseText and its GPT-4 application CoCounsel, one of the first “AI legal assistant” tools powered by GPT-4 to hit the market. Troutman Pepper’s Innovation Solutions team is already using the technology to support firm-approved AI use cases.
• A partnership with LexFusion on a variety of technologies across the AI landscape.
• A series of educational programming for attorneys and allied legal professionals focused on leveraging generative AI to gain efficiencies and transform tasks, from the routine to the complex, as well as professional development on essential skills needed to work effectively with AI tools.
• Ongoing research and development supported by the firm’s strategic partnership with award-winning AI development group Framework Consulting.

The Generative AI Task Force is led by Partners Alison Grounds (eMerge, chair of the firm’s Innovation Committee), Chris Forstner (Intellectual Property), and Jeremy Levy (Private Equity); Jessica Kozlov Davis (Office of the GC); Will Gaus (Innovation); Dan Pulka (Marketing); Jason Lichter (eMerge); and Kevin Buchan (Technology). Additional members include Jim Austin, Rhonda Ulrich, Andrew Medeiros, Deanna Fowler, Andrew Jacobs, Craig Sloane, Steve Peltier, and Jon Moniz.

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