Training Your Staff on AI: Where Do You Start?

AI seems to be everywhere right now. Every week there is another article, webinar, podcast, or new software promising to change the way law firms operate. The challenge for many elder law attorneys is figuring out what actually matters and where to begin.

During AshBer's August webinar, attorney Julie Steinbacher shared how her firm has been implementing AI over the past two years and what she's learned along the way. Rather than focusing on specific software, the discussion centered on the real challenge: getting people to embrace change.

One of the points Julie made early in the presentation was that AI should not be viewed as just another technology purchase. Instead, she encouraged firms to think about it as a shift in how work gets done. Looking three years into the future, attendees were challenged to consider what they might wish they had started learning today.

Julie shared statistics showing that elder law has one of the lowest AI adoption rates among practice areas. Rather than seeing that as a disadvantage, she views it as an opportunity for firms willing to start experimenting now.

Throughout the presentation she emphasized that AI is not replacing attorneys or staff, but, it is changing how certain tasks get completed. Work that once took hours, such as drafting routine correspondence, reviewing years of bank statements, or handling repetitive administrative tasks, can often be completed more efficiently with AI assistance. The result is more time with the clients and work that requires human judgment.

Julie also offered practical guidance for firms that are unsure where to begin. Before introducing new tools, she recommended developing an AI policy that addresses approved platforms, confidentiality concerns, and expectations for staff use. From there, firms should identify a few repetitive tasks that consume time every day and explore whether AI can improve those workflows.

She stressed that prompting is a skill that needs to be taught and practiced. Staff members should be given time to learn and experiment rather than being expected to figure everything out on their own. Like any other professional skill, practice makes perfect.

Another theme throughout the webinar was that successful AI adoption often comes down to culture more than technology. Firms that encourage curiosity and make learning enjoyable tend to see better engagement from staff. Julie shared that employees are usually far more open to learning when they can see how AI helps reduce frustration and gives them more time to focus on meaningful work.

Most law firms have already attended the webinars and read the articles. The next step is deciding how to apply what they've learned. As Julie noted, the advantage no longer comes from simply learning about AI. It comes from finding practical ways to put it to work.