How Haynes Boone Makes Working with AI a Core Lawyering Skill

2026-07-08 · Source: Artificial Lawyer · Field: Legal & Regulatory — Legal Technology (LegalTech), Compliance & Risk Management, Corporate Law & Business Legal Services · Depth: Intermediate, medium

Summary

Haynes Boone, a law firm, has established a "living, breathing" generative AI training program, treating AI as a core lawyering competency rather than just a tool. Developed by Director of Practice Innovation Tony Capecci and COO Dave Boden, under managing partner Taylor Wilson's directive, the program partners with Hotshot for foundational content. It combines on-demand video modules, covering AI mechanics, limits, and responsible use, with hands-on, in-person workshops. These workshops, typically for 15-20 participants, focus on practical scenarios using the firm's AI tool, Harvey. Partner Tim Newman emphasizes that the program teaches interaction skills due to AI's constant evolution. This summer, the firm extended AI access to summer associates through a self-paced competency project, reviewing their client-facing emails and observation guides. The firm scales adoption by encouraging practice groups to develop and demo AI workflows, with partner champions owning the process.

Key takeaway

For Directors of AI/ML or Practice Innovation considering firm-wide AI integration, you must prioritize continuous, hands-on training over static checklists. Your program should blend external foundational content with internal, experiential workshops, fostering a culture where AI is a core skill. Recruit partner champions to lead adoption and tailor content, ensuring your lawyers feel empowered and supported to use AI responsibly, rather than fearing its risks.

Key insights

Generative AI training must be a continuous, interactive competency development, not a one-time checklist.

Principles

• Treat AI as a core competency, not just a tool.
• Training must be conceptual, not just interface-focused.
• Partner champions are crucial for adoption and credibility.

Method

Implement a blended learning approach: on-demand modules for foundational knowledge and hands-on workshops for experiential practice with firm-specific tools and policies.

In practice

• Partner with external content providers for foundational materials.
• Integrate AI training into summer associate programs with guardrails.
• Encourage practice groups to develop and demo AI workflows.

Topics

• Generative AI Training
• Legal Technology Adoption
• Law Firm Innovation
• AI Competency Development
• Hotshot Legal
• Harvey AI

Best for: Executive, Legal Professional, Director of AI/ML, Consultant

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Editorial summary, takeaway, and curation by AIssential. Original article published by Artificial Lawyer.