BigHand conference puts law firm visibility before AI adoption

BigHand used its 19th annual conference in London to argue that law firms need better operational intelligence before they can get full value from AI. The event also introduced new product features, a new brand position, and a partnership aimed at helping firms make faster pricing and resourcing decisions.

Why it matters: - Law firms are under pressure to adopt AI, improve profitability, and respond to tougher client expectations. - BigHand’s message is that AI works best when firms first understand how work, people, and money flow through the business. - The shift matters because better visibility can improve decisions before firms scale AI across operations.

What happened: - BigHand held its 19th annual conference yesterday in London. - Hundreds of legal professionals attended the event. - More than 50 speakers took part, including representatives from Freshfields, Dentons, Slaughter and May, Osborne Clarke, and Norton Rose Fulbright. - BigHand used the conference to launch a new brand position: Intelligence Before the Point of Decision.

The details: - BigHand CEO Sam Toulson said law firms are no longer debating whether to use AI, but how to use it effectively, responsibly, and at scale. - Toulson said visibility is the starting point because AI can amplify blind spots if firms do not understand work, people, and financial performance. - BigHand Chief Marketing & EMEA Revenue Officer Bri McCrory said the new positioning reflects what law firm leaders are asking for as they face AI, client pressure, and operational complexity. - BigHand framed the new brand as a statement about its role as a technology partner for the business of law. - BigHand said the goal is to surface intelligence that helps firms improve performance, protect profitability, and grow client value. - BigHand showcased AI-powered email ingestion and enhanced process reporting in BigHand Workflow Management. - BigHand previewed new dashboards, advanced scheduling, and an AI resourcing agent in BigHand Resource Management. - BigHand said BigHand Document Creation is moving toward Microsoft JS compatibility. - BigHand announced new BigHand Business Intelligence capabilities, including self-service dashboards and a planned move to Microsoft Fabric. - BigHand highlighted its recently announced partnership with Ayora. - The integration will add Ayora’s data enrichment capabilities and AI-powered pricing assistant to BigHand Matter Pricing. - BigHand said the partnership is designed to help firms make faster, more informed commercial decisions. - BigHand said conference sessions and expert insights will be made available in the coming weeks. - BigHand will host a Virtual Conference later this summer focused on AI, operational intelligence, and law firm performance. - Registration and event information are available at BigHand.com.

Between the lines: - BigHand is positioning itself around decision-making infrastructure, not just AI features. - The conference message suggests law firms are moving from experimentation to governance, measurement, and operational control. - The emphasis on pricing, resourcing, and business intelligence points to a broader push to connect AI with margin protection.

What’s next: - BigHand will release selected conference content in the coming weeks. - The company will hold a Virtual Conference later this summer. - That event will add more discussion on AI and operational intelligence for law firms.

The bottom line: - BigHand is betting that law firms will need better intelligence before they can make AI pay off.