Your next in-house role: demonstrate technology judgment, not just AI familiarity
Adding “AI” to your CV says little, so be ready to explain the problem you faced, the decision you made and what changed.
Knowing the names of AI tools is different from demonstrating how to use technology responsibly in a legal function. For candidates considering their next in-house appointment, the stronger story connects technology with a business requirement, a considered decision and a useful result.
The March 2026 release from FTI Consulting and Relativity’s General Counsel Report describes growing adoption alongside a need for structured training and technology planning. Among the findings, 53% of respondents reported a formal technology roadmap, compared with 25% the previous year. The underlying research was conducted in 2025. Read the announcement and methodology.
For candidates, this provides a useful prompt to examine the substance of their experience, not simply add “AI” to a CV.
Begin with the problem
A persuasive example starts with what needed to improve.
Was the team dealing with slow contract turnaround, inconsistent information, repetitive work or difficulty identifying risk? Explain why the problem mattered and what success would have looked like.
That context makes your contribution understandable to an interviewer who may use different systems or operate in another sector.
Explain your judgment
Describe the options considered and the reasoning behind the approach. What information could the tool access? Which outputs needed human review? Who approved its use, and how were concerns addressed?
Deciding against a proposed application can also demonstrate sound judgment. The value lies in making a considered decision, rather than adopting technology for its own sake.
Be precise about your involvement. Evaluating a supplier, advising on safeguards, running a pilot and leading implementation are different contributions.
Show what changed
Where possible, explain the result using evidence you can substantiate. That might include reduced turnaround time, clearer allocation of work or a more consistent review process.
Do not manufacture a percentage to make an example sound impressive. A specific account of what changed, what remained difficult and what you learned is more credible than an unsupported claim of transformation.
Match the example to the appointment
A specialist counsel role may call for detailed assessment of particular risks. A legal leadership appointment may require evidence of prioritization, investment decisions, team development and cross-functional influence.
Your CV and interview preparation should reflect the responsibilities you are pursuing. Technology experience becomes commercially persuasive when it shows how you think, work with others and improve decisions.
Source
FTI Consulting / Relativity, AI Adoption in Corporate Legal Departments Doubles According to The General Counsel Report, March 11, 2026. The announcement describes research conducted in 2025, including a quantitative survey of 224 general counsel and chief legal officers at large organizations.