Lerners Lawyers

The Digital Leadership Challenge 

Before adopting AI-powered timekeeping, Lerners faced the same challenges as many forward-thinking firms: how to leverage technology not just for internal efficiency, but to improve client service and transparency demonstrably.

Manual Time Entry Created Client Service Issues

Traditional timekeeping methods created accuracy concerns that affected client relationships. "A lot of communication is done via email, which is important in terms of the value proposition of automated timekeeping," says Cynthia Kuehl, Firm Chair and Partner, Lerners. The shift to primarily digital communications after the 2020 pandemic intensified these challenges.

Workflow Disruption Impacted Client Work Quality

"It was disjointed in two ways," Kuehl explains. "One was every time I finished a project, I had to go and enter it. I would enter it myself and then move on to something else. And that is not how work flows." This constant interruption meant less time focused on delivering client value.

Inconsistent and Interrupted Time Capture

Another issue was guesswork in reconstructing time. “I would be mid-writing a long document, and an email would pop up. I would answer it, go back to the document, and try to figure out how much time I had spent on everything.”

“The disruption factors were really problematic, especially post-pandemic, where so much communication is through emails and Microsoft Teams chats. The idea that I was going to pause to remember to go back and docket that time meant that time itself was lost,” she adds.

Lawyers used inconsistent manual methods. “Some people would write their dockets on a pink slip and give it to their assistant. Some would type them up in Word and enter them later. Some would dictate them,” Adrian Ciocan, Chief Information Officer, Lerners, recalls. This created accuracy issues for client dockets.

The Laurel Solution: AI-First Client Service

Laurel's AI-powered platform enabled Lerners to position itself as a digital leader while directly improving client service delivery. Giving leadership a clear view of how time gets spent at the firm allows for Lerners' leadership to adapt and continue focusing professionals' time on getting clients what they need.

The time to do things manually is over. We are in the biggest transformational period technology has ever experienced. You have an opportunity to use it to your advantage and not to your detriment. – Adrian Ciocan, Chief Information Officer, Lerners

1. AI as an Assistant, Not Replacement

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Instead of relying on lawyers to remember and log their hours at the end of the day, Laurel works in the background to track time spent on emails, documents, calls, and meetings. This happens without requiring lawyers to change how they work, eliminating missed billable time or details that should be recorded in dockets caused by memory gaps or interruptions.

"I use AI as an assistant and aid. It is there to assist you, not to do your role," says Kuehl. This philosophy extends to client service. Technology enhances the lawyer's ability to serve clients, rather than replacing professional judgment.

2. Enhanced Client Transparency and Confidence

The system's continuous, real-time tracking provides clients with unprecedented transparency into legal work. This defensible record reduces billing disputes and builds client trust. 

“If someone were to challenge my time, I can say this is literally AI saying how long I worked,” says Kuehl. “There's no guessing here. This is something else, calculating it," which provides clients with unprecedented confidence in billing accuracy.

3. Seamless Integration for Uninterrupted Client Service

Laurel integrates directly with Elite 3E and Microsoft tools already in use at the firm. This compatibility allowed for quick adoption without disrupting other workflows. All new lawyers — partners, associates, and students — receive Laurel training on their first day, making it the default from the start.

"It is all cloud-based, no outages, smooth transitions. From the technology side, it is not a heavy lift. This seamless operation ensures client service is never disrupted by technology implementation." - Ciocan

4. Proactive and Responsive Support

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When technical issues arise, Laurel’s team addresses them quickly without queues in receiving that feedback. In one instance, they worked directly with Lerners’ IT team to identify and resolve a problem affecting Outlook performance. This ensures minimal disruption to client service. 

"The feedback that we gave was always taken and implemented, obviously as long as it was reasonable and it made sense," says Ciocan. "I have faith in this team because I understand their vision, because I've seen them dedicate themselves to that vision and making it happen."

5. AI-First Workflow for Enhanced Client Service

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For Kuehl, Laurel fits into a broader AI-first approach to her workday. She begins her mornings with Harvey, the firm’s AI legal assistant, to clear her to-do list. At the end of the day, she reviews and finalizes her dockets in Laurel, confident that all billable work has been captured.

“Most days I start by asking Harvey, ‘What can you do for me today?’ It clears my to-do list. And Laurel is how I end my day, opening my dockets, reviewing, and completing them. Those are good bookends to save time and keep us AI-first.”

Transformative Results 

Laurel is an upfront investment — long-term, financial revenue is going to flow in as a result of this. It’s going to take some time upfront to get used to it, but once you do, it earns you money. And when you look at it across the entire firm, it adds up to millions.” – Cynthia Kuehl, Firm Chair and Partner, Lerners

Proven Revenue Recovery

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“By leveraging Laurel, you can be confident that every unit of work on a client matter is accurately captured. This ensures that your dockets truly reflect the value delivered, enhancing transparency with clients while protecting the firm's right to fair compensation,” says Ciocan

More Time for Meaningful Client Work

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“My dockets now take me maybe five minutes to do, including cleanups. But it used to be like half an hour, 45 minutes,” says Kuehl. These time savings are redirected toward high-value client service activities.

Client Confidence Through Technology Leadership

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“I feel like there is a real opportunity to justify billing to clients. If someone were to challenge my time, it gives me security to say this is actually what I spent, and I know that because I did not manually enter it,” says Kuehl. 

Firm-Wide Digital Adoption for Consistent Client Experience

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“If you are a lawyer and you start, whether you are an associate, a student, or a partner, you get Laurel on day one. That is all you are taught,” says Ciocan. This ensures consistent, technology-enhanced service across all client relationships. 

Positioning as Digital Leaders

By embedding AI into daily routines and demonstrating measurable improvements in client service, Lerners has positioned itself as an innovation-first firm that clients can trust with their most important matters.

This technology-first approach enables the firm to:

• Deliver consistent service quality through standardized, AI-enhanced processes
• Focus lawyer time on high-value client work rather than administrative tasks
• Demonstrate innovation leadership to clients who expect modern, efficient legal service

The firm's commitment to digital leadership ensures that clients receive the benefits of cutting-edge technology while maintaining the personal and professional service that defines excellent legal representation.