Jeremy Baker: Why Lawyers Must Get AI-Literate or Get Left Behind
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About this episode
What happens when a big law partner walks away from a “wonderful job” to build an AI-powered solo practice? In this episode, you’ll hear how one construction lawyer is using AI to slash hours of work to minutes—and why lawyers who stay on the sidelines risk being left behind.
In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Jeremy Baker discuss:
- Leaving big law to launch a solo practice
- How AI is practically used in day-to-day legal work
- Efficiency, billing models, and the future of big law
- Ethical and strategic considerations around AI adoption
- Encouragement for lawyers to experiment and get AI-literate
Key Takeaways:
- You don’t need to be a coder to benefit from AI; the willingness to experiment and basic skills like copy-paste are enough to start transforming your workflow.
- Tasks that once required staff support, days of delay, and high cost can now be compressed into minutes with the right AI tools.
- Traditional big law business models built on leverage and large billable-hour teams are likely to face serious disruption as AI boosts individual productivity.
- Market forces will push firms toward more efficient, smaller teams and alternative fee structures, rewarding those who embrace technology early.
- Waiting for institutional permission or a “starting gun” is risky; individual lawyers must proactively get literate in AI to secure their future in the profession.
"The only skill that I really needed was the desire to get started, and then the ability to cut and paste, because there's no coding required to play with [AI]." — Jeremy Baker
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About Jeremy Baker: Jeremy S. Baker is a Chicago-based attorney and the founder of Baker Law Group LLC, specializing in construction law, litigation, and alternative dispute resolution. Admitted to practice in 2002, he has extensive experience representing architects, developers, engineers, and property owners in complex contract negotiations and construction disputes. A former partner at ArentFox Schiff LLP (formerly Schiff Hardin LLP), Baker has served as an adjunct professor of construction law and is a frequent speaker and writer for industry organizations, including the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC). He has been consistently recognized by Thomson Reuters as an Illinois Super Lawyer, a distinction he has held consecutively since 2019.
Connect with Jeremy Baker:
Website: https://designbuildlaw.com/, https://operationpalmtree.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremysbaker/
Connect with Steve Fretzin:
LinkedIn: Steve Fretzin
Twitter: @stevefretzin
Instagram: @fretzinsteve
Facebook: Fretzin, Inc.
Website: Fretzin.com
Email: [email protected]
Book: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!
YouTube: Steve Fretzin
Call Steve directly at 847-602-6911
Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.
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