Legalweek Priorities: Strengthen Foundations for Better Governance, Data, and Priorities

Better governance, data, and priorities are essential to making emerging technology effective in practice. Legalweek in New York highlighted a shift in how legal teams are approaching technology. Mitratech’s Vivian Susko writes that across panels and smaller discussions, the direction was clear: strengthen foundations.

The energy at the Javits Center reflected sustained interest in legal technology. However, rather than focusing on new tools, legal professionals emphasized the need for stronger foundations. While teams are actively piloting AI, many are doing so without a clear roadmap. Speakers cautioned that experimentation without defined goals has little impact.

Common challenges include the lack of governance models, unclear success metrics, limited oversight of unauthorized tool use, and unresolved compliance and data control concerns. A recurring theme was the importance of starting with the business objective rather than the technology itself, ensuring that AI adoption is aligned with measurable value.

At the same time, legal departments are showing a strong preference for AI capabilities embedded within existing systems. Adding standalone tools is increasingly seen as counterproductive, creating friction rather than efficiency. Instead, legal teams want solutions that integrate with current workflows, support governance, and operate on existing data. This reflects a broader recognition that technology outcomes depend on strong operational foundations, with people and process taking precedence over tools.

Governance ultimately emerged as the week’s defining theme. The conversation has shifted from whether to adopt AI to how to do so responsibly. Legal teams are focusing on data readiness, oversight, and aligning innovation with risk tolerance. Many are reassessing their internal structures, workflows, and data reliability before expanding AI use. This signals a broader evolution in legal departments, where the foundational disciplines of better governance, data quality, and defined priorities are becoming the prerequisites for meaningful technological progress.