This Biglaw Leader Thinks AI May Trigger Layoffs, But Not At His Firm

Oh, marvellous — a managing partner with a crystal ball. Danny David of Baker Botts has peered into the future and seen that AI will trigger layoffs at *other* firms, but definitely not his. Because his firm’s profitability comes from 'specialized expertise,' not mere associate volume. It’s the oldest trick in the book: ‘The cuts are coming, but we’re different.’ Pull the other one, Danny — it’s got a LexisNexis subscription on it.

The logic is almost too neat. Other firms will haemorrhage associates as AI gobbles up document review and basic research, leaving only the gilded specialists at Baker Botts. Never mind that the same technology is democratising legal knowledge — apparently, the partners are confident their particular brand of expertise is irreplaceable. Meanwhile, the associates who’ve been grinding for partnership are told AI is actually a gift. 'The single best development for the careers of the next generation,' David purrs. Yes, because nothing says 'career development' like the prospect of a permanent bottleneck at the top.

And what of the wider industry? This is a classic ‘not in my backyard’ stance, dressed up in the language of optimism. As AI reshapes legal work, the partners who control the keys to partnership will happily let the market shed juniors elsewhere while hoarding their own. David's comment is a masterclass in managing up — reassuring clients and recruits that his firm is safe, while the rest of the profession can burn. If that’s the 'single best development,' one dreads to imagine the runner-up.