Rachel Proffitt, a partner at Cooley LLP and the law firm’s CEO, discussed leadership, talent management and structural shifts in the legal industry on this week’s Drinks With The Deal. Even as a college student, she said, she thought she would go into business, a goal she ended up pursuing within the law.

San Francisco-based Proffitt said the tension between talent mobility and cultural cohesion is a central challenge for firms. Cooley, she said, emphasizes a disciplined approach to hiring tied to a five-year strategic plan and when bringing lawyers on laterally focuses closely on cultural fit.

She also discussed artificial intelligence as both an operational tool for lawyers and another way to interact with clients that will enable firms to automate routine legal work and deliver services to clients in ways that work for them.

Proffitt said there’s a bifurcation in the legal industry between large-scale firms and specialized boutiques. That split combined with evolving associate expectations is redefining career paths for young lawyers.

Listen to the podcast with Rachel Proffitt below:

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