Cooley frames AI as a relationship strategy rather than a billable-hours defense

On October 19, Business Insider reported that Cooley CEO Rachel Proffitt expects firms to offer clients a menu of hourly, flat-fee and outcome-based pricing as AI reduces time spent on routine work. Cooley has also put client-facing tools into the market, including contract review for Y Combinator founders, while Proffitt identified the risk that self-service tools could remove the smaller interactions through which long-term client relationships are formed. For BD leaders, the implication is that digital self-service needs an intentional path to human advice, relationship ownership and next-matter identification. Firms should measure whether a client tool increases qualified conversations and retention, not only how many transactions it processes without a lawyer.