Moving From AI Ambition to Execution

An AI-First, Not AI-Only Approach

Foley hired a director of practice innovation, a newly created role at the firm. Working alongside our AI Steering Committee, this role supports AI governance, implementation, and firmwide adoption.

The Talent team developed foundational training programs for attorneys and business professionals (required viewing before accessing firm-approved AI tools) that emphasize AI as an enabler but never a replacement for human judgment. Attorney training is rooted in the ABA Model Rules and reinforces professional responsibility for judgment, accuracy, and compliance, while business professional training builds firmwide awareness of responsible use and Foley’s AI policy. These foundational programs continue to evolve as the policy and toolset expand.

In addition to required AI responsible‑use training, the Talent team supported Copilot and FoleyChat enablement through additional training, developed curated AI resources and prompt guidance, and partnered with LinkedIn Learning to reinforce continued skill building. In 2025, these efforts expanded with the launch of the Foley AI Leadership Workshop — an interactive, in‑person experience designed to help business professional leaders adopt and apply AI within the context of their departments. Workshops explored real‑world use cases, while broader training for business professionals emphasized thoughtful integration of AI into everyday workflows, reinforcing a sustained focus on AI readiness, adoption, and practical impact.

These efforts reflect Foley’s focus on enabling people — not just deploying tools — while positioning the firm to responsibly scale AI insights across coaching, development, and talent decision‑making.

To support consistency at scale, Foley has a standardized approach for evaluating and vetting AI tools. The firm’s approved AI toolset supports general productivity, practice‑specific workflows, and legal research, enabling consistent, secure adoption that aligns with client service expectations.

This includes FoleyChat, launched in 2025, which provides access to the latest generation of large language models that OpenAI uses for ChatGPT with enhanced security features tailored to protect sensitive client information. Designed and developed in-house, FoleyChat streamlines legal strategy development research, contract review, and day-to-day workflows within a secure, intuitive Al-workspace developed to address the unique and specific demands of the firm and its clients.

One example of how we are moving from tool deployment to intentional enablement is the use of AI in the business professional review process. Foley’s Talent team developed an AI agent to assist our people managers in drafting feedback summaries of their employees’ 2025 performance with more consistency and efficiency. Managers that were trained on and used the agent said: