Morgan Lewis Builds on AI Leadership with Council Focused on Client Value
October 15, 2026October 15, 2026: Morgan Lewis has named an AI Leadership Council to position the firm at the forefront of the strategic, proactive, and responsible use of AI, in its practice and client service. Appointed by Firm Chair David McManus, the Council has a dual mission to accelerate the thoughtful adoption of AI within the firm and to integrate the firm’s market-leading AI capabilities across practices and to foster the firm’s relationship with clients through its position as the go-to law firm for general counsel and in-house legal departments navigating the opportunities, risks, and transformation created by AI.
The AI Leadership Council will work closely with Firm Chair David McManus, the global leadership team, and the firm's AI Steering Committee to shape priorities and guide the firm's AI efforts. Together, the Council and Steering Committee convert strategy into action across Morgan Lewis's legal and business operations.
“Our AI strategy and our business strategy are inseparable,” said Mr. McManus. “As Chair, I am focused on bringing the full strength of our firm to those we serve through the way we invest in innovation, develop our people, and deliver legal services. We have built a strong foundation, and the AI Leadership Council and Steering Committee will sharpen our focus and accelerate execution in ways that create greater value for clients and strengthen our firm. AI can enable us to draw on more of our collective knowledge and bring our judgment to bear sooner on the decisions that matter most. The opportunity is not simply to do the same work faster. It is to provide greater insight and support better-informed decision-making.”
In addition to the firm’s own AI adoption, Morgan Lewis assists clients in addressing AI as an enterprise-wide business priority. The firm's lawyers advise on issues ranging from AI governance and deployment to transactions, regulatory scrutiny, and disputes drawing on experience across data and knowledge management, intellectual property, privacy and cybersecurity, workforce issues, technology transactions, M&A and investment, competition, trade, insurance, and litigation.
“Legal departments need advisers who understand how the technology works and how AI decisions connect to broader business priorities,” said AI Leadership Council Chair Barbara Melby. “Organizations are moving beyond exploration and embedding AI into their operations. We combine legal insight with firsthand experience adopting AI, partnering with clients as they move from strategy to implementation, establishing the governance and controls needed to realize its potential.”
“Supporting our clients requires an operating model that connects legal knowledge, technology, and practical implementation,” said Colleen Nihill, Chief AI & Knowledge Officer. “Our AI Studio provides the education, governance, and tools that support responsible adoption, while the AI Lab gives our lawyers and clients a place to explore, test, and evaluate emerging solutions. AI Works, our engineering arm, helps translate those ideas into repeatable AI-enabled workflows and capabilities. Together, these efforts harness the power of AI to elevate our practice and deliver greater value to our clients.”
The AI Leadership Council: