Australia’s top law firm is making a bold move: 80% of their lawyers using AI tools daily by March 2025.
MinterEllison isn’t just dipping its toes into AI—they’re diving in headfirst. They’re rolling out Microsoft Copilot (a secure ChatGPT variant) and a custom document generator. But let’s be clear:
The tools aren’t the real story.
The real challenge? Shifting culture and leadership mindsets to cross the dreaded “innovation chasm”—a concept made famous by Geoffrey Moore.
Why This Matters
Law firms aren’t exactly known for radical innovation. In the Diffusion of Innovation curve, they usually sit in the “Late Majority” camp—adopting new tech only when it’s unavoidable.
But MinterEllison is attempting to leap into the Early Adopter mindset.
Their approach isn’t just about tech—it’s about managing change. And for that, they’re leaning into:
🔹 Crossing the Chasm (Geoffrey Moore) – How to move AI from early hype to firm-wide adoption.
🔹 Diffusion of Innovation (Everett Rogers) – Why innovation spreads (or doesn’t) in industries like law.
🔹 Belbin Team Roles (Dr. Meredith Belbin) – The power of diverse thinking styles in tech adoption.
Will It Work?
The legal industry is cautious by design. Risk aversion is in its DNA.
So, will MinterEllison’s AI push be a case study in successful transformation—or a warning about moving too fast?
What Law Firms Can Learn
✅ AI isn’t just a tool—it’s a mindset shift. You need leadership buy-in AND cultural alignment.
✅ Empower diverse thinking styles. Lawyers, IT, and innovation teams must work together.
✅ Early adoption pays off. The firms that figure out AI now will dominate the next decade.
As Peter Drucker said, “The best way to predict the future is to create it.”
MinterEllison is doing just that. Let’s see what happens next.