Legal teams are navigating a paradox: while AI adoption promises efficiency and innovation, fragmented systems, unclear regulations, and increasing compliance demands create deep uncertainty. In this environment, success depends not on tools alone but on maturity, the structured ability to integrate AI responsibly, govern it effectively, and align it with business strategy. This session introduces the Legal AI Maturity Model, a seven-stage framework designed as a self-assessment tool for legal teams. Drawing on real-world examples, we will explore the challenges faced at each maturity stage and the practical strategies to overcome them. The discussion will highlight how AI maturity directly impacts business competitiveness, governance structures, and regulatory compliance. We will then consider the role of trust by design as a foundational governance principle and look briefly toward agentic AI as an emerging technology that reinforces the importance of maturity today. The session concludes with reimagining the legal profession at the intersection of human judgment and AI capability. Key Takeaways • Learn how to apply the seven-stage Legal AI Maturity Model as a self-diagnostic framework.

• Understand how maturity strengthens business competitiveness by enabling safe and strategic AI activation.

• Explore how governance evolves across maturity stages, including the principle of trust by design.

• Gain insights into the role of maturity in navigating regulatory complexity and compliance uncertainty.

• Consider how emerging technologies like agentic AI reinforce the importance of maturity foundations.

• Reimagine the future of legal professionals through the lens of the digital sapien lawyer.