Hartford Business Journal

HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | JANUARY 26, 2026 11 Image created by ChatGPT Next Frontier Connecticut law firms push expansion in 2026 as tech and talent costs rise and professional responsibility stan- dards to our client service and pricing models," Dolphin said. Aaron Baral, a newly elevated partner in Shipman's business and corporate practice group and a member of its technology committee, said investing in AI is not as simple as buying an off-the-shelf product. "We've spent at least 18 months at this point testing out different AI tools that are available to the legal industry," Baral said, adding that the firm's focus has been on maintaining consistent work quality and guarding against AI-generated errors. The firm has now entered into a license agreement with an AI provider. The tech- nology will be used to draft, analyze and review legal documents, conduct legal research and synthesize large volumes of information into clear summaries and timelines. Newly elevated Shipman partner Sarah Dlugoszewski, a product liability and personal injury litigator, said she expects the technology to support her practice and client work. "There are ways to do it that are absolutely beneficial to the client and also are within our ethical obligations as well," she said. None of this comes cheap. Thomson Reuters says law firms, by the end of 2025, were spending nearly 40% more on technology than they did before generative AI took off. Talent search Hiring remains a challenge for many firms as competi- tion for experienced attorneys increases. Coffey Modica, a New York insurance defense firm founded in 2021, opened a Westport office at the end of 2024 and continues to recruit as it expands. Managing Partner Maxwell Bottini said the firm is focused largely on lateral hiring — attracting seasoned attorneys who can bring existing client relationships. However, that kind of hiring has a flip side. "You don't see many people who have been at the same firm for more than five years. People are constantly jumping around," he said. "So the name of the game isn't necessarily the hiring, it's more of the retention." Retention is also increasingly tied to flexibility. Bottini said that, in his recent experience, the top request from recruits — ahead of pay, benefits or the work itself — is flexible scheduling and the ability to work remotely part-time. That shift is changing how younger attorneys are mentored and trained, as fewer in-office hours mean fewer opportunities to learn by observing senior colleagues. "For someone who's been in an office five days a week you learn through osmosis," he said. "You hear things, you shadow things. You're not getting that same experience when you're sitting at home." Whatever the challenges, firms may soon have a bigger talent pool to choose from — applications to law schools across the country went up more than 30% from 2024 to 2025. By Harriet Jones hjones@hartfordbusiness.com M any of Connecticut's larger law firms are seeking further expansion in 2026, building on last year's strong growth. "For what traditionally have been considered midsized firms, I would say 15 to 100 lawyers, I think that it's going to be harder and harder for them to compete because the cost of competing is higher," said Chris Jagel, CEO of Harris Beach Murtha. A year after the 2025 merger of Murtha Cullina and Harris Beach, Jagel says the firm continues to be in growth mode both through hiring additional attorneys and opening new offices. "We're not looking to change our client base, but we're looking to be able to provide more services to our existing clients, and we're looking to be able to provide more services in newer loca- tions," he said, mentioning the Carolinas and Florida as key geographical targets. At the beginning of January, Harris Beach elected six additional partners in fields as diverse as commercial real estate, product liability and cyber- security. It currently has offices in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York and New Jersey. The firm's proactive stance on growth echoes a national trend. A report from Thomson Reuters on the state of the legal market says 2025 saw record profits at law firms across the country, with the average firm achieving 13% profit growth. "The U.S. legal market experienced some of the strongest demand growth in more than a decade, driven in part by regulatory shifts and geo-economic instability," the report said. The report also notes that tech- nology spending and the cost of talent are rising rapidly, with firms aggressively investing in AI while also expanding headcount. For 2026, the study says these trends are only sustainable if demand and profit growth can be maintained as well, something that may be affected by continuing uncertainty over the national economy. AI investments Robinson+Cole is also among the firms focusing on its regional presence, announcing in January the promotions of three partners and eight lawyers in New York, Boston, Hartford, Providence and Stamford. Robinson+Cole said the moves strengthen its capital markets, securities and real estate practices and expand its presence in key commercial markets. Shipman & Goodwin ended 2025 by announcing a major expansion into Boston, hiring 17 attorneys from Tarlow Breed Hart & Rodgers and opening a new office there. The Connecti- cut-based firm also has a New York City outpost. Managing Partner Leander Dolphin said the Boston expansion supports the firm's growth strategy by strengthening several practice areas and expanding its Northeast presence, and they'll look for continued growth in the region in 2026. Dolphin says growth in demand was particularly strong in Shipman's finance, commercial real estate, health care and education practices. Meantime, the adoption of AI continues to both disrupt work prac- tices and provide expansion opportuni- ties for firms. "AI is reshaping everything from our internal risk management protocols Aaron Baral Chris Jagel Leander Dolphin Sarah Dlugoszewski

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