Yes. A small law firm can use AI tools like Microsoft Copilot without putting client confidences at risk, if the groundwork comes first: the right tools, clean file permissions, a written AI policy, and an attorney reviewing everything AI produces. We help firms get there in three stages: crawl, walk, run. We meet each firm where it is, and once attorneys take the time to see the benefits, they usually ask why they didn't start sooner.
AI readiness is part of how we support firms on managed IT, which runs $175 to $350 per user per month, with our Gold plan starting at $175. Firms that want a structured plan can also use our Strategic Planning with Copilot service.
What the Ethics Guidance Says
- Ohio: In June 2026, the Ohio Board of Professional Conduct issued the Ohio Ethics Guide: Artificial Intelligence for Lawyers and Judicial Officers. It's nonbinding guidance, and it's clear that "competent use of any AI tool also requires human review to check the facts, legal citations, and propositions of law."
- American Bar Association: ABA Formal Opinion 512 (July 2024) says lawyers need "a reasonable understanding of the capabilities and limitations" of the AI tools they use, should review a tool's terms of use and privacy policy, and may need a client's informed consent before putting their information into a "self-learning" tool.
- Indiana: Indiana's Rule 1.1 commentary already asks lawyers to keep up with the benefits and risks of the technology relevant to their practice. See what Ohio and Indiana ethics rules require.
None of this says "don't use AI." It says use it knowingly, protect client information, and check the work.
Why Copilot Is Different From a Free Chatbot
Pasting client details into a free public AI tool is where confidentiality risk lives. Microsoft 365 Copilot works inside your firm's own Microsoft 365. According to Microsoft's documentation, Copilot "only surfaces organizational data to which individual users have at least view permissions," and prompts, responses, and the data it accesses "aren't used to train foundation LLMs."
That first point cuts both ways. Copilot respects your permissions, so if your file permissions are messy, Copilot will happily surface a file to someone who technically had access but never should have. That's why permissions come first.
Crawl, Walk, Run: How We Bring AI Into a Law Firm
Crawl: Get the groundwork right
- Decide which AI tools the firm approves, and which it doesn't
- Put a written AI use policy in place, so staff know what client information can and can't go into AI
- Clean up file permissions so access matches client matters
- Show attorneys and staff what the tools can do, in plain terms
Walk: Start with everyday tasks
- Summarizing long email threads and meetings
- First drafts of routine letters and internal documents
- Finding the right file or past document faster
- An attorney reviews every output before it's used
Run: Build it into how the firm works
- Repeatable workflows for the tasks the firm does most
- Regular check-ins on what's working and what to adjust
- AI planning folded into the firm's annual technology review
We Use It Ourselves
We don't just advise on AI. Our own team uses it across the business every day:
- Service desk: helps with ticket creation and triage, so issues get routed and resolved faster
- Technicians: research solutions in real time
- Engineers: develop scripts and automated workflows that make proactive maintenance more efficient
- Project management and estimating: help build out statements of work
- Purchasing: compare vendors, products and buying criteria before deciding
It helps our people work smarter and move faster. It doesn't replace them, and it won't replace your attorneys' judgment either.
A Real Client Example
[PLACEHOLDER: ADD VERIFIED CLIENT STORY. A firm or attorney who started using AI with our help: where they started, what we set up, and what changed. Do not publish with this placeholder.]
Why Law Firms Work With Tomorrow's Technology Today
- More than 20 years in business, headquartered in St. Henry, Ohio, serving firms across Northwest Ohio and Northeast Indiana
- Microsoft Partner, with 12+ years of Microsoft 365 experience
- Woman-owned and woman-led
- Every technician is security-trained to CJIS standards and background-checked
- Owner Lisa Niekamp-Urwin wrote Sitting Duck, a #1 Amazon Best Seller, and is a past president of InfraGard Toledo
See how we support law firms across Ohio and Indiana.
This article summarizes published ethics guidance for general information. It is not legal advice. Tomorrow's Technology Today is an IT provider, not a law firm.
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