Why authenticity is your best AI strategy

We’re hurtling into the age of AI, and if you believe the hype, lawyers are either about to be replaced by robots or revolutionized by them. I’m less interested in the hype and more focused on what’s actionable: If AI can write, summarize, analyze, and optimize, what’s left for the human?

Answer: Everything that actually matters.

In a recent episode of Legal Marketing Radio, I sat down with Dennis Kennedy, Director of the Michigan State University Center for Law, Technology & Innovation, to talk through the current and future state of legal tech. Dennis has been doing this longer than most of us have had email addresses. He launched one of the first lawyer web pages in 1995 and hasn’t stopped building since.

Our conversation boiled down to a central theme: authenticity is not a branding gimmick—it’s the most defensible asset you have in an AI-driven market.

Legal tech isn’t just about tools. It’s amplification

Dennis told the story of attending a Windows 95 rollout event—yes, he was that kind of tech-forward lawyer—where Bill Gates talked about the future of the internet. Dennis went home, missed his freeway exit because his mind was spinning, and put up a webpage that weekend. His insight? The internet wasn’t just a new tool. It was a new platform for communication and connection.

Fast forward to today, and that same logic applies to AI. Generative tools are just that—tools. But when combined with clarity of voice, mission, and audience, they become force multipliers.

That nuance is lost on a lot of legal marketers right now. Everyone’s scrambling to produce more content, faster. But few are asking whether that content says anything meaningful—or sounds like an actual human wrote it.

Your personality is your positioning

Dennis and I share a foundational belief: People hire lawyers they trust. And trust isn’t built through keyword density or polished stock photos. It’s built through personality.

He shared the story of a lawyer who loved Great Danes. He added that detail to his website bio, and it resonated. Suddenly, he was getting referrals and connections from a community he hadn’t even targeted. Not because he was doing “Great Dane law” (though honestly, I’d read that blog), but because he came off as human. Relatable. Like someone you’d want in your corner.

We see the same pattern play out in personal injury, elder law, and other consumer-facing practices. The firms that win? They’re not hiding behind sterile, third-person bios. They’re leading with values, lived experience, and specific points of view.

AI can’t fake the human element (yet)

That authenticity becomes even more critical in the AI era. Why? Because the volume of content is exploding. According to Dennis, over 500 legal tech vendors are already claiming generative AI capabilities. That number doubled in just a few weeks.

Dennis framed it like this: With that many tools and that much acceleration, decision-making depends on having the right lens. Who’s your real audience? What part of the legal ecosystem are you best suited to serve? And how can AI help you deliver that more efficiently without losing your identity in the process?

Ecosystem thinking beats ego-driven marketing

Here’s where Dennis really hit the nail on the head. He pushed back on the idea of marketing directly to clients. Sometimes, your best audience isn’t the end client, it’s the people around them.

For example: Estate planning lawyers often target elderly individuals. But their actual buyer? The adult children. Or financial planners. Or life insurance reps. Same thing in the name, image, and likeness (NIL) space. The high-profile D1 athletes are going with big agencies. But the overlooked opportunity? D2 and D3 athletes running summer camps, or schools trying to protect their players’ rights.

Those are the white spaces where smart, authentic legal marketing thrives. But you won’t find them unless you’re willing to narrow your focus, know your niche, and talk like a human.

Frameworks over flash: The future of legal marketing

Dennis is building his legacy around practical, repeatable frameworks. That stuck with me.

Because here’s what legal marketing doesn’t need more of: vague platitudes about “innovation.” What it does need? Tools to help law firms evaluate tech, define their audience, and make decisions that align with who they are and where they want to go.

So if you’re a firm wondering how to approach AI, here’s a simple framework:

• Start with positioning. What do you stand for?
• Clarify your audience. Who are they, really?
• Build a content voice. One that sounds like you.
• Use AI to scale, not to substitute.
• Measure for resonance, not just reach.

Your legacy is in the layers

Dennis is semi-retiring soon. But he’s not fading out, he’s just refocusing on what matters. Creating usable content. Mentoring others. Developing frameworks that help real people make real decisions.

That’s a good model for any legal brand in 2025. You don’t need to be everywhere. You just need to be consistent. And human. And clear about what you’re building—and who you’re building it for.

Thanks again to Dennis for the conversation. You can catch his work at ldilibrary.com or the Kennedy-Mighell Report podcast.

Legal Marketing Radio is a production of LaFleur Marketing. Find us at lafleur.marketing and on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram.