E40 - Lawyer Value in an AI World: Litigator, Coder & AI Evangelist Damien Riehl

What does it mean to be a valuable lawyer in the age of AI? In this episode, Zach sits down with litigator, technologist, and AI evangelist Damien Riehl to explore how legal expertise evolves, not disappears, in a world of generative models and automation. From his unique path as both a practicing attorney and self-taught coder to his widely discussed “All the Music” project, Damien argues that the future belongs to lawyers who understand systems, leverage technology, and rethink what clients actually pay for. This is a conversation about professional reinvention, leverage, and why AI may amplify - rather than replace - the best lawyers.

In this episode:

• Why AI changes how lawyers deliver value, but not why they matter
• The advantage of lawyers who can code (or at least think like engineers)
• Damien’s “All the Music” project and what it reveals about IP systems
• The difference between automation and augmentation in legal work
• How litigators should think about AI tools today
• Why understanding technology is becoming table stakes for legal credibility
• What the next generation of high-value lawyers will look like