Willkie Partners With OpenAI in Growing Law Firm-Tech Collaborations
Willkie announced a partnership with OpenAI to co-develop AI legal tech solutions.
Why it matters: Tech collaborations like Willkie's are transforming law firm service delivery and competitive dynamics, influencing how legal tech is adopted and integrated in the industry.
- Willkie announced its partnership with OpenAI on July 22, 2026, including a firmwide rollout of ChatGPT Enterprise.
- The collaboration integrates OpenAI's Codex into Willkie's AI platforms via Willkie Works to enhance legal and business operations.
- In 2026, Willkie also partnered with LexisNexis, embedding the Protégé AI platform into its proprietary Wendell Intelligence.
- Willkie achieved ISO/IEC 42001:2023 certification for AI management in April 2026, among the first law firms globally.
- Other firms like Seyfarth Shaw and Everlaw have similarly partnered with tech companies to develop AI legal tools.
Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP is deepening its technology integration with a July 2026 partnership with OpenAI. This collaboration aims to embed AI solutions firmwide, including rolling out ChatGPT Enterprise and integrating OpenAI's Codex into Willkie's AI development platform through its Willkie Works initiative.
John Elbasan, Willkie's Chief Digital and Information Officer, emphasized that "this collaboration represents an important milestone in Willkie's AI strategy," noting the firm’s investment in governance and engineering to transform advanced AI into practical platforms supporting legal workflows.
Earlier in 2026, Willkie partnered with LexisNexis to deploy the Protégé AI platform across the firm, enhancing its proprietary Wendell Intelligence platform. Todd Friedlich, Director of Knowledge Management & Innovation, highlighted this as a crucial step in combining generative AI with authoritative legal content for rigorous analysis.
This embrace of AI governance is further demonstrated by Willkie achieving ISO/IEC 42001:2023 certification in April 2026, setting a high standard for responsible AI management in the legal sector.
The legal industry overall is seeing more tech-driven collaborations. Seyfarth Shaw LLP partnered with Stanford’s CodeX in early 2025 to accelerate legal technology innovation, and Everlaw expanded its AI capabilities through recent partnerships with Array and Morae to enhance litigation technology.
Willkie’s progressive approach, integrating AI tools and governance across its operations, exemplifies a broader trend where leading law firms leverage strategic partnerships to stay competitive and innovate client service.
By the numbers:
- July 22, 2026 — Willkie announces OpenAI partnership
- April 2026 — Willkie achieves ISO/IEC 42001 certification
- March 2026 — Willkie begins strategic collaboration with LexisNexis