The End of the Billable Hour: AI, Value, and the New Economics of Expertise
Wed Jan 14 2026
Summary
In the first episode of 2026 for the UpLevel View podcast, Stephanie Corey and Ken Callander sit down with Rita Gunther McGrath, Columbia Business School professor and Wall Street Journal columnist, to talk about how AI is forcing professional services to price outcomes instead of hours.
From law firms to in-house legal teams, the rules of value are being rewritten. The question is: who's ready to lead the change?
Listen to the UpLevel View and improve your legal leadership vision today!
Episode Highlights
00:00:18 - Introducing Rita Gunther McGrath.
00:02:23 - Definition of strategic inflection points.
00:03:21 - Legal industry disruption with AI.
00:06:47 - Shift from billable hours to value.
00:12:26 - The economic model and compensation structure challenges.
00:23:39 - Historical change movements as a model for legal transformation.
00:32:30 - Training and learning in the AI age.
00:39:36 - The concept of permissionless organizations.
00:40:15 - "Two percent less stupid" book title.
Episode resources:
http://UpLevelOps.com
Brainwave Newsletter by UpLevel Ops: http://UpLevelOps.com/Brainwave
Thought Sparks Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thought-sparks/id1546758719
Thought Sparks Newsletter on Substack: https://thoughtsparks.substack.com
Learn more about Professor McGrath at: http://RitaMcGrath.com
Keywords
UpLevel View
Stephanie Corey
Ken Callander
Rita Gunther McGrath
strategy
innovation
Columbia Business School
Wall Street Journal
Thinkers 50
The End of Competitive Advantage
Seeing Around Corners
AI
inflection points
disruption
value-based pricing
legal industry
billable hours
professional services
general counsel
law firms
legal operations
Uber
Airbnb
marijuana legalization
economic model
law firm culture
consulting firms
transformation
change management
in-house teams
apprenticeships
legal training
skill development
future partners
media industry
Hollywood
entertainment industry
strategy
scarcity
permissionless organizations
two percent less stupid
More
Summary In the first episode of 2026 for the UpLevel View podcast, Stephanie Corey and Ken Callander sit down with Rita Gunther McGrath, Columbia Business School professor and Wall Street Journal columnist, to talk about how AI is forcing professional services to price outcomes instead of hours. From law firms to in-house legal teams, the rules of value are being rewritten. The question is: who's ready to lead the change? Listen to the UpLevel View and improve your legal leadership vision today! Episode Highlights 00:00:18 - Introducing Rita Gunther McGrath. 00:02:23 - Definition of strategic inflection points. 00:03:21 - Legal industry disruption with AI. 00:06:47 - Shift from billable hours to value. 00:12:26 - The economic model and compensation structure challenges. 00:23:39 - Historical change movements as a model for legal transformation. 00:32:30 - Training and learning in the AI age. 00:39:36 - The concept of permissionless organizations. 00:40:15 - "Two percent less stupid" book title. Episode resources: http://UpLevelOps.com Brainwave Newsletter by UpLevel Ops: http://UpLevelOps.com/Brainwave Thought Sparks Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thought-sparks/id1546758719 Thought Sparks Newsletter on Substack: https://thoughtsparks.substack.com Learn more about Professor McGrath at: http://RitaMcGrath.com Keywords UpLevel View Stephanie Corey Ken Callander Rita Gunther McGrath strategy innovation Columbia Business School Wall Street Journal Thinkers 50 The End of Competitive Advantage Seeing Around Corners AI inflection points disruption value-based pricing legal industry billable hours professional services general counsel law firms legal operations Uber Airbnb marijuana legalization economic model law firm culture consulting firms transformation change management in-house teams apprenticeships legal training skill development future partners media industry Hollywood entertainment industry strategy scarcity permissionless organizations two percent less stupid