_________________________________________________________________________________________ David
Cannon | Block here because one day we might need these folks and we want them to come to us and ask for our perspective.”
While the facts of a disagreement may stay familiar, everything else can shift across borders.“ In the UK, there’ s the ombudsman process. The procedure is very different from what we’ re used to in the US, so we really need to rely on local counsel to walk us through that process. I have a dispute in France right now, and the process is very different, so we need to rely on local counsel to assist.”
That reliance on human judgment is not limited to disputes or jurisdiction. Whether he is working with product teams, business leaders, or local counsel abroad, David’ s approach depends on expertise, context, and relationships. Those are also the qualities he believes will be hardest to replicate as AI becomes more deeply embedded in legal work.
Looking ahead, David is watching one big development: AI that could reshape nearly every aspect of legal practice. What interests him most isn’ t what AI can automate today,
but what might remain beyond its reach.“ We’ re all using AI tools now for research, writing, and as a thought partner. I think it is hugely helpful but wonder how much more it can do. There’ s a lot of feel in what we do in litigation. There’ s a lot of assessing what the other side is like, what outcome they want, whether it’ s realistic and whether they’ re rational, and then formulating the best strategy based on those and a host of other factors. Can AI do all of that? We’ ll see.”
Whether AI ultimately changes the practice of law remains an open question. For David, however, some things still cannot be learned from a screen, a deposition transcript, or a regulatory inquiry.
Outside of work, David skis, mountain bikes, hikes, backpacks, and plays tennis.“ I like to get outdoors when I can to refresh and regain perspective.”
For a lawyer whose days are spent helping Block navigate complexity, the principle is surprisingly simple: understand the terrain, stay grounded, and only then decide what comes next. ■ modern-counsel. com 67