Recently, I encouraged a startup CEO to have his developers use Claude Code. I shared how another founder created a compelling new product. He architected it and built it himself with zero developers.
I also shared how a large company fixed an important script that had been unreliable for years. It took 12 hours to run if it worked at all. Within two weeks, the issues were diagnosed and fixed. The script now runs reliably and is 100 times faster. In both cases, Claude Code was the transformational superpower.
The CEO wasn’t convinced. His concern wasn’t the technology; it was his developers. He thought they’d see it as a threat, so I expanded the metaphor.
Lightsabers And Killer Robots
People often think of AI in one of two ways. Using science fiction, the first is AI as a lightsaber, offering an unfair advantage in a sword fight. You pick it up, swing it around, and suddenly you’re more powerful. The second is the killer robot, where the machine is the adversary, something that replaces you.
Developers who see the power of Claude Code may view it as a threat. But this applies to lawyers, too. Swing the lightsaber, and you draft a memo faster or write a better brief. But with Agentic AI and Claude Code, AI is becoming more powerful. Lawyers may view these advancements as the killer robot, too.
Iron Man
A third view is the Marvel comic-book hero Iron Man. Tony Stark builds a suit that gives him superpowers, turning him into a superhero.
For developers, Claude Code should be an extension of themselves, making them super developers. When embraced, developers are empowered to become architects, more like a CTO. They consider design alternatives and develop various blueprints for a system. They settle on a specific design, define the components and their interactions, develop test plans, and ultimately direct the coding and QA. For the developer who wants to become a CTO, AI enables this by orchestrating agents and virtual developers.
It’s a shift in mindset, and it should apply to lawyers, too.
Lawyers Need To Shift Their Mindset
Right now, many legal AI use cases look like the lightsaber model. Ask for a draft. Refine it. Maybe save some time. That’s useful, but it’s not transformative. The real opportunity is to move from doing to architecting and orchestrating the work. This is similar to the developer and Claude Code.
For lawyers to think like Tony Stark, they build skills and immerse themselves in AI, including agents and even Claude Code. Those lawyers who take the time can develop superhero powers and set themselves apart. They will be able to serve as master legal architects, evaluating more options, and then orchestrate and direct more work.
Larger firms with greater scale will also build or buy tools to equip their lawyers.
An “Iron Man” lawyer doesn’t use AI as a shortcut. They map the problem and work through it systematically to create deliverables and advice.
The lawyer isn’t just drafting using AI, they’re orchestrating.
The Suit Was Never The Superpower
The Iron Man lawyer remains the human in the loop, orchestrating larger-than-life actions. Tony Stark didn’t become powerful because he found a metal suit. In the Iron Man origin story, he becomes powerful by creating and embracing the Iron Man suit. It took time and practice to master.
In the same way, lawyers must take the time to learn and adapt. This journey won’t happen overnight. It may not be easy. How many lawyers went to law school to leverage AI?
Some will see the true potential of the superpowers and strive to achieve 10 times the output of the average lawyer. Zack Shapiro went viral earlier this month with his essay on the Claude Native Law Firm, highlighting the power of Claude’s CoWork and Claude Code to drive “10X” productivity improvement.
Not Every Lawyer Is Equally Exposed
Let’s address the obvious objection. Not all lawyers will be affected in the same way, but that’s no reason to ignore the shift. At the top of the pyramid, partners whose value comes from relationships, judgment, and access are not going away tomorrow. Their leverage is built on trust and networks. It’s the middle and lower parts of the pyramid where AI will have the greatest impact.
Ironheart And The Next Generation
The biggest winners may be those early in their careers who learn to operate differently.
Marvel introduced a female superhero, Ironheart, and the character Riri Williams. She is a more resourceful, contemporary version of Tony Stark. Riri had the proper mindset at a young age, and so do new lawyers building practices.
New lawyers, small firms, and even solo practitioners now have access to more capabilities previously reserved for large organizations.
What This Looks Like In Practice
AI expands how quickly a lawyer can interrogate a legal issue. It accelerates the process.
For a litigation team analyzing a motion to dismiss, the traditional workflow includes loops of research, drafting, and revisions circulated before a response is filed.
Now, imagine an Iron Man or Ironheart approach. Instead of asking AI for a response, the lawyer(s) orchestrate the process, first asking for the universe of legal arguments. They direct the creation of counterarguments that might be raised. They stress test the reasoning and explore how similar arguments have succeeded or failed. Language will be informed by logic and what may appeal emotionally to the judge. Lawyers still exercise judgment, oversee each step, and verify the work. The role doesn’t disappear; it gets more powerful.
Conclusion
With Claude Code, developers will find they must shift their mindset and embrace what they may see as a threat.
For lawyers, the lesson will apply too. Shift your mindset and begin to embrace the full potential of AI. Don’t use AI for shortcuts and answers. Wear it, own it, and direct it.
The difference may turn out to be the real competitive advantage in the legal profession over the next decade. The lawyers who treat AI like a shortcut will produce work faster. The lawyers who treat it as a system for directing, refining, and integrating it into their practice will produce better outcomes.
That difference will help define the next decade of the legal profession.
The real risk isn’t that AI replaces you, it’s that other lawyers wear the suit before you.
Ed. note: Iron Man and Ironheart are part of the Marvel Comics universe. AI was used in this article.
Ken Crutchfield has over 40 years of experience in legal, tax, and other industries. Throughout his career, he has focused on growth, innovation, and business transformation. His consulting practice advises investors, legal tech startups and others. As a strategic thinker who understands markets and creating products to meet customer needs, he has worked in start-ups and large enterprises. He has served in General Management capacities in six businesses. Ken has a pulse on the trends affecting the market. Whether it was the Internet in the 1980s or Generative AI, he understands technology and how it can impact business. Crutchfield started his career as an intern with LexisNexis and has worked at Thomson Reuters, Bloomberg, Dun & Bradstreet, and Wolters Kluwer. Ken has an MBA and holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from The Ohio State University.
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