Graham & Jones

Edgefield Group helped drive much-needed innovation in our firm, allowing us to leverage technology so our people level up faster and deliver big-firm capabilities within a small-firm experience.

Darrell Graham

Managing Partner

PROBLEM

Graham & Jones PLLC (G+J), a Fort-Worth based accounting firm providing business advisory and tax services, saw an opportunity to enhance staff productivity, attract and retain top talent, and create a high-performing culture through generative AI. Recognizing that AI could streamline workflows, eliminate inefficiencies, and improve client service, G+J’s leadership set out to integrate AI into their firm’s operations.

The leadership team’s enthusiasm for AI was tempered by the challenge of pinpointing high-value opportunities and aligning their team’s skills and processes to fully capitalize on them. They were seeking a clear, efficient strategy that would enable the firm to adopt AI effectively without wasting valuable time on trial-and-error or disrupting client service.

SOLUTION

G+J took a proactive and strategic approach to AI adoption, focusing on:

Increasing organizational AI literacy and practical AI tooling skills to improve productivity and client service
Identifying and executing “quick-win” AI projects while also building a foundation for longer-term AI integration
Developing a holistic technology strategy that incorporated automation, generative AI, and tech vendors
Strengthening an innovation-driven culture by aligning people, processes, and technology under a structured AI adoption plan

To accelerate this transformation, G+J engaged Edgefield Group, an AI enablement consultancy, to provide guidance, training, and a structured rollout plan that fit the firm’s needs and pace of work.

"AI was a concept that felt really foreign when we started this process. With the help from the Edgefield Group, our team was able to kickstart AI adoption in a way that built our confidence to ask ‘what more can we ask of AI’?"

Michelle Squires

Partner

IMPLEMENTATION

G+J implemented a structured AI enablement program that prioritized practical application, hands-on learning, and cultural alignment to ensure AI became an integrated part of the firm’s workflow, with a focus on:

Edgefield Group expert-led training sessions to build AI literacy and hands-on skills with generative AI tools, ensuring employees felt confident using AI in their daily work
Formation of an AI Innovation Team, tasked with experimenting with AI use cases, refining best practices, and sharing insights across the firm
“Starter project” onboarding of Microsoft Copilot, allowing employees to integrate AI assistance into their core workflows
Best-practice sharing forums, where employees could improve their collective skills by highlighting successes, troubleshooting challenges, and sharing best practices.

This approach ensured a smooth, non-disruptive AI rollout while giving G+J the tools and knowledge for continuous AI adoption and long-term efficiency gains.

RESULTS

Within a month of launching the AI Foundations program, G+J saw measurable improvements:

A 15% increase in AI literacy and familiarity among employees, based on self-reported feedback
Significant time savings on routine tasks:
- One partner reported that an email that previously took 10–15 minutes now took just 10–15 seconds with AI-assisted drafting
- Employees generated PowerPoint presentations from an outline in minutes, leveraging AI-powered design enhancements
- AI-assisted scheduling and Outlook search significantly reduced time spent coordinating meetings and retrieving information
- Teams Copilot and AI transcription automated note-taking and tasks collection, improving meeting efficiency
Successful onboarding of their first AI assistant tool (Copilot), providing a blueprint for future AI-driven innovation
Discovery of unexpected, new use cases such as a junior staff member who had never been taught cursive in school using Copilot to decipher unreadable handwriting from clients and colleagues, reducing bottlenecks in document processing

G+J’s structured AI enablement approach, facilitated by Edgefield Group, not only delivered immediate productivity gains but also positioned the firm for continuous innovation and competitive advantage in an AI-driven future.

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