Legal technology has moved firmly from the margins to the mainstream of the legal profession: what was once considered a niche investment is now a strategic priority for both law firms and in-house legal teams. Harvey, one of the most prominent players in the legal AI space, have secured multiple successful funding rounds, with the company most recently valued at $11 billion. As the technology evolves at pace, it is reshaping both how legal services are delivered and the skills and career paths within the sector.
For employers, this shift is not simply about adopting new tools, but also finding the right talent who can best use them effectively. The most competitive organisations are those that can attract lawyers who combine strong legal expertise with digital literacy in an increasingly technology-driven environment.
For many firms, AI-driven legal tech is no longer experimental but is becoming embedded infrastructure, with a number of leading firms already rolling out third-party tools, and some simultaneously developing custom systems alongside. Investment in formal AI training programmes, such as Freshfields launching a legal tech master’s degree as an option for future trainees, reflects a growing recognition that technological capability is now a core professional skill rather than a specialist expertise.
AI is not just adding skills but is creating entirely new career paths within law. Law firms are beginning to build specialist roles dedicated to legal technology integration, including AI lawyers, legal engineers, innovation leads and legal technologists. For example, Linklaters has launched a team of 20 ‘AI Lawyers’ across its offices. These professionals are designed to work with fee-earners to manage legal work effectively through the use of AI.
In addition, expectations for traditional legal roles are shifting. Newly qualified lawyers are increasingly encouraged to work directly with AI tools as part of their daily practice, as demonstrated by Ropes & Gray encouraging junior lawyers to allocate up to 20% of their billable time to experimenting with and training in AI tools. This reflects a broader industry trend, in which lawyers are now expected not only to use technology, but to understand its capabilities and strategic value from an early stage in their careers.
Importantly, AI is also reshaping specialist practice areas. As mentioned in AI, data, and digital asset lawyers – the Middle East’s newest hot commodity in private practice?, demand is surging in certain markets for lawyers with expertise in AI. This signals that AI is not only transforming how lawyers work, but also influencing what firms are actively hiring for due to the changing landscape of practices.
For legal professionals, this represents a significant career opportunity: lawyers who can combine strong legal foundations with technological expertise could be open to emerging hybrid roles.
While AI is unlikely to replace lawyers, it is already reshaping workforce structures. Routine and administrative tasks are particularly susceptible to automation, and some organisations have begun reducing reliance on traditional support roles as AI systems take over document-heavy processes. This has understandably raised concerns about job displacement, with one large firm reportedly making around 50 support staff redundant, partly due to increased use of AI.
However, the broader trend seems to be job transformation rather than elimination. Lawyers are increasingly moving toward higher-value work focused on strategic advice and managing client relationships. At the same time, demand is growing for professionals who can bridge the gap between legal expertise and operational efficiency.
One of the most significant shifts in legal tech adoption is occurring within in-house legal teams. Corporate legal departments are under increasing pressure to do more with fewer resources, driving rapid investment in automation to cut long-term costs and reduce reliance on external legal counsel.
Research shows that the adoption of legal tech among legal departments is rising rapidly, with a 2025 survey reporting that 44 % of in-house teams now use tech tools frequently or in daily workflows, up markedly from earlier years. Although generative AI technology has been adopted by many law firms and in-house teams, newer agentic AI tools (AI systems designed to complete tasks independently without human input) are increasingly being developed specifically with in-house use in mind. For example, LegalOn Technologies has recently launched a suite of agentic AI tools tailored to support in-house legal teams, further showing a shift towards smaller, more strategic working groups.
In the new AI-driven world, technical literacy, adaptability, and openness to innovation are key factors setting lawyers apart. Legal talent who can work effectively alongside AI, leveraging it to enhance efficiency and insight, will be best positioned for long-term success.
The profession is moving toward a model where human judgment remains central, but is supported by technological tools. This evolution is also creating more diverse career pathways, allowing legal professionals to specialise more on technology and innovation strategies.
Although uncertainty remains around AI’s long-term impact, it seems that the future lawyer will not just practice law, but they will also need to adapt to interpret and evaluate AI-generated outputs. Ultimately, in order to remain competitive and provide a compelling offering in the legal profession, it seems advantageous for both firms and legal professionals to embrace technological change rather than resist it.
