We surveyed over 2,800 legal professionals and covered a wide range of technologies that impact law firms, including artificial intelligence (AI) and generative AI. We also explored how law firm leaders approached the adoption of essential software, ranging from financial management platforms to tools that enable flexible office arrangements and remote work.
We were particularly interested in tracking changes in AI adoption, so we revisited many of the same questions asked in last year’s survey. AI advancement is occurring at a record pace, but we wondered: Is the legal profession embracing the change? The answer is a lawyerly one: It depends. We found that personal AI usage has increased since last year. At the same time, individual and firm-wide AI adoption varied greatly across firm size and practice areas, showcasing the profession’s diverse approaches to integrating new technology.
Generative AI in Law: Individual Use Rises While Firms Take a Cautious Approach to Adoption
First, let’s look at how individual legal professionals use generative AI for work-related purposes. 31% of respondents shared that they personally used generative AI at work, up from 27% last year. Within the next year, we can expect to see even more significant increases as the technology advances and restrictive law firm AI policies arising from accuracy and ethics concerns are lifted.
AI adoption rates among legal professionals indicate steady interest. However, growth isn’t exponential, likely due to slow law firm adoption and restrictive law firm AI policies.
Personal Use vs. Law Firm Use of Generative AI
Personal Use | Law Firm Use*
2024: 31% | 21%
2023: 27% | 24%
*Respondents that replied “Unsure” accounted for 10% in 2023 and 15% in 2024
Respondents from firms with 51 or more lawyers, though representing a smaller subset of this survey’s participants, reported a significant 39% generative AI adoption rate. By contrast, firms with 50 or fewer lawyers had adoption rates at half that level, with approximately 20% indicating the implementation of legal-specific AI within their practices.
From Scheduling to Billing: AI’s Impact on Law Firm Operations
Drafting correspondence, assisting with scheduling, and business decision-making are increasingly common. AI-driven scheduling tools can optimize meeting times and avoid conflicts, while billing software with AI integration can reduce errors and streamline invoicing.
AI can also play a role in financial decision-making, such as setting competitive pricing strategies and ensuring affordable rates while protecting profit margins. The advantages of integrating AI into your practice management software are clear.
First, AI-driven automation reduces administrative burdens and minimizes human error, especially with time-consuming tasks like drafting correspondence and preparing invoices.
Second, AI’s ability to analyze firm data assists in identifying the business trends, client preferences, and performance metrics that drive profitability.
Finally, AI tools for correspondence drafting, brainstorming, and data analysis significantly reduce the time lawyers spend on non-billable tasks, improving overall productivity and financial health.
Ready to modernize your firm’s operations and get paid faster? Book a LawPay demo to see how we can help you modernize the way your firm gets paid.
Niki Black is an attorney, author, journalist, and Legal Technology Evangelist at LawPay, the #1 legal payment processor.