legal reform

AI will kill billable hour, says lawtech founder — from lawgazette.co.uk by John Hyde

A pioneer in legal technology has predicted the billable hour model cannot survive the transition into the use of artificial intelligence.

Speaking to the Gazette on a visit to the UK, Canadian Jack Newton, founder and chief executive of lawtech company Clio, said there was a ‘structural incompatibility’ between the productivity gains of AI and the billable hour.

Newton said the adoption of AI should be welcomed and embraced by the legal profession but that lawyers will need an entrepreneurial mindset to make the most of its benefits.

Newton added: ‘There is enormous demand but the paradox is that the number one thing we hear from lawyers is they need to grow their firms through more clients, while 77% of legal needs are not met.

‘It’s exciting that AI can address these challenges – it will be a tectonic shift in the industry driving down costs and making legal services more accessible.’

Speaking of legaltech-related items, also see:

Legal AI Platform Harvey To Get LexisNexis Content and Tech In New Partnership Between the Companies — from lawnext.com by Bob Ambrogi

The generative AI legal startup Harvey has entered into a strategic alliance with LexisNexis Legal & Professional by which it will integrate LexisNexis’ gen AI technology, primary law content, and Shepard’s Citations within the Harvey platform and jointly develop advanced legal workflows.

As a result of the partnership, Harvey’s customers working within its platform will be able to ask questions of LexisNexis Protégé, the AI legal assistant released in January, and receive AI-generated answers grounded in the LexisNexis collection of U.S. case law and statutes and validated through Shepard’s Citations, the companies said.

AI-Powered Lawyering: AI Reasoning Models, Retrieval Augmented Generation, and the Future of Legal Practice
Minnesota Legal Studies Research Paper No. 25-16; March 02, 2025; from papers.ssrn.com by:

Daniel Schwarcz
University of Minnesota Law School

Sam Manning
Centre for the Governance of AI

Patrick Barry
University of Michigan Law School

David R. Cleveland
University of Minnesota Law School

J.J. Prescott
University of Michigan Law School

Beverly Rich
Ogletree Deakins

Abstract

Generative AI is set to transform the legal profession, but its full impact remains uncertain. While AI models like GPT-4 improve the efficiency with which legal work can be completed, they can at times make up cases and “hallucinate” facts, thereby undermining legal judgment, particularly in complex tasks handled by skilled lawyers. This article examines two emerging AI innovations that may mitigate these lingering issues: Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG), which grounds AI-powered analysis in legal sources, and AI reasoning models, which structure complex reasoning before generating output. We conducted the first randomized controlled trial assessing these technologies, assigning upper-level law students to complete six legal tasks using a RAG-powered legal AI tool (Vincent AI), an AI reasoning model (OpenAI’s o1-preview), or no AI. We find that both AI tools significantly enhanced legal work quality, a marked contrast with previous research examining older large language models like GPT-4. Moreover, we find that these models maintain the efficiency benefits associated with use of older AI technologies. Our findings show that AI assistance significantly boosts productivity in five out of six tested legal tasks, with Vincent yielding statistically significant gains of approximately 38% to 115% and o1-preview increasing productivity by 34% to 140%, with particularly strong effects in complex tasks like drafting persuasive letters and analyzing complaints. Notably, o1-preview improved the analytical depth of participants’ work product but resulted in some hallucinations, whereas Vincent AI-aided participants produced roughly the same amount of hallucinations as participants who did not use AI at all. These findings suggest that integrating domain-specific RAG capabilities with reasoning models could yield synergistic improvements, shaping the next generation of AI-powered legal tools and the future of lawyering more generally.

Guest post: How technological innovation can boost growth — from legaltechnology.com by Caroline Hill

One key change is the growing adoption of technology within legal service providers, and this is transforming the way firms operate and deliver value to clients.

The legal services sector’s digital transformation is gaining momentum, driven both by client expectations as well as the potential for operational efficiency. With the right support, legal firms can innovate through tech adoption and remain competitive to deliver strong client outcomes and long-term growth.

AI Can Do Many Tasks for Lawyers – But Be Careful — from nysba.org by Rebecca Melnitsky

Artificial intelligence can perform several tasks to aid lawyers and save time. But lawyers must be cautious when using this new technology, lest they break confidentiality or violate ethical standards.

The New York State Bar Association hosted a hybrid program discussing AI’s potential and its pitfalls for the legal profession. More than 300 people watched the livestream.

For that reason, Unger suggests using legal AI tools, like LexisNexis AI, Westlaw Edge, and vLex Fastcase, for legal research instead of general generative AI tools. While legal-specific tools still hallucinate, they hallucinate much less. A legal tool will hallucinate 10% to 20% of the time, while a tool like ChatGPT will hallucinate 50% to 80%.

Fresh Voices on Legal Tech with Nikki Shaver — from legaltalknetwork.com by Dennis Kennedy, Tom Mighell, and Nikki Shaver

Determining which legal technology is best for your law firm can seem like a daunting task, so Legaltech Hub does the hard work for you! In another edition of Fresh Voices, Dennis and Tom talk with Nikki Shaver, CEO at Legaltech Hub, about her in-depth knowledge of technology and AI trends. Nikki shares what effective tech strategies should look like for attorneys and recommends innovative tools for maintaining best practices in modern law firms. Learn more at legaltechnologyhub.com.

AI for in-house legal: 2025 predictions — from deloitte.com
Our expectations for AI engagement and adoption in the legal Market over the coming year.

AI will continue to transform in-house legal departments in 2025
As we enter 2025, over two-thirds of organisations plan to increase their Generative AI (GenAI) investments, providing legal teams with significant executive support and resources to further develop this Capabilities. This presents a substantial opportunity for legal departments, particularly as GenAI technology continues to advance at an impressive pace. We make five predictions for AI engagement and adoption in the legal Market over the coming year and beyond.

Navigating The Fine Line: Redefining Legal Advice In The Age Of Tech With Erin Levine And Quinten Steenhuis — from abovethelaw.com by Olga V. Mack
The definition of ‘practicing law’ is outdated and increasingly irrelevant in a tech-driven world. Should the line between legal advice and legal information even exist?

Practical Takeaways for Legal Leaders

Use Aggregated Data: Providing consumers with benchmarks (e.g., “90% of users in your position accepted similar settlements”) empowers them without giving direct legal advice.
Train and Supervise AI Tools: AI works best when it’s trained on reliable, localized data and supervised by legal professionals.
Partner with Courts: As Quinten pointed out, tools built in collaboration with courts often avoid UPL pitfalls. They’re also more likely to gain the trust of both regulators and consumers.
Embrace Transparency: Clear disclaimers like “This is not legal advice” go a long way in building consumer trust and meeting ethical standards.

“AI caught in EPIC legal fail” [The Neuron]

On 05/19/2025, in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, intelligent systems, law schools, Legal operations, legal reform, legal technologies, legislatures / government / legal, tools, United States, vendors, by Daniel Christian

From The Neuron’s posting entitled, “20-Somethings Break AI”:

Anthropic’s Claude AI just pulled a classic AI move: it completely fabricated a legal citation, and then—plot twist—the lawyers actually used it in court. Awkward.

The scene: A Northern California courtroom, where Anthropic’s lawyers are battling music publishers. Claude decides to get creative and generates a citation out of thin air—complete with a made-up title and nonexistent authors. And get this: their “manual citation check” didn’t even catch it.

It’s like the AI equivalent of writing your homework, but then your dog actually eats it—except in this case, the dog actually wrote the homework, and it doesn’t make any sense. Nor does this metaphor, which is increasingly getting away from us…

This is far from the first time AI has fumbled in the legal arena, and it’s not exclusive to Claude. Earlier this week, another judge absolutely roasted law firms for submitting “bogus AI-generated research.” We seemingly see these headlines every week; here’s all the ones Perplexity and OpenAI Deep Research could dig up (remember, these too could have hallucinations in them!).

Anyway, talk about confidence, right? Feels like more of a lawyer problem than an AI problem. Consider this your friendly reminder to always check your work. Twice.

“…courts are grappling with AI in the justice system” [Yamat] + other items re: legaltech

On 05/13/2025, in Access to Justice (A2J), Artificial Intelligence/Agents/LLMs/and Related, emerging technologies, Emotion, ethics, law schools, Legal operations, legal reform, legal technologies, legislatures / government / legal, morals/values, tools, UK, United States, vendors, by Daniel Christian

From AI avatars to virtual reality crime scenes, courts are grappling with AI in the justice system — from whec.com by Rio Yamat
The family of a man who died in a road rage shooting incident played a video showing a likeness of him generated with AI.

Defense attorney Jason Lamm won’t be handling the appeal, but said a higher court will likely be asked to weigh in on whether the judge improperly relied on the AI-generated video when sentencing his client.

Courts across the country have been grappling with how to best handle the increasing presence of artificial intelligence in the courtroom. Even before Pelkey’s family used AI to give him a voice for the victim impact portion — believed to be a first in U.S. courts — the Arizona Supreme Court created a committee that researches best AI practices.

In Florida, a judge recently donned a virtual reality headset meant to show the point of view of a defendant who said he was acting in self-defense when he waved a loaded gun at wedding guests. The judge rejected his claim.

Experts say using AI in courtrooms raises legal and ethical concerns, especially if it’s used effectively to sway a judge or jury. And they argue it could have a disproportionate impact on marginalized communities facing prosecution.
…
AI can be very persuasive, Harris said, and scholars are studying the intersection of the technology and manipulation tactics.

Poll: 1 in 3 would let an AI lawyer represent them — from robinai.com

April 29 2025: A major new survey, from legal intelligence platform Robin AI, has revealed a severe lack of trust in the legal industry. Just 1 in 10 people across the US and UK said they fully trust law firms, but while increasingly open to AI-powered legal services, few are ready to let technology take over without human oversight.

Perspectus Global polled a representative sample of 4,152 people across both markets. An overwhelming majority see Big Law as “expensive”, “elitist” or “intimidating” but only 30% of respondents would allow a robot lawyer — that is, an AI system acting alone — to represent them in a legal matter. On average, respondents said they would need a 57% discount to choose an AI lawyer over a human.

.

Harvey Made Legal Tech Cool Enough for Silicon Valley to Care Again — from businessinsider.com by Melia Russell

In just three years, the company, which builds software for analyzing and drafting documents using legally tuned large language models, has drawn blue-chip law firms, Silicon Valley investors, and a stampede of rivals hoping to catch its momentum. Harvey has raised over half a billion dollars in capital, sending its valuation soaring to $3 billion.

“GPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok… Wait, Which One Do I Use Again?” [Kubicki] + other legaltech-related items

On 05/06/2025, in Artificial Intelligence/Agents/LLMs/and Related, Google, law schools, Legal operations, legal reform, legal technologies, legislatures / government / legal, Microsoft, Open AI, platforms, podcasting, research, tools, UK, United States, vendors, by Daniel Christian

GPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok… Wait, Which One Do I Use Again? — from thebrainyacts.beehiiv.com by Josh Kubicki
Brainyacts #263

So this edition is simple: a quick, practical guide to the major generative AI models available in 2025 so far. What they’re good at, what to use them for, and where they might fit into your legal work—from document summarization to client communication to research support.

From DSC:
This comprehensive, highly informational posting lists what the model is, its strengths, the best legal use cases for it, and responsible use tips as well.

What’s Happening in LegalTech Other than AI? — from legaltalknetwork.com by Dennis Kennedy and Tom Mighell

Of course AI will continue to make waves, but what other important legal technologies do you need to be aware of in 2025? Dennis and Tom give an overview of legal tech tools—both new and old—you should be using for successful, modernized legal workflows in your practice. They recommend solutions for task management, collaboration, calendars, projects, legal research, and more.

Later, the guys answer a listener’s question about online prompt libraries. Are there reputable, useful prompts available freely on the internet? They discuss their suggestions for prompt resources and share why these libraries tend to quickly become outdated.

LawDroid Founder Tom Martin on Building, Teaching and Advising About AI for Legal — from lawnext.com by Bob Ambrogi and Tom Martin

If you follow legal tech at all, you would be justified in suspecting that Tom Martin has figured out how to use artificial intelligence to clone himself.

While running LawDroid, his legal tech company, the Vancouver-based Martin also still manages a law practice in California, oversees an annual legal tech awards program, teaches a law school course on generative AI, runs an annual AI conference, hosts a podcast, and recently launched a legal tech consultancy.

In January 2023, less than two months after ChatGPT first launched, Martin’s company was one of the first to launch a gen AI assistant specifically for lawyers, called LawDroid Copilot. He has since also launched LawDroid Builder, a no-code platform for creating custom AI agents.

Legal training in the age of AI: A leadership imperative — from thomsonreuters.com by The Hon. Maritza Dominguez Braswell U.S. Magistrate Judge / District of Colorado

In a profession that’s actively contemplating its future in the face of AI, legal organization leaders who demonstrate a genuine desire to invest in the next generation of legal professionals will undoubtedly set themselves apart

Unlocking the power of AI: Opportunities and use cases for law firms — from todaysconveyancer.co.uk

Artificial intelligence (AI) is here. And it’s already reshaping the way law firms operate. Whether automating repetitive tasks, improving risk management, or boosting efficiency, AI presents a genuine opportunity for forward-thinking legal practices. But with new opportunities come new responsibilities. And as firms explore AI tools, it’s essential they consider how to govern them safely and ethically. That’s where an AI policy becomes indispensable.

So, what can AI actually do for your firm right now? Let’s take a closer look.

Record Law Grad Employment Rates Suggest AI Isn’t Killing Off Lawyers Just Yet [Ambrogi] + other legaltech-related items

On 04/25/2025, in Access to Justice (A2J), human-computer interaction (HCI), India, innovation, law schools, Legal operations, legal reform, legal technologies, legislatures / government / legal, UK, United States, workplace, by Daniel Christian

Record Law Grad Employment Rates Suggest AI Isn’t Killing Off Lawyers Just Yet — from lawnext.com by Bob Ambrogi

At a time when legal doomsayers have been predicting the imminent replacement of junior associates by AI legal assistants, the law school graduating class of 2024 has delivered a contrary verdict: Human lawyers aren’t going anywhere just yet.

According to the latest American Bar Association employment report, the legal job market is showing not just resilience, but growth. The data, reported as of March 17, 2025 — approximately 10 months after spring graduations — reveals that 82.2% of the 38,937 2024 law school graduates secured positions requiring bar admission — a two-point increase from the previous year.

Also see:

Record Law School Employment Rates in 2024 Defy Market Fears Despite Enrollment Surge — from jdjournal.com by Maria Lenin Laus

Leeds to host UK’s largest LegalTech event outside London as sector booms in the region by 50% — from yorkshirepost.co.uk by Jo Jessop
Leeds is gearing up to welcome hundreds of Legal and Tech professionals [on 4/24/25], as it hosts the fourth annual LegalTech in Leeds Conference – now the largest LegalTech event outside of London.

Set to take place on April 24 at Cloth Hall Court, Leeds, the 2025 conference comes at a time of extraordinary growth for the region’s LegalTech sector, which has seen a 50% increase in LegalTech firms between 2023 and 2024, according to a new report from Whitecap Consulting.

The event, themed “People & Technology,” will spotlight how digital innovation is transforming the legal sector while keeping human experience at its core. This year’s agenda will delve into the practical ways individuals and organisations can collaborate to deliver more efficient, accessible, and forward-thinking legal services. With hundreds of attendees expected, it’s set to be a landmark gathering of legal professionals, lawyers, tech professionals, entrepreneurs, academics and policymakers.

How Legal Tech is Reshaping the Broader Legal Ecosystem — from community.nasscom.in

The legal profession, long characterized by tradition and precedent, is undergoing a transformative shift driven by technological innovation. Legal technology, or “legal tech,” is not merely a tool for efficiency; it is a catalyst redefining the practice of law, the structure of legal services, and the accessibility of justice.

1. Streamlining Legal Operations
2. Enhancing Access to Justice
3. Transforming Legal Education and Roles
4. Redefining Client Expectations and Service Delivery
5. plus several more

How to Use AI and Universal Design to Empower Diverse Thinkers with Susan Tanner — from legaltalknetwork.com by Zack Glaser, Stephanie Everett, and Susan Tanner

What if the key to better legal work isn’t just smarter tools but more inclusive ones? Susan Tanner, Associate Professor at the University of Louisville Brandeis School of Law, joins Zack Glaser to explore how AI and universal design can improve legal education and law firm operations. Susan shares how tools like generative AI can support neurodiverse thinkers, enhance client communication, and reduce anxiety for students and professionals alike. They also discuss the importance of inclusive design in legal tech and how law firms can better support their teams by embracing different ways of thinking to build a more accessible, future-ready practice. The conversation emphasizes the need for educators and legal professionals to adapt to the evolving landscape of AI, ensuring that they leverage its capabilities to better serve their clients and students.

Maximizing Microsoft Copilot in Your Legal Practice — from legaltalknetwork.com by Tom Mighell, Dennis Kennedy, and Ben Schorr

Copilot is a powerful tool for lawyers, but are you making the most of it within your Microsoft apps? Tom Mighell is flying solo at ABA TECHSHOW 2025 and welcomes Microsoft’s own Ben Schorr to the podcast. Ben shares expert insights into how lawyers can implement Copilot’s AI-assistance to work smarter, not harder. From drafting documents to analyzing spreadsheets to streamlining communication, Copilot can handle the tedious tasks so you can focus on what really matters. Ben shares numerous use-cases and capabilities for attorneys and later gives a sneak peek at Copilot’s coming enhancements.

Bob Ambrogi posts several solid items re: legaltech & legal education

On 04/17/2025, in Access to Justice (A2J), Artificial Intelligence/Agents/LLMs/and Related, collaboration, Europe, innovation, intelligent systems, law schools, legal reform, legal technologies, legislatures / government / legal, research, United States, user experience (UX), vendors, by Daniel Christian

Thomson Reuters Survey: Over 95% of Legal Professionals Expect Gen AI to Become Central to Workflow Within Five Year — from lawnext.com by Bob Ambrogi

Thomson Reuters today released its 2025 Generative AI in Professional Services Report, and it reveals that legal professionals have become increasingly optimistic about generative AI, with adoption rates nearly doubling over the past year and a growing belief that the technology should be incorporated into legal work.

According to the report, 26% of legal organizations are now actively using gen AI, up from 14% in 2024. While only 15% of law firm respondents say gen AI is currently central to their workflow, a striking 78% believe it will become central within the next five years.

AI-Powered Legal Work Redefined: Libra Launches Major Update for Legal Professionals — from lawnext.com by Bob Ambrogi

Berlin, April 14, 2025 – Berlin-based Legal Tech startup Libra is launching its most comprehensive update to date, leveraging AI to relieve law firms and legal departments of routine tasks, accelerate research, and improve team collaboration. “Libra v2” combines highly developed AI, a modern user interface, and practical tools to set a new standard for efficient and precise work in all legal areas.

“We listened intently to feedback from law firms and in-house teams,” said Viktor von Essen, founder of Libra. “The result is Libra v2: an AI solution that intelligently supports every step of daily legal work – from initial research to final contract review. We want legal experts to be able to fully concentrate on what is essential: excellent legal advice.”

The Three Cs of Teaching Technology to Law Students — from lawnext.com by Bob Ambrogi

In law practice today, technology is no longer optional — it’s essential. As practicing attorneys increasingly rely on technology tools to serve clients, conduct research, manage documents and streamline workflows, the question is often debated: Are law schools adequately preparing students for this reality?

Unfortunately, for the majority of law schools, the answer is no. But that only begs the question: What should they be doing?

A coincidence of events last week had me thinking about law schools and legal tech, chief among them my attendance at LIT Con, Suffolk Law School’s annual conference to showcase legal innovation and technology — with a portion of it devoted to access-to-justice projects developed by Suffolk Law students themselves.

While not from Bob, I’m also going to include this one here:

Your AI Options: 7 Considerations Before You Buy — from artificiallawyer.com by Liza Pestillos-Ocat

But here’s the problem: not all AI is useful and not all of it is built for the way your legal team works.

Most firms aren’t asking whether they should use AI because they already are. The real question now is what comes next? How do you expand the value of AI across more teams, more matters, and more workflows without introducing unnecessary risk, complexity, or cost?

To get this right, legal professionals need to understand which tools will solve real problems and deliver the most value to their team. That starts with asking better questions, including the ones that follow, before making your next investment in AI for lawyers.

“Five Legal Tech Insights From New York” [Tromans], ABA Techshow 2025, + other legaltech-related items

On 04/03/2025, in Access to Justice (A2J), Artificial Intelligence/Agents/LLMs/and Related, emerging technologies, future, game-changing environment, generational differences, human-computer interaction (HCI), innovation, law schools, legal reform, legal technologies, legislatures / government / legal, UK, United States, by Daniel Christian

Five Legal Tech Insights From New York — from artificiallawyer.com by Richard Tromans
A week spent in Manhattan gave Artificial Lawyer plenty to think about. Here are five insights inspired by a series of ‘New York moments’, often about legal AI.

On the way back from Paddington the cab driver was also questioned on the topic. He replied with wisdom: ‘When they made Heathrow Express a lot of us feared it would take away work. The funny thing is, it pushes more people to Paddington and generates a steady flow of fares. Before, you might spend ages getting to Heathrow with one passenger and sometimes have to drive all the way back with no fare.’

The end result: the effort to increase speed and efficiency ended up making the taxi drivers of London much happier and their lives more flexible. Whereas the taxi drivers of New York remain stuck doing huge, one-off journeys, while the general public suffers high costs and slow – and unpredictable – travel times.

Now, one wonders where there could be a connection to how the legal world works…..?

ABA TECHSHOW 2025 to spotlight future of legal technology — from americanbar.org
Artificial intelligence, cloud-based practice management, data privacy and e-discovery will be among the hot topics featured at the American Bar Association TECHSHOW 2025, which spotlights the most useful and practical technologies available in the legal industry, April 2-5 in Chicago.

Legaltech leaders roundtable: The challenges and emerging best practices of GenAI adoption — from legaltechnology.com

One of the key themes to emerge was the need to encourage creativity and open mindedness around use cases. Conan Hines, Fried Frank’s director of practice innovation, said: “I felt a lot of ‘imaginative play’ vibes. This is where we give lawyers secure AI tools and support to explore the possibilities. The support is even more interesting as innovative teams are complementing their current staff with behavioural science and anthropological approaches to unlock this potential.”

Inhouse World Is Embracing Legal AI – Survey — from artificiallawyer.com

MIT Reveals 2025 Breakthrough Tech At SXSW: What It Means For Legal [Embry]

On 03/28/2025, in Artificial Intelligence/Agents/LLMs/and Related, business, emerging technologies, innovation, law schools, Legal operations, legal reform, legal technologies, legislatures / government / legal, by Daniel Christian

MIT Reveals 2025 Breakthrough Tech At SXSW: What It Means For Legal — from abovethelaw.com by Stephen Embry
The future isn’t just about adopting new technology — it’s about strategically applying it to solve the right problems.

Why This Matters for Law and Legal Tech
Firth emphasized that one of the key criteria for selecting technologies is their broader relevance — what problem do they solve? Here’s how some of these breakthroughs could impact the legal industry:

Small Language Models and Legal AI – Unlike large AI models trained on vast public datasets, small language models can be built on private, secure datasets, making them ideal for legal applications. Law firms and in-house legal teams could develop AI tools trained on their own cases and internal documents, improving efficiency while maintaining confidentiality. These models also require far less computational power, making them more practical and cost-effective.

Use of these models have lots of applications for law. They could be used on large e-discovery data sets. They could be used to access a law firm’s past efforts. They could mine clients data to provide answers to legal questions efficiently. For that matter, they could allow in house legal to answer questions from company data without engaging outside counsel on certain issues.

“A Big Gap In Legal Tech Satisfaction” [Barke] + other items re: legaltech

On 03/21/2025, in 21st century, Artificial Intelligence/Agents/LLMs/and Related, emerging technologies, Europe, innovation, intelligent systems, law schools, Legal operations, legal reform, legal technologies, legislatures / government / legal, UK, United States, usability, user experience (UX), by Daniel Christian

Stat(s) Of The Week: A Big Gap In Legal Tech Satisfaction — from abovethelaw.com by Jeremy Barke
Comparing sentiment across the pond.

Legal tech users in the U.S. and the U.K. report widely different levels of satisfaction with their systems, according to a new survey, raising questions about how companies are meeting lawyers’ needs.

According to “The State of Legal Tech Adoption” report by London-based Definely, 51% of U.S. respondents say they’re satisfied with the ROI of their legal technology, while only 22% of U.K. respondents say the same.

Legal tech company Clio acquires AI-focused platform specializing in large firms — from abajournal.com by Danielle Braff

Legal technology company Clio announced [on 3/13/25] that it acquired ShareDo, an artificial intelligence-focused platform specializing in large law firms.

The move represents a major departure for Clio, which was founded in 2008 and is based in Vancouver, British Columbia. The practice management software platform originally focused on solo, small and midsize firms.

“ShareDo has built a powerhouse, proving that large firms are hungry for smarter, faster and more flexible technology,” said Jack Newton, the CEO and founder of Clio, in a statement. “The large law firm market is on the brink of a major shift, and this acquisition cements our role in leading that change.”

How Wexler AI is transforming legal fact analysis and case strategy — from tech.eu by Cate Lawrence
Wexler AI has developed an AI-embedded platform that enables lawyers to uncover key facts, identify inconsistencies, and streamline case preparation.

It core functionalities include:

Advanced fact extraction and analysis: The system can process up to 500,000 documents simultaneously, surfacing critical facts and connections that might otherwise go unnoticed.
Chronology creation: Lawyers collaborate with Wexler AI to construct detailed timelines from extensive document sets, ensuring transparency in how key facts are selected and connected.
Inconsistency mapping: The AI detects contradictions between testimony and evidence, enhancing cross-examination and case strategy development.

The $100 billion disruption: How AI is reshaping legal tech [Hundia & Mehta]

On 03/12/2025, in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, Access to Justice (A2J), business, change, changing business models, disruption, India, innovation, law schools, Legal operations, legal reform, legal technologies, legislatures / government / legal, new business models, productivity / tips and tricks, United States, by Daniel Christian

The $100 billion disruption: How AI is reshaping legal tech — from americanbazaaronline.com by Rohan Hundia and Rajesh Mehta

The Size of the Problem: Judicial Backlog and Inefficiencies
India has a massive backlog of more than 47 million pending cases, with civil litigation itself averaging 1,445 days in resolution. In the United States, federal courts dispose of nearly 400,000 cases a year, and complex litigations take years to complete. Artificial intelligence-driven case law research, contract automation, and predictive analytics will cut legal research times by 90%, contract drafting fees by 60%, and hasten case settlements, potentially saving billions of dollars in legal costs.

This is not just an evolution—it is a permanent change toward data-driven jurisprudence, with AI supplementing human capabilities, speeding up delivery of justice, and extending access to legal services. The AI revolution for legal tech is not on its way; it is already under way, dismantling inefficiencies and transforming the legal world in real time.

Scaling and Improving Legal Tech Projects — from legaltalknetwork.com by Taylor Sartor, Luigi Bai, David Gray, and Cat Moon

Legal tech innovators discuss how they are working to scale and improve their successful projects on Talk Justice. FosterPower and Legal Aid Content Intelligence (LACI) leverage technology to make high-quality legal information available to people for free online. Both also received Technology Initiative Grants (TIG) from the Legal Services Corporation to launch their projects. Then, in 2024 they were both selected for a different TIG, called the Sustainability, Enhancement and Adoption (SEA) grant. This funding supports TIG projects that have demonstrated excellent results as they improve their tools and work to increase uptake.

ABA Tech Survey Finds Growing Adoption of AI in Legal Practice, with Efficiency Gains as Primary Driver [Ambrogi]

On 03/08/2025, in Artificial Intelligence/Agents/LLMs/and Related, change, changing business models, collaboration, law schools, Legal operations, legal reform, legal technologies, legislatures / government / legal, new business models, productivity / tips and tricks, United States, by Daniel Christian

ABA Tech Survey Finds Growing Adoption of AI in Legal Practice, with Efficiency Gains as Primary Driver — from lawnext.com by Bob Ambrogi

There has been a significant increase in the adoption of artificial intelligence-based tools among law firms, with 30% of respondents now using AI technology compared to just 11% in 2023, according to the just-released 2024 edition of the American Bar Association’s Legal Technology Survey Report.

It finds that time savings and increased efficiency remain the dominant perceived benefits of AI implementation in legal practice.

The report, published Wednesday by the ABA’s Legal Technology Resource Center, is based on a survey that gathered responses from 512 attorneys in private practice across various firm sizes.

Also re: the legal world:

Why The GC-Legal Ops Partnership Is More Critical Than Ever — from abovethelaw.com by Stephanie Corey
The future of in-house legal isn’t about working in silos — it’s about working together.

AI is rapidly changing the way legal work gets done. Legal Ops can help GCs navigate this shift — identifying the right tools, ensuring responsible AI adoption, and optimizing processes so legal teams can focus on high-value work.

Frontline Justice | Campaign seeks to create training standards & certification for a new type of legal job. [Fain]

On 02/25/2025, in Access to Justice (A2J), career development, credentialing, legal reform, legislatures / government / legal, society, training / L&D, United States, workplace, by Daniel Christian

Frontline Justice — from the-job.beehiiv.com by Paul Fain
Campaign seeks to create training standards and certification for a new type of legal job.

Democratizing Legal Help
Most Americans struggle with a legal problem at some point, whether it’s a dispute with a landlord or a challenge accessing public benefits. Yet low-income people typically can’t afford a lawyer, and more than 90% fail to get enough help with their civil legal problems.

To expand access to high-quality legal assistance, the nonprofit Frontline Justice is leading a campaign to develop a new type of job role—frontline legal helpers. As part of that effort, a recently launched task force is working on standards and credentialing for training these workers.

The Big Idea: Community justice workers won’t be lawyers. In fact, the campaign’s leaders say lawyer-only solutions don’t scale, and that focusing on lawyers can exclude people who are closest to the problems of unmet legal needs.

Also relevant/see:

5 Legal Tech Trends Set to Impact Law Firms in 2025 — from programminginsider.com by Marc Berman

The legal industry is experiencing swift changes, with technology becoming an ever more crucial factor in its evolution. As law firms respond to shifting client demands and regulatory changes, the pace of change is accelerating. Embracing legal tech is no longer just an advantage; it’s a necessity.

According to a Forbes report, 66% of legal leaders acknowledge this trend and intend to boost their investments in legal tech moving forward. From artificial intelligence streamlining workflows to cloud computing enabling globalized legal services, the legal landscape is undergoing a digital revolution.

In this article, we’ll explore five key legal tech trends that will define how law firms operate in 2025.

GenAI, Legal Ops, and The Future of Law Firms: A Wake-Up Call? — from echlawcrossroads.com by Stephen Embry

A new study from the Blickstein Group reveals some distributing trends for law firms that represent businesses, particularly large ones. The Study is entitled Legal Service Delivery in the Age of AI. The Study was done jointly by FTI Technologies, a consulting group, and Blickstein. It looks at law department legal operations.

The Findings

GenAI Use by Legal Ops Personnel

The responses reflect a bullish view of what GenAI can do in the legal marketplace but also demonstrate GenAi has a ways to go:

Almost 80% of the respondents think that GenAI will become an “essential part of the legal profession.
81% believe GenAi will drive improved efficiencies
Despite this belief, only some 30% have plans to purchase GenAI tools. For 81%, the primary reason for obtaining and using GenAI tools is the efficiencies these tools bring.
52% say their GenAI strategy is not as sophisticated as they would like or nonexistent.

The biggest barrier to the use of GenAI among the legal ops professions is cost and security concerns and the lack of skilled personnel available to them.

Voting Is Closed, Results Are In: Here are the 15 Legal Tech Startups Selected for the 2025 Startup Alley at ABA TECHSHOW — from lawnext.com by Bob Ambrogi

Voting has now closed and your votes have been tallied to pick the 15 legal tech startups that will get to participate as finalists in the ninth-annual Startup Alley at ABA TECHSHOW 2025, taking place April 2-5 in Chicago.

These 15 finalists will face off in an opening-night pitch competition that is the opening event of TECHSHOW, with the conference’s attendees voting at the conclusion of the pitches to pick the top winners.

Balancing innovation and ethics: Applying generative AI in legal work — from legal.thomsonreuters.com

Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) has brought a new wave of opportunities to the legal profession, opening doors to greater efficiency and innovation. Its rapid development has also raised questions about its integration within the legal industry. As legal professionals are presented with more options for adopting new technologies, they now face the important task of understanding how GenAI can be seamlessly — and ethically — incorporated into their daily operations.

Emerging Trends in Court Reporting for 2025: Legal Technology and Advantages for Law Firms — from jdsupra.com

The court reporting industry is evolving rapidly, propelled by technological advancements and the increasing demand for efficiency in the legal sector. For 2025, trends such as artificial intelligence (AI), real-time transcription technologies, and data-driven tools are reshaping how legal professionals work. Here’s an overview of these emerging trends and five reasons law firms should embrace these advancements.

Learning Ecosystems

“AI caught in EPIC legal fail” [The Neuron]

Record Law Grad Employment Rates Suggest AI Isn’t Killing Off Lawyers Just Yet [Ambrogi] + other legaltech-related items

The $100 billion disruption: How AI is reshaping legal tech [Hundia & Mehta]

Frontline Justice | Campaign seeks to create training standards & certification for a new type of legal job. [Fain]

5 legaltech-related items including “GenAI, Legal Ops, and The Future of Law Firms: A Wake-Up Call?” [Embry]

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