Those who used tools tailored to the legal sector were more confident in the output
Almost half of UK-based lawyers incorporating artificial intelligence tools into their daily workflows have adopted ready-to-use generative AI tools from off the shelf instead of tools tailored to the legal sector, according to LexisNexis’ “The AI Culture Clash” report.
As reported by the Law Society Gazette, 61 percent of lawyers have adopted AI – a 15 percent increase compared to data from January. Among these, 49 percent are using general AI tools.
Fifty-one percent use legal-specific AI tools, and among these, 88 percent reported high confidence in the tools’ output.
“Lawyers are proving that AI delivers clear commercial returns. They’re using it to increase billable hours, rethink pricing models, and deliver more value to clients. Firms that treat AI as a strategic investment, not just an efficiency tool, will gain a decisive edge in profitability and client satisfaction,” said Stuart Greenhill, LexisNexis UK’s segment management director, in a statement published by the Gazette.
Fifty-six percent of private practitioners reported that AI’s time-saving benefit bolstered their volumes of billable work, and 53 percent said their work-life balance improved. Moreover, 47 percent of lawyers affirmed that AI will alter firms’ billing models, with 55 percent of law firm leaders and 49 percent of general counsel anticipate this change.
Nonetheless, just 17 percent of lawyers said AI was fully integrated into strategy and operations. Two-thirds of lawyers claimed that their organizations either implemented a slow AI culture or none at all.
One in five private practitioners and in-house counsel reported their intent to leave an organization lacking in AI investment. Thirty-nine percent of private practitioners believed that not adopting AI would negatively impact their careers; this belief persisted among 49 percent of in-house counsel. This indicates that organizations’ AI literacy has become a factor in talent retention, with only 6 percent of lawyers expressing no intention of embracing AI.
