Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming the legal profession, but its impact extends far beyond productivity gains. At the Thomson Reuters Legal Innovation Summit 2026, legal leaders explored how AI is reshaping the economics of legal services, redefining client expectations and forcing firms to rethink how they deliver value.
Looking ahead to 2030, speakers predicted that many routine legal tasks associated with deals, litigation and research will become increasingly automated or move in-house. While this will change the role of external counsel, participants agreed that law firms will remain critical advisers as organisations navigate the risks, opportunities and governance challenges created by AI.
A recurring theme throughout the summit was the need for closer collaboration between legal departments and law firms. As clients become more focused on business outcomes rather than legal processes, legal advisers will be expected to use AI to help organisations achieve broader strategic goals. This shift is also raising difficult questions about pricing, talent development and the future viability of traditional billable-hour models.
Speakers emphasised that organisations must establish clear metrics to assess AI’s value, measuring not only efficiency gains but also improvements in quality, productivity and business impact. Effective adoption, they argued, requires leaders to redesign workflows, embrace organisational change and create a culture of experimentation and continuous learning.
The emergence of agentic AI was another key talking point, alongside growing client demands for tangible evidence of how AI affects outcomes, costs and service delivery. As AI becomes embedded in legal workflows, the ability to integrate new tools seamlessly into existing ways of working is likely to be a decisive factor in determining long-term success.
Read more in our new report with Thomson Reuters: ‘What comes next: how GenAI is reshaping the legal market’.
Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming the legal profession, but its impact extends far beyond productivity gains. At the Thomson Reuters Legal Innovation Summit 2026, legal leaders explored how AI is reshaping the economics of legal services, redefining client expectations and forcing firms to rethink how they deliver value.
Looking ahead to 2030, speakers predicted that many routine legal tasks associated with deals, litigation and research will become increasingly automated or move in-house. While this will change the role of external counsel, participants agreed that law firms will remain critical advisers as organisations navigate the risks, opportunities and governance challenges created by AI.
A recurring theme throughout the summit was the need for closer collaboration between legal departments and law firms. As clients become more focused on business outcomes rather than legal processes, legal advisers will be expected to use AI to help organisations achieve broader strategic goals. This shift is also raising difficult questions about pricing, talent development and the future viability of traditional billable-hour models.
Speakers emphasised that organisations must establish clear metrics to assess AI's value, measuring not only efficiency gains but also improvements in quality, productivity and business impact. Effective adoption, they argued, requires leaders to redesign workflows, embrace organisational change and create a culture of experimentation and continuous learning.
