"Firms are racing to 'extract the knowledge of their lawyers' and embed it in AI workflows, client portals and self-service tools, Stanford Law professor David Freeman Engstrom tells Axios. That could mean 'getting ready for a world in which you need fewer human lawyers,' he said."
"Students with AI skills are becoming 'the more attractive candidates,' she said. 'If you don't have prowess using AI, you're going to be left behind.' Engstrom said AI also may allow for new legal business to emerge for needs not met currently."
"Some major firms are already adjusting their headcounts as the 'efficiency paradox' takes hold. AI speeds up work, reducing the need for billable human hours."
"A major 2025 legal market report found firms have 'reduced the pace' of associate hiring or cut the size of summer associate programs - the high-paid internships used to wine and dine potential associates later."
The legal profession is undergoing significant changes as firms integrate AI into their workflows, impacting the roles of junior and summer associates. AI is being utilized for research, litigation preparation, and document review, leading to a restructuring of legal practices. While some fear job losses, experts suggest that AI may create new legal roles and increase the demand for candidates with AI skills. Major firms are adjusting their hiring practices in response to the efficiency brought by AI, which may reduce the need for billable hours.
Read at Axios
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