LawTech Weekly Briefing - Apr 12 - Apr 18, 2025
Thomson Reuters reports 95% of lawyers expect GenAI to be central in 5 years; meanwhile, Ikaun, Epiq, and Agiloft push forward with AI-driven tools for law firms.
Here's what happened in LegalTech this week.
Welcome to this week’s legal tech recap. Strategic partnerships, AI rollouts, and innovation programs dominate the headlines, with law firms increasingly leaning on tech collaborations to transform service delivery and operational efficiency.
Key Stories
Thomson Reuters Survey: Over 95% of Legal Professionals Expect Gen AI to Become Central to Workflow Within Five Years (LawSites)
The Thomson Reuters 2025 Generative AI in Professional Services Report reveals rising optimism and adoption in the legal sector, with 26% of firms already using GenAI—a sharp increase from 14% in 2024. However, only 15% consider it central to their current workflow, despite 78% expecting it to become core within five years. Legal professionals are primarily applying GenAI to tasks like legal research, document review, and summarization.
Despite this momentum, the report highlights key challenges: only 41% of organizations have formal AI policies, 40% offer no training, and many clients are unaware that AI is being used in their matters. The study recommends more structured governance, improved client communication, and a strategic roadmap to ensure the full value of AI is realized.
Legal AI and Innovation
- Wilson Sonsini’s Annie Datesh on Legal AI Transformation: Annie Datesh previews Legal Innovators California, spotlighting AI's transformative role in legal tech.
- People to follow in legal tech/ops/design – UK/Europe: A curated list of influential voices advancing legal tech, ops, and design across Europe.
- Nik Reed of Knowable on Building Legal AI: Knowable's CEO emphasizes data quality and precise use cases as keys to AI success.
- Survey Comparison: Legal AI Adoption Rates and Gaps: A comparative look at AI usage trends across four major legal tech surveys.
- Law Firms' Data Deficit Hurts Decision-Making: Many firms still lack the data analytics needed to improve service and strategy.
Legal Tech Education and Competence
- The Three Cs of Teaching Technology to Law Students: A new framework urges law schools to teach tech competence, curiosity, and capability.
- N.J. Supreme Court Adopts Tech CLE Requirement: Lawyers in NJ must complete tech CLE, but the court stopped short of mandating tech competence.
- How to Be a Still Point in a Turning World: Jordan Furlong advocates for lawyer well-being amid fast-paced industry change.
Legal Industry Leadership and Appointments
- Olga Mack Named CEO of TermScout: Mack will lead the development of AI-driven contract certification.
- Aderant Names Josiah Chaves As Chief Client Officer: Chaves will focus on product integration and improving client experiences.
- Michael Stahl Appointed Chief Integration Officer at Harbor: Stahl will oversee legal, compliance, and M&A integration strategies.
- The Lawyers Dominating LinkedIn Aren’t Who You’d Expect: Independent lawyers are outperforming large firms through relatable, human content.
Legal Tech Product Developments
- Your AI Options: 7 Considerations Before You Buy: A checklist for firms considering AI adoption in their workflows.
- Ikaun Announces AI Co-Authoring Tools: New agentic tools automate proposal generation and boost win rates.
- EpiqTMX Adds AI for Trial Prep: Epiq upgrades its platform with AI tools to enhance document and evidence management.
- Universal Migrator Adds 2,882 New Paths: Security-focused browser and new system connectors expand migration capabilities.
- Agiloft Adds AI-Driven CLM Capabilities: Integrates contract review AI into its no-code platform for faster lifecycle management.
- LiquidText Adds Real-Time Collaboration: Real-time collaboration features now available in the popular annotation tool.
Legal Sector Regulation
- Regulating the Paralegal Sector: UK paralegals remain unregulated; voluntary licensing aims to improve consumer trust.