AI Will Empower Lawyers, Not Replace Them, Say Corporate Legal Leaders

Corporate legal leaders say artificial intelligence (AI) will empower rather than replace in-house lawyers, despite growing concerns about automation across the legal profession, Bloomberg Law reported.


General counsel and chief legal officers say AI is helping legal teams manage mounting workloads by taking over routine tasks, allowing lawyers to focus on more complex, high-value matters that require human judgment.

"First and foremost, it means people spend less time working evenings and weekends," said Timothy Fraser, Chief Legal Officer at Toshiba Americas Group, which has introduced AI-powered research tools and uses the technology for document summarisation, analysis and trial preparation. "Secondly, it allows them to devote more of their time and attention to complex, high-risk matters where they can deliver real value to the business."

A recent Deloitte survey of 120 legal department leaders found that nearly three-quarters expect the size of their legal teams to remain broadly unchanged as AI becomes more widely adopted.

Their optimism contrasts with broader concerns about AI-driven job losses and the widespread belief that legal work is particularly well suited to automation. At legal technology conferences, one phrase has become increasingly common: "AI won't take your job, but someone who knows how to use AI will."

Even so, legal leaders acknowledge that AI could eventually reshape staffing. Deloitte's survey found that 20 per cent of respondents expect their legal departments to shrink as AI adoption increases, up from 10 per cent in the firm's 2024 survey.

Most, however, believe any impact will be gradual rather than immediate. Some legal executives told Bloomberg Law that AI may slow recruitment in the near term, while more significant employment effects could emerge over the next decade.

According to Eli Wald, a professor at the University of Denver's Sturm College of Law, AI's ability to automate legal work does not automatically mean it will eliminate legal jobs.

"If AI reduces the time human lawyers need to complete tasks, it can replace lawyers in some circumstances," Wald said. "But if demand for legal services remains strong, AI may simply enable lawyers to handle more work rather than replace them."

Legal AI's Promise and Risks

Professional services are widely regarded as among the sectors most likely to be transformed by AI, with legal services standing out because much of the work is procedural, repetitive and heavily dependent on language—making it well suited to large language models.

Investment trends reflect that confidence. AI-focused legal technology companies such as Harvey and Legora are reportedly generating stronger revenues than AI firms serving sectors such as real estate, finance and accounting.

However, the same characteristics that make legal work suitable for AI also fuel anxiety within the profession.

A March report by the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University warned that AI's productivity gains could ultimately threaten employment.

"AI's productivity promise is a displacement pipeline," the report said. "The more AI helps you do your job, the more expendable you can become."

The report identified legal professionals, alongside finance professionals, teachers and accountants, as among those facing significant long-term employment risks.

Nevertheless, it remains unclear which legal roles are most vulnerable. Many in-house lawyers believe they are better protected than their counterparts in private practice because corporate legal teams do not bill by the hour and are often chronically understaffed.

Heavy Workloads Remain

Corporate legal leaders insist there is simply too much work for AI to eliminate the need for lawyers.

"The volume is overwhelming, regardless of the size of our department," said Matthew Geekie, General Counsel at Graybar Electric, which has incorporated AI into its contract management processes.

"We're all under the same pressure. I understand why younger lawyers worry about being marginalised by generative AI, but I don't share that concern. The workload isn't going away."

Broader trends within the legal profession support that view. Increasing amounts of legal work have shifted from external law firms to in-house legal departments in recent years, with corporate legal teams growing faster than private practice.

Many in-house lawyers also believe they are better positioned to benefit from AI because their success is measured by efficiency rather than billable hours.

"Do we really think AI is going to make in-house lawyers less busy?" Wald said. "I doubt it."

Hiring May Slow Rather Than Jobs Disappear

Rather than triggering widespread redundancies, legal leaders expect AI to reduce the pace of hiring.

Tam Pham, Managing Director on the in-house counsel recruiting team at Major, Lindsey & Africa, said there are already signs that recruitment for more junior legal roles is beginning to slow.

At some of the companies adopting AI most aggressively — particularly in the technology sector — senior executives are asking legal departments to justify every new hire.

"I'm hearing general counsel say that if they want to recruit someone, they now need to demonstrate that their AI tools cannot perform the work that person would do," Pham said.

Although some companies have linked large-scale redundancies to AI adoption, analysts argue that such announcements often mask broader cost-cutting measures.

Fraser believes AI is unlikely to become a significant employment issue in the short to medium term.

"I don't see this as a jobs issue in the short to medium term," he said. "It may simply allow us to delay or defer adding headcount."

Jolie Siegel, General Counsel at Odyssey Therapeutics, echoed that view. While her company is assessing specialist legal AI platforms alongside general-purpose models developed by OpenAI and Anthropic, she believes human expertise remains indispensable.

She expects lawyers to continue reviewing AI-generated work, applying legal judgment and making strategic decisions.

"What may happen is not necessarily a reduction in roles today," Siegel said. "Instead, organisations may be able to postpone hiring because a smaller team can achieve greater efficiency with AI."

 
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