Nearly Half of Early-Career Lawyers Use Artificial Intelligence Daily: Survey

Nearly half of early-career lawyers are using artificial intelligence (AI) as an essential part of their daily work, with legal research and information analysis among the most common applications, according to a new survey.

The survey of 1,302 graduates from American Bar Association-accredited law schools found that 48% of 2022 law graduates consider AI use an “essential” part of their professional routine. The study, conducted by the National Association for Law Placement (NALP) and the NALP Foundation, also found that 30% of respondents have access to AI tools but use them only occasionally, while 22% said they do not use AI in their current roles.

Legal research was the most widely reported use of AI, with 57% of respondents saying they rely on the technology for this purpose. This was followed by compiling and synthesising information (55%) and drafting documents (40%).

The NALP Foundation, which annually surveys recent law graduates on employment trends and job satisfaction, included questions on AI adoption for the first time this year. The move reflects the growing use of AI tools across law firms and corporate legal departments.

Industry estimates suggest the legal AI market could expand significantly, potentially reaching $10 billion annually by 2030 as adoption accelerates.

“We do anticipate the reported levels of utilisation will continue to climb as the legal profession becomes both more comfortable with these tools and incorporates them more into legal education and practice,” said NALP Foundation President Fiona Trevelyan.

Despite the rapid adoption of AI in legal workplaces, most respondents did not use such tools during law school. About 96% said they had not used AI tools while studying, a development attributed to the fact that AI had not yet become mainstream during their academic years. The launch of OpenAI’s ChatGPT in November 2022 came several months after many of the graduates completed law school.

The survey also highlighted continued career mobility among recent law graduates. Around 63% of respondents said they had already held two or more positions since graduating, while only 11% reported actively seeking a new job. This marks a decline from the 13% recorded among graduates from the classes of 2019 to 2021.

NALP Executive Director Nikia Gray said the high level of mobility reinforces the importance of a national accreditation system that supports reciprocity and allows lawyers to pursue career opportunities across jurisdictions.

The findings come amid debate in some US states over the role of American Bar Association accreditation in lawyer licensing. Supporters of the accreditation system argue that removing such requirements could make it more difficult for lawyers to move between jurisdictions.

The survey also found that law graduate debt has declined for the third consecutive year. Respondents reported an average debt burden of $81,876 three years after graduation, compared with $88,669 among the class of 2021.

 
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