Extract from Rhys Dipshan’s article “Legal Tech’s Predictions for the Business of Law in 2026”
For many law firms, 2026 will be a year for grappling with the consequences of their growing artificial intelligence investments. And nowhere will that be more evident than in hiring, with some predicting firms bringing in nontraditional experts—such as operations, AI and nonlawyer business professionals—while others see a hiring slowdown as firms move to do more with less.
In addition, though mergers and acquisitions, litigation and other areas are predicted to remain strong for law firms this year, there’s likely to be continued pressure to move away from the billable hour. Meanwhile, law firms may still not realize clear returns on their AI investments over the next 12 months, while for many, there is no turning back from a burgeoning AI transformation.
