How AI is changing lawyers, billable hours and legal careers

Key Points:

• Nearly 90% of legal professionals in the U.K. and Ireland now use AI, which is challenging the traditional billable hour model by enabling firms to handle more work with fewer resources and lower costs, according to Clio's U.K. & Ireland Legal Insights Report 2026.
• Major law firms like A&O Shearman and Slaughter and May are implementing AI tools such as Harvey to automate tasks like loan agreement reviews and regulatory research, significantly reducing the time required for routine legal work.
• The billable hour model is under pressure as AI reduces the time spent on tasks, with about 20% of firms struggling to meet billable-hour targets; experts note that while routine work is highly automatable, complex legal judgment remains essential.
• AI is transforming junior lawyer training by taking over repetitive tasks that traditionally helped develop legal skills, prompting firms to emphasize qualities like curiosity and entrepreneurship and create new career paths in legal technology and AI.
• Although AI can improve efficiency, its impact on lawyers' work-life balance depends on how firms use the time saved; some lawyers report better workdays as AI tools become more common, but many still work evenings and weekends against their preferences.