Law360 (August 28, 2026, 2:03 PM EDT) · Listen to article -- U.K. lawyers are split on their views about the role of AI in the legal industry, with the plurality taking a neutral stance and roughly equivalent shares expressing positive and negative sentiment. Lawyers at larger firms and those encouraging and training lawyers to use AI tools are more bullish on the emerging technology's place in law, with those granted access to AI tools also more likely to view them positively. These findings point to access and exposure being the real drivers of lawyers' sentiments on the role AI will continue to play in the industry. Click here for a pdf of Law360 UK Pulse's findings.

Lawyers Report How Firms Are Driving AI Use

We asked lawyers to tell us their feelings about the use of AI in the legal industry. Their responses indicate that lawyers are far from united about the value of AI in the legal profession and the role it should play.

In Their Own Words

Positive

"So far AI is accelerating and removing parts of the job that were dull and repetitive — parts of the job I never enjoyed anyway — so it is welcome to those." (Lawyer from firm with 51+ headcount)

"I find it very useful to use as a starting point for research or drafting. I don't feel threatened by it at all as it comes out with some silly responses sometimes!" (51+)

"Embrace technology advancements as they are designed to make the process easier and more efficient." (≤ 50)

Neutral

"AI is capable of doing much of the mundane work in the legal sector, but the psychology of the market means firms will not give that time back to the people who are saving it. They will simply cut staff or ask for more work to be done. It's a race to the bottom." (≤ 50)

"I find it is a good starting point when drafting a document but needs careful checking often getting basic client information incorrect mixing up what has been suggested by various parties as fact and missing out crucial information." (≤ 50)

"It has to be viewed as a tool rather than for use instead of less-experienced colleagues. Human input into client care and assessment of AI-produced documents is essential." (51+)

Negative

"Clients already felt like they could do a lawyer's job but now with the use of AI, they'll feel even more empowered but still get the results wrong due to hallucinated cases or quotes." (51+)

"Documentation in the legal industry has become increasingly shoddy and unprofessional over recent years, with spelling and grammatical errors as well as poorly-presented documents. AI seems to be leading to a further decrease in standards as people rely on it and no longer think for themselves (it is easier not to)." (≤ 50)

"Generative AI can only build on what already exists but cannot add to the sum of human knowledge. AI might be good for business in the short term, but it is not likely to be good for the law." (51+)


Law360 UK Pulse asked U.K.-based lawyers about their use of and sentiments regarding generative AI as part of a survey on lawyer satisfaction from November 2025 to July 2026. More than 135 lawyers who reported working in private practice in the U.K. responded.

-- By Jack Collens

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