A recent survey conducted on large U.K. law firms revealed that a majority of them expects the advent of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) to lessen their dependence on the billable hour system. In the survey, 26 law firms were asked if they thought that GenAI technology would lead to reduced reliance on billable hours. Out of the 26, 14 firms affirmed their belief in this regard, only two expressed disagreement, while ten were uncertain or believed it is too soon to predict.
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As the application of artificial intelligence within legal operations continues to evolve, it remains to be seen how GenAI would eventually shape, potentially transform, the prevailing billable hour system in the legal industry. Nevertheless, this anticipation of change amongst the law firms signals a shift in mindset and possible future restructuring in the way legal services are rendered and billed.