The 2024 Legal Trends for Solo and Small Firms report, recently published by law practice management company Clio, reveals an increased intent among solo and small firm lawyers to adopt artificial intelligence (AI) within their practice operations. While solo and small firms plan to leverage AI at a faster pace than larger firms, clients are expressing impatience at the pace of adoption, believing that this technology can lead to higher quality and more affordable services from their lawyers. Excerpts from the report provide a deeper understanding of this trend.
The report examined aggregated data collated from Clio users, a survey of 1,446 legal professionals from firms of all sizes, and a survey of 1,012 U.S. adults. It reveals a cautious yet growing interest in AI across law practices of varying sizes. Although around half of the lawyers in larger, smaller, and solo firms believe that AI isn’t yet advanced enough to be reliable, they are nonetheless warming up to the potential benefits of the technology. About 19% of legal professionals surveyed across firms of varying sizes claim to already use AI in some form in their practices.
A significant discovery of the report is the higher likelihood of solo and smaller firms adopting AI quickly, with 40% of solo practitioners and 35% of small-firm lawyers planning to adopt AI within the next six months, as compared to only 24% of lawyers in larger firms. The leaner operations and fewer resources of these firms make them ideal candidates to significantly benefit from the AI-driven automation.
While the willingness to adopt AI is growing among small law firms, clients are even more enthusiastic about the benefits AI can bring. The report reveals 38% of potential clients believe that lawyers using AI-powered software can provide more affordable services than those who do not, and 32% believe lawyers can offer higher-quality services with AI.
However, the report never clearly defines what it means by AI, and the types of AI it is referring to remain broad and generic. This lack of definition puts into question the understanding of those lawyers who self-reported using AI in the study, including their grasp on the breadth and nuances of AI technology.
The study reveals a unique opportunity for solo and small firm lawyers to do more with less. AI could help automate common tasks, freeing up resources and enhancing performance of legal services. While the survey also covered additional trends in solo and small law practices, this article focuses primarily on the aspect of AI adoption.
You can download the complete report from Clio’s official website.