Large Language Law

Over the past six weeks, four prominent surveys — from the ABA, AffiniPay, Smokeball, and Thomson Reuters — have provided insights into how the legal profession engages with generative AI. A comparative analysis reveals strong alignment and key differences in adoption trends, use cases, and attitudes.

Those Surveyed:

• Smokeball focused on small firms and solos.
• ABA polled mostly older attorneys in private practice.
• AffiniPay had a broad cross-section from multiple firm sizes and practice areas.
• Thomson Reuters surveyed global professionals across law, tax, and government.

Adoption Trends:

• Smokeball reported a sharp rise in small firm adoption (27% to 53% in one year).
• ABA showed slower growth (11% to 30%), with higher uptake in large firms.
• AffiniPay found modest increases in personal use, with firm-wide adoption declining.
• Thomson Reuters saw significant growth, with 26% of firms using GenAI and 95% predicting it will be central to workflows in five years.

Common Use Cases:

All surveys identified legal research, document drafting, and correspondence as the leading applications.

Barriers to Adoption:

AI accuracy, ethical implications, data confidentiality, and regulatory uncertainty were consistent concerns across all reports.

Attitudes Toward AI:

• Smokeball and AffiniPay noted enthusiasm, especially among younger professionals.
• ABA respondents were more cautious.
• Thomson Reuters captured rising optimism, with 55% feeling hopeful about AI’s role.

Training and Policies:

Only the Thomson Reuters report explored firm-level readiness in detail — revealing significant gaps in AI policies (52%) and training (64%).

Impact on Clients:

Only Thomson Reuters seriously addressed the client side, noting that most clients are unaware if their firms use AI and that few measure ROI or client impact — a gap with future consequences.

Overall Takeaway:

Generative AI adoption in legal practice is accelerating, especially in smaller firms. However, a clear divide exists between optimism and caution, particularly between younger professionals and senior lawyers. The next critical steps include better training, transparent governance, and transparency with clients to ensure meaningful, ethical integration.

Source: LawSites