AI in the legal sector is no longer a future-facing concept for law firms – it is here to stay, and growing at a rapid rate. Legal AI is already reshaping operations, client expectations and internal culture.
From bold campaigns, including Hollywood stars featuring in billboard ads, to creative stunts, the comms game for legal tech has also developed at a rate of knots.
This has been spurred by well-known start-up brands looking to not only attract customers and funding, but to shape the category.
Yet for many communications leaders, the real challenge is still not adoption itself, but how to talk about it.
This is compounded further by the increasing “crisis” stories in legal AI, which have featured law firms in the UK and US, falling foul of hallucinations and errors in judgment in using the tech.
As AI in the legal sector accelerates, silence can feel safer than saying the wrong thing. Increasingly, that silence carries its own risk.
Communications teams are now at the centre of change. Decisions about AI affect reputation, trust, and market position as much as they affect efficiency. Firms that treat AI purely as a technology issue often discover too late that it has become a narrative one.
The scale of change is visible in the market – RBS data released last year suggests 50% of law firms in the UK are using generative AI.
Clifford Chance has reduced its London business services staff by 10% as AI automates routine tasks, while other law firms are either shouting loudly about the adoption of existing platforms or even piling hundreds of millions of dollars into shaping their own, proprietary AI models, as is the case with Kirkland and Ellis, the world’s largest law firm. PwC’s Global Chairman stated that with artificial intelligence now available, the level of people hired would be different.
How operational shifts – and the impact AI is having on the lawyers of the future – make AI a story that needs careful explanation, not just internally, but externally too.
From Efficiency Tool to Structural Change
AI has moved quickly into the operational fabric of law firms. It now supports document review, research, drafting, and a wide range of business services functions. In some firms, that shift has already resulted in smaller back-office teams and consolidated service hubs.
These changes matter beyond cost control. They affect employment, graduate pipelines and regional presence. They also attract attention, whether firms intend that or not. Once AI begins to reshape how a firm runs, it stops being an internal issue.
For communications leaders operating in the legal sector, this raises a practical question. How do you explain operational change without undermining confidence in expertise, people or service quality?
When AI Moves Into Lawyering
AI is not only transforming operations; it is also reshaping how firms deliver legal advice. Many now support clients navigating AI governance, compliance, and risk management. Some firms are going further: Linklaters has launched a dedicated team of 20 AI Lawyers, trained in a bespoke bootcamp covering everything from strategic AI deployment to workflow design. This initiative provides client-facing lawyers with direct support in using AI tools safely and effectively, demonstrating real capability rather than superficial adoption.
Announcements like this highlight both opportunity and scrutiny. Messaging must convey depth and intention. Clients notice when AI expertise is integrated thoughtfully, and when it is not, initiatives risk being perceived as opportunistic.
A Cultural Divide Clients Are Starting to Notice
AI has exposed a growing divide inside many law firms. Younger lawyers tend to use it instinctively and with confidence. Senior lawyers bring judgment, context and experience that technology cannot replicate. On their own, neither is the issue.
Tension emerges when firms fail to explain how those strengths work together. Clients start to sense a shift in service delivery. They notice less human interaction, faster outputs, or a different tone in advice. Without context, those changes invite questions about quality, training and long-term expertise.
This is where explanation becomes as important as execution. Firms that articulate how AI supports learning, supervision, and decision-making can reinforce trust rather than dilute it. When that story is missing, clients are left to draw their own conclusions about what has been gained and what may have been lost.
Why Some Law Firms Are Still Hesitant to Talk About AI
AI is already embedded across many law firms, yet discussion of its use remains cautious. Some firms worry that acknowledging AI will prompt questions about fees or undermine the value of human expertise. Others hesitate because of concerns around data security, confidentiality, or over-automation.
At the same time, client expectations have shifted. Many already assume AI supports legal work behind the scenes. What they want is reassurance about judgment, oversight and accountability. When firms say nothing, that reassurance never arrives, and assumptions begin to fill the gap.
In practice, this creates a vacuum. Narratives form without guidance, shaped by headlines, peer commentary, and half-understood examples from elsewhere in the market. Once those perceptions settle, correcting them becomes far harder than addressing the issue directly, on your own terms.
AI Is Changing How Clients Find You
AI is going beyond reshaping law firm operations and has redefined how clients search for expertise. Today, someone needing legal support is likely to start with an AI tool or large language model, typing prompts like “find me the best lawyer in my industry” rather than browsing a firm’s website. Traditional marketing alone won’t guarantee visibility.
For firms, this shift is both an opportunity and a challenge. The nuance of your expertise, the depth of your experience, and the sectors you serve all need to be communicated in a way AI can interpret. Without proactive attention, even highly capable teams risk being overlooked.
By aligning messaging with the ways AI discovers and surfaces information, firms can ensure that their value reaches the right clients at the right moment. Generative Engine Optimisation will translate legal expertise into formats that AI tools can recognise, boosting discoverability without compromising tone, credibility, or reputation.
In short, the firms that integrate AI-aware communications into their go-to-market strategy will be found more easily and will shape how their expertise is perceived in an AI-driven world.
Why AI in the Legal Sector Ultimately Becomes a Communications Issue
AI introduces change, and change demands explanation. It affects culture, confidence, and trust. Stakeholders want context, not jargon or hype.
When messaging is handled poorly, credibility can be undermined, but when done thoughtfully, it becomes an opportunity to demonstrate leadership, expertise and foresight.
Communications teams play a critical role in connecting what leadership intends with what clients and colleagues experience. They translate operational reality into clear, compelling stories, highlighting value while managing risk.
As AI in the legal sector continues to evolve, the firms that integrate this approach will not just avoid missteps. They will shape how the market perceives and engages with them, turning technology into a strategic advantage.
More from us:
At PHA, we partner with law firms to navigate the communication challenges that come with change, complexity, and innovation. Whether it’s explaining operational shifts, highlighting emerging capabilities, or positioning AI as a strategic advantage, we help our clients tell the right story to the right audience. We are proud to be ranked in the Chambers & Partners Litigation Support Guide year-on-year, reflecting our expertise and trusted reputation in supporting complex, high-profile cases, as well as the Legal 500.
We also offer guidance on generative engine optimisation, helping firms to be discoverable where clients are actively seeking legal expertise, including via AI-powered search tools.
If you’re interested in exploring more about AI and communications in the legal sector, continue reading:
Our case studies show how we help clients translate complex strategies into clear, credible communications. If you’d like to explore how these approaches could work for your firm, whether in AI, class actions, or broader market positioning, our team of specialists is ready to guide you every step of the way.
Start the conversation with our team of legal PR experts and get in touch at hello@thephagroup.com.