Future of work

November 2025

Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the way we work at a pace that feels unprecedented. Such is the speed of change that it seems that a new tool often launches before the last one is even mastered. From automating routine tasks to enabling entirely new ways of thinking and creating, AI is reshaping industries and redefining roles.

Far from the dramatic headlines predicting mass job losses, the real transformation is unfolding quietly in law firms and businesses around the world. In this podcast, Aba Quartey Simmons & Simmons alumni manager speaks to Sarah James, Partner and Global Head of Adaptive, and Ali Chaudhry, Legal Engineer at Simmons & Simmons, about how artificial intelligence is reshaping the legal profession. Together, they look beyond the hype to discuss the practical realities of integrating AI into legal work, highlighting the opportunities for greater efficiency, creativity, and human connection.

> Listen to the full podcast episode here

October 2025

Partners Lucy Shurwood and Sarah James reflect on key themes from the Beacon Collective, an exclusive legal tech forum designed to challenge conventional thinking and foster cross-sector dialogue. The event emphasised that true legal transformation is driven not by technology alone, but by people, culture, and strategic intent.

Key takeaways include:

• People before platforms: Successful transformation hinges on leadership, team engagement, and cultural readiness—not just AI adoption.
• Fixing the foundations: Firms must re-engineer outdated processes and clean data before layering on new tech.
• Responsible AI adoption: Organisations must move beyond hype, implementing governance and ethical oversight to ensure explainable, secure AI use.
• Strategic investment: Legal tech procurement must align with broader business goals, supported by collaboration across legal, compliance, IT, and procurement teams.

The article underscores that long-term success in legal innovation will come from deliberate, human-centric strategies rather than reactive tech adoption.

September 2025

How is AI reshaping the role of legal and compliance teams in financial services? Charlotte Stalin, Partner and Head of the Financial Institutions sector and Sarah James, Partner and Global Head of Simmons Adaptive, discuss the challenges faced by compliance teams in the induction of AI into their businesses and provide practical guidance to help navigate the risks and benefits of using AI.

June 2025

How is technology revolutionising legal teams? As AI innovation accelerates and client expectations shift, traditional roles and ways of working are being upended. What happens when it’s no longer the past, but the future that defines how legal teams deliver value?

Our predictions include:

• Widespread AI integration will become the norm: The adoption of generative AI and “co-pilot” tools will accelerate, with most legal teams routinely using AI for tasks such as document review, research, and drafting. Firms that fail to embrace these technologies risk falling behind both in efficiency and client expectations.
• Lawyers will focus on higher-value work: As AI automates routine and repetitive tasks, lawyers will increasingly dedicate their time to complex, strategic, and client-facing work. This shift will enhance productivity and allow legal teams to deliver greater value.
• AI Agents will transform legal workflows: Autonomous AI agents will take on entire categories of legal work, from due diligence to workflow management. Legal teams will use these agents to scale services, reduce costs, and improve turnaround times, while lawyers remain central for nuanced judgement and client relationships.
• Legal skills and career paths will evolve: The most successful legal professionals will combine legal expertise with technological fluency. Tech-savvy lawyers will rise to leadership positions, and traditional hierarchies based on tenure will give way to merit-based structures focused on contribution and capability.
• In-house legal teams will become more agile and generalist: In-house teams will increasingly value adaptability, with lawyers expected to work across multiple functions and embrace new technologies. The rise of the legal generalists who are versatile, tech-enabled, and pragmatic will become a defining trend.
• Addressing the skills gap will be critical: Firms and in-house teams will invest heavily in upskilling their lawyers to bridge the technology skills gap. Those that do not will struggle to realise the full benefits of their tech investments and may be perceived as less valuable within their organisations.
• Legal Teams will shift from cost centres to strategic assets: With the right leadership and investment, legal teams will leverage technology to drive business value, moving beyond their traditional role as cost centres to become integral to business strategy and innovation.

February 2025

As organisations accelerate GenAI adoption, in-house legal teams face two major challenges: guiding their companies through legal and regulatory hurdles, and integrating AI into their own service delivery. Our Global AI Lead, Minesh Tanna, explores how these challenges and the use of GenAI reshaping the legal profession.

Key themes include:

• Dual role of legal teams: Legal departments must both advise on GenAI use across the business and explore its potential to streamline internal legal processes.
• Legal risks of GenAI: Autonomous AI systems raise concerns around accuracy, bias, IP infringement, and data privacy. Contracts involving AI must evolve to reflect these risks.
• Compliance strategy: Tanna recommends starting with an AI inventory, followed by risk assessment and governance. The EU AI Act already mandates “AI literacy” for staff involved in AI use.
• Workforce transformation: AI will reshape legal roles, especially for junior lawyers whose traditional tasks may be automated. Upskilling and AI literacy will be key to staying competitive.
• Practical advice: Lawyers should embrace AI as the next evolution of IT. Simmons & Simmons offers tailored training and governance resources to support this transition.

This article highlights the urgent need for legal teams to proactively engage with GenAI to remain effective and future-ready.

January 2025

Generative AI is ushering in a transformative era for the legal industry, promising to reshape legal practice and redefine professional roles. While adoption rates remain relatively low, the sector is at a pivotal moment: the future of work will be shaped not just by technology, but by the people who use it. Cultivating a digital mindset by embracing data literacy, adaptability, and innovation will be essential for legal teams to thrive over the next decade.

Key recommendations:

• Embrace a digital mindset: Legal professionals should develop foundational data literacy and a willingness to experiment, learn, and collaborate. This means understanding how digital tools and data can solve problems and drive innovation, rather than becoming technical experts.
• Invest in digital literacy and continuous learning: With the EU AI Act requiring AI literacy from February 2025, legal teams must prioritise ongoing training and upskilling. Achieving at least 30% data literacy is recommended to understand the potential and limitations of new technologies.
• Lead by example and foster a digital culture: Leadership should actively engage with digital technologies, promote a culture of learning and curiosity, and encourage experimentation—even if it means accepting failure as part of the process.
• Promote digital collaboration: Utilise digital tools to enhance teamwork, especially in remote or hybrid environments. Effective communication and project management platforms can support collaboration and knowledge sharing.
• Encourage innovation and adaptability: Create an environment where trying new digital solutions is valued, and where flexibility and openness to change are part of the organisational culture.
• Prepare for the future of work: Recognise that up to 44% of legal tasks could be automated by GenAI, and that productive gains could reach up to 200 hours per person per year. Legal teams should anticipate new roles and ways of working, positioning themselves as forward-thinking and resilient.

To learn more about how legal teams can cultivate a digital mindset and prepare for the future, read the full article and explore the recommended resources.

November 2024

Our team explores how the legal industry is evolving in response to technological, economic, and social shifts. Marking the ten-year anniversary of Simmons Adaptive, the article highlights key people trends and operational changes shaping the future of legal work.

Key insights include:

• Flexible resourcing on the rise: Interim legal professionals are increasingly vital, with 7 in 10 general counsels viewing flexible resourcing as central to legal operations. Legal teams are becoming more interdisciplinary, with growing demand for legal operations and procurement roles.
• Digital transformation redefining talent: Technologies like generative AI, predictive analytics, and blockchain are reshaping legal work. There’s rising demand for lawyers with expertise in AI, data privacy, and legal tech, as firms seek to build in-house capabilities.
• Global and agile legal ecosystems: Legal teams are adopting models like “follow-the-sun” coverage and agile global pods to meet the demands of cross-border work and regulatory complexity.
• Intergenerational workforce dynamics: With four generations now working side-by-side, organisations must adapt talent strategies to reflect diverse values and expectations. Flexibility, purpose-driven culture, and sustainability are key to attracting and retaining talent.
• Health and wellbeing as strategic priorities: Post-pandemic, legal teams are prioritising wellbeing through coaching, digital wellness tools, and flexible working arrangements.

The article underscores that the future of legal work is people-centric, with flexibility and adaptability at its core.

September 2024

The legal industry is experiencing a profound transformation. In September 2024, Simmons Adaptive interviewed regional general counsel, divisional heads of legal, and regional heads of compliance across the APAC region to hear their predictions for the future.

Key trends and insights:

• Navigating a complex legal landscape: The APAC region is rapidly changing with increasing regional fragmentation. Key priorities include: Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) issues, the integration and regulation of Artificial Intelligence (AI), the ever-evolving landscape of data privacy and governance, and geopolitical tensions across the region.
• Adapting to new workplaces: To achieve greater cost efficiencies and optimise available resources, legal teams are exploring different workplace models, from near-shore centres to Generative AI (GenAI) enabled legal teams. However, the varied cultural, tax, and regulatory environments in the APAC region pose challenges.
• Developing legal talent: The legal sector faces major talent management challenges, including retention and succession. High attrition among mid-level lawyers, senior-level redundancies, and capped promotion opportunities highlight limitations in current strategies.
• Adopting new technologies: GenAI is expected to greatly enhance legal operations and transform how legal work is done. Adoption was initially low but is rapidly accelerating. Advanced organisations have implemented training programmes and are fostering a digital-first mindset. Future legal teams will be smaller, tech-enabled, and supported by lawtech professionals, allowing lawyers to work across multiple business units, increasing their versatility and value.
• Evolving law firm relationships: Senior legal counsel seek guidance from law firms on integrating new technologies and understanding the benefits. Adoption will be scrutinised, requiring transparency in pricing and value. Strong, transparent relationships with law firms will be essential for leveraging technological advancements in legal operations.

May 2023

Simmons & Simmons’ inaugural Next Gen Legal Solutions Index reveals insights from 500 General Counsel (GCs) on their evolving expectations of law firms. The findings highlight a mix of simple and complex challenges that firms must address to remain competitive and relevant.

Key takeaways include:

• Tech still missing the mark: Despite years of investment, 25% of GCs say law firm tech falls short—rising to 31% in healthcare and life sciences. The urgency to improve digital tools and integration remains high.
• Responsiveness matters: 1 in 5 GCs report poor responsiveness from law firms. Simple actions—like clear scoping, regular updates, and cost transparency—can significantly improve client experience.
• Demand for diverse capabilities: GCs increasingly expect law firms to offer multidisciplinary services that address broader business challenges, not just legal ones.
• Data value still out of reach: Most GCs believe extracting meaningful insights from legal documents (NDAs, SLAs, contracts) is still 2+ years away, though over half see potential for progress within 1–2 years.
• New market entrants pose a threat: 31% of GCs cite emerging competitors as a top challenge, especially among UK-only companies (43%), signaling a shift toward business-minded legal strategies.
• Changing legal team dynamics: Legal teams are evolving through flexible resourcing, outsourcing, and the integration of legal operations roles. The “war for talent” and cross-border collaboration are reshaping team structures.

This index underscores the need for law firms to rethink their service models, embrace innovation, and align more closely with the strategic goals of their clients.