Even with widespread fears of AI-induced layoffs of lawyers, the legal industry has taken the opposite path so far, continuing a string of “historically strong” hiring in 2025, according to industry analysts and newly-released data. Regardless, the firms that understand how AI impacts their operations will pull ahead in 2026, as the technology becomes “table stakes” in the industry, according to a team of firm and tech leaders at Goodwin. Eric Tan, chief digital & technology officer at Goodwin; Bethany Withers, a partner and chair of the firm’s Artificial Intelligence practice; and Patricia Johansen, the firm’s managing director of knowledge & innovation, wrote that while AI handles high-volume, standardized tasks, “lawyers will focus on areas where human judgment matters most: strategic counsel, risk assessment, regulatory interpretation, negotiation, complex problem-solving and drafting.” Their thumbnail summary: “AI will not render lawyers obsolete. But it will change how they work and what they do.”
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