In a series of discussions with industry leaders, Legal IT Insider reflects on the transformative year 2025 for legal technology and shares predictions for the coming year. As law firms embrace artificial intelligence and innovative tools, the landscape of legal services is rapidly evolving.
Reflections on 2025
Oliver Bethell, CTO at Travers Smith, highlighted significant milestones for the UK top 50 law firm, including the rollout of Jylo and the creation of an AI Academy. These initiatives underscore the firm’s commitment to integrating AI into their operations, creating new advisory opportunities, and enhancing service delivery. Bethell anticipates more automated workflows for routine tasks and continued research and development into agentic AI in 2026.
Tony McKenna, CIO of Lawfront, observed a surge in legal technology adoption, particularly Microsoft Copilot, following the easing of licensing restrictions. McKenna noted a shift towards further leveraging the Microsoft stack, with significant work done with the GenAI platform Jylo. He emphasized the importance of long-term support and investment in proprietary AI tools, advocating for partnerships with external providers who understand business challenges and deliver robust technology solutions.
The legal technology community experienced a vibrant year, with successful events such as ILTA conferences in Washington and London and the celebration of Legal IT Insider’s 30th anniversary.
Predictions for 2026
Looking ahead, McKenna foresees a continued focus on Microsoft technologies, including SharePoint, and the integration possibilities it brings in terms of AI. He expresses enthusiasm for the rapid pace of change and the promising developments on the horizon.
Jenifer Swallow, a strategic advisor, reflected on key themes such as ethics, governance, AI adoption, and the shift from hallucination fixation to broader risk management. She noted a trend towards standardization in legal processes and the adoption of frameworks. Swallow predicts that 2026 will see a significant amount of work retained in-house, serviced by technology rather than outside counsel.
Technological Advancements and Challenges
Paul Greenwood, CTO at Clifford Chance, described 2025 as one of the most interesting years in technology, marked by unprecedented adoption. Clifford Chance was among the first to globally deploy Microsoft Copilot and launch a private GenAI tool, Clifford Chance Assist, on Microsoft’s Azure OpenAI platform. The firm’s adoption rate jumped to 90%, signaling a widespread embrace of AI across the organization.
Greenwood outlined a three-pronged approach to adoption, considering the balance between established vendors and AI-enabled startups. The future legal tech roadmap will depend on whether vendors can demonstrate progress quickly enough, given their core legacy products.
Conclusion
As the legal sector continues to innovate, 2026 promises to be another pivotal year for AI and legal technology. Law firms are poised to build on the advancements of 2025, integrating AI more deeply into their operations and redefining the delivery of legal services.
Note: This article is inspired by content from https://legaltechnology.com/2025/12/23/2025-26-reflections-predictions-oliver-bethell-travers-smith-a-pivotal-year-for-ai/. It has been rephrased for originality. Images are credited to the original source.