Will AI replace lawyers?
Updated
Lawyers score 48 of 100 for AI exposure. The largest share of their task time, 55%, is work AI speeds up while they stay in charge. AI can take over 18% outright, and 27% stays with people.
- 18% AI can do it
- 55% AI helps
- 27% Needs a person
Moderate exposure
Higher than 70% of the 923 occupations we scored.
Task by task
We graded 22 tasks, listed here from most to least exposed. AI can do 4 of them today, speeds up 11 and leaves 7 to people.
| Task | AI exposure |
|---|---|
| Prepare, draft, and review legal documents, such as wills, deeds, patent applications, mortgages, leases, and contracts. Contracts, leases and wills are template heavy drafting AI does well. | 78% AI can do it |
| Prepare legal briefs and opinions, and file appeals in state and federal courts of appeal. Brief drafting is strong AI work, lawyer reviews and files. | 68% AI can do it |
| Study Constitution, statutes, decisions, regulations, and ordinances of quasi-judicial bodies to determine ramifications for cases. Reading statutes and decisions to assess impact is strong AI work. | 66% AI can do it |
| Perform administrative and management functions related to the practice of law. Billing, scheduling and admin tasks are routine digital work AI handles. | 65% AI can do it |
| Interpret laws, rulings and regulations for individuals and businesses. Legal research and explanation AI drafts well, lawyer verifies advice. | 60% AI helps |
| Examine legal data to determine advisability of defending or prosecuting lawsuit. Reviewing case files for merit is document work AI handles well. | 58% AI helps |
| Search for and examine public and other legal records to write opinions or establish ownership. Records searches are digital and AI assisted, some need physical access. | 50% AI helps |
| Probate wills and represent and advise executors and administrators of estates. Estate filings and forms are AI friendly, fiduciary duties stay human. | 45% AI helps |
| Analyze the probable outcomes of cases, using knowledge of legal precedents. Outcome prediction uses precedent search, but judgement stays with lawyer. | 42% AI helps |
| Evaluate findings and develop strategies and arguments in preparation for presentation of cases. AI can draft arguments and stress test strategy, lawyer decides direction. | 40% AI helps |
Show the other 12 tasks
| Task | AI exposure |
|---|---|
| Help develop federal and state programs, draft and interpret laws and legislation, and establish enforcement procedures. Drafting and analysis aid policy work, but political choices stay human. | 38% AI helps |
| Negotiate contractual agreements. Contract redlines are AI friendly, but live bargaining stays human. | 35% AI helps |
| Gather evidence to formulate defense or to initiate legal actions by such means as interviewing clients and witnesses to ascertain the facts of a case. Interviews need people in person, though AI helps organize evidence. | 30% AI helps |
| Advise clients concerning business transactions, claim liability, advisability of prosecuting or defending lawsuits, or legal rights and obligations. Client advice relies on judgement, trust and accountability for outcomes. | 25% AI helps |
| Confer with colleagues with specialties in appropriate areas of legal issue to establish and verify bases for legal proceedings. Colleague consultations are human, though AI can summarize research notes. | 24% AI helps |
| Negotiate settlements of civil disputes. Live settlement talks need people, though AI can prepare offers. | 22% Needs a person |
| Supervise legal assistants. Supervising staff is interpersonal management, AI adds little beyond review. | 15% Needs a person |
| Present and summarize cases to judges and juries. Oral advocacy before judges and juries stays with the human lawyer. | 12% Needs a person |
| Act as agent, trustee, guardian, or executor for businesses or individuals. Fiduciary roles carry personal legal liability, so humans must hold them. | 12% Needs a person |
| Present evidence to defend clients or prosecute defendants in criminal or civil litigation. Live evidence presentation is human, though prep can use AI. | 10% Needs a person |
| Represent clients in court or before government agencies. Court and agency appearances need a person present and accountable. | 8% Needs a person |
| Select jurors, argue motions, meet with judges, and question witnesses during the course of a trial. Jury selection and witness questioning need live human judgement in court. | 6% Needs a person |
How lawyers compare
All occupations (923)
Legal (7)
Pay and outlook in the US
- Median pay
- $159,670 a year, May 2025
- People employed
- 754,500 in the US, May 2025
- Projected change in jobs
- +4.7% from 2024 to 2034
Skills to build
- Argue motions and examine witnesses in court
- Hold an active state bar licence to practise law
- Review AI-drafted contracts and leases line by line in Microsoft Word
- Compare redlined contract versions in Adobe Acrobat
- Serve as executor or trustee with personal liability
- Assess case merit from file data in Microsoft Excel
Safer roles nearby
5 related occupations with lower scores.
Questions about lawyers and AI
Will lawyers be replaced by AI?
Partly. About 4 in 10 working hours go to tasks AI can already do, mostly drafting legal documents such as contracts, leases and wills, and preparing legal briefs and opinions. Court appearances, witness questioning and fiduciary roles stay with the human lawyer, who reviews and files whatever AI produces.
Will AI take over lawyers?
AI can already do 18% of the task time for lawyers and speeds up another 55%. People still do 27% of it. The US has 754,500 lawyer jobs, with a projected change of +4.7% from 2024 to 2034.
Which tasks will AI take from lawyers?
Drafting legal documents has the highest exposure score at 78, covering contracts, leases, deeds and wills. These are template-heavy, so AI produces the first draft and the lawyer checks it. Preparing legal briefs and opinions follows at 68, since AI drafts the text and the lawyer reviews it before filing.
Which tasks stay human for lawyers?
Arguing motions, questioning witnesses and selecting jurors happen live in court, where a person must be present and accountable to the judge. Representing clients before courts and agencies, presenting evidence and summarizing cases to juries also stay human. Acting as trustee, guardian or executor carries personal legal liability, so a human must hold that role.
How can lawyers stay valuable as AI spreads?
Concentrate on work that needs a licensed person in the room, court appearances, agency hearings and fiduciary roles. Keep the state bar licence current, since a licensed lawyer must sign and file what AI drafts. Check every AI-drafted brief and contract line by line, and verify each cited statute and case before it reaches a client or court.
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