AI is changing the world faster than most realize
While firms debate ethics opinions, the technology is already reshaping how legal work gets done, priced, and delivered.
AI isn't just changing legal work—it's advancing faster through law than almost any other profession. The Axios piece on AI's rapid transformation hits different when you see it playing out across BigLaw and solo practices.
Dario Amodei predicts AI will eliminate half of entry-level white-collar jobs in one to five years, but in law, we're already seeing this shift. Document review that consumed weeks now happens in hours. Contract analysis requiring associate teams gets handled by one lawyer with strategic prompts. Legal research that tied up entire departments runs overnight.
The adoption velocity is remarkable. ChatGPT reached one million users in five days, but Facebook took ten months. In legal practice, we're seeing similar acceleration curves. Firms that banned AI tools six months ago now scramble to train partners on prompt engineering. Corporate counsel quietly pilot programs while outside firms debate ethics opinions.
What the broader discussion misses: lawyers have unique advantages in this transition because our work centers on judgment, not just information processing. The technology amplifies analytical capabilities rather than replacing them entirely. Junior associates still need training in legal reasoning, but their research methods have fundamentally changed since five years ago.
The challenge isn't whether AI will reshape practice—it's whether firms adapt business models before technology outpaces their ability to capture value. Billable hours face pressure from efficiency gains, partnership structures need reconsideration, and client expectations shift toward results over time invested.
The legal profession is uniquely positioned to help write AI governance frameworks while simultaneously being transformed by the technology itself.
https://www.axios.com/2025/07/09/ai-rapid-change-work-school
