AI is changing how lawyers work and pressuring the billable hour

Clio's U.K. & Ireland Legal Insights Report 2026 found that almost 90% of legal professionals in the U.K. and Ireland use AI. Among firms using AI, almost 80% said they can handle more work without adding resources, and about one in five widely adopting firms report difficulty meeting billable-hour targets.

Deloitte's survey shows senior legal leaders expect the share of work billed by the hour to fall from 72% to 44% over the next two to three years.