AI is transforming industries everywhere, and the legal sector is a prime example. Over the past decade, I’ve witnessed law firms evolve from cautious observers to enthusiastic adopters of technology, leveraging AI to deliver better outcomes for their clients. The evidence speaks for itself, with AI adoption rates soaring among legal professionals — from 19% in 2023 to a staggering 79% in 2024. On Toronto’s Bay Street, Canada’s top law firms aren’t just early adopters — they are leading the charge, something we’ve witnessed first-hand at Alexi, integrating AI into daily practice and championing its potential in the legal world.
So, why are Bay Street law firms embracing AI at such a rapid pace? The answer is simple: AI is making lawyers’ lives easier. As I’ve heard time and time again from our customers — Lerners Lawyers LLP, Lenczner Slaught LLP, and Gluckstein Lawyers — AI is revolutionizing litigation workflows. By taking over tedious, time-consuming tasks, AI is helping firms streamline operations, reduce costs, and deliver a sharper competitive edge to clients. And for those slow to adapt, the risks of falling behind — financially and strategically — are becoming impossible to ignore.
Giving Money Back To Bay Street
To no surprise, one of the biggest reasons our Bay Street clients say they’re turning to AI is to save time and money. If litigators are pressed for time, legal AI tools allow lawyers to gather research and draft memos almost instantaneously. We see deadlines being met faster, and a solid starting point for litigators to refine and build on. What’s exciting, though, is hearing how AI helps when inspiration strikes mid-case. A new idea or angle? No problem — AI lets them explore it quickly, ensuring they can present your strongest case possible.
How does this save money? Utilizing AI means the hours of research and first drafts of memos that would normally be billed to your client simply don’t exist. Take our client Elm Law for instance. As a mid-size firm specializing in family law, time is of the essence. Incorporating legal AI into their practice gave them the ability not only to save valuable time but also allowed them to bill less back to their clients One of our Bay Street customers, Gluckstein Lawyers, also reflected on how much time AI has saved them, noting where a traditional factum would take two to three days to compile, AI allowed the firm to save up to a full day of writing and researching.
Don’t Lag Behind
In a field where speed and strategy are everything, AI gives litigators a real advantage.
Utilizing this innovative technology allows lawyers to gather data and insights they may not have known of or may have otherwise overlooked. With Alexi, law firms utilize a predictive analytics feature, helping them understand what the likely outcome of the case may be, to better prepare their arguments. This technology isn’t just helping lawyers draft documents faster or gather research at the click of a button, but it is ensuring litigators are maintaining a competitive edge in an industry dominated by speed and innovation. In some cases, companies and firms also look to AI to equalize abilities. Elm Law, for instance, mentions this as one of the benefits of incorporating legal AI. Where one lawyer may be faster at research and one may be quicker at drafting case materials, AI can help balance the scales and boost the abilities of each litigator, strengthening the firm and ensuring success for clients.
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Bay Street law firms have embraced this technology because staying at the top demands it. In a profession defined by precision, speed, and results, adopting AI isn’t just an option—it’s a necessity to remain competitive.
Is Your Job At Risk?
While some may think that incorporating AI into the legal sector will replace jobs, my viewpoint will never waver: it won’t. However, I do believe it will change what is considered to be the traditional job of a lawyer. They will now be the intermediary — between AI and whatever your desired outcome is. For example, AI is not going to draft a perfect, ready-to-go court briefing or summary document for a client. But, it will provide an excellent base for a lawyer to work off of. Or consider the next generation of lawyers entering the field. They won’t be taught to dive into hours of legal research in textbooks when looking for case precedents, but instead, will be taught different avenues for research, very much driven by AI.
Let’s shift our thought process on AI. AI is not here to replace lawyers; instead, it should be used as the middle party between AI and your desired outcome. Once you’ve made that shift, more businesses will continue to benefit from faster work, a surplus of output, and at the end of the day, more money.
