New York, NY — In a remarkable shift, a junior associate at a top-tier law firm, once skeptical of artificial intelligence (AI) due to concerns about its reliability and impact on legal practice, has embraced it as her “best starting point” for tackling complex legal tasks. This transformation, highlighted in a Law.com feature on August 27, 2025, reflects a broader trend among young lawyers who are increasingly integrating AI tools into their workflows, driven by their efficiency and ability to handle repetitive tasks. The story of this associate, identified only as “Sarah” for privacy, underscores the evolving role of AI in Big Law and its potential to reshape legal practice, even as concerns about ethics, accuracy, and job displacement persist.
From Skepticism to Advocacy
Sarah, a first-year associate at a New York-based Am Law 100 firm, initially viewed AI with suspicion when she joined in 2023. Like many young lawyers, she worried that tools like generative AI platforms could produce inaccurate results or diminish the human judgment critical to legal work. “I thought AI was overhyped and risky,” she told Law.com. Her skepticism was rooted in high-profile incidents, such as the 2023 case where a New York lawyer was sanctioned for submitting a ChatGPT-generated brief with fabricated citations, as reported by Reuters. Additionally, concerns about AI’s potential to automate entry-level tasks, potentially reducing associate hiring, fueled her reluctance.
However, Sarah’s perspective shifted after her firm rolled out an AI-powered legal research and document review tool in early 2024. Tasked with drafting a complex contract under tight deadlines, she used the tool to analyze precedents and generate a first draft. “It wasn’t perfect, but it gave me a solid starting point in half the time,” she said. The AI’s ability to sift through thousands of documents, identify relevant clauses, and suggest language allowed her to focus on higher-value tasks like strategy and client communication. Over time, Sarah began relying on AI for due diligence, legal research, and even predictive analytics for case outcomes, describing it as “like having a super-smart paralegal who never sleeps.”
AI’s Growing Role in Big Law
Sarah’s experience mirrors a broader adoption of AI in the legal industry. According to a 2025 American Bar Association survey, 35% of law firms with over 100 attorneys now use AI tools regularly, up from 20% in 2023. Tools like Casetext, Harvey, and Lexis+ AI streamline tasks such as contract analysis, e-discovery, and legal research, reducing time spent on repetitive work. For instance, Law.com reported that firms like Kirkland & Ellis and Latham & Watkins have integrated AI to handle document review in M&A deals, cutting costs by up to 30%.
The shift is driven by client demand for efficiency and cost savings. General counsel, facing pressure to reduce legal budgets, increasingly expect firms to leverage technology, as noted in a 2024 Wolters Kluwer report. AI’s ability to process vast datasets quickly—such as analyzing 10,000 contracts in hours versus weeks—has made it indispensable, particularly for junior associates like Sarah who handle high-volume tasks early in their careers.
Challenges and Ethical Concerns
Despite its benefits, AI’s integration raises concerns:
- Accuracy and Bias: AI tools can produce errors or “hallucinations,” like the fabricated citations in the 2023 ChatGPT case. Sarah emphasized the need for human oversight, noting, “You can’t just trust the output blindly; you have to verify everything.”
- Ethical Risks: The ABA Journal highlighted ethical dilemmas, such as ensuring client confidentiality when using cloud-based AI tools and avoiding over-reliance, which could violate professional responsibility rules.
- Job Displacement: A 2024 Forbes report warned that AI could automate up to 40% of entry-level legal tasks, raising fears among associates about reduced hiring. However, Sarah countered that AI “frees up time for more meaningful work,” like client counseling, which firms value.
Will the Trend Persist?
Several factors suggest AI’s role in law firms will grow:
- Technological Advancements: Tools like xAI’s Grok and OpenAI’s ChatGPT are improving, with better accuracy and legal-specific applications, per TechCrunch. Firms investing in custom AI platforms tailored to their practice areas are likely to stay ahead.
- Client Expectations: As clients demand faster, cheaper services, firms adopting AI will remain competitive, according to Law.com. Sarah’s firm, for example, won a major client by demonstrating AI-driven cost savings in due diligence.
- Cultural Shift: Younger lawyers, like Sarah, are more open to technology, with a 2025 Legaltech News survey showing 60% of associates under 30 view AI as a career enhancer, not a threat.
However, challenges could slow adoption:
- Regulatory Hurdles: States like California and New York are drafting AI regulations, which could impose stricter guidelines on its use in legal practice, per Reuters.
- Resistance from Senior Partners: Some traditionalists remain wary, with a 2025 ABA report noting that 25% of senior partners believe AI undermines the “art” of lawyering.
- Cost Barriers: Smaller firms may struggle with the high upfront costs of AI implementation, potentially widening the gap between Big Law and smaller practices, per Law360.
Local Context
In Kansas City, Kansas, where the tragic death of Police Officer Hunter Simoncic on August 26, 2025, has dominated local news, the AI revolution in law firms has not been a major focus. However, regional firms like Shook, Hardy & Bacon and Polsinelli, with significant corporate practices, are adopting AI tools, reflecting national trends. Posts on X highlight enthusiasm among young lawyers—“AI’s a game-changer for associates drowning in docs”—but also caution, with one user noting, “Firms better train lawyers to use AI right, or we’ll see more ChatGPT disasters.”
Conclusion
Sarah’s journey from AI skeptic to advocate reflects a transformative moment in Big Law, where tools are becoming indispensable for efficiency and competitiveness. While ethical, accuracy, and job security concerns persist, the benefits of AI—faster research, cost savings, and enhanced productivity—are winning over young lawyers and clients alike. The trend is likely to grow as technology improves and regulatory frameworks evolve, but firms must balance innovation with rigorous oversight to avoid pitfalls. For now, associates like Sarah see AI not as a replacement, but as a powerful ally in navigating the demands of modern legal practice.
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This article has been reviewed for grammar and clarity to ensure accuracy and readability for a U.S. audience.