Future-Ready Legal Practices: 5 Takeaways from the 2025 ALM Survey Report
As the legal industry continues to evolve at a rapid pace, firms are feeling increasing pressure to modernize. Clients expect faster turnaround times, more transparent billing, and tech-enabled services. Internally, lawyers are demanding tools that support efficiency without compromising security or performance. In this shifting landscape, technology adoption isn’t just a strategic choice—it’s becoming a competitive necessity.
To better understand how firms are responding, Litera partnered with Legal Tech News and Law.com to survey over 200 legal professionals across the U.S., EMEA, and APAC. The goal: to examine the adoption of Generative AI (GenAI), cloud-based solutions, and Microsoft Office add-ins—and to uncover the roadblocks firms face along the way. Respondents included partners (41%) and represented large and small firms equally. This varied input provides a comprehensive view of the current legal technology landscape and guidance for firms aiming to future-proof their operations.
The full report, Future-Ready Legal Practices: AI, Cloud and Add-in Adoption, and Challenges in Legal , provides a data-driven look at what’s shaping the future of legal work. Below are some of the key takeaways.
1. Most Firms See Technology as a Strategic Imperative
A striking 80% of respondents said that law firms that fail to embrace GenAI and cloud-based tools will fall behind. That consensus spans regions, firm sizes, and practice areas. The risks of inaction include reduced efficiency, lost talent, and declining client satisfaction. In short: the legal industry sees innovation as table stakes.
2. GenAI Is In—but Caution Remains
GenAI is rapidly gaining ground, especially for use cases like document drafting, proofreading, and due diligence. In fact, nearly 70% of respondents said they’re already using or plan to use GenAI for those functions. But enthusiasm comes with caveats. Security and accuracy were the top two concerns—highlighting the legal sector’s unique need for tools that are not only powerful but also reliable and secure.
3. Add-Ins: Powerful but There is Opportunity for Consolidation
Microsoft Word and Outlook remain the backbone of most lawyers’ daily work—and they’re increasingly enhanced with add-ins. Over 80% of respondents use multiple plug-ins as point solutions across these platforms, and while the functionality is critical, performance suffers. Many firms reported slow startup times and system lag, suggesting a need for add-in consolidation and modernization.
4. Cloud Migration Is in Motion—but Not Without Challenges
Over half of firms surveyed have started migrating to the cloud, but only 21% feel fully prepared. The top roadblocks? Security, integration complexity, and a lack of internal expertise. Still, firms recognize the cloud’s potential for improving collaboration, reducing IT overhead, and enabling access to advanced tools like GenAI.
5. Training Gaps Undermine Tech Adoption
One of the most persistent challenges: insufficient training. Nearly 40% of firms offer either inadequate or no training on new tools like GenAI and Outlook add-ins. Without proper onboarding and ongoing support, even the best technologies are likely to go underutilized. Firms that want to get the most out of their tech investments must prioritize user enablement.
How Litera Can Help
Litera supports law firms in every phase of this transformation. From GenAI-powered drafting tools and data governance solutions to modern add-ins and secure cloud integrations, our legal-specific technologies are designed to help firms operate more efficiently, collaboratively, and securely.
Want to dive deeper into these insights? Download the full report Future-Ready Legal Practices: AI, Cloud and Add-in Adoption, and Challenges in Legal to explore the complete findings, recommendations, and actionable next steps for your firm.
