In the legal profession, independence of thought is a defining trait. Lawyers pride themselves on scrutiny, diligence, making well-constructed arguments and challenging assumptions. And yet, when it comes to technology selection, particularly around AI, many firms are doing the exact opposite.
They are following the herd. It’s safety in numbers.
Celebrity Hype or Genuine Innovation?
In 2026, legal technology has burst out of the shadows with even movie stars trying to convince us they’ve been using these tools for years and some sports stadiums festooned with legal tech logos that 99% of the viewing audience won’t recognise (and frankly will never use).
With what we should assume are sizeable marketing budgets, look at the hyperscalers in legal tech. They have captured attention and headlines, with hardly a week going by without another organisation signing up for their services.
“Good for them,” should be the immediate response, but scratch beneath the surface, and a pattern emerges raising the question whether selection is being driven less by a rigorous and well-constructed evaluation of requirements, or more by market commentary, peer pressure, and FOMO.
It appears the rhetoric of “Everyone else is using it so….” or “no one gets fired for buying….” has slowly become a decision-making framework, and that’s not innovation. That’s imitation.
The Legal AI Gold Rush
All of that considered, the use of AI in the legal industry is developing fast. It’s still something of a gold-rush but the true market need is far more complex than the features and functionality offered by a couple of high-profile vendors.
The truth is that there are other AI platforms that are equally as capable (if not more so) of meeting the needs of even the largest firms. But without the deep marketing pockets are being overlooked or simply undiscovered due to the lack of rigour in vendor selection.
However, putting the competitive marketplace aside, the real and long-term value is likely to come from a far more conventional understanding of how the use of new technology is assessed, trialled, implemented, and adopted.
It should be said that the technology itself is easy to implement, is more adaptable and does drive a greater degree of self-service than what’s gone before, but that alone isn’t the whole story.
Choosing for the Right Reasons
It is a bit dull and not very cool, but like many previous emerging technologies, the long-term benefit comes from a clear understanding of a recognised business need aligned to a robust business case. This determines a programme of (overused phrase) transformation, and with it a change in working practices that best facilitates organisation-wide adoption. This is what the buyer and the seller want!
And the truth is that old habits die hard. Unless organisations and vendors alike are prepared to invest the time and effort needed to make proper qualitative and quantitative assessments, the perceived benefits of a proof of concept can quickly fade. A limited pilot with a small group of users may look compelling in the market, but without deeper evaluation, its impact is likely to be washed away and forgotten.
This is the paradox. The legal industry, built on critical thinking, is making some of its most important technology decisions based on consensus rather than conviction.
And consensus is comfortable. It reduces perceived risk. If everyone makes the same choice, no one stands out if it goes wrong. But it also means no one stands out if it goes right.
The Challengers: Breaking Away From the Herd
For challenger brands and for the firms willing to think differently this is where the opportunity lies.
Because real competitive advantage doesn’t come from doing what everyone else is doing. It comes from asking better questions, evaluating requirements to quite a detailed level and making the changes needed to deliver the benefits to the business.
- Are we choosing this because it’s right for us or because it’s popular?
- Are we paying for capability or for reputation?
- Are we creating a competitive advantage or imitating the crowd?
- Are we leading or just following?
In a market full of sheep, the real leaders are the ones willing to break away from the herd.
Andy Edler
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Andy is VP of Legal Services for TCDI in the UK. He is responsible for the management and development of existing client relationships and the growth of TCDI’s footprint in the legal and corporate market throughout Europe. With over 20 years of experience, Andy has helped major organisations transform operations, minimise cost, improve efficiency, and enhance customer experience with market leading technology and services.