The legal tech conversation has changed noticeably over the last year. In 2024 and early 2025, most teams were experimenting. They were testing generative AI tools, piloting point solutions, and exploring what might be possible. As 2026 begins, the questions have become more practical: Does AI work at scale, with our data set, and can it fit within our own operational systems and processes?

AI and the Legal Department of 2026: What’s Changing (and What’s Not)