The New York Times · 26 Sep, 12:43 · Business briefing

As A.I. Makes Law Firms More Efficient, Clients Ask: ‘Where’s My Discount?’

Law firms are increasingly adopting artificial intelligence to streamline operations and enhance efficiency.

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The briefing

The story
in brief.

What happened, who it affects, and why it landed on our intelligence desk — in plain English, sixty seconds or less.

Law firms are increasingly adopting artificial intelligence to streamline operations and enhance efficiency. However, rather than absorbing these gains, clients are demanding proportional reductions in legal fees. This shift challenges traditional billing models, as customers question why they should pay premium rates for services now delivered at lower costs. The trend signals a potential restructuring of how legal value is perceived and priced in the market, forcing firms to justify their charges or risk losing business to more cost-conscious competitors.

Employer demand for AI Strategy skills — indexed growth since 2019
Indicative index of skill mentions in professional job postings for the field this story moves (2019 = 1)

Your move

What this means
for your career.

Every headline redistributes opportunity. Here is who this one rewards — and how to be on the right side of it.

You must adapt to a market where efficiency no longer justifies high fees. If you work in law, focus on complex advisory roles that AI cannot replicate, as routine tasks become commoditised. For other professionals, this underscores the need to demonstrate unique human value. Develop skills in strategic negotiation and client relationship management to justify your rates. You should also understand how to leverage technology to improve your own productivity without reducing your perceived worth. Stay ahead by mastering AI tools to offer faster, higher-quality insights, positioning yourself as an indispensable partner rather than a simple service provider.

For this story, the fields that convert it into pay are AI Strategy, Law, Business And Management and Artificial Intelligence — exactly the programmes matched below. The chart shows the indicative salary uplift certified professionals report in each of those fields; every one of them is a click away, from £79, finishing in as few as 20 days.

Indicative salary uplift in the fields matched to this story
Indicative ranges from published continuing-education salary studies, by field — each field is a recommended course below

Matched to this story

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