It’s Finally Happening – What Legal Innovators Told Us

It was emotional. And that’s not a phrase Artificial Lawyer often uses. After three intense days of Legal Innovators UK last week it was clear that legal AI transformation has finally entered the realm of reality.

Why was it so moving as I wrapped up the event last Thursday, which more than 1,000 people had taken part in? Because Artificial Lawyer was founded in 2016 on a single idea, which at that time seemed very much a minority view: that AI would transform the legal world.

Every year that we hold Legal Innovators is for me a litmus test of where we actually are: where are we with theory and ideas – and most importantly where are we with on-the-ground reality?

Every year – until now – it was clear that even among those speakers who, as with Artificial Lawyer, were 100% in favour of AI-driven change, that things were not moving fast in their organisation. The promise of widespread evolution continued to be ‘just out of reach’. I could sense the hope, I could see the indications of change, but we were not really ‘there’ yet.

One could always tell when something was real by the way someone spoke at the conference. Until now there were lots of theoreticals in their speeches or responses – as there had to be, because the true implementation and use of this AI tech was still so limited.

Last week it was entirely different.

Yes, we have a long way to go on a whole range of issues, and it’s still only parts of law firms, or parts of inhouse teams, that are fully engaged with AI. Systemic change all the way through the legal market is yet to happen. But, the unanimity of the speakers in terms of their A) very positive support for AI, and B) their practical and hands-on experience of using it to improve their work, was a wonder to see.

The Idea

The idea that the means of legal production is primarily ‘manual’ and that AI technology would and should change this, with all the economic, business structure, and macro-market effects that would surely come as a result, was what AL has been based on, so too Legal Innovators.

If anyone ever asks me what’s the difference between Artificial Lawyer and Legal Innovators and other news sites and other events, I always say that it’s this: a clear, enduring purpose. AL is not just reporting the news, it’s campaigning for change.

And when you campaign for something for nearly a decade – and then year after year it seems like legal AI still faces huge obstacles to adoption and real use, and then finally you see speaker after speaker line up to talk openly and with confidence about how they are very pragmatically and positively using this technology,…..well, it’s a powerful moment.

When you really believe something and have yourself stood on stages around the world, from Brazil to Berlin, from Tokyo to Washington DC, and from Stockholm to yes….even good, old Birmingham, to of course many, many times in London, setting out those theories and expectations – and then it finally happens, it’s quite something.

I wouldn’t say ‘my work is done here’, given that we have now simply begun Part Two of the story, where Part One was a very long journey up to this point, but it does feel like a meaningful landmark, a passing through a gate into a new era for this market. Lawyers are unlikely to ever use AI any less now. In fact, they will use it more. Skills and knowledge in this field will accumulate. And lawyers are smart. They learn fast about a subject – once it’s been accepted. In which case, Part Two of this story may move along at quite a rapid pace now.

Thank you for taking part in the events and reading Artificial Lawyer, and for being part of this journey. Here’s to the next part of the story!  

I will cover more about the learnings from the event tomorrow. But, for now, I just wanted to say thank you for coming to Legal Innovators last week, and for all the years since we started. At the end of the day, you are the people who make it all real.

Plus, a special thank you to Timo and the team at Cosmonauts, who each year make the UK event and the now multiple other Legal Innovators conferences a reality.

Richard Tromans, Founder, Artificial Lawyer and Chair of Legal Innovators conferences in London, San Francisco, New York and later next year in Paris as well.

(10 Nov, 2025)

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Plus, as mentioned, we will be holding Legal Innovators New York next week on Nov 19 and 20.

The event is over two days, Day One: law firms, and Day Two: inhouse – and you are very welcome to take part in both to hear the latest insights about our increasingly AI-driven legal world and network with some of the most innovative law firms, ALSPs, tech companies, and corporates in America and beyond.

If you’d like to take the speedy boarding route to Legal Innovators New York, on Nov 19 and 20, then please sign up here – which is free to attend for those at law firms and inhouse.

See you there!