2025 Legal Tech Predictions: AI and Human-Centered Design

Part One of Artificial Lawyer’s 2025 legal tech predictions offers insights into the evolving legal tech landscape. In it, Sacha Kirk, founder of Lawcadia; Ed Walters, chief strategy officer of vLex; and Richard Mabey, CEO of Juro, highlight significant trends that will shape the industry. 

Both Walters and Mabey anticipate the rise of more agentic artificial intelligence systems—systems that can autonomously take action, break down complex tasks, and complete them with technology and allied legal professionals. Walters foresees foundational AI models becoming commoditized, with large volumes of specialized legal data driving differentiation.

On the other hand, Kirk emphasized a future where technology and human expertise converge. 

The future of legal tech will emphasize a balance between technology and human expertise, prioritizing security, collaboration, and user-centric design. While AI and automation will enhance efficiency, human judgment will remain crucial for impactful solutions.

A significant trend in 2025 will be the responsible adoption of AI tools, focusing on compliance, data security, and transparent vendor practices. Legal professionals will demand secure environments where sensitive data remains protected and AI models are responsibly managed, fostering trust and enabling the full potential of AI in legal operations.

Matter management platforms will gain prominence as legal teams seek agile tools tailored to their needs. Unlike feature-heavy contract lifecycle management systems, these platforms will streamline case tracking, document management, and collaboration within a user-friendly framework.

Integrated legal ecosystems will bridge gaps between in-house legal teams, external counsel, and other stakeholders. These unified systems will facilitate real-time collaboration, improve service delivery, and strengthen partnerships between legal departments and law firms.

Automation will take over routine tasks, allowing legal professionals to focus on strategic, innovative, and client-oriented work. Human-centered legal design will play a pivotal role, ensuring that technology is accessible and its use intuitive. This blend of technological and human-centered legal tech predictions promises a transformative yet balanced future for the legal industry.