AI Reshapes The Daily Work of Paralegals

Artificial intelligence (AI) won’t replace paralegals, but it will reshape how they work. AI is changing paralegal work by automating routine tasks while creating opportunities for paralegals to focus on responsibilities that require critical thinking, relationship building, and human oversight. The future is about paralegals and technology working together, writes Katie Wolf of Filevine. 

Recent case studies illustrate this shift. For example, Clio estimates that 69% of billable paralegal work could be automated, leaving the remaining 31%, which hinges on judgment, client relationships, and quality control, as the core of their value. Thomson Reuters, meanwhile, projects that AI will free up nearly 240 hours per legal professional annually, which equates to about $19,000 per professional in savings. 

Editorial estimates the percentage of AI assistance and whether they require human review. High-volume, repetitive work such as summarizing medical records, tracking deadlines, and preparing forms is suitable for automation, while witness preparation, courtroom support, privilege decisions, and client relationships remain largely human territory. Even for the most automatable tasks, human oversight is required to verify the output.

To stay competitive, paralegals are urged to build skills in AI proficiency, data analysis, project management, legal technology, and client communication. Ethical duties grow alongside adoption: protecting client confidentiality; complying with regulations such as the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA) and Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) Act; scrutinizing outputs for bias; and being transparent with clients and courts about how AI is used. 

AI offers paralegals an opportunity to improve productivity and service delivery without sacrificing the human expertise that the legal practice requires. Paralegals who combine technological proficiency with critical thinking, ethical judgment, and strong client relationships will be better positioned to adapt as legal support roles evolve.