Our Founder, Gav Ward who is a Director of leading legal digital marketing agency, MLT Digital, recently had the privilege of speaking at the Society of Law Accountants in Scotland (SOLAS) webinar alongside fellow MLT Director Chris Davidson, where over 130 legal professionals tuned in to explore a game-changing topic: how AI is transforming the legal profession.
Whether you’re a sole practitioner, part of a boutique firm, or building your personal brand, here are the most important insights we shared, focused on how you can stand out and succeed with AI.
1. Don’t Start with Tools, Start with Goals
Before using ChatGPT or Copilot, ask yourself:
What problem am I solving?
Want to save time, grow your client base, or improve service? Great. Let those goals shape your AI usage, not the other way around.
2. Visibility Is Shifting, Adapt Your Digital Presence
AI is changing how people search for lawyers. Google’s AI Overviews are pushing traditional search results further down. If your firm relies on SEO alone, you may be falling behind.
Time to optimise for AI-generated summaries, not just page one rankings.
3. Clients Expect More, and They Know About AI
Today’s clients are smarter, savvier, and more value-driven. They know AI for law firms can generate a contract in seconds, so they’ll question high hourly rates.
Fixed-fee, outcome-focused services are where things are heading.
According to Clio:
- 74% of hourly work could be automated
- 79% of lawyers already use AI
- 70% of clients prefer firms using AI
4. AI = Your New Junior Assistant
Want to save hours each week? Start small:
- Summarise long letters
- Draft blogs or email replies
- Reword documents in a more client-friendly tone
- Spot trends in enquiries or case outcomes
Tools like ChatGPT or Microsoft Copilot can help you work smarter, not harder.
5. Clean Data = Better Results
AI is only as good as the info you give it. If your files, templates or case data are disorganised, fix that first.
As Alex Smith from iManage says:
“IA before AI” – Information Architecture before Artificial Intelligence.
6. Ethics, Risk, and Smart Use
Never upload client data into public AI tools. Use private, secure environments where possible. And always check AI outputs, especially when it comes to legal accuracy.
Final Word: AI Won’t Replace You. But Lawyers Who Use AI Might.
The legal world is changing fast. Those who embrace AI early, and use it wisely, will gain a serious edge.
Want help getting started with AI for your legal practice or marketing? Get in touch with MLT Digital here.