Legal Tech 2026: What Firms Need to Know

Update: 2025-11-25

Description

In this episode of Counsel Cast, host Karin Conroy welcomes Joshua Lenon, Lawyer in Residence at Clio, for a deep dive into Legal Tech 2026 and the insights driving Clio’s newest Legal Trends Report. Joshua has spent more than a decade studying the intersection of law and technology, advising legal teams across North America, and translating lawyer needs into groundbreaking legal tech innovations.

Together, Karin and Joshua explore the changing landscape of legal services, the data behind what separates growing firms from shrinking ones, and the real world impact AI, automation, and cloud-based systems are having on the legal industry right now. They unpack Clio’s cognitive load study, the firm-level data from more than 400,000 legal professionals, and the seismic shift coming with Clio’s acquisition of vLex and Fastcase.

Joshua explains why 2026 will be a defining year for legal professionals, what firms must prioritize to compete, and why the most successful lawyers are no longer choosing between technology and the human touch. They are blending both to create a faster, smarter, client-centered practice.

📌 You’ll learn:

Why 2026 marks a major turning point in legal technology
What Clio’s data shows about growing, stable, and shrinking law firms
The one metric that predicts whether a firm is scaling or struggling
How AI reduces cognitive load, increases accuracy, and decreases stress
Why clients expect online scheduling, intake, and fast responses
How vLex and Clio’s new global library will reshape legal research
The difference between using AI for operations versus legal judgment
How to build a Human In The Loop system that protects trust and ethics
Where AI should never replace a lawyer
What law firm tasks are ripe for automation today
How fast moving firms will outpace slow adopters
Why transparency with AI builds client trust
What firms can experiment with immediately to future proof their practice

💡 Featuring:

Real world examples from Clio’s Legal Trends Report, insights from a 63 lawyer neuroscience study on stress and productivity, a breakdown of how AI tools impact accuracy and efficiency, and a clear look at how the line between the business of law and the practice of law is dissolving. Joshua also shares how predictive workflows, automated deadlines, and real time alerts will help firms deliver stronger outcomes with less friction.

Karin and Joshua give listeners actionable tips on:

0:00 Intro
01:00 How legal tech adoption has evolved and why 2026 marks a major turning point
05:00 What Clio’s Legal Trends Report reveals about growing vs. shrinking law firms
09:30 The one metric that predicts whether a firm will scale
12:00 How AI reduces admin time and increases billable hours
15:00 Inside Clio’s neuroscience study on cognitive load and lawyer stress
19:00 Where AI helps and where human judgment is still essential
23:00 How clients feel about AI interactions and why transparency builds trust
26:00 Clio’s acquisition of vLex and what it means for the future of research
30:00 The future of intake, automation, and AI powered workflows
35:00 The risks and opportunities of AI adjudication
40:00 What firms should start doing today to prepare for Legal Tech 2026
47:00 Why this is the best moment in history to be a lawyer