At Legal Tech Talk 2026 in London, Jonathan Williams of Legora joined a discussion on the rapid evolution of legal technology, the growing role of AI in legal services, and what the future may hold for law firms navigating unprecedented change.

The Legal Sector’s Rapid Transformation

The conversation opened with reflections on the pace of transformation across the legal sector. Williams noted that the legal technology market is moving faster than ever, making annual industry events valuable benchmarks for measuring progress. He highlighted how both products and services are evolving simultaneously, with legal services becoming increasingly productised while some technology companies are introducing more service-led offerings.

Turning AI Adoption into Practical Value

A central theme was Legora’s commitment to working closely with clients through its legal engineering function. Williams explained that legal engineers help firms move from initial adoption to genuine competence with AI-powered tools, ensuring organisations can realise practical value from their investments. Client feedback plays a critical role in this process, with product improvements being driven continuously by real-world use cases and user requirements.

Growth, Branding, and Market Momentum

The discussion also explored Legora’s remarkable growth. Williams acknowledged that the company’s expansion has exceeded expectations, supported by strong market demand and innovative marketing initiatives. He cited the company’s high-profile “Hugh Law” campaign as a standout success, generating a significant increase in website traffic and creating substantial new commercial opportunities. More broadly, he observed that legal technology companies are increasingly embracing sophisticated marketing strategies traditionally associated with other industries.

Building a Stronger Legal AI Community

Community-building emerged as another important topic. Williams emphasised the value of creating inclusive spaces where legal professionals, academics, technology providers, and practitioners can exchange ideas and learn from one another. He argued that raising overall levels of AI literacy benefits the entire legal ecosystem, helping organisations better understand both their own technology choices and those of their clients, counterparties, and collaborators.

Rethinking the Law Firm Business Model

Looking ahead, Williams suggested that firms that embrace AI and adapt their business models will be better positioned to thrive. He described how traditional hourly-billing models built around junior lawyer time are already coming under pressure, creating a need for firms to rethink how legal work is delivered and valued. While some practitioners may choose not to make that transition, others are using technology to create more efficient and scalable service models.

The Future Shape of the Legal Market

The conversation turned to the future structure of the legal market. Rather than making predictions, Williams pointed to trends already visible today, including increasing consolidation and growing competitive advantages for organisations with strong data assets, established workflows, and integrated AI capabilities. While AI may enable smaller teams to compete more effectively, he noted that market position, specialisation, and strategic focus will remain important differentiators.

Beyond the Hype: What Legal AI Platforms Really Deliver

A significant portion of the discussion focused on recent developments in the AI model landscape, particularly the attention surrounding Anthropic’s Claude. Williams welcomed the growing public awareness of advanced AI tools but cautioned against viewing foundation models as complete legal solutions. He highlighted the extensive governance, security, access control, and compliance infrastructure required to deploy AI safely within legal organisations. These capabilities, he argued, represent a substantial part of the value delivered by dedicated legal AI platforms.

Staying Flexible in a Fast-Moving AI Landscape

Williams also discussed the importance of maintaining flexibility in a rapidly changing AI environment. As model performance continues to evolve, firms face the challenge of avoiding constant platform switching while still benefiting from technological advances. Legora’s approach, he explained, is to provide a platform that can adapt to changing underlying models while maintaining a consistent user experience.

International Expansion and the Road Ahead

The session concluded with a discussion of international growth. Williams expressed strong confidence in the US market, noting that Legora’s experience operating across Europe’s diverse legal and regulatory environments has provided a solid foundation for expansion. While branding and awareness remain important factors, he argued that long-term success ultimately depends on delivering meaningful value to legal professionals and their clients.

Strategic Insights on AI, Growth, and the Future of Legal Services

• AI is accelerating the productisation of legal services while reshaping traditional law firm business models.
• Continuous client feedback and legal engineering support are becoming critical drivers of successful AI adoption.
• Governance, security, and compliance remain essential differentiators between foundation models and enterprise legal AI platforms.
• Firms that embrace AI strategically are likely to gain competitive advantages through greater efficiency and scalability.
• Market consolidation may continue as larger organisations build increasingly sophisticated AI-enabled workflows and data assets.
• The legal technology sector is becoming more innovative not only in product development but also in marketing, community-building, and user engagement.