In this TalkingTech webinar, Clio’s senior director of product management, Robin Chesterman, walks us through the findings of Clio’s new State of Legal Tech report. Surveying more than 2,000 legal professionals across the UK and Australia, the report uncovers the real frustrations, risks, and opportunities shaping today’s legal tech landscape.
The webinar begins with a striking contradiction: although 85% of lawyers say they’re satisfied with their technology, nearly half also report losing the equivalent of 44 working days per year due to inefficient systems, which suggests lawyers have grown accustomed to poor tech performance—normalising friction rather than challenging it. Anecdotally, we know this to be true, and these stats add some interesting weight.
Chesterman argues that this complacency is becoming unsustainable. With AI advancing rapidly, the gap between outdated legacy platforms and modern, AI‑enabled tools has widened dramatically. The real question facing firms is no longer whether switching systems is disruptive, but what opportunities they’re missing by staying put.
Clio, like any vendor, has its own agenda in highlighting these stats, which, interestingly, show that while most lawyers acknowledge tech’s role in driving performance, 12% say their software has had no effect, and 8% believe it has hindered growth. Many frustrations stem from fragmented systems, weak integrations, and manual processes that slow everyday work.
Data ownership and portability emerge as major concerns. Almost half of lawyers aren’t confident they truly control their data, largely due to unclear contracts and painful migration processes. Vendors often delay access to data or charge high extraction fees, with UK firms paying on average £12,888—a practice Chesterman predicts will not survive as AI tools make switching easier and vendor lock‑in harder to justify.
Another urgent issue is AI governance: only around 40% of firms have strong policies in place, despite widespread use of consumer AI tools. Without clear internal guidance and safe, firm‑approved alternatives, shadow IT becomes inevitable.
The session closes with a clear message: modernisation is no longer optional. Firms must embrace flexible, integrated, AI‑ready systems to stay competitive. Law firms know this, really, and action is the hard bit. But stats like this help to illustrate the gaps.
You can watch the full replay below:
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