The 56% Problem: Manual Document Tasks Are Holding Lawyers Back — AI May Be the Solution

A new generation of legal tech, including rapidly advancing AI and AI assistants, is introducing capabilities that don’t just automate individual steps. These tools act as proactive collaborators, intelligently navigating complex documents, surfacing key risks, applying context, and taking action. They’re helping legal teams move from manual to marvelous — and that transformation is happening faster than many realize.

5 minute read May 31, 2025 at 11:07 PM
By
Kathryn Lye
The 56% Problem: Manual Document Tasks Are Holding Lawyers Back — AI May Be the Solution

In an industry where time equals revenue, the fact that lawyers spend 56% of their time on manual document tasks should be a red flag — especially when much of that work is low-value, repetitive, and rarely recoverable.

This premium content is locked for Accounting and Financial Planning for Law Firms subscribers only

ENJOY UNLIMITED ACCESS TO THE SINGLE SOURCE OF OBJECTIVE LEGAL ANALYSIS, PRACTICAL INSIGHTS, AND NEWS IN Accounting and Financial Planning for Law Firms

  • Stay current on the latest information, rulings, regulations, and trends
  • Includes practical, must-have information on copyrights, royalties, AI, and more
  • Tap into expert guidance from top entertainment lawyers and experts

Already have an account? Sign In Now

For enterprise-wide or corporate access, please contact Customer Service at [email protected] or call 1-877-256-2473.

NOT FOR REPRINT

© 2026 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.

Continue Reading

Law firms are shifting toward financing strategies that allow them to invest in growth while increasing flexibility, liquidity and long-term planning discipline. The conversation is no longer simply about acquiring equipment. It is about building a financial structure that supports continuous operational growth.

July 02, 2026

Why advanced AI will change legal practice without making lawyers obsolete.The future value of lawyers will come less from generating first drafts and more from knowing how to choose, feed, test and deploy professional systems in a way that serves the client’s strategy.

June 30, 2026

Companies are no longer judging leaders on what they have already done. They are judging them on whether they can lead what is coming next. And what is coming next demands exactly the quality that defined the Oregon Trail generation: the ability to navigate genuine transformation, not just manage through disruption.

June 30, 2026