You have heard the claims. AI saves hours. AI makes intake easy. AI fixes your backlog.
But you do not run a tech startup. You run a law firm. You need clear steps, not hype.
In this guide, I will show you a simple audit that finds the best places to use AI in your practice. It works with the tools you already have and delivers results in weeks, not months.
You've probably heard it, or maybe even said it yourself:
"We tried using AI in our firm… but honestly, it didn't help."
You're not alone.
According to a recent survey, 73% of law firms say their AI tools aren't delivering results.
But here's the thing no one is talking about: It's not because AI doesn't work.
If you're running a small law firm, chances are you've felt that creeping pressure to "start doing something with AI."
Maybe it's coming from vendors. Maybe from that LinkedIn post everyone shared. Maybe it's just that internal voice saying, "We can't fall behind."
So you start looking around: Intake? Drafting? Chatbots?
And very quickly, the question becomes not what is possible, but where do we even begin?
Because if you automate the wrong thing too early, you won't just waste time. You'll burn budget, bury your team in new tools, and have nothing to show for it.
If you're running a small law firm and wearing too many hats, you'll recognize this statistic:
The average lawyer only bills 2.9 hours of an 8-hour workday.
That means over 5 hours of your day are lost to unbillable work. Emails, PDFs, client back-and-forth, checking contracts, intake, billing follow-ups.
And in 2025, while 83% of legal departments say demand is rising, small firms are drowning in admin instead of paid work.
You're not just overworked. You're underwater.