LEAP Legal Software’s Profitability in Law: Global Report 2026 surveyed 700 legal professionals across Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Ireland, the United States, and Canada to examine how legal practices are integrating AI and what they expect from it in terms of speed and accuracy.
The research, conducted by Agile Market Intelligence, presents legal practices showing measured trust in AI providers, with AU/NZ firms remaining more cautious than their overseas counterparts and placing a stronger emphasis on verification.
Key statistics
- 38 per cent of firms reported high or complete trust in their AI tools provider.
- 39 per cent of firms placed equal importance on speed and output verification when assessing AI responses.
- AU/NZ firms were more cautious on AI, with only 25 per cent reporting high trust and 32 per cent saying verification is more important than AI response speed.
Almost 4 in 10 firms show confidence in AI providers; AU/NZ firms report the widest trust gap
- One-third (33 per cent) of legal practices reported high trust in their AI tools provider, while a further 5 per cent said they had complete trust.
- Almost half (47 per cent) reported moderate trust, while the remaining 15 per cent said they had low to no trust in their AI provider.
- Only 25 per cent of AU/NZ firms gave their AI provider a high trust rating, while 24 per cent said they had low trust.
The findings suggest that while firms generally trust their providers, they continue to approach AI integration with caution.
Regional differences highlight this measured stance. While 48 per cent of US/CA firms and 39 per cent of UK/IE firms demonstrated strong confidence, only 25 per cent of AU/NZ firms said they had high trust in their AI providers. AU/NZ also recorded the highest proportion of firms reporting low trust in their providers, at 24 per cent.
As an Australia-based sole practitioner noted: “[I] believe AI has limited utility at this time — test uses have been unsuccessful.”
“Confidence in AI providers is growing, but it remains measured,” said Michael Johnson, Director at Agile Market Intelligence. “The wider trust gap in AU/NZ shows firms are embracing AI cautiously, with safeguards and accountability front of mind.”
Firms expect AI to balance speed and quality of outputs
- Almost four in ten firms (39 per cent) want AI to prioritise both response speed and verification.
- 24 per cent said verification with lawyer-in-the-loop review is more important than speed when assessing AI responses.
- The AU/NZ market had the highest proportion of firms prioritising verification over speed (32 per cent), with a further 11 per cent indicating they are willing to wait longer for a lawyer-verified response.
Almost four in ten firms (39 per cent) expect AI to balance response time and output accuracy. Meanwhile, 24 per cent prioritise verification over speed, compared with 21 per cent who prioritise speed. This suggests that although speed remains important, accuracy ultimately takes precedence in firms’ evaluation of AI performance.
The emphasis on lawyer-verified accuracy is strongest in the AU/NZ region, where firms are more than twice as likely to prioritise verification over speed (32 per cent versus 15 per cent). By comparison, firms in the US/CA and UK/IE markets showed a more balanced split between the two priorities, at 20 per cent versus 24 per cent, and 21 per cent versus 24 per cent, respectively.
The higher proportion of AU/NZ firms willing to wait for lawyer-reviewed outputs (11 per cent), compared with US/CA (5 per cent) and UK/IE (7 per cent), also points to a more cautious, quality-driven approach to AI adoption in the region.
As one employee at a New Zealand-based firm explained, “...We use AI to generate drafts quickly, but lawyers always review and refine responses to ensure quality. Sometimes the review step slows things down, but it ensures we maintain high standards.”
“Firms expect AI to be both fast and accurate,” said Michael Johnson, Director at Agile Market Intelligence. “The high demand for lawyer-verified outputs in AU/NZ reflects a careful, quality-driven approach to AI adoption.”
About the research
LEAP Legal Software’s Profitability in Law: Global Report 2026 is based on quantitative research conducted by Agile Market Intelligence, reflecting the sentiments of 700 legal professionals across Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Ireland, the United States, and Canada, and collected between 10 and 28 November 2025.
The report outlines how strategy, people, technology and AI drive profitability in legal practice, with data-driven recommendations on how to close the gap between profitability potential and execution.
You can download the report here.
