By Saira Cookson | Founder, JurisFuture
“Lawyers who fail to understand how artificial intelligence works will increasingly find themselves outpaced by those who do.”
— Richard Susskind, author of “Tomorrow’s Lawyers”
AI is already changing the legal profession.
From document automation to generative tools that draft memos, tech is reshaping how legal work gets done. But here’s the problem:
Most small and mid-sized firms are stuck on the sidelines. They’re curious, maybe even excited but also overwhelmed, skeptical, and unsure where to start.
And they’re not wrong to hesitate.
From Courtroom to Code: My Journey
After over a decade in civil litigation and a number of years working inside high-growth tech startups, I’ve lived in both worlds. I’ve seen the slow churn of traditional law practice and the fast iterations of the startup scene.
One is cautious and risk-averse, the other optimistic and fast-moving, but in today’s legal landscape, those worlds are colliding.
And yet, the voices guiding that collision tend to speak only to “BigLaw”, enterprise-level legal ops teams, or Silicon Valley insiders. Rarely do they speak to the managing partner of a 20-lawyer firm. Or the in-house counsel who handles 15 things at once and has no bandwidth to pilot the latest legal tech.
That’s why I started JurisFuture.
The Tech Tidal Wave Is Already Here
You’ve probably heard about tools like Harvey AI, CoCounsel, or Lexis+ AI — platforms promising to turbocharge legal research, drafting and analysis.
Magic Circle firm Allen & Overy now uses Harvey across over 40 global offices across 3500 employed and has been doing so for over 2 years now.
According to a 2024 Wolters Kluwer report, 73% of lawyers say they expect to increase their use of generative AI in the next year
So the change isn’t theoretical. It’s here…and moving fast.
But here’s the catch:
Most tools are built with enterprise-scale infrastructure in mind, not the realities of small firms or lean in-house teams.
If you don’t have a CTO, a tech-savvy innovation team, or the budget to trial five tools a quarter, you’re often left behind.
The Real Needs of Real Firms
Having spoken to those working with smaller firms and general counsel teams, I hear the same things over and over:
- “I don’t know which tools are actually worth the investment.”
- “We can’t afford to get this wrong: ethically or financially.”
- “I’m not even sure where to start!”
These aren’t tech problems, but strategy problems. They’re people problems.
Legal tech isn’t just about automation, it’s about transformation: rethinking how legal work is done, how value is delivered, and how lawyers can adapt without burning out or getting buried in risk.
What You Can Expect from JurisFuture
This blog will be your guide through:
- Legal tech tools explained — minus the buzzwords
- AI use cases for small firms and in-house teams
- Workflows, templates, and checklists to help you implement change
- Strategy and change management tips for teams without a tech department
…and much more! Whether you’re looking to dip your toe into document automation, understand how to vet generative AI tools, or simply want to stay ahead of the curve without all of the overwhelm — this space is for you.
The Future of Law Isn’t Reserved for Magic Circle firms…
Legal innovation shouldn’t be reserved for firms with billion-pound budgets.
Solo practitioners, boutique firms, and lean in-house teams deserve access to tools that help them work smarter, not harder. And they deserve guidance that’s realistic, not revolutionary.
That’s the mission behind JurisFuture: to bridge the gap between emerging technology and everyday legal practice.
Because the firms that will thrive tomorrow are the ones who start preparing today.
Join the Journey
Thank you for reading and welcome to JurisFuture! The legal world is changing and you don’t have to face it alone.
Let’s build the future of law, together!