Speaking at the launch of legal data company Chambers Advantage Index UK report this week, a panel of in-house lawyers said they increasingly challenge firms on pricing and demand greater evidence of value for money.
Fiona Day, deputy general counsel at Lloyds Banking Group, said the bank was already asking for more information about the savings firms were making through AI. She questioned how clients can justify paying £500 an hour for juniors to do work that AI could complete at a fraction of the cost.
James Kachel, general counsel at Compass Group, said invoices for legal spend were not falling far enough despite law firms investing heavily in AI.
However, the panel acknowledged the impact on junior lawyers’ career development of removing them from routine. Pia Sarma, deputy general counsel of News UK, suggested client secondments could become increasingly important for junior lawyers, rather than routine tasks.
