LegalWeek 2025, held in New York, is considered the largest law and technology event in the world, attracting over six thousand attendees, a wide range of sessions and lectures, and showcasing three hundred legaltech exhibitors. The event was a great success.

Naturally, the central theme was the adoption of generative artificial intelligence platforms within the legal market. While everything is still quite new, volatile, and mostly unexplored, it is clear that this poses a challenge for every legal professional — whether in major law firms, in-house legal departments, or as independent practitioners.

Below is a list of the top ten trends — the hottest and most discussed topics at the event. Next year it will all happen again, but the same question remains: what’s substance and what’s just smoke?

1. Prompt Libraries
   An increasingly dated topic. Lawyers are becoming more skilled in leveraging AI tools.

2. The “Third Wave”
   Legal Ops. LegalTechs. And now, AI Agents. Enhanced productivity — in other words, the agent handles repetitive tasks. Generating audit reports, for instance, will no longer involve a lawyer. The focus shifts to more complex, high-value matters that justify billing. The theory of labour value vs. utility.

3. Contract Lifecycle Management and One-Stop Shops
   The US market is saturated with legaltech providers (over 300 booths at LegalWeek). Law firms prefer platforms that centralise all activities, as opposed to fragmented solutions. Harvey and IronClad, for example, are investing heavily in this model.

4. Eltemate
   A Hogan Lovells spin-off that allows lawyers from global firms to consult on local legal nuances. Responses are summarised, translated, and precise.

5. Managers Take Centre Stage
   Departments such as Knowledge Management are gaining prominence. They are expected to identify, liaise with the market, and maintain a portfolio of legaltechs to support lawyers. Efficiency and structured data have become fundamental requirements.
   Incidentally, many LegalWeek talks do not feature lawyers at all.

6. ClearyX
   Cleary’s innovation programme. Beyond engaging with legal innovation (now standard), its aim is to map out possible futures. Practice area meetings take place regularly, free from pressure to deliver on metrics or targets.

7. Copilot
   By far the most used tool — a competitive advantage due to its integration with Microsoft Office.

8. Pricing Challenges for Boutiques and Mid-Sized Firms
   Legaltechs still struggle to find the “sweet spot” for pricing. Subscription-based models, data usage fees, or per-tool costs continue to alienate mid-sized firms and boutiques — not to mention independent practitioners.

9. Outsourcing
   Many firms (especially mid-sized ones) have openly admitted they’re out of the race when it comes to developing custom tools, for three key reasons: focus, cost, and lack of recurring demand. Increasingly, they are outsourcing to legaltechs for specific cases. A prime example is Epiq for cyber forensics.

10. LegalWeek
    The event is diverse (even featuring Hollywood actors in some sessions). But within the legal sector, it stands out. Whether it’s the atmosphere, the topics, the parallel mission of the Brazilian Legaltech Association (the largest in the world), or the high number of international attendees — it remains a flagship event.