AI Adoption in Corporate Legal Departments Doubles According to The General Counsel Report
MWN-AI** Summary
The recent 2026 edition of The General Counsel Report, published by FTI Consulting and Relativity, highlights a remarkable surge in the adoption of generative artificial intelligence (AI) among corporate legal departments, with usage nearly doubling from 44% in 2025 to 87% this year. This shift indicates a significant transformation in how legal departments view technology, with 39% now considering AI a strategic priority for enhancing operational efficiency.
The report reveals that legal departments are increasingly formalizing their technology strategies, as reflected by a rise in those with a structured technology roadmap from 25% to 53%. Looking ahead, 70% of legal teams plan to invest in new technologies within the next year, emphasizing the growing role of tech in their strategic objectives. Tasks where generative AI is most commonly utilized include legal research, document review, contract drafting, and summarization, with a notable 83% of respondents using AI for summarization alone.
Sophie Ross, Global CEO of FTI Technology, indicates that as general counsel and their teams become more comfortable with generative AI, structured training and education will be essential for effective use. David Horrigan, from Relativity, points out that we are moving away from the "Luddite Lawyer" era, as the acceptance and integration of technology shows a substantial increase, particularly with the inclusion of insights from chief information officers and transformation leaders.
This comprehensive report, based on interviews and a quantitative survey of over 200 general counsel globally, signifies a vital shift in legal departments' operational dynamics amid evolving technological landscapes. The increased acknowledgement of AI's potential is set to redefine the roles and strategies of general counsel worldwide.
MWN-AI** Analysis
The rapid adoption of generative AI in corporate legal departments, as highlighted in the 2026 General Counsel Report by FTI Consulting and Relativity, presents a transformative opportunity for corporations and investors alike. With 87% of general counsel now utilizing AI tools—up from 44% just a year prior—this shift signals a profound change in how legal services are delivered. The significant investment trend, with approximately 70% planning technology upgrades within the next year, indicates a stable growth trajectory in legal tech, which could capture increased market interest.
For investors, the burgeoning intersection of AI and the legal sector underscores the potential for sustainable returns. Companies harnessing generative AI technology to improve legal research, document review, and contract analysis are gaining competitive advantages that can lead to improved profitability. The report's finding that 39% of legal departments view AI as a strategic priority underscores the essential role these tools will play in driving efficiency and cost savings.
Moreover, the increasing comfort with AI tasks—evidenced by 83% of respondents using generative AI for summarization—suggests that as familiarity grows, we can expect a deeper integration of AI applications in traditional legal workflows, enhancing productivity and reducing operational risks.
However, investors should remain aware of the need for appropriate upskilling and risk management, as noted by industry leaders in the report. Firms that provide robust training and have structured technology roadmaps will likely emerge as leaders in the space.
In conclusion, with generative AI reshaping legal services, diversifying into legal tech companies and those proactively adapting to this shift could yield significant returns. Emphasizing firms that are strategically investing in AI technologies may position investors advantageously, capitalizing on this accelerating trend in the corporate legal landscape.
**MWN-AI Summary and Analysis is based on asking OpenAI to summarize and analyze this news release.
WASHINGTON, March 11, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Findings from part two of The General Counsel Report, released today by FTI Consulting, Inc. (NYSE: FCN) and legal data intelligence company Relativity, show generative artificial intelligence (AI) adoption in corporate legal departments has nearly doubled year over year, with 87% of general counsel now reporting use within their teams, compared with 44% in 2025.
The report also found a range of changes in the ways legal departments are approaching AI and other technologies, and 39% now view AI as among their strategic priorities for supporting legal department efficiency and efficacy.
Legal departments that have a formalized technology roadmap in place also reached an all-time high of 53%, more than double from 25% the previous year. With this, approximately 70% plan to invest in new technologies in the next 12 months, underscoring the increasing impact of technology on legal department strategy and function.
When asked about their comfort with generative AI use for certain tasks, respondents expressed the most openness for legal research, e-discovery, document review, contract drafting and contract analysis. Respondents said the most common task for generative AI was summarization, with 83% either using or experimenting with it. This was followed by identifying contract clauses (63%), audio and video transcription (53%), analysis of foreign language materials (40%) and first-pass review (37%).
“Generative AI has become a fixture in the majority of legal departments, and of those not yet using it, most have plans to implement in the near term,” said Sophie Ross, Global Chief Executive Officer of FTI Technology. “As in-house teams grow more comfortable with a wide range of generative AI use cases, appropriate upskilling will be imperative. General counsel will need to provide their departments with structured training, education and expert support to use this technology effectively, and underpin those efforts with technology roadmaps that enable innovation alongside risk mitigation.”
“The 2026 edition of The General Counsel Report is significant because it provides compelling evidence indicating the era of the ‘Luddite Lawyer’ is over,” said David Horrigan, Discovery Counsel and Legal Education Director at Relativity and Adjunct Professor of Law at Duquesne University’s Thomas R. Kline School of Law. “Throughout the seven annual editions of this report, chief legal officers’ use and acceptance of technology have been important focus areas, and the 2026 edition shows a meaningful shift in the role technology plays in the work of the general counsel. For instance, the report shows that chief legal officers’ use of generative AI has steadily and substantially increased, from a mere 20% using generative AI in 2023 to 87% in this year’s report. In addition, with chief information officers included in this year’s report expressing that they see ‘digital ambassadors’ emerging in legal departments, it’s clear we’re entering a new era of the ‘TechnoLawyer.’”
The General Counsel Report is based on one-on-one interviews between Ari Kaplan Advisors and chief legal officers at large corporations around the world, as well as a separate quantitative survey of more than 200 general counsel in a dozen countries. For the first time, this year’s findings include insights from c-level technical leaders, including chief information officers and heads of transformation within large organizations, providing commentary on the dynamics between legal department leaders and their cross-department counterparts. Together, the data pools examined how organizations have responded during the past year of technological, policy, geopolitical and economic disruptions.
Part two of The General Counsel Report is available for download here. Part one was released in February.
Demographics and Methodology
In September 2025, Ari Kaplan conducted personal interviews with 30 leaders serving as general counsel or chief legal officers of their organizations. Sixty-three percent have a role with global responsibilities and 59% work in organizations with more than $500 million in annual revenue. He also interviewed technology and digital transformation leaders at global organizations for anecdotal insights into how their responsibilities and views overlap with the general counsel. Separately, in the summer of 2025, Censuswide conducted a quantitative survey of 224 general counsel and chief legal officers at organizations with more than $100 million in annual revenue and more than 1,000 employees in South America, North America, Europe and Asia Pacific.
About FTI Consulting
FTI Consulting, Inc. is a leading global expert firm for organizations facing crisis and transformation, with more than 8,100 employees located in 32 countries and territories as of December 31, 2025. In certain jurisdictions, FTI Consulting’s services are provided through distinct legal entities that are separately capitalized and independently managed. The Company generated $3.80 billion in revenues during fiscal year 2025. More information can be found at www.fticonsulting.com.
About Relativity
Relativity is a leading legal data intelligence company that builds technology to help users organize data, discover the truth, and act on it. Its extensible, AI-powered cloud platform, RelativityOne, transforms complex data into actionable insights at massive scale for litigation, investigations, regulatory inquiries, data breach responses, and other legal use cases. The world’s largest law firms and corporations, government agencies, and a robust network of channel partners rely on Relativity’s legal AI software to securely surface and manage the most relevant and impactful information in their matters. The company also expands access to technology by providing its platform at no cost to academic institutions through its Relativity Academic program and to organizations supporting pro bono legal work through its Justice for Change initiative.
FTI Consulting, Inc.
555 12th Street NW
Washington, DC 20004
+1.202.312.9100
Investor Contact:
Mollie Hawkes
FTI Consulting
+1.617.747.1791
mollie.hawkes@fticonsulting.com
Media Contacts:
Ashley Allman
FTI Consulting
+1.206.369.5209
ashley.allman@fticonsulting.com
Mia McGee
Relativity
+1.773.519.6529
mia.mcgee@relativity.com
FAQ**
How does FTI Consulting Inc. FCN plan to leverage the growing adoption of generative AI within legal departments to enhance its consulting offerings and maintain competitive advantage in the legal technology space?
Given that 70% of legal departments plan to invest in new technologies, how will FTI Consulting Inc. FCN position itself to attract these potential clients and align its services with their evolving needs?
With the rise of ‘TechnoLawyer’ roles amidst generative AI adoption, what strategies does FTI Consulting Inc. FCN have to support legal teams in upskilling and adopting these new technologies effectively?
How does FTI Consulting Inc. FCN intend to utilize the insights from its partnership with Relativity in the 2026 General Counsel Report to influence its future innovations and client strategies in legal technology?
**MWN-AI FAQ is based on asking OpenAI questions about FTI Consulting Inc. (NYSE: FCN).
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