64% of In-House Counsel Expect GenAI to Reduce Reliance on Outside Counsel, 50% Expect Lower Outside Counsel Costs, ACC/Everlaw Survey Finds

GenAI usage in corporate law more than doubles in a single year

OAKLAND, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Everlaw, the cloud-native litigation and investigation platform, and the Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) today released their third annual GenAI Strategic Value for Corporate Law Departments report which finds even the most risk-averse profession embracing AI with unprecedented speed. Active use of GenAI technology has jumped to 52% this year, more than double the 23% reported in 2024.*

This year’s findings mark a clear turning point.

• Optimism is rising as adoption grows: Half (50%) say AI’s impact will be significant, and one in five (20%) now call it transformative, nearly double last year’s 11% figure. Those expecting only a “moderate” impact fell from 37% to 25%. Only 2% have no plans to use GenAI.
• Benefits are broadening: 91% of legal professionals cite efficiency gains, up slightly from 86% last year. Far more now see better client service (49%, up from 38%) and stronger decision-making (34%, up from 16%).
• Reliance on outside counsel is shrinking: As in-house legal teams are using GenAI for efficiency and to increase self-sufficiency, nearly two-thirds (64%) expect to rely less on outside counsel, an increase from 58% in 2024, and 50% expect reduced outside counsel costs, up from 46%. Backed by current and anticipated efficiency gains, most respondents see an opportunity to reshape their operations by insourcing drafting (78%), contract management (71%), and research (62%), along with elements of higher-level work such as M&A (29%) and litigation (29%).
• Barriers are falling fast: Only 9% now say company policy prohibits GenAI use, down sharply from 29% last year.
• Clients will challenge the billable hour: While 59% report no GenAI savings from their law firms yet, only about a quarter (24%) are satisfied with how outside counsel are adopting GenAI tools for cost effectiveness. A majority (61%) plan to push for change in how legal services are delivered and priced, and half (49%) predict client demand will be the primary driver of billing changes.
• Europe pulls ahead: With 61% of respondents already using GenAI in legal practice and 29% expecting its impact to be transformative for legal teams, Europe shows the highest rates of adoption and optimism globally. European respondents are also more likely to see cost savings from outside counsel.

“One thing every general counsel says about their outside counsel is they want greater value,” Everlaw Chief Legal Officer Gloria Lee said. “Generative AI — used responsibly and always with a human in the loop — will allow law firms to deliver services faster, smarter, and within clients’ ever-tighter budgets.”

“The speed of adoption of artificial intelligence within the workplace speaks volumes,” said Veta T. Richardson, ACC president and CEO. “In-house counsel are not only using AI to make their departments more efficient — they are reimagining how legal work is delivered, how costs are being managed, and how value is defined. This is a pivotal moment for our profession, and ACC is committed to ensuring our members have the insights, tools, and community to navigate this transformation with confidence.”

About the survey

The GenAI Strategic Value for Corporate Law Departments Survey is conducted annually by the Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) in partnership with Everlaw. The report, based on a survey of 657 in-house legal professionals across 30 countries, provides a comprehensive look at the current state of GenAI adoption within corporate legal departments. *Year-over-year comparisons are for U.S. respondents only. Download the report here.

About Everlaw

Everlaw helps legal teams navigate the increasingly complex ediscovery landscape to chart a straighter path to the truth. Trusted by Fortune 100 corporate counsel, 91 of the Am Law 200, and all state attorneys general, Everlaw's combination of intuitive experience, advanced technology, and partnership with customers empowers organizations to tackle the most pressing technological challenges—and transform their approach to discovery and litigation in the process. Founded in 2010 and based in Oakland, Calif., Everlaw is funded by top-tier investors, including Andreessen Horowitz, CapitalG, HIG Growth Partners, K9 Ventures, Menlo Ventures, and TPG Growth. Follow us on LinkedIn.

About ACC

The Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) is the premier global legal association that promotes the common professional and business interests of in-house counsel who work for corporations, associations and other organizations through information, education, networking, and advocacy. For more than 40 years, ACC has set the standard for in-house counsel and raised awareness regarding the value of the chief legal officer in the C-suite and boardroom. With nearly 50,000 members employed by over 12,000 organizations and spanning 100+ nations, ACC connects its members to the people and resources necessary for both personal and professional growth. By in-house counsel, for in-house counsel® remains the foundation for ACC’s market leadership. For more information, visit www.acc.com and follow ACC on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.