Responses from a one-question survey conducted last month revealed that lawyers had concerns about technology, AI, external pressures, regulation, and the culture of the law profession.
These results were recently published from Agile Market Intelligence’s (Agile) “Instant Answers” program – a one-question survey sent to 101 lawyers, which asked: “What worries you most about the business and practice of law in FY26?”
Artificial intelligence
Agile reported that AI adoption and evolution was cited by more than four in 10 respondents (41 per cent), making it the top concern for the new fiscal year.
Michael Johnson (pictured), director of Agile Market Intelligence, said: “AI has captured the most attention, but the reality is lawyers are managing pressures on multiple fronts.”
Lawyers are concerned about the impacts AI will have on the profession and how to deal with the security risks that emerge as a result.
Recently, Lawyers Weekly’s sister brand, HR Leader, discovered that less than one in two (43 per cent) organisations audit their AI tools, which was reported to be a factor behind a growing number of cyber security incidents.
Axiom chief technology officer CJ Saretto told Lawyers Weekly in July that “the rapid pace of AI development and its visibility across the legal profession have left everyone clamouring to figure out how to adopt AI into their work”.
A ‘polycrisis’ for lawyers
Based on Agile’s findings: “Economic and geopolitical uncertainty was also a significant concern, with one in four (26 per cent) pointing to the impact of global instability on legal practice.”
In July, Clyde & Co head Rebecca Kelly told Lawyers Weekly: “In this environment, clients are looking to legal advisors not just for legal expertise, but for strategic guidance that helps them navigate uncertainty with clarity and confidence.” She deemed this period a “polycrisis” for lawyers.
“There is a growing demand for integrated risk management advice, heightened regulatory compliance, and a clear understanding of how external pressures may affect financial and operational outcomes,” Kelly said.
Regulatory compliance
This survey found that over one in five respondents (22 per cent) reported that regulatory pressure remains a consistent challenge. This figure “highlight[s] the burden of compliance and the risk of shifting legal frameworks”, Agile found.
“Over the last three years, we’ve found that regulatory compliance is also sort of number one on the list for general counsel, keeping them up at night,” the senior managing director at FTI Consulting, Natalie Faulkner, told Lawyers Weekly in July.
She highlighted that multiple regulators, regulations, and legislation, as well as non-prescriptive regulation, result in significant regulatory complexity, as seen in the Australian Securities and Investments Commission’s (ASIC) proceedings against Westpac in 2019.
Mix of concerns
More than one in 10 lawyers (11 per cent) selected “Other” in the survey. They reported various concerns: competition and toxic workplace culture, funding shortfalls in community legal centres, declining professional standards, social equity issues, the challenges of adapting to new work practices (such as remote work) and difficulties generating consistent business.
“The mix of concerns, from global markets to office culture and funding, shows a profession that feels stretched, not just by technology but by the broader environment it operates in,” Johnson said.
