The Top LawFest 2025 Takeaways: Automation, AI, and the Future of Legal Work
LawFest 2025, New Zealand’s largest legal tech event, has left us buzzing with excitement. This year, the conference brought together legal professionals and technology experts to discuss the rapid evolution of legal practices, particularly through the lens of AI, automation, and human-centred design.
Over the past couple of years, LawFest has emphasised the importance of improving client experience, the rise of AI adoption, and fostering a diverse company culture. This year they took a step further, highlighting the growing role of AI and automation in legal work, ethical considerations, and the future of legal technology. After attending various educational sessions, our team identified three key themes that every midsize law firm should consider.
1. The growing role of AI and automation in legal work
Automation and AI are essential tools for driving productivity and addressing workforce shortages in law firms. Frances Valentine, CEO of AcademyEx and Futurist, emphasised that automation will be key in years to come, especially to simplify mundane tasks allowing legal professionals to focus on more strategic, high-value work.
While AI will not replace lawyers, it serves as a powerful assistant in areas like contract review, bill review, and eDiscovery, functions that are increasingly becoming standard in legal practices. Discussions about AI have matured from potential into actionable strategies with law firms now looking at how they can integrate AI tools to streamline workflows and improve client outcomes.
At Actionstep, we believe that intuitive automation (IA) should be applied in a firm before diving into AI headfirst. IA connects tasks and processes to make workflows more intuitive for users. It aligns the right steps with your firm’s specific way of working and objectives, creating an environment where technology supports the way law firm teams already operate. This foundational approach to automation prepares firms for more advanced tools like AI, which can help with content creation and knowledge-based tasks.
2. Ethical considerations of AI and the impact on legal practices
AI tools are becoming more integrated into legal practices, resulting in ethical concerns to raise. Valentine highlighted how AI is reshaping fee structures, while Edwin Lim, Partner and CIO at Hudson Gavin Martin, warned attendees of the risks associated with unvetted AI tools, particularly when it comes to privacy and data security. Bias in AI systems remain a concern, making it essential for law firms to establish clear AI policies for responsible use.
A notable example came from a recent case in Australia involving AI “hallucinations” (misleading outputs generated by AI systems), which ended up in the Supreme Court. This serves as a stark reminder of the risks of relying on AI tools without appropriate safeguards in place, and human intervention and oversight. Lim stressed that while AI will enhance lawyers’ ability to work more strategically, the human aspects—judgment, ethics, and relationship-building—will never be replaced. Lim also pointed out the risks associated with staff entering sensitive information into unvetted AI services, which can compromise client confidentiality and trust. To safeguard these human elements, firms must adopt clear AI guidelines and policies to ensure ethical use of AI tools and protect client data.
3. Human-centred design and the future of legal technology
Human-centred design is key for creating legal tech solutions that prioritise the user experience. In a session on leading in the age of AI, Nick Abrams, Futurist and Global Head of Digital Transformation at Norton Rose Fulbright, discussed how technology enhances timeless human skills such as service, communication, relationships, curiosity, and adaptability—skills that continue to differentiate successful lawyers in an increasingly complex environment.
Abrams also spotlighted Maison Chen, an Australian immigration law firm that has grown from 12 staff members to 60 (400% growth in just a few years), thanks to their innovative mindset in how they service clients and position themselves for growth. To achieve this, they adopted Actionstep’s practice management platform that is not only designed for the modern, midsize law firm, but also the clients these firms service. Their success story illustrates how technology can drive efficiency, growth, and innovation when paired with strong human skills and future-forward thinking.
The future of legal work is human-centric, powered by AI
LawFest 2025 reaffirmed that automation and AI will play a transformative role in shaping the future of legal practice. However, it’s equally clear that human judgment, ethical considerations, and client relationships will remain at the core of legal work. As we look to the future, the challenge for law firms will be integrating AI in a way that enhances legal work without compromising trust, privacy, or professional standards.
At Actionstep, we believe in the power of automation to optimise legal workflows but also understand that the key to successful digital transformation lies in maintaining a personalised, human touch. With the right balance of intuitive automation, AI, and human-centred design, law firms can confidently navigate the evolving landscape of legal technology while continuing to deliver exceptional client service.
Ready to bring automation into your law firm? Book a demo today to discover how Actionstep can help you build your firm advantage.
