Legal Geek Growth: Growth, innovation, and the “Five ways generative AI has changed the workplace forever”

June 24, 2025 By Taylor Macdonald

Legal Geek Growth delivered a dynamic and thought-provoking agenda that reflected the legal sector’s rapid evolution. From AI and automation to workplace wellbeing and digital transformation, the event offered a panoramic view of the challenges and opportunities shaping the future of legal practice and generative AI.

The day unfolded across multiple stages and workshop rooms, with sessions exploring how law firms can thrive in a tech-enabled world. Topics ranged from building inclusive workplace cultures and navigating burnout to cybersecurity, digital marketing, and the future of legal education. A strong emphasis was placed on the role of generative AI, not just as a tool for efficiency, but as a catalyst for rethinking how legal services are delivered, how teams collaborate, and how firms grow while staying compliant.

Among the standout sessions was our very own Tom Cantle’s talk, “Five Ways Generative AI Has Changed the Workplace Forever.” Drawing on CLA’s latest research involving nearly 4,000 professionals across sectors, Tom unpacked how generative AI (GAI) is reshaping the modern workplace. Here are the five key insights he shared:

1. GAI is everywhere

63% of private sector employees now use GAI at work, with usage expected to rise to 71% by the end of 2025. What was once a novelty has become a daily tool across industries.

2. People use multiple tools

Most users rely on two to three GAI tools, often paid subscriptions. While ChatGPT leads the pack, tools like Copilot and Gemini are also widely used, each serving different functions.

3. GAI is embedded in daily workflows

Over 80% of users say GAI improves their performance, boosting efficiency, creativity, and innovation. It’s used for everything from generating emails and presentations to summarising third-party content.

4. Copyright concerns are low

Despite widespread use, only 24% of users report a strong understanding of copyright terms. Many underestimate the risks of using third-party content in prompts or sharing outputs externally.

5. External sharing poses legal risks

82% of users input third-party materials into GAI tools weekly, and nearly half share outputs externally. Strikingly, 90% of those who share externally have done so multiple times – potentially, without proper permissions to do so.

Tom’s session highlights a central issue.

While GAI adoption is accelerating, awareness of its legal and ethical implications, especially around copyright, is lagging behind. He highlighted CLA’s new Workplace AI Permissions that have been added to the licence as a proactive step toward bridging this gap, enabling lawful use of licensed works in GAI prompts.

Legal Geek Growth 2025 made it clear that the legal profession is not just reacting to change, it’s actively shaping it. As firms embrace new technologies, rethink traditional models, and prioritise wellbeing and inclusion, the future of law looks more connected, more human, and more innovative than ever.

Looking ahead, we’re excited to share that CLA will be sponsoring the Legal Geek Conference again this October, with a stand and a speaker session. We look forward to connecting with even more professionals, sharing insights, and continuing the conversation on how to build a responsible, forward-thinking legal sector in the age of AI and copyright.