Will AI replace paralegals?
Paralegals face more pressure than lawyers. BLS projects no growth (0%) in paralegal and legal assistant jobs from 2025 to 2035 and says technology that makes research and document preparation more efficient may reduce demand. The two big AI studies disagree on how exposed the role is, but both point to the same tasks: legal research and drafting are the most exposed; trial preparation and case management less so.
- US jobs (2025)
- 404,900
- Projected change, 2025–35
- 0%
- Median pay (2025)
- $62,890
What does the research say?
- Microsoft Research (2025)AI applicability score: 0.057, ranked 668 of 785 occupations0–1 score from 2024 Bing Copilot conversations: how much of the occupation’s work people used AI for, how often it succeeded, and how broadly. Higher means more applicable.Source ↗
- Anthropic Economic Index (2026)Observed exposure: 0.29, ranked 70 of 756 occupations0–1 share of the occupation’s time-weighted tasks that AI could theoretically speed up and that already show up in work-related Claude usage. Higher means more exposed.Source ↗
Which parts of the job are most exposed?
What’s actually happening at companies?
- Feb 9, 2026Baker McKenzie cut roughly a tenth of global business-services staff (700+, per Above the Law) in know-how, research, secretarial, IT, marketing and other functions. Firm statement: review aimed at "rethinking the ways in which we work, including through our use of AI." Paralegals not specifically named.Company-confirmed ↗
- Feb 9, 2026Bloomberg Law: Baker McKenzie layoffs affected know-how, research, marketing, secretarial and offshore-centre positions, in a reorganization 'driven in part by its increased use of AI.'Reported ↗
What happens when AI meets a merger?
Legal support is often centralized after a merger, and it’s where firms and legal departments have already pointed to AI. When Baker McKenzie cut roughly a tenth of its business-services staff in 2026, including research and secretarial roles, it cited AI. In the Acquisition Log, buyers from Broadcom (VMware) to Capital One (Discover) cut corporate roles anywhere from days to months after closing.
Every acquisition ends with a spreadsheet: roles, costs, overlaps. AI adds a column. As buyers get more data on what every employee does, and tools that can do part of it, the question stops being “do we need two of these?” and becomes “how many do we need at all?” That’s why the moves below matter more in a deal year than any other.
What should paralegals do now?
- Move toward the work closest to cases and clients: trial prep, case management, coordination with courts and parties.
- Become the team’s expert on the legal AI tools, including their limits.
- Specialize. Niche practice knowledge, such as e-discovery, real estate closings or immigration, is harder to replace than general drafting.
- If your firm or department is merging, find out which systems survive, and learn them first.
- Keep a running list of matters you moved forward and hours you saved the team.
Questions people ask
Will AI replace paralegals?
It is expected to reduce demand for some of the work. BLS projects 0% growth for paralegals and legal assistants from 2025 to 2035 and names more efficient research and document preparation as a factor. Research and drafting are the most exposed tasks; trial preparation and case management are less exposed.
Why do studies disagree about paralegals and AI?
They measure different things. Microsoft’s study ranks paralegals low (668th of 785) based on how people use Copilot, while Anthropic’s usage data ranks them 70th of 756. Both identify legal research and document drafting as the most exposed tasks.
Find out where you stand before the org chart changes.
Take the Survival Fitness Score →Figures come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and the published research linked above. Exposure measures estimate how much of an occupation’s work AI could help with or perform; they are not predictions of job losses.