Industry Roundtables: The Future of Law and AI
UNDERSTAND HOW AI IS SHAPING PRACTICE ACROSS THE PROFESSION
The 2026 industry roundtables examine findings from the CLI Future of Law Report survey. They bring together perspectives from across the profession to understand how AI is being used in legal practice, where approaches align or diverge, and what this means for the profession moving forward.
Complete the CLI Future of Law Report survey to ensure your perspective informs the insights discussed.
WHY INDUSTRY ROUNDTABLES ARE NEEDED
A shared industry view is needed to better understand how AI is being implemented, governed and operationalised across
the legal profession as adoption continues to grow.
Adoption varies widely across the profession in use, experimentation and maturity.
AI is transforming legal work, but how it is applied remains uneven.
Approaches to risk, governance and capability differ, making gaps harder to identify.
Roundtables test benchmark insights against real experience across the profession.
COHORT BASED DISCUSSIONS : INSIGHTS TAILORED TO EACH PART OF THE PROFESSION
Roundtables are structured by cohort so discussions reflect shared context and challenges across each part of the profession. This keeps conversations focused on the realities shaping different roles and organisation types.
Each cohort brings together a specific group, enabling more relevant analysis and deeper discussion. Segmenting insights in this way ensures findings reflect real conditions rather than a generalised view of the profession.
2026 Cohorts Include
How roundtable insights are developed
From benchmark data to profession wide discussion
The roundtables are built on insights drawn from the CLI Future of Law Report survey.
Survey responses are analysed by cohort to reflect the different realities across law firms, in house teams, government and other parts of the legal sector.
This analysis identifies the most relevant challenges, risks and opportunities for each group.
Roundtable discussions are structured around these findings to test whether the data reflects what legal professionals are experiencing in practice and to add context where needed.
What the roundtables explore
Practical issues shaping legal practice
Each roundtable focuses on the issues emerging from benchmark data and how they are playing out in daily work.
Discussions examine how legal organisations are approaching AI adoption and implementation, including how governance, risk and trust are being managed in practice.
They also explore the challenges affecting legal teams, the capability gaps emerging across the profession and the skills required to respond to ongoing change.
The focus is on practical insight, with an emphasis on what is working, what is not and what needs to change.
Roundtable format and structure
Structured discussions informed by data
Each roundtable is delivered as a virtual session and runs for approximately 60 minutes per cohort.
Sessions are facilitated by experienced leaders in legal practice and innovation who guide the discussion and ensure it remains focused on the benchmark findings.
Roundtables will be held between 11 June and 18 June 2026, with each session designed to provide structured, data led discussion relevant to the cohort.
Role of the CLI Future of Law Report survey
The CLI Future of Law Report survey underpins all roundtable insights.
Each response contributes to a dataset that reflects how different parts of the profession are approaching AI in practice.
This input is used to identify themes, shape cohort level analysis and inform the discussion topics for each roundtable.
By grounding the discussions in data, the roundtables move beyond opinion and provide a clearer view of how the profession is responding to change.
CONTRIBUTE TO THE DATA INFORMING THESE DISCUSSIONS
Share your perspective to ensure it is reflected in the insights shaping industry roundtables.
The survey takes approximately 15 minutes to complete. Participants will go in the draw to win
one of three $500 VISA gift cards and receive a complimentary copy of the CLI Future of Law Report.
Frequently asked questions
What are the industry roundtables?
Roundtable discussions are based on insights drawn from the profession wide CLI Future of Law Report survey. Responses are analysed by cohort to identify key challenges, risks and priorities, which are then explored and tested in each session.
What topics are covered in the roundtables?
Discussions focus on the practical issues shaping legal practice today. This includes how organisations are approaching AI adoption, how governance and risk are being managed, and where capability gaps are emerging across teams.
Who are the roundtables designed for?
Roundtables reflect the full legal profession, including private practice, in house teams, government, academia and legal operations. Insights are segmented by cohort to ensure discussions are relevant to each group’s experience.
Each session is delivered as a virtual discussion and runs for approximately 60 minutes. Sessions are facilitated by experienced practitioners and are guided by benchmark insights to ensure focused, practical discussion.
What is the role of the CLI Future of Law Report survey?
The CLI Future of Law Report survey provides the data that underpins all roundtable discussions. Each response contributes to cohort level insights and helps shape the themes explored in each session.
Why should I complete the survey?
Your response helps ensure that the insights used in these roundtables reflect what is happening in practice. This contributes to a clearer, more accurate view of how AI is being applied across the legal sector.
How long does the survey take?
The survey takes approximately 15 minutes to complete.
Is my response confidential?
Yes. All responses are reported in aggregate form. No personally identifiable information is shared.
How are the insights used after the roundtables?
Survey and roundtable insights are brought together in the final CLI Future of Law Report.
The report validates findings from both the benchmark data and the roundtable discussions, providing a clearer view of how AI is shaping legal practice.
It contributes to a broader, evidence-based understanding of the profession and will be available to survey respondents as a free download.