AI won’t replace lawyers – lawyers who use AI will replace those who don’t

How do you manage an international law firm having clients and employees in a few different countries?

IMD Solicitors is first and foremost a UK law firm, with our head office in Manchester and additional offices in Birmingham and London. Our mission is clear: to help international clients succeed in the UK. A significant proportion of our clients are Polish businesses expanding into the UK market or having legal issues within the English jurisdiction. Beyond that, we act for clients from all over the world supporting them with their UK legal needs.

We have a very diverse, multinational team, including a strong group of Polish-speaking lawyers who support our many Polish clients. We have embraced a fully flexible working model: while we maintain physical offices, our lawyers have the choice of how and where they work. Some choose hybrid working, while others are permanently based outside of the UK, including in Poland. This flexibility allows us to attract and retain top talent while ensuring seamless service for international clients. The key to managing it all is our culture of collaboration and our investment in digital infrastructure, which together ensure that whether someone is in Manchester, Warsaw, or working remotely from elsewhere, they remain an integral part of one unified firm.

Was digitalisation a part of a long-term strategy or something you implemented just recently?

Digitalisation has always been central to our vision. Long before the pandemic accelerated change, we recognised that technology would define the future of legal practice. We invested early in cloud-based systems, which meant we were well-prepared to adapt smoothly when others were forced to change suddenly.

For us, digitalisation is about enabling us to serve clients more efficiently. It allows us to provide the same high standard of service in a more efficient way. It also empowers our team with flexibility and supports our philosophy of working smarter rather than harder.

What were the biggest challenges in transitioning to a paperless office and how did you overcome them?

We went paperless more than a decade ago, so it now feels like second nature. At the time, we had a very small team, so it was easier to make the shift. We recognise, however, that people embrace technology differently. Some adapt quickly, while others need more time. We also welcome new talent who may have come from more traditional paper-based firms, although that is becoming increasingly rare.

The biggest challenge was cultural. Habits can be hard to break, and some lawyers initially missed the comfort of a physical file. Our role as leaders was to support them through the transition: providing training, introducing tools that clearly made their jobs easier, and demonstrating the benefits in practice. At IMD we focus on output rather than input, and technology naturally supports that culture.

What digital tools or platforms have become essential to your daily operations?

Our practice management system is the backbone of our operations, and we are currently in the process of upgrading it. We are rolling out a new state-of-the-art platform from a leading global software supplier, with AI functionality that will make our work even more efficient.

On the client side, we are also in the process of rolling out a secure mobile app, to make communication and document sharing more convenient and transparent. For many of our clients these tools make it easier and more secure way to stay in touch with their UK legal team.

We also use an AI note-taker that automatically captures the content of online and in-person meetings, removing the need for manual work. Combined with collaboration tools within the Microsoft platform and AI-powered productivity assistants, these systems enhance efficiency across the firm.

Ultimately, all of these tools make our work more efficient so that we can deliver a better service to our clients and become more cost-effective, passing some of those savings directly to them.

How do you maintain team collaboration and firm culture without a physical office?

Culture cannot be left to chance, especially in a flexible and remote-first environment. We put significant effort into fostering connection and collaboration. Daily check-ins, weekly firm-wide meetings, and monthly social events, whether virtual or in person, help us maintain a strong sense of belonging.

Most importantly, we live by our core values of respect, honesty, excellence, diversity, and care. These values guide how we treat one another and ensure that even without a shared physical space, we operate as one cohesive team. This is particularly important when you have colleagues based outside the UK, including those in Poland, who are just as much a part of our culture as those in Manchester or London.

Has your remote model and four-day work week helped attract legal talent?

Absolutely. The legal profession is known for long hours and burnout, and many talented lawyers are seeking a better way. By offering both remote working and a four-day week at full pay, we’ve been able to attract top talent from prestigious firms who want to maintain excellence in their careers without sacrificing personal wellbeing.

We are, of course, doing this while ensuring that client service remains seamless. Our model is designed so that cover is staggered across the team, guaranteeing that clients always have someone available. Our internal client satisfaction scores are at an all-time high, proving the model works. It’s true that happy employees mean happy clients.

This approach has also given us exceptional retention. We’ve had a 32-month streak of 100% voluntary team retention, a rare achievement in the legal profession. Our model not only attracts great lawyers but also keeps them, which is invaluable in a competitive market.

Do you think your profession is at risk of being replaced by AI tools?

AI will not replace lawyers – but lawyers who use AI will replace those who don’t. We see AI as an enabler, not a threat. It takes over admin and repetitive tasks such as notetaking, simple drafting or document review. This reduces stress and boredom for lawyers and frees up time for what clients truly value: critical thinking, empathy, creativity, and strategic advice. AI also improves accuracy and efficiency, giving lawyers greater confidence in their work and more space to focus on higher-level intellectual tasks. The result is better outcomes for clients and stronger relationships built on trust and clear communication.

Of course, there are challenges. The role of junior lawyers is evolving, as many of the traditional ‘training ground’ tasks can be automated. The profession needs to rethink how we train and develop young lawyers, ensuring they gain the right skills for a future where AI is ever-present.

Ultimately, AI is a powerful tool, but it will always remain just that: a tool. What sets great lawyers apart are the qualities that cannot be automated.