Change management and AI training have taken over from talent attraction to top the global legal profession’s short-term priorities, as the pace of change in the legal sector accelerates.
This is a key finding of the Future of Legal Services Global Heatmap Survey Report 2025, which will be unveiled tomorrow at the International Bar Association's annual conference, held this year in Toronto.
While the two previous annual heatmap reports found AI to be moving rapidly up the profession’s agenda, the 2025 edition finds that it has become the number one priority.
The report also notes that while attention on the impact of AI is high, perceived readiness to respond to it within the legal sector falls behind readiness in other areas.
This is the third annual report resulting from ongoing research commissioned by the IBA Future of Legal Services Commission.
The commission’s co-chair, Soledad Atienza, dean of IE Law School in Madrid, said: “Artificial intelligence, political volatility and shifting societal expectations are redefining the legal landscape faster than our capacity to adapt. The legal profession must act decisively – embracing foresight, agility and collaboration – to remain a pillar of justice and democracy.”
For the first time, two rule of law-related issues – political uncertainty and threats to judicial independence – feature prominently among the profession’s immediate challenges. ESG, on the other hand, which was once expected to grow in importance, has continued to move down the rankings.
Commission co-vice chair, Christopher Howard, university partnerships director at BARBRI Global in London, commented: “Safeguarding the independence of the legal profession is not just a professional issue – it’s a rule of law imperative. The global legal community must remain vigilant and united.”
The research is based on a global survey of IBA members and legal professionals from diverse regions, practice areas and roles.
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