Efficiency? Precision? Price? As the AI boom begins to settle and we see its integration across the legal industry, these qualities may no longer be the North Star.
Artificial intelligence is transforming the legal profession; today’s lawyers have access to a wide range of tools to review documents, summarize case law, and even draft contracts. This exciting new era has captured our attention as we all look for ways to work more efficiently for our clients.
But, according to Thomson Reuters’ Future of Professionals Report, AI is projected to free up only five hours per week for the average legal professional. This is a revealing figure and worthy of exploration. It is early days yet and this figure will surely change and likely grow. That said, for all of AI’s processing power, the core of the legal profession still demands distinctly human capabilities—judgment, persuasion, empathy, and trust.
The modest time savings are not a failure of AI but a reflection of the true nature of client needs and high-quality lawyering. This is where the true competitive edge lies: emotional intelligence (EQ). EQ relies on our ability to look at more than just facts. It’s about aligning different perspectives, building bridges toward your goals, and doing so with diplomacy and tact.
Where does the time go?
AI can easily handle the mechanics of law: streamlining document analysis, automating routine contract drafting, and supporting decision-making. AI’s ability to quickly parse through mountains of data is undeniable, but what makes a lawyer truly indispensable goes further than pure processing power.
Our clients operate in a global market full of uncertainty. Our role as legal professionals is to guide them through the grey area where law intersects with human behavior, business priorities, and cultural context. For this, clients don’t need answers, they need perspectives. The outcome of a deal can often turn on nuance, tone, and timing rather than facts alone. It is in these moments that EQ, rather than IQ, takes the lead.
Between navigating boardroom tensions, advising through ambiguity, and connecting people from across different cultures, much of a lawyer’s time is spent on high-EQ activities. Here, AI can support but certainly not lead.
As artificial intelligence becomes more widely used, client value will be increasingly anchored to what AI cannot commoditize.
One of my mentors, who has enjoyed an incredibly successful career, often tells me that business is meant to be a “win-win.” By which he means that the business and its customers should both benefit from a transaction. This approach emphasizes collaboration and mutual satisfaction rather than solely focusing on maximizing the profit from the business. It means finding solutions where everyone involved feels they have gained something positive from the interaction, fostering long-term relationships and positive outcomes. To take a “win-win” approach, lawyers need strong EQ skills: Can they read a room? Do they clearly understand what both sides are looking for? Can they thread the needle to make a solution work well for both sides? This takes strong EQ.
How do we get ahead?
Firms need to invest in the development of emotional intelligence in their workforce as heavily as they do in technology. AI has begun to level the playing field in terms of efficiency, but strong EQ skills will help a lawyer to stand out from the crowd.
That starts by investing in emotional intelligence at every level—from client service to talent development. EQ must be reframed not as a soft skill, but as a core competency for any successful lawyer.
First, training should be embedded from the very beginning of legal education. It is essential that EQ become a running thread throughout the mentorship process, leadership development, and even considered during performance evaluations. Fortunately, EQ is a learned skill; it can be honed and refined by anyone, at any stage in their career. At Dentons, our teams are already encouraged to develop their emotional intelligence through a range of dedicated online and instructor-led classes and our annual mentorship program.
Second, leaders must model vulnerability. This isn’t something a lot of star partners are used to doing, but it is essential if we are to showcase emotional intelligence as a strength to build, not a weakness to overcome. To me, an example of vulnerability means changing the course of direction if you realize the original path is not optimal. I have seen leaders be vulnerable when they are trying to help both sides achieve a win-win—giving up something so that the greater good prevails. This takes courage and strong EQ.
Lastly, we need to consider what success means in a world enhanced by AI. Yes, winning matters. But so does building trust, handling conflict, and strengthening client relationships. Reclaiming these “intangibles” as success factors will allow our people to shine.
The legal industry has always been about more than just knowledge. It’s about judgment, relationships, and persuasion. All of these are distinctly human skills. While AI may be able to replace some of the marginal duties performed by a lawyer, it will never replace the connection, understanding, and expertise a successful professional brings to every relationship.
Coupling the power of AI with emotional awareness and intellect will separate those who truly understand the nature of the legal industry from those who seek only to make efficiencies. In this new era, success will not be granted to those who outsmart a machine but to those who know when to stop analyzing and start empathizing.
The opinions expressed in Fortune.com commentary pieces are solely the views of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of Fortune.
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