85% of Lawyers Use AI but 77% Still Manual, 47% Face Intake Delays
PRGS•Progress Software’s State of Legal 2026 report finds 85% of U.S. lawyers using AI but 77% still performing manual tasks and 73% reporting excessive workflow steps, with 47% experiencing intake delays of four days. Governance gaps are cited by 36% citing training shortfalls, and only 24% of workflows are automated.
1. Benchmarking State of Legal 2026 report
On July 8, Progress Software released its State of Legal 2026 benchmarking report based on a survey of 304 U.S.-based lawyers in both law firms and in-house legal teams, examining AI use, automation, process efficiency and client intake timelines across the industry.
2. Key survey findings
The report reveals 85% of lawyers are using AI for research, document summarization and intake support, yet 77% continue manual workflows and 73% cite overly complex processes. Nearly half (47%) experience intake delays of four days, only 24% of tasks are automated and 36% identify governance or training shortfalls.
3. Implications for Progress Software
With widespread AI adoption but persistent operational friction, Progress Software highlights opportunity to deploy its ShareFile and AI-powered automation tools to standardize workflows, strengthen governance and accelerate client intake, aiming to drive efficiency gains and scale digital-first legal operations.
