The Legal Profession Has Evolved for Over 1,000 Years, And It Will Continue to Evolve

The recent City A.M. report on Clifford Chance’s AI-driven restructuring has stirred understandable anxiety:

https://www.cityam.com/clifford-chance-ai-driven-redundancies-hit-london-business-service-roles/

Job losses are deeply difficult at any time, but when they happen before the holidays, their emotional toll is greater. They impact confidence, stability, and the outlook on what’s next.

But this moment is not the end. Not for the individuals affected or for the profession itself.

For more than a thousand years, the legal world has been shaped by continuous evolution. And at every major turning point, people predicted its collapse.

When the internet arrived, many believed we were finished.

When Google placed the world’s information at our fingertips, people said research and legal analysis were no longer needed.

When digital systems replaced paper, many said the profession couldn’t survive the shift.

It survived.

It adapted.

It grew.

AI is simply the next phase of that long arc.

Yes, some roles will change. Some tasks may disappear. But AI cannot replace the essence of legal work: judgment, empathy, communication, leadership, and strategic thinking.

I’ve lived personal reinvention. At age 48, after decades in law, I changed careers, and it became one of the most meaningful steps I ever took. Reinvention is real, at any age.

The future is not something that happens to us; it is something we shape.

And with resilience, clarity, and the right support, all will be well.

If this may help someone today, please share it.

More insights at www.petergourri.com.