TLDR: A new study reveals that legal aid organizations are embracing artificial intelligence at nearly twice the rate of the wider legal profession. Driven by the critical need to serve millions of underserved Americans, 74% of legal aid groups are already utilizing AI, with a significant portion integrating it into daily operations. The technology is seen as a powerful tool to increase client capacity and streamline essential legal tasks.
A groundbreaking new study, ‘The AI Advantage: How Technology Can Help Bridge the Justice Gap,’ has unveiled that legal aid organizations are at the forefront of artificial intelligence adoption within the legal sector. The report, released on September 25, 2025, by Everlaw in collaboration with the National Legal Aid & Defender Association (NLADA), Paladin, and LawSites, indicates that these resource-constrained nonprofits are embracing AI technology at nearly double the rate of the broader legal profession.
The survey, conducted in May 2025 among 112 legal aid professionals, found that a remarkable 74% of legal aid organizations are already incorporating AI into their work. This stands in stark contrast to the 37% adoption rate recently reported across the wider legal profession for generative AI tools. The accelerated adoption is primarily fueled by the urgent mission to provide legal services to millions of underserved Americans who often face significant barriers to justice.
The integration of AI is not merely theoretical; it’s becoming a daily reality for many. The study highlights that 40% of legal aid professionals use AI at least weekly, with 26% leveraging it daily, and 12% engaging with it multiple times a day. These tools are proving instrumental in streamlining essential tasks such as document summarization, legal research, and analysis, thereby enhancing efficiency and freeing up valuable human resources.
One of the most compelling findings is the potential for AI to significantly expand client capacity. A resounding 90% of respondents believe that utilizing AI to its full potential would enable them to serve more clients. When asked to quantify this impact, 46% estimated they could serve an additional 1-25% of clients, 27% projected a 26-50% increase, and a notable 17% believed they could boost their capacity by over 50%. This directly addresses a critical issue, as the Legal Services Corporation estimates that nearly half of all eligible individuals are turned away due to a lack of resources.
Joanne Sprague, head of Everlaw for Good, emphasized the transformative potential, stating, “AI presents a generational opportunity to fundamentally expand who has access to justice, but it’s not a foregone conclusion. By empowering these critical legal organizations with AI tools, we can make a real difference in the lives of millions.” Echoing this sentiment, Scheree Gilchrist, chief innovation officer at Legal Aid of North Carolina, shared their experience of using an AI-powered voice agent for initial intake, which allows staff to focus on more high-value legal work.
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Overall, the optimism surrounding AI’s role in addressing the justice gap is widespread, with 88% of respondents believing AI can help narrow this disparity to some extent. While challenges such as funding and resource limitations persist, the proactive embrace of AI by legal aid organizations signals a significant step towards a more equitable and accessible legal system.
