What are buyer expectations w/ AI+ deal lawyer fees?

May 15, 2026

by a professional in Richland, WA, USA

Curious what buyer expectations are regarding deal lawyer fees now that you can expect that your lawyer MUST be pretty extensively using AI on your deal. Do you expect to may a bit (or substantially) less? Or do you expect to pay about the same? Does deal size matter?

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Reply by a professional
in Saskatoon, SK, Canada

I don't think the fees need to change all that much. The equation of legal time versus the value that lawyers provide in terms of protections and properly structured documentation and contracts is the value in and of itself. Before AI it was basically standard practice to start with a template and then modify the template, yet every customer pays for that template as if it was being drafted from the ground up the first time. It's never been a question of legal efficiency. It's more of a question of legal bases being covered. However I think the onus is shifting more to the client to be able to get their legal needs considered before putting their lawyer on the clock. For myself and the entity that I'm currently working in, I have agents that are tasked with each document that I need drafting. I actually assign four agents per document: 1. One agent to research and study the legal implications of that document by going out and researching the actual materials that counsel will be referencing when they are considering the needs of my case. 2. Another agent that's responsible for being completely up to speed on the needs of my business. 3. Another agent that's responsible for drafting the document after the first two agents are completed. 4. Another agent that's responsible for defensibility. I manually go through and review all my documentation to ensure that there is alignment. I still would not use these documents until these documents have been reviewed by counsel. The trick is identifying counsel that is willing to review documents that were not drafted by them, which I think is the real challenge for the legal space with the advent of AI.

Reply by a professional
in New York, NY, USA

Lawyers should charge more now. They get so many more AI questions from their clients that it takes them more time. @redacted‌ @redacted‌ Am I right?

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