Thomson Reuters is partnering with Laurel, an AI timekeeping platform for legal services, to help law firms measure the financial and operational impact of their AI investments. Thomson Reuters will provide proprietary content, technology, and expertise to complement Laurel's AI-native work intelligence, which tracks how attorneys spend their time across devices and matters.
The partnership comes as research shows most legal professionals use AI regularly but struggle to connect that usage to concrete business value. Thomson Reuters' Future of Professionals Report 2026, which surveyed 1,816 professionals across private practice law firms and corporate legal departments, found that AI availability is no longer the main hurdle. Organisational execution and financial value are now the primary challenges.
AI adoption outpaces measurement
The report found that 74% of professionals use AI tools several times a week, with 44% using them multiple times a day. Yet 91% said their organisations are experiencing a "value gap" - the measurable shortfall between AI's theoretical potential and the business value delivered to the firm and its clients.
The report's findings on the value gap echo a familiar challenge in AI for Legal: adoption is outpacing measurement. Firms with defined AI strategies are far more likely to see positive results: 66% said AI met or exceeded expectations for creating value at work, compared with just 22% of firms without a defined strategy.
Key findings from The Future of Professionals Report 2026:
- 74% use AI several times a week
- 91% say their organisations are experiencing a "value gap"
- 66% of firms with defined AI strategies have expectations met or exceeded by AI
- 22% of firms without defined AI strategies have expectations met or exceeded by AI
How Laurel measures AI's impact
Laurel's platform records activity as it happens, both on devices and in the background, and classifies it by client and matter. It then turns that activity into ready-to-review timesheets, real-time profitability insight, and AI return on investment metrics. Partners can identify scope creep, profitability risks, and matter performance trends while work is underway.
Ryan Alshak, CEO and Co-Founder of Laurel, said: "Law firms are embracing AI, yet many are unable to demonstrate the operational and financial impact of their investments. With this partnership, we are providing firm leaders with one complete view, giving them the clarity they need."
Thomson Reuters' legal solutions, including CoCounsel Legal, which the company calls Fiduciary-Grade AI, can help attorneys work more efficiently and gain deeper insights into outcomes. The shift also affects paralegals, who handle much of the document work that AI now assists with. An AI Learning Path for Paralegals can help legal support staff stay current with these changes.
Kourosh Zamani, Co-Founder and Head of Partnerships at Laurel, said: "Together, we're bringing the practice and business of law closer together, giving firm leaders a clearer understanding of the ROI of AI, where it creates the most value and where human expertise has the greatest impact."
Camillo Speroni, Head of Partnerships and Alliances at Thomson Reuters, added: "Our research found that while AI adoption among legal professionals continues to grow, many organisations still struggle to connect AI usage to measurable business outcomes. Together, we're helping firms better understand, demonstrate and maximise that value."
Why this matters for legal professionals
For legal professionals, the practical takeaway is that AI's value is only visible when it's measured. Platforms like Laurel that track AI-assisted work by client and matter give firms the data they need to make decisions about staffing, pricing, and technology investment. Firms without this visibility risk spending on AI tools that don't improve profitability.
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