James Ding
Mar 13, 2026 15:26
SKILLS 2026 survey exhibits Harvey gaining floor on specialist instruments like Kira in contract assessment, signaling potential consolidation in authorized AI market.
Regulation corporations are more and more operating a two-layer expertise stack—broad AI platforms for cross-practice work paired with specialist instruments for complicated workflows—in keeping with the 2026 SKILLS Authorized AI Survey outcomes launched this week.
The findings spotlight a brewing showdown between horizontal platforms like Harvey and entrenched level options. Harvey now seems throughout eight to 12 use-case classes, whereas specialists like Kira, Relativity, and SimplyAgree keep deep put in bases in a single or two areas every.
“The attention-grabbing strain level is what occurs when the horizontal platforms get ok in these specialist areas,” mentioned Oz Benamram, founding father of SKILLS.legislation, in a Q&A discussing the outcomes.
Contract Evaluation: The Convergence Battleground
Kira at the moment leads contract assessment with 44 legislation corporations dwell on the platform, however Harvey trails carefully at 41—regardless of Harvey’s a lot broader class attain. Benamram famous Kira has really misplaced a number of corporations since final 12 months’s survey, even whereas sustaining its class management.
“That convergence is price watching, as a result of it forces corporations to revisit earlier ‘level answer vs platform’ assumptions,” Benamram mentioned.
The “Think about” numbers inform the forward-looking story. Rising curiosity in horizontal platforms inside classes beforehand dominated by specialists suggests the specialist moat could also be narrowing.
Partnership Indicators Forward of Potential M&A
One improvement not captured within the survey information: legaltech suppliers are starting to type partnerships the place every performs to their strengths. Benamram prompt a few of these preparations may result in future acquisitions.
For corporations navigating vendor choice, Benamram provided pointed recommendation: map which workflows genuinely require deep specialization versus which of them merely mirror behavior. “When you see that map, the consolidation choices grow to be a lot clearer, and it is a lot simpler to barter with distributors from a place of technique quite than inertia.”
The SKILLS Annual Report attracts from respondents at AmLaw 100 and AmLaw 200 corporations. The group hosts weekly seminars and product demos, with its 2026 Showcase scheduled to function classes on operationalizing AI and customized workflows. Earlier SKILLS occasions have included shows from DLA Piper, Weil Gotshal, and Ballard Spahr on their generative AI implementations.
Corporations betting on level options ought to watch these “Think about” metrics carefully. The specialist distributors aren’t lifeless—however the platform gamers are clearly coming for his or her territory.
Picture supply: Shutterstock
