Earlier this year, an article I wrote about AI in smaller Irish law firms caught the attention of journalist Sorcha Corcoran, who contacted me for an interview with the Law Society Gazette.

A few months later, much to my amusement, one of my comments had become the headline of the October 2026 cover story: “Swimming with Sharks”.

But behind the amusing headline is a serious issue. AI offers enormous opportunities for smaller legal practices, but confidentiality, sensible controls and human judgement must remain central.

In this article, I look at the practical benefits, the risks of unmanaged AI and four straightforward steps smaller law firms can take to start adopting the technology safely.