Australia’s legal market has its latest sign that AI is moving from conference-room buzzword to business model as national law firm Thomsons (formerly Thomson Geer) unveils a major rebrand alongside the launch of Faculti Lawyers, a new incorporated legal practice built to handle high-volume legal work using proprietary AI technology.
The move reflects a growing trend among major firms globally as they seek to separate premium advisory work from process-driven legal services that can be delivered faster and more efficiently with technology.
According to Thomsons chief executive partner Adrian Tembel, (pictured) the new venture has been driven by rapid advances in artificial intelligence and changing client expectations around cost, speed and accuracy.
“The legal market is changing fast due to advancements and adoption of new technology, particularly AI,” Tembel told Asia Business Law Journal.
“The launch of Faculti Lawyers and the technology behind it helps sharpen that focus and ensures we continue to transform our value proposition at the fastest rate.”
A Two-Brand Strategy
Under the new structure, Thomsons will continue advising corporate, government and institutional clients on complex and strategic legal matters, while Faculti Lawyers will focus on large-scale portfolios of business-as-usual legal work.
The new practice launches with approximately 114 staff and existing management remaining in place. Its initial focus will be on four key sectors – banking and finance, property, insurance and aged care.
Faculti Lawyers will operate using its own dedicated AI platform, highlighting the extent to which legal technology is now being embedded directly into service delivery rather than simply supporting lawyers behind the scenes.
Following a Global Trend
The move mirrors developments seen internationally as firms experiment with alternative delivery models, legal process outsourcing and AI-powered legal services, such as the recently reported UK AI law firm Keith.
In the United Kingdom, firms have increasingly embraced platforms such as Harvey AI and other generative AI tools, while major firms including A&O Shearman who have been busily deploying AI solutions, along with PwC Legal and EY Law have expanded technology-enabled legal delivery models aimed at handling repeatable, process-heavy work.
The challenge for traditional firms has become increasingly clear as clients are increasingly unwilling to pay premium partner rates for work that technology can perform more quickly and at lower cost. AI has accelerated that pressure dramatically.
Staying Focused on Australia
Despite the structural changes, Tembel said the rebrand would not alter the firm’s broader strategy.
The newly named Thomsons will continue operating from its six Australian offices in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and Canberra, with no plans for international expansion.
“The split gives each brand the ability to be understood more clearly for what it does best,” Tembel said.
That may prove to be the key takeaway from the announcement. Rather than replacing lawyers, AI is increasingly reshaping how legal services are packaged, priced and delivered.
Thomsons appears to be betting that clients will want two distinct offerings: one for complex, high-value legal judgment, and another for the vast volume of routine work that technology is steadily making cheaper and faster.
For a profession that spent years debating whether AI would change legal practice, the more interesting question now may be which firms can adapt quickly enough when it does.
