One of the most surprising findings from our 2025 State of AI in Legal Report wasn’t about contract review or research. It was about communication. More than two-thirds (64%) of legal professionals report that AI helps them communicate better with stakeholders, revealing an unexpected benefit that goes far beyond traditional document processing.
This shouldn’t come as a complete shock when you consider the communication burden legal teams face. Our survey found that legal professionals spend an average of 6.2 hours every week communicating with stakeholders, with 80% calling this “very time-consuming.” But AI isn’t just helping lawyers get through their inbox faster. It’s making them better communicators in the process.
The tone-switching trap every lawyer knows
Legal professionals face a unique communication challenge that most other departments don’t: constant tone-switching. External communications require a different voice than internal memos. Emails to long-time clients can be more informal than messages to new prospects. Sensitive matters demand careful word choice. Risk-heavy topics need precise language that won’t create additional liability.
As Michael Ohta, Senior Counsel at Ironclad, puts it: “In one negotiation where we were stuck on specific terms, I asked [AI] to suggest different ways we could structure the compromise language. It proposed a list of options, including several approaches I hadn’t considered, helping us find a creative solution that worked for both parties.”
This constant need to adapt communication style for different audiences and contexts is exactly where AI shines. And it’s where legal teams are finding unexpected value.
Specific AI communication strategies for legal teams
Think audience first
Laura Garcia, Head of Commercial Legal at Ironclad, emphasizes that AI’s real power lies in forcing better communication habits: “It’s really allowing you to think, ‘Who is the audience? Who is listening to this message?’ So the first thing you’re going to do (or prompt) is say ‘My audience is the GC. My audience is the CEO.’”
This audience-first approach transforms how legal teams communicate. Instead of writing one-size-fits-all updates, AI enables targeted messaging that resonates with specific stakeholders.
Build your prompts around Garcia’s audience-first principle:
- “Rewrite this [email/memo/update] for [specific audience] focusing on [their primary concerns]. Use a [tone] and keep it [length requirement].”
Sample scenarios:
- “Rewrite this contract status update for the CEO focusing on business impact and timeline. Use a confident, executive-level tone and keep it under 100 words.”
- “Adapt this compliance memo for department managers focusing on their action items. Use a helpful, practical tone that emphasizes what they need to do.”
- “Transform this legal analysis for the board focusing on risk and financial implications. Use clear, non-legal language.”
Use AI for risk-aware language review
Before sending sensitive communications, run them through AI with specific prompts. This approach proves particularly useful when emotions are running high in negotiations or when discussing potential breaches.
Try these prompts:
- “Review this email for language that could create unintended legal obligations”
- “Suggest more neutral alternatives for any confrontational language” (particularly helpful when a business stakeholder wants to “demand immediate action” in writing)
- “Identify statements that could be misinterpreted and provide clearer alternatives”
Create audience-targeted templates
Develop template libraries for your most common stakeholder groups. Think about the difference between updating your CEO on a major litigation matter versus briefing the sales team on new contract approval processes.
Sample prompt:
- “Create an email template for updating business stakeholders on contract negotiations. Include variables for deal specifics, timeline changes, and next steps. Tailor the language for non-legal business leaders who care most about commercial impact.”
Leverage AI for cultural and hierarchical adaptation
For different organizational levels or global teams, AI can help adjust both language and communication norms. Consider the stark difference between American and Japanese business communication: Americans typically prefer direct, action-oriented language (“We need to resolve this by Friday”), while Japanese business culture often favors more indirect, relationship-preserving approaches (“We would be grateful for your consideration of this matter”).
Try these prompts:
“Adapt this message for senior leadership, using more strategic language and focusing on high-level implications”
“Rewrite this update for our Japanese colleagues, using more formal, indirect language that shows respect for hierarchy and allows room for face-saving responses”
“Convert this legal notice into German business communication style, which tends to be more formal and detailed than American equivalents”
Use AI to anticipate stakeholder concerns
This tip might be the best of the bunch: before major communications, ask AI to help you get ahead of any questions that might come up, especially ones that might be far enough out of your wheelhouse that addressing issues around them might not occur to you at all. This strategy works well before announcing policy changes that might affect daily operations or budget allocations.
Try this prompt:
- “What questions or concerns might department heads have about this new data privacy policy? Draft brief responses that address operational impact, training requirements, and budget implications.”
This approach creates more comprehensive communications that reduce follow-up confusion and those inevitable “but what about…” emails that flood your inbox after major announcements.
Advanced AI communication techniques
The perspective flip method: Ask AI to rewrite your communication from the recipient’s viewpoint: “Rewrite this compliance update as if you were a busy department head who needs to understand the operational impact.”
The escalation ladder: Create multiple versions of the same message with increasing urgency: “Create three versions of this deadline reminder: friendly, firm, and final notice.”
The technical translation: Bridge the gap between legal complexity and business clarity: “Explain this regulatory change in terms of business impact, avoiding legal jargon while maintaining accuracy.”
Making AI communication work in practice
The key to successful AI-enhanced communication isn’t replacing your judgment. It’s augmenting your expertise. AI excels at generating options, adapting tone, and handling routine language challenges. You bring the legal knowledge, relationship context, and strategic thinking that determines which approach is right for each situation.
Start small. Pick one recurring communication challenge (maybe those weekly status updates or routine policy reminders) and experiment with AI assistance. Measure the time saved and stakeholder feedback. As you build confidence, expand to more complex applications.
Remember, 37% of AI users cite communication as a key benefit of the technology. You’re not just keeping up with a trend. You’re joining a majority of legal professionals who are already discovering that AI can make them more effective communicators while freeing up time for the strategic work that truly requires human expertise.
The legal profession has always been about persuasion, negotiation, and clear communication. AI doesn’t change that. It just makes us better at it.
Ironclad is not a law firm, and this post does not constitute or contain legal advice. To evaluate the accuracy, sufficiency, or reliability of the ideas and guidance reflected here, or the applicability of these materials to your business, you should consult with a licensed attorney. Use of and access to any of the resources contained within Ironclad’s site do not create an attorney-client relationship between the user and Ironclad.
