More Victorian lawyers report using AI, according to research released on 30 October by the Victorian Legal Services Board and Commissioner. Its voluntary census received 2,221 responses. The widely reported 26% fee-reduction figure covers AI users in fee-charging practice, with lawyers themselves attributing the change to AI.[1]
Who was counted?
The full report gives an analysis base of 1,665 for the AI-use question. Its pricing analysis narrows to 525 AI users in fee-charging settings, excluding respondents who said the question did not apply to their role.[2]
That group covers law firms, sole practices, incorporated and unincorporated legal practices, and barristers. Within it, 26% reported reduced client fees attributable to their AI use. The percentage describes the share reporting a reduction; the questionnaire does not ask how large that reduction was.[2][3]
Fee reductions were reported more often by those working mainly for business clients (34%) than for individual fee-paying clients (23%), within the fee-charging AI-user analysis.[2]
What the survey can show
The published estimates are weighted by age, gender and practising certificate type. Participation was voluntary, and weighting leaves possible differences between respondents and non-respondents outside those characteristics unresolved.[2][3]
The Guardian's coverage includes an interview with co-author Georgina Rychner. It reports the same census, so it supplies journalism around these findings rather than an independent replication.[4]
For a client comparing AI-assisted services, the useful follow-up is a written quote explaining the expected work, checking costs and final fee.
Sources
[1] VLSB+C: AI use and client benefits, 30 October 2026
[2] Legal Services Research Centre: The Evolving Use of Generative AI (full report)
[3] Legal Services Research Centre: 2026 Census Technical Report
[4] The Guardian: Victorian lawyers, AI and client fees, 30 October 2026
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