As generative artificial intelligence replaces more of the grunt work in law practice, the skills lawyers need are radically shifting. According to a 2026 BARBRI-sponsored survey of more than 300 law students, associates, partners, and law firm staff, the profession is converging on an uncomfortable truth: oral communication skills, emotional intelligence, collaboration, networking, and other “soft skills” are now essential to career advancement — and law schools  aren’t doing enough to teach them.

GAI Has Increased The Value Of Human Skills

The vast majority of law students and associates surveyed — 77% of law students, 75% of associates, and 58% of partners — now believe GAI has made soft skills more important for success in law practice. As GAI absorbs more of the research, drafting, and analysis that previously defined junior lawyering, the human judgment, relationship-building, and oral communication skills that GAI can’t replicate are becoming the real differentiators.

Law Schools & Law Firms Aren’t Doing Enough

Survey results show broad agreement that soft skills matter more than ever — but law schools and law firms are unprepared to meet that need. Recognizing the need for these “soft” lawyering skills hasn’t translated into building them.

Roughly half of law students rate their institution’s efforts to develop soft skills as only “fair” or “poor.” Associates are somewhat more positive about their firms, but even so, nearly half still describe their firm’s training in this area as lacking.

The “Soft Skill” Gap Is Real

The gap has real stakes. If GAI is genuinely reshaping what makes a lawyer valuable, institutions that fail to adapt their training in oral communications, relationship-building, and human judgment are sending graduates and junior associates into a profession they’re only half-prepared for.

Technical legal knowledge remains necessary, but is no longer sufficient on its own.  The survey suggests that law schools and law firms have work to do to close the distance between what the profession says it values and what it’s actually teaching.

According to students, their school’s support often takes the form of clinics, moot court competitions, networking events, student clubs, or training around interviewing. A few students report that their school offers more specific training in the form of leadership initiative programs and classes that emphasize communication skills and collaboration. Many students would appreciate more direct guidance on topics including how to network effectively, public speaking, interacting with clients, navigating office politics, boundary setting, negotiating, and leadership.

In addition, law students identified the need for more soft skills and specifically identified the need for “practice translating legalese into simple, clear English.”