Best AI tools for small UK law firms in 2026
Six AI tools for a high-street law firm, scored on the jobs each covers, set-up, solicitor approval, support, a clear price and track record.
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Guides to the admin that eats a firm's week, and reviews of the software that claims to fix it. 58 guides and 2 reviews so far.
Free toolsBest buysQuestions answeredKey factsGlossaryKey datesConveyancing, updates and chasingProbate and private clientSRA, AML and transparencyRunning the firm
Free tools
SRA Transparency Rules: does this service need a price pageFive questions on the service, its limits, how it is paid for, the website and conditional fees, leading to one of eight outcomes with the SRA rule behind each.Accountant's report: obtain, deliver or exemptSix questions on client money, Legal Aid, the £10,000 average, the £250,000 maximum and the SRA, ending in whether to obtain a report, deliver it or neither.Complaint about a law firm: which time limit appliesFive questions on who is complaining, when it was first raised and what the final response said, giving one of seven outcomes with the rule behind each.Residual client balance tracing letter makerHow a small firm clears residual client balances: return promptly, trace the owner, pay £500 or less to charity itself, and apply to the SRA above that.Admin scorecard for a law firm: the office hours a week that could be prepared by AI and checked by you, job by jobEnter the hours a week a fee earner spends on client updates, chasing, file opening and dates to see which jobs AI could draft and what stays reserved.New matter file-opening checklist: transparency rules, client care letter contents, cancellation rights and due diligence, checkedPick the service, client type and how the retainer was agreed, tick what is on file, and get Pass or Fail on transparency, client care, cancellation and CDD.Complaint deadline calculator for law firms: the eight-week date, the six-month Legal Ombudsman limit and the one-year limitsEnter the date a complaint arrived and see the eight-week date, the six-month Legal Ombudsman limit after your final response, and the one-year limits.Conveyancing client update writer: the short, predictable update the Legal Ombudsman asks for, even when nothing has movedPick the stage, who you are waiting on and the next update date, and get a four-paragraph client update with a file note, in the shape the Ombudsman recommends.Land Registry requisition extension request makerHM Land Registry allows 60 working days to reply to most requisitions, warns at day 40, then cancels. The dates worked, with an extension request to copy.Complaint handling checklist for law firms26 steps for handling a complaint to a law firm, from the day it arrives to the final response at eight weeks, each with the rule and source behind it.Probate timeline calculator: the inheritance tax deadline, the IHT400 window, when to apply, and the dates after the grantEnter the date of death and the tax route to get the inheritance tax date, the IHT400 deadline, the earliest probate application, the fee and post-grant dates.Residential purchase checklist for conveyancers29 steps for one residential purchase, from the instruction to registration at HM Land Registry: file opening, funds, fees, the tax return and requisitions.Small law firm compliance readiness check: ten yes-or-no questions on AML, complaints, client money, insurance and renewalTen yes-or-no questions for a small SRA-regulated firm on AML files, complaints, client money, price pages, insurance, AI and October renewal.Complaint acknowledgement and final response letter maker for law firmsWhat a small firm's complaints procedure must say, the Legal Ombudsman's two-stage model, the £400 case fee and the £200 to £1,500 fees proposed for 2027.Source of funds questions letter makerWhen a source of funds check is required under the Money Laundering Regulations, what evidence the SRA lists, a client questionnaire and a file note to copy.SRA AML desk-based review checklist: the ten-day deadline, the documents asked for, and the gaps to close firstEnter the date of the SRA's letter and tick what the firm has to get the ten-day deadline, the documents asked for, the gaps to close first and the file sample.
Best buys
Best AI tools for small UK law firms in 2026
Six AI tools for a high-street law firm, scored on the jobs each covers, set-up, solicitor approval, support, a clear price and track record.
Best practice management software for small UK law firms in 2026
Seven practice and case management systems for a small law firm, scored on jobs covered, independent reviews, a UK price you can read and SRA accounts.
Conveyancing, updates and chasing
Capital Gains Tax on a UK property sale: the 60-day report-and-pay deadline and a completion diary table
GOV.UK says Capital Gains Tax on most UK property sales must be reported and paid within 60 days. A diary table shows the last day for four completion dates.
Interest on a county court judgment: the £5,000 threshold, 8 per cent and the daily rate worked
County court judgments of £5,000 or more carry 8 per cent interest a year under the Judgments Act 1838; below £5,000, none. Daily and 90-day figures, worked.
Divorce court fees in 2026: £628 to apply, £62 for a consent order, £321 if contested, worked for a client quote
The family court fee list shows £628 for a divorce application, £62 for a consent financial order and £321 if contested. Here is the quote, worked for a couple.
Lasting power of attorney registration fees: the £92 fee, the half-fee under £12,000 and what a couple pays for four documents
Registering a lasting power of attorney costs £92 each, £46 on a low income or repeat application. Worked on a couple's four LPAs, with the 8 to 10 week wait.
SDLT on a house purchase in 2026: the standard bands, first-time buyer relief and the £500,000 cliff worked on one client's figures
Residential SDLT worked on three purchases: £450,000 standard and first-time buyer, the £1 that adds £5,000 at £500,001, and the 5% extra for a second home.
SDLT return filed late: the £100 and £200 penalties, interest and the 14-day count worked on one purchase
A late SDLT return costs £100, then £200 after three months, plus interest on unpaid tax. One £350,000 purchase worked with real dates and figures.
Land Registry fees in 2026: what a purchase, a remortgage and a transfer of equity cost to register, and the figure for the completion statement
HM Land Registry fees in 2026: both scales, the cheaper portal column, £7 searches and copies, and six everyday matters worked for the completion statement.
Conveyancers spend 43% of the day chasing: the fixed-day workflow that cuts it, and what it does to complaints
Chasing and being chased take 43% of a conveyancer's day. A fixed-day workflow with a stage board and scheduled updates, and what it does to complaints.
Conveyancing client update email template: the short, predictable update the Legal Ombudsman asks for, filled in from the stage
Pick the stage, who you are waiting on and the next update date, and get a four-paragraph client update with a file note, in the shape the Ombudsman recommends.
How long do you have to reply to a Land Registry requisition, and what happens if the date passes
HM Land Registry allows 60 working days to reply to most requisitions, warns at day 40, then cancels. The dates worked, with an extension request to copy.
Residential purchase checklist for conveyancers: instruction to Land Registry registration
29 steps for one residential purchase, from the instruction to registration at HM Land Registry: file opening, funds, fees, the tax return and requisitions.
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How ready is your firm for AI? Find out in 3 minutes.Take the 3-minute readiness scorecardProbate and private client
The £3,000 Inheritance Tax annual exemption: one year carried forward, then lost, with a three-year gift table
HMRC's manual gives each person £3,000 of exempt gifts a tax year, with the unused part carried forward one year only. Two client gift histories, worked.
Trust Registration Service: the 90-day deadline for a new trust, the will-trust exclusion and a diary table
GOV.UK gives 90 days to register a new trust on HMRC's Trust Registration Service, and a will trust that closes within two years may be excluded. Dates, worked.
Deed of variation: the two-year limit, the section 142 statement and a deadline table for a firm's diary
Section 142 of the Inheritance Tax Act 1984 gives two years from death to vary a will, and the deed must carry a statement. A deadline table, worked.
Probate application fee: £526 over £5,000, and why ordering copies up front saves £14 each
GOV.UK sets the probate fee at £526 over £5,000, with copies at £2 each if ordered up front and £16 after. The cost of miscounting copies, worked.
Transferring a spouse's unused inheritance tax threshold: the percentage sum, the two-year limit and £52,000 worked on one estate
GOV.UK lets a surviving spouse inherit the unused part of the first partner's threshold, up to £650,000. The percentage sum, IHT402 and the time limit, worked.
Inheritance Tax is due six months after death, not at probate: the 7.75% interest on late payment, worked
Inheritance Tax is due by the end of the sixth month after death, and HMRC interest runs at 7.75% from 9 January 2026. £40,000 paid 90 days late adds £764.38.
Paying inheritance tax in ten yearly instalments: which assets qualify, the 20% test, and a worked £36,000 bill
Inheritance tax on some assets can be paid in ten yearly instalments. Which assets qualify, the 20% test and the dates, with a worked £36,000 bill.
Capital Gains Tax when an estate sells an inherited house: a £30,000 gain over probate value is taxed at £7,200 in the estate, £6,018 for a beneficiary on £30,000 income
GOV.UK sets the Capital Gains Tax rate for personal representatives at 24%. On a £30,000 gain the estate pays £7,200, against £6,018 for a basic-rate heir.
Inheritance Tax at 36%: a £60,000 charity gift out of a £600,000 estate costs the family £27,400, not £60,000
Leave 10% of the net estate to charity and the Inheritance Tax rate drops from 40% to 36%. On a £600,000 estate a £60,000 gift costs the family £27,400.
Died without a will, married with children: the £322,000 statutory legacy and half of the rest, worked at three estate sizes
On intestacy a spouse takes personal items, £322,000 and half the rest; the children share the other half. Worked at £250,000, £500,000 and £1,000,000.
A client gave money away and has died: the seven-year rule and taper relief at 32%, 24%, 16% and 8%, worked on a £500,000 gift
A £500,000 gift made on 14 July 2023 is £175,000 over the £325,000 threshold. Death 4 to 5 years on means £42,000 of tax; 6 to 7 years on, £14,000.
Business property relief and the £2.5 million allowance: what an estate with unquoted shares pays above the line, worked
From 6 April 2026, 100% business and agricultural relief stops at £2.5 million, with 50% above it. A £4 million shareholding worked, plus the spouse transfer.
When can executors safely distribute the estate? The section 27 notice, the six-month 1975 Act date, and one grant worked through
Two dates protect executors who distribute: the end of a section 27 notice and six months from the grant. Both worked out for a grant of 14 October 2026.
Do you need probate for a small estate? What GOV.UK says, the £5,000 fee line, and the £526 cliff worked on one estate
Whether probate is needed on a small estate: what GOV.UK says about savings and joint ownership, the £5,000 line for the £526 fee, and the cost of copies.
Residence nil-rate band and the £2 million taper: the inheritance tax a £2.2 million estate pays, worked
The £175,000 residence nil-rate band shrinks by £1 for every £2 an estate is over £2 million. Worked at £2.2 million and £2.35 million, with the 60% slice.
Probate caveats in 2026: the £4 fee, the six-month life, and the 14-day count once a warning is served
How a probate caveat works for a small firm: £4 to enter or extend since 6 July 2026, six months a time, and the 14 days a caveator has after a warning.
Estate tax return deadlines for 2025 to 2026: register by 5 October 2026, paper SA900 by 31 October 2026, online filing and payment by 31 January 2027
Estate tax return for 2025 to 2026: register by 5 October 2026, paper SA900 by 31 October, file online and pay by 31 January 2027. One estate worked.
Estate accounts template: the capital, income and distribution accounts, with a worked example that balances
An estate accounts template with a worked example: capital, income and distribution accounts, the £500 income tax rule, and a check that proves they balance.
Probate timeline calculator: the inheritance tax deadline, the IHT400 window, when to apply for the grant, and the dates that follow it
Enter the date of death and the tax route to get the inheritance tax date, the IHT400 deadline, the earliest probate application, the fee and post-grant dates.
SRA, AML and transparency
The ICO data protection fee for a law firm: £52, £78 or £3,763, £5 off by direct debit, and the 21-day window
The 2018 Charges Regulations set three fees, £52, £78 and £3,763, with £5 off for direct debit. A table shows the net fee and what the £5 is worth in each tier.
Interest on client money: what "a fair sum" means under SRA Accounts Rule 7, worked on four real balances
SRA Accounts Rule 7 says clients get a fair sum of interest but never says how much. Four balances worked at Bank Rate, and a one-page interest policy to adopt.
Can a law firm hold a client's money when it is not doing legal work for them? Rule 3.3 and the banking facility ban, worked through one sale
No. SRA Accounts Rule 3.3 bars using client account as a banking facility. One house sale shows which payments are connected to the work and which are not.
Does a small law firm have to get an accountant's report? The £10,000 average and £250,000 maximum tests, worked through twelve reconciliations
A firm that held client money needs an accountant's report within six months of its year end unless its balances averaged £10,000 or less. The sum, worked.
Do the SRA Transparency Rules apply to this service? Five questions and what the page must say
Five questions on the service, its limits, how it is paid for, the website and conditional fees, leading to one of eight outcomes with the SRA rule behind each.
Do we need an accountant's report this year? Six questions for a small law firm
Six questions on client money, Legal Aid, the £10,000 average, the £250,000 maximum and the SRA, ending in whether to obtain a report, deliver it or neither.
Which Legal Ombudsman time limit applies to this complaint? Five questions for a law firm
Five questions on who is complaining, when it was first raised and what the final response said, giving one of seven outcomes with the rule behind each.
Residual client balances under the SRA Accounts Rules: the £500 rule, the tracing steps and the register to keep
How a small firm clears residual client balances: return promptly, trace the owner, pay £500 or less to charity itself, and apply to the SRA above that.
How long must a solicitor keep client files? Six years for accounting records, five for due diligence, and the 15-year long stop
No rule sets one period for a closed client file. Accounting records are six years, due diligence records five, negligence claims up to 15. Worked with dates.
Client care letter and file-opening checklist: transparency rules, cancellation rights and due diligence checked before the work starts
Pick the service, client type and how the retainer was agreed, tick what is on file, and get Pass or Fail on transparency, client care, cancellation and CDD.
Complaint deadline calculator for law firms: the eight weeks, the six-month limit and the one-year limits
Enter the date a complaint arrived and see the eight-week date, the six-month Legal Ombudsman limit after your final response, and the one-year limits.
Complaint handling checklist for law firms: from the day it arrives to the eight-week point
26 steps for handling a complaint to a law firm, from the day it arrives to the final response at eight weeks, each with the rule and source behind it.
Small law firm compliance readiness check: ten yes-or-no questions on AML, complaints, client money, insurance and renewal
Ten yes-or-no questions for a small SRA-regulated firm on AML files, complaints, client money, price pages, insurance, AI and October renewal.
Solicitors' complaints procedure: what it must contain, the Legal Ombudsman's model procedure and what the proposed case fees would cost
What a small firm's complaints procedure must say, the Legal Ombudsman's two-stage model, the £400 case fee and the £200 to £1,500 fees proposed for 2027.
Source of funds checks for solicitors: when they are required, the evidence to ask for and the file note to keep
When a source of funds check is required under the Money Laundering Regulations, what evidence the SRA lists, a client questionnaire and a file note to copy.
SRA AML desk-based review: the ten-day checklist for a small firm, from the letter to the file sample
Enter the date of the SRA's letter and tick what the firm has to get the ten-day deadline, the documents asked for, the gaps to close first and the file sample.
SRA transparency rules: which services need published prices, what the page must say, and the two things firms leave off
The SRA Transparency Rules as a website audit: the nine listed services, the seven price items, complaints information, the digital badge, and the usual gaps.
Running the firm
Deputyship fees for a client's family: £432 to apply, £100 assessment and £320 or £35 a year, worked for the first three years
GOV.UK lists deputyship fees of £432 to apply, £266 for a hearing, £100 assessment and £320 or £35 supervision. Added up for a family.
Chasing a business client's unpaid bill: 8% plus base rate and a £40, £70 or £100 fixed sum, worked on three invoices
GOV.UK sets statutory interest at 8% plus the Bank of England base rate, with a fixed sum of £40, £70 or £100 by debt size. Here it is worked on three invoices.
Employment tribunal time limits from 1 October 2026: six months, the transition date and what Acas conciliation adds
The tribunal claim limit rose from three to six months for events on or after 1 October 2026. Worked dates, the Acas extension and a diary rule.
Solicitors' PII renewal: the £2 million and £3 million minimum cover, and the 30, 60 and 90-day clock when a policy is not renewed
The SRA minimum terms for solicitors' PII: £2 million or £3 million a claim, six years of run-off, and the dated 30-day and 60-day periods if cover lapses.
How much are court fees for a money claim in 2026? Issue, hearing and enforcement fees, and what a debt recovery desk pays in a year
Court fees for a money claim in 2026 run from £35 to £10,000 to issue and £27 to £1,334 for a hearing. One firm's year of 36 claims adds up to £23,837.
Admin scorecard for small law firms: how many hours a week could AI draft for a solicitor to approve, job by job
Enter the hours a week a fee earner spends on client updates, chasing, file opening and dates to see which jobs AI could draft and what stays reserved.
Can a solicitor use ChatGPT, Claude or Copilot for client work? What the business plans cost and what their terms say about your data
Business plans for ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot and Gemini cost a five-person firm £708 to £1,086 a year. What each vendor's terms say, set against the SRA's tests.
The SRA paused the COLP and COFA separation rules on 1 October 2026: what was coming, why it stopped, and what a small firm does now
The SRA rule barring controlling managers from COLP or COFA above £600,000 turnover or £2m client money, due January 2027, was paused on 1 October 2026.
Legal case management software prices: who publishes them, and what a seven-user firm pays a year
What UK legal case management suppliers publish about price: Clio, Osprey and Hoowla per-user figures, LEAP and Actionstep by quote, worked for one firm.
The SRA's warning notice on AI: what it requires, and the one-page AI policy a small law firm can adopt this week
The SRA's August 2026 warning notice on AI, turned into six rules a five-partner firm has to run and a one-page policy that states them.
SRA practising certificate renewal 2026/27: the £552 fee, the 31 October deadline and what a small firm pays in total
SRA renewal for 2026/27 costs £552 a solicitor, plus a firm fee set by turnover and £2,170 for the compensation fund. Two small firms worked in full.