Chicago-based global law firm Baker McKenzie is reportedly cutting up to 1,000 jobs as it accelerates its shift toward artificial intelligence, according to legal industry publication RollOnFriday.
The reductions are not expected to affect attorneys. Instead, the cuts are said to target support roles, including staff in research, marketing, know-how and secretarial functions. The report notes that dozens of positions in London and Belfast could be eliminated, along with hundreds of similar roles across the firm’s global operations.
The move underscores how AI adoption is beginning to reshape back-office functions in major professional services firms, even as frontline legal work remains largely intact for now.
The scale of the reductions could amount to roughly 10 percent of the firm’s global workforce, or an estimated 600 to 1,000 employees. A spokesperson told RollOnFriday that the decision followed what the firm described as a careful review of its business professional functions. Artificial intelligence was specifically cited as one of the considerations shaping the restructuring.
READ: Here are all the tech layoffs that took place so far in 2026 (
“This review was aimed at rethinking the ways in which we work, including through our use of AI, introducing efficiencies, and investing in those roles that best serve our clients’ needs,” as per the spokesperson.
The reported layoffs also come on the heels of fresh jitters across Wall Street after Anthropic unveiled its new Claude Cowork AI agent. The launch triggered a sharp market reaction last week, with investors selling off stocks amid concerns that advanced AI tools could disrupt white collar work at scale.
Part of the anxiety centered on Claude’s ability to plug into workplace systems and automate certain legal tasks and documentation. Some investors worried that such capabilities could reduce staffing needs and undercut the costly software platforms long relied upon by law firms and other professional services companies.
READ: Amazon cuts 16,000 more jobs, bringing total layoffs to 30,000 (
Whether the changes at Baker McKenzie validate those fears about AI driven job losses is still an open question. The moment also arrives amid growing debate in tech and finance circles over what critics call “AI washing.”
A growing number of companies have cited artificial intelligence when announcing workforce reductions. One recent analysis found that AI was referenced in more than 54,000 layoff announcements last year.
Skeptics argue that in many cases the technology is being used as a convenient explanation for cuts that are rooted in broader cost pressures or restructuring plans. They also note that many firms do not yet appear to have robust AI systems in place capable of fully replacing the roles being eliminated.
Whether these reductions ultimately prove to be a strategic embrace of automation or an overcorrection dressed up in AI language remains to be seen. If the technology fails to deliver the efficiencies being promised, firms could find themselves scrambling to rebuild lost institutional knowledge.
At Baker McKenzie, frustration is already surfacing. According to RollOnFriday, one employee whose role is reportedly at risk blasted the move as short sighted in a profanity laced outburst, underscoring the anxiety and resentment that often accompany large scale restructuring.