Proactive Communication: The CX Priority for Law Firms in 2026
If one theme is set to define client experience in 2026, it is proactive communication.
In behavioural terms, uncertainty is one of the biggest sources of anxiety for clients. They aren’t already worried enough about the legal issue itself, this is amplified by the silence that surrounds it. For mid-sized firms, improving communication is one of those beautifully simple interventions that produces results far greater than its cost.
Why Proactive Beats Reactive
Reactive communication puts the burden on the client to seek reassurance and, in turn, creates unnecessary effort and constant low-level anxiety. Proactive communication flips the dynamic by reducing cognitive load and removing the need for clients to chase. Setting expectations early, giving structured progress updates and signalling changes quickly all reduce the mental effort clients expend trying to understand what is going on. The experience becomes calmer and more predictable because they are no longer filling in the gaps themselves.
AI as an Enabler, Not a Replacement
Much of the conversation about AI has focused on efficiency, although some of its most valuable effects will be psychological. Tools that flag periods of inactivity or suggest timely client updates act as prompts that help lawyers stay one step ahead. Other systems can prepare draft progress summaries or convert matter data into client-friendly explanations.
The magic lies in how AI supports consistency. It can clear away the small frictions that stop lawyers from communicating as often as they intend to. The technology handles the routine tasks and the humans provide the meaning and the reassurance. This combination creates an experience that feels thoughtful rather than transactional.
Experience Accountability Makes It Stick
The challenge is not knowledge but habit. This is where Experience Accountability becomes essential. More firms are beginning to measure communication in the same way they measure financial performance. Clear expectations at matter opening, communication KPIs, real-time sentiment checks and regular reviews create a culture where proactive updates are the norm rather than the exception. Small behavioural cues reinforce this. What gets measured gets noticed and what gets noticed gets repeated.
The Opportunity for LawNet Firms
Proactive communication is a level playing field. You do not need complex transformation programmes to deliver it. You simply need clarity, discipline and the willingness to design around human behaviour. For firms that choose to prioritise it, 2026 offers the chance to create client experiences that feel more predictable, more human and far more reassuring than the competition.
David Price is Head of Client Experience, at Wolferstans Solicitors in Plymouth and LawNet's CX lead.
