The future of the legal industry isn't just unfolding in front of video screens and remote work applications—it's also being defined in two western U.S. states. In August, Arizona and Utah became the first U.S. jurisdictions to relax restrictions around the practice of law. Specifically, Arizona approved outside ownership of law firms, while Utah launched a regulatory sandbox pilot program allowing nonlawyers to offer certain legal services.

But while the changes have pushed some law firms to consider alternative business models, and some legal tech companies to grow their presence in Arizona and Utah, few legal experts expect any larger impact in the new year.