AI for Lawyers: A Practical Guide to Legal AI Tools

The legal profession has traditionally been cautious about new technology—and for good reason. But AI tools have reached a maturity level where ignoring them means leaving efficiency (and competitive advantage) on the table.

The Legal AI Landscape

Legal AI falls into several categories:

Legal Research Tools

Westlaw Edge / Lexis+ AI

The traditional legal research platforms have integrated AI capabilities:

• Natural language search
• AI-generated summaries of cases
• Citation analysis and verification
• Brief analysis tools

Why it matters: Built-in compliance with legal citation standards and verified sources.

CoCounsel (by Casetext)

Purpose-built legal AI assistant:

• Research memos with citations
• Document review and summarization
• Contract analysis
• Deposition preparation

Harvey AI

Enterprise-focused legal AI used by major firms:

• Custom-trained on legal content
• SOC 2 compliant
• Integration with firm systems

Document Review and Discovery

AI has transformed e-discovery economics:

Technology-Assisted Review (TAR)

AI-powered document classification that learns from attorney coding decisions. Courts have recognized TAR as equal to or better than manual review.

Key vendors: Relativity, Reveal-Brainspace, Everlaw

Contract Review

AI tools for due diligence and contract analysis:

• Kira Systems: Extract and analyze contract provisions
• Luminance: Pattern recognition across contract portfolios
• Ironclad: Contract lifecycle management with AI

Using General AI Tools

General-purpose AI (ChatGPT, Claude) can be useful for legal work with appropriate safeguards:

Appropriate Uses

• Drafting initial versions of routine correspondence
• Summarizing lengthy documents for internal review
• Brainstorming arguments or research directions
• Explaining complex concepts in client-friendly language
• Creating document outlines and templates

Inappropriate Uses

• Citing cases without verification (hallucination risk)
• Uploading confidential client information
• Relying on AI for legal conclusions
• Filing AI-generated documents without thorough review

Compliance Considerations

Client Confidentiality

Before using any AI tool with client information:

• Understand the tool's data retention policies
• Check if data is used to train models
• Use enterprise versions with data protection agreements
• Consider client consent requirements

Bar Association Guidance

Many state bars have issued guidance on AI use:

• ABA Formal Opinion 512 addresses generative AI
• Competence includes understanding technology limitations
• Supervision requirements for AI-assisted work
• Disclosure requirements vary by jurisdiction

Court Requirements

Some courts now require AI disclosure in filings. Check local rules before submission.

Implementation Recommendations

Start Here

1. Audit current research and review workflows for AI opportunities
2. Establish firm-wide policies on AI tool usage
3. Pilot legal-specific tools (CoCounsel, Harvey) before general AI
4. Train staff on appropriate use and verification requirements

Build Safeguards

• Require human review of all AI-generated content
• Document AI use in work product
• Create approved tool lists
• Establish data classification for what can be input to AI

ROI Considerations

Where legal AI delivers measurable value:

• Document review: 50-70% cost reduction vs. manual review
• Contract analysis: Hours to minutes for due diligence tasks
• Research: Faster initial research, more comprehensive results
• Drafting: First drafts in minutes instead of hours

The legal profession's caution about AI is appropriate—the stakes are high. But the tools have matured to the point where thoughtful adoption, with proper safeguards, offers genuine efficiency gains without compromising professional standards.