Artificial intelligence tools for brief writing and analysis are a small firm litigator’s new best friend

We’re within the midst of a seismic technological shift that may reinvent workflows and radically alter the follow of legislation. Synthetic intelligence is enhancing at an unprecedented tempo, with new authorized AI instruments rolling out commonly, some stand-alone and others as options constructed into present authorized software program platforms.

AI has nice promise for the authorized occupation, providing the potential to streamline authorized work and scale back repetitive, mundane duties. Over the previous 12 months, some key authorized features have been impacted by including AI performance, together with generative AI options. These embody authorized analysis, doc assessment, and contract lifecycle administration.

One other notable space of AI innovation contains doc drafting and evaluation. AI know-how is especially helpful on this context. For starters, it will possibly help with enhancing textual content, enhancing writing, altering tone or summarizing a doc—options that many authorized tech firms have begun to incorporate of their platforms.

Different use instances embody doc drafting, which includes making a doc from scratch, or doc evaluation, which assists with the assessment and interactive evaluation of prolonged paperwork, reminiscent of depositions, trial memorandums, appellate briefs or trial transcripts.

These options profit litigators and permit them to concentrate on higher-level duties that contain analyzing complicated authorized arguments and strategizing responsive pleadings. Due to this performance’s excessive worth, an rising variety of transient writing and evaluation instruments that incorporate AI options have been launched.

Beneath, I’ll present an outline of this software program class by that includes instruments designed for solo and small legislation corporations. You’ll find out about elements to contemplate when deciding on a platform, together with some out there instruments.

Selecting AI transient writing and evaluation software program

Earlier than researching your choices, it’s important that you simply absolutely perceive your agency’s wants and the way these instruments will match into the litigation workflow. What are litigators’ most vital ache factors when working with paperwork? What sorts of work gradual the crew down? How can AI take away the extra tedious duties from their plates?

Don’t neglect about different software program that’s already in use. Integrations may be essential when working with paperwork. Any new AI software program should combine together with your firm’s present doc creation instruments. Failure to take action might render time-tested, instrumental software program important to your agency’s workflows ineffective or unnecessarily clunky.

Moreover, it’s essential to grasp that you simply’ll be entrusting your agency’s confidential shopper information to a 3rd social gathering for the cloud-based instruments listed beneath. Because of this you may have an moral obligation to totally vet the tech supplier internet hosting and storing your agency’s information. This obligation contains acquiring data on how the information can be dealt with by that firm; the place the servers on which the information can be saved are positioned; who could have entry to it; and the way usually and when will probably be backed up, amongst different issues.

Moreover, if the software program contains AI options, you’ll need to discover accuracy charges, how the corporate protects your information, and whether or not your crew’s information inputs are used to coach AI fashions to enhance responses.

With that in thoughts, let’s look at a few of the software program that falls beneath this class. Massive firms, reminiscent of LexisNexis, Thomson Reuters and Bloomberg Regulation, present the sort of software program. However it’s not cost-efficient for many small corporations, so solely instruments designed for small agency legal professionals can be lined.

Beneath, you’ll discover a roundup of a few of the major choices out there. Benefit from demos supplied and test-drive the software program if that’s supplied.

Generative AI transient writing and evaluation instruments

First up is Clearbrief, which operates inside Microsoft Phrase and depends on proprietary AI software program. Clearbrief assists with reviewing, drafting and cite-checking paperwork. It additionally facilitates the moment era of reveals and tables of authorities, together with the flexibility to simply create a hyperlinked last draft. The AI performance permits the swift creation of timelines.

It additionally supplies proof strategies obtained from litigation paperwork that assist a factual proposition or assertion obtained from a pleading, memo or different sort of case-related submitting. The fee is $142 monthly for solo and small corporations if paying yearly.

BriefCatch is one other Microsoft Phrase add-in that assists with transient writing. It’s powered by an AI software program system that helps authorized professionals enhance their writing abilities and create extra persuasive and efficient paperwork.

The system analyzes written paperwork and offers customers real-time suggestions on sentence size, readability and phrase selection. The software program analyzes paperwork for tone, readability and grammar. Pricing begins at $33 monthly when billed yearly.

EzBriefs by Benchly can also be a Microsoft Phrase add-in powered by machine studying. Its present model automates desk of authority creation and quotation checking.

Later this 12 months, it is going to roll out transient assessment and evaluation options that may allow the drafting, sharing and reviewing of paperwork containing cited authority. Annual pricing is $600 per litigator.

A notable point out that assists with transient writing however doesn’t depend on AI is WordRake. It really works in Microsoft Phrase and Outlook. This enhancing software program is grounded in refined algorithms that streamline authorized writing by offering recommended edits and crimson traces tailor-made to the wants of authorized writing. The Phrase add-in prices $149 yearly, and the Phrase plus Outlook model is priced at $229 per 12 months.

AI instruments are quickly altering how authorized professionals work with paperwork, making workflows extra environment friendly and streamlined. By automating duties reminiscent of drafting, enhancing and analyzing briefs, AI software program saves time and reduces the burden of repetitive work. These developments allow legal professionals to focus extra on strategic duties and shopper interactions, permitting them to supply higher and extra responsive authorized companies.

Nicole Black is a Rochester, New York-based lawyer, creator and journalist, and she or he is senior director of material experience and exterior schooling at MyCase, an organization that gives authorized follow administration software program for small corporations. She is the nationally acknowledged creator of Cloud Computing for Attorneys and is co-author of Social Media for Attorneys: The Subsequent Frontier, each printed by the American Bar Affiliation. She writes common columns for ABAJournal.com and Above the Regulation, has authored a whole bunch of articles for different publications, and commonly speaks at conferences relating to the intersection of legislation and rising applied sciences. Observe her on X (previously Twitter) @nikiblack, or she may be reached at [email protected].

This column displays the opinions of the creator and never essentially the views of the ABA Journal—or the American Bar Affiliation.