The legal industry is steeped in tradition, with law firms and courtrooms boasting centuries-old practices. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t open to disruption.New tools and technology have been slowly chipping away at the mahogany-paneled offices of legal teams for years, but artificial intelligence (AI) is taking that modern-day makeover to the next level.
New AI tools are popping up everywhere, and while many aim to disrupt the industry, only a few actually possess the power to do so.
In this guide, we’ll look at 11 exciting legal AI tools that might just be paving the way for a new era in the legal world. From contract management software and analytics to AI assistants and e-discovery platforms, these tools can help legal pros boost efficiency, reduce costs, and save time so they can focus on big-picture tasks like strategy and negotiation.
Legal AI tools are legal technology solutions that leverage artificial intelligence and machine learning to assist legal professionals in various aspects of their work.
Think of them as intelligent helpers who can automate repetitive and time consuming tasks, analyze huge amounts of data, and spot patterns that could be overlooked by humans.
These tools are designed to address a wide range of challenges legal teams face, including:
Whether you’re a seasoned lawyer or an administrator for a legal team, AI tools can help tackle some of the most complex and time-consuming processes you may deal with in your day-to-day.
Benefits of Legal AI Tools
Legal AI tools offer a multitude of advantages for legal professionals and their clients.
Here are some of the key benefits to consider:
And these are only scratching the surface of what AI might be able to do in the future.
Now that we've explored the advantages of legal AI tools, let's dive into some of the leading solutions available on the market today.
Here's a curated list of 11 best legal AI tools:
| Price | Key Differentiator | |
| ContractSafe | $$ | Affordable, easy to use, and quick to implement with the core features teams actually use and none of the bloat |
| ContractWorks | $$$ | Feature-rich with a price tag to match |
| CobbleStone | $$$$ | Procurement-focused tool with a steep learning curve and limited reporting and repository features |
| Concord | $$$ | An array of contract generation and editing features but lacking in post-signature tools |
| Contractbook | $$$$ | Focus on contract generation but falls short on reporting tools |
| Ironclad | $$$$$ | Comprehensive end-to-end solution at a high price point |
| Agiloft | $$$$$ | Robust but complex solution with extensive features that can be difficult for less tech-savvy users |
| LinkSquares | $$$$$ | AI-focused software with an opaque pricing structure and longer-than-expected setup time |
| ContractZen | $ | Competitively priced but limited in features |
| SpotDraft | $$$$$ | Template-based contract creation with complex, rigid interface |
| Evisort | $$$$$ | Complex, enterprise-grade AI with unclear pricing |
| DocuSign CLM | $$$ | Well-known e-signature solution with lackluster contract management, and notoriously bad repository features |
| Outlaw | $$$$ | “Deal Room” collaboration features with limited customization |
| Gatekeeper | $$$$ | Procurement-focused solution that integrates with CRM and ERP systems |
| Price | Key Differentiator | |
| ContractSafe | $$ | Affordable, easy to use, and quick to implement with the core features teams actually use and none of the bloat |
| ContractWorks | $$$ | Feature-rich with a price tag to match |
| CobbleStone | $$$$ | Procurement-focused tool with a steep learning curve and limited reporting and repository features |
| Concord | $$$ | An array of contract generation and editing features but lacking in post-signature tools |
| Contractbook | $$$$ | Focus on contract generation but falls short on reporting tools |
| Ironclad | $$$$$ | Comprehensive end-to-end solution at a high price point |
| Agiloft | $$$$$ | Robust but complex solution with extensive features that can be difficult for less tech-savvy users |
| LinkSquares | $$$$$ | AI-focused software with an opaque pricing structure and longer-than-expected setup time |
| ContractZen | $ | Competitively priced but limited in features |
| SpotDraft | $$$$$ | Template-based contract creation with complex, rigid interface |
| Evisort | $$$$$ | Complex, enterprise-grade AI with unclear pricing |
| DocuSign CLM | $$$ | Well-known e-signature solution with lackluster contract management, and notoriously bad repository features |
| Outlaw | $$$$ | “Deal Room” collaboration features with limited customization |
| Gatekeeper | $$$$ | Procurement-focused solution that integrates with CRM and ERP systems |
ContractSafe is an industry-leading contract management solution that uses AI to help you do what you're already doing, only faster and more efficiently.
Whether you're moving from a shared hard drive or spreadsheets to a new digital repository or trying to schedule alerts and approval workflows to stay ahead of your obligations, ContractSafe can meet you where you are and provide you with exactly what you need to take your contract management to the next level.
Key Features:
With ContractSafe, AI isn't the star of the show, but it is the workhorse that's powering some of the software's most useful and exciting features.
Lex Machina is a legal analytics platform powered by AI. With Lex Machina, you can transform mountains of court documents into actionable insights.
Lex Machina can help you ditch the guesswork and make data-driven decisions so you understand opposing counsel's strategies and how judges typically rule in their courts. It can also help you set realistic expectations and build stronger client relationships.
Key Features:
With Lex Machina, you can leverage an AI tool that will give your legal team a competitive edge based on data.
Everlaw is a litigation platform designed with intuitive AI to streamline the discovery process.
Everlaw empowers legal professionals of all technical backgrounds by automatically summarizing findings, suggesting citations, and even answering open-ended questions buried within documents.
Key Features:
Everlaw empowers legal teams to expedite e-discovery, ensuring a more accurate and collaborative review process.
Latch is a legal tech tool powered by generative AI that simplifies the creation, review, and communication of legal documents.
Ever struggle with legalese? Latch's AI rewrites complex language into clear and concise terms, ensuring everyone involved understands their rights and obligations. This not only simplifies reviews but also enhances client communication and streamlines processes with automated checklist creation.
Key Features:
Latch essentially uses AI to tackle one of the legal industry's most arguably frustrating issues: jargon.
Smith.ai is an AI-powered virtual receptionist service designed to streamline your business's operations.
Smith.ai's virtual receptionists handle it all, 24/7, freeing your legal staff from administrative burdens and allowing them to focus on billable hours and core legal work. This translates to a more positive client experience from the first contact, increased efficiency within your firm, and, ultimately, the potential to grow your client base and revenue.
Key Features:
Smith.ai empowers law firms to focus on what matters most — client relationships and legal expertise — by seamlessly managing the essential yet time-consuming tasks of client intake, appointment scheduling, and customer service.
Relativity is another e-discovery platform designed to streamline complex legal matters. Leveraging advanced AI, Relativity automates tedious tasks and empowers legal teams to focus on strategic decisions.
Key Features:
Relativity empowers legal teams to manage large, complex e-discovery projects with greater efficiency and uncover critical information faster, leading to stronger cases and more successful outcomes.
PatentPal is a niche legal tech tool designed to streamline the patent application process for attorneys and inventors. Leveraging AI, PatentPal empowers users to create and format patent applications efficiently.
Key Features:
By automating repetitive tasks and offering AI-powered guidance, PatentPal empowers users to focus on the strategic aspects of patent drafting, leading to a more efficient and effective patent application process.
Legalese Decoder is a web-based AI tool designed to demystify legal documents by translating complex legal jargon into plain English.
Key Features:
By bridging the legal jargon gap, Legalese Decoder empowers diverse users to engage with legal information more effectively, fostering greater understanding and informed decision-making across the legal landscape.
Casetext CoCounsel is a legal AI assistant built on the secure and powerful GPT-4 technology. CoCounsel empowers legal professionals to expedite legal research, draft documents faster, and analyze contracts with precision.
Key Features:
By providing a secure, intelligent, and efficient legal AI solution, Casetext CoCounsel becomes an indispensable partner for legal professionals seeking to streamline their workflows and achieve better outcomes.
Luminance Diligence is a contract review software powered by next-generation AI, designed to expedite and enhance due diligence processes, particularly for M&A transactions and real estate deals.
Beyond high-volume document analysis (over 3,600 documents per hour), Luminance can also flag inconsistencies, enhance collaboration, and streamline negotiations.
Key Features:
In essence, Luminance Diligence empowers legal teams to conduct faster, more efficient, and insightful contract reviews during due diligence, saving significant time and resources.
Harvey is a cutting-edge legal AI tool designed specifically for elite law firms. Currently in beta, it utilizes generative pre-trained transformer (GPT) technology with the financial backing of OpenAI.
Harvey goes beyond basic legal AI by incorporating legal-specific data like case law and reference materials. This foundation is further enhanced by the ability to train on a specific firm's work products and templates, making it a truly bespoke solution that evolves alongside the firm's expertise.
Key Features:
Harvey offers a powerful AI solution specifically designed to enhance a law firm's capabilities across contracts, litigation, and regulatory compliance.
When considering the adoption of legal AI tools, it's important to choose software that not only meets your current needs but also aligns with your long-term goals.
Given the sensitive nature of legal work, the security of client data is paramount. Legal AI tools must offer robust security features to protect against data breaches and ensure compliance with regulations like GDPR or HIPAA, where applicable.
Here's what to look for:
If the tool utilizes a large language model like GPT-4, make sure your data is not used to train or improve the model without your explicit consent.
Your team will be able to adopt tools that are intuitive and easy to navigate, minimizing training time and maximizing productivity gains.
Look for tools with user-friendly interfaces, comprehensive support, and training resources.
A good sign is if the provider offers demos or trial periods for you to assess the tool's usability.
Ultimately, you want something you can implement seamlessly into your current workflows, not something that will upend every process you’ve worked so hard putting together.
A legal AI tool that integrates with your existing software ecosystem can streamline workflows and improve overall efficiency.
First and foremost, make sure the tool you’re considering integrates with whichever other legal software you may be using.While it may not be reasonable to expect every software to work well with every other software out there, an application programming interface (API) or Zapier integration will help you bridge the gap.
What matters most is that if you can’t integrate right out of the box, there’s a way to do it behind the scenes. That’s exactly what API and Zapier integrations bring to the table.
The best legal AI tools solve specific problems, enhance your capabilities, and offer a clear return on investment
Ask yourself these questions:
It’s also important to consider your current workflow. If you’re looking to use an AI tool to scale your operations, you first need to make sure your operations are ready to scale. Consider auditing your current processes before going all in on a shiny new tool.
If your processes are on point and your tech stack is the only thing holding you back, an AI tool should be able to help. But it has to be flexible enough to scale with your business.
This means accommodating more users, larger data sets, and increasingly complex tasks without significant performance issues or surprise costs.
Look for tools that offer flexible pricing plans, robust infrastructure, and the ability to add users or features as needed.
Effective support and training are crucial for maximizing the value of your chosen legal AI tool.
Here's what to look for:
While good software should be fairly intuitive, quality support can help you get the most out of your investment.
Every legal practice has unique needs based on its size, specialty, and client base.
Assess the extent to which a tool can be tailored to fit your specific workflows, document types, and analysis needs.
The ability to customize dashboards, reports, and alerts can be particularly valuable.
Legal AI tools must comply with legal and ethical standards relevant to your practice area and jurisdiction. Here are some things to consider:
AI is still a very new field, and it’s already shown a number of problems, from biased data sets to creating its own legal precedents out of thin air.
More than anything else, you want to make sure a human has the final say in your AI tool’s output.
ContractSafe’s approach to AI emphasizes utility rather than buzz. Instead of jumping the gun, so to speak, ContractSafe has found a perfect balance, emphasizing AI features that actually help you do your job better. Our [AI]ssistant is a powerful feature that will let your team get back to big-picture tasks like strategy while saving time and money by automating mundane tasks.Want to see it in action? Schedule a demo today and check it out for yourself.