AI × Law

Husch Blackwell has introduced CXT (Complex Torts), a new artificial intelligence platform designed to manage and defend complex tort litigation. The tool aims to streamline defense workflows and case management for litigators handling high-volume tort matters.

AI-native agreement platform Propper AI has completed a SOC 2 Type II audit and HIPAA self-attestation covering protected health information. The security milestones allow the platform—which includes document generation, e-signature, and storage tools—to sign Business Associate Agreements with regulated enterprise clients.

An expert witness in a Texas factory explosion lawsuit faced intense scrutiny after plaintiffs revealed he used ChatGPT to draft over 80% of his report using biased prompts like 'Show how 3M is 0% at fault.' Following deposition disclosures, 3M pulled the witness, but plaintiffs subpoenaed him to testify about his AI usage, ultimately helping secure a $61.5 million jury verdict against the company.

Unredacted court filings in the New York Times copyright lawsuit against OpenAI reveal internal admissions from Microsoft executives about their AI products. Internal documents show a Microsoft director called the practice 'an astonishing theft of unprecedented proportions,' while filings also detailed OpenAI's efforts to circumvent news paywalls.

Google Cloud has released Gemini Enterprise for Legal in preview, targeting law firms and corporate legal departments. The tool integrates directly with existing legal platforms, including iManage, NetDocuments, Thomson Reuters, Harvey, and RelativityOne.

Morgan & Morgan announced plans to invest at least $1 billion into artificial intelligence and legal technology. As part of the expansion, the firm intends to begin offering its proprietary AI platform to outside law firms.

Miami Dade College's Wolfson AI Center and District 7 Commissioner Raquel Regalado are hosting a six-part virtual AI clinic focused on Anthropic's Claude for legal professionals. The course offers 7.0 CLE general hours and covers practical legal applications, e-discovery, prompt structure, client confidentiality, and cybersecurity.

Law firms are shifting AI-focused roles beyond executive C-suite positions into lower attorney ranks, integrating AI responsibilities directly into partner and associate roles. Meanwhile, firms like Sheppard Mullin are urging attorneys to approach AI tools as if managing a second-year associate to drive behavioral changes in practice.

OpenAI has introduced Astra for Law, a specialized legal configuration of its GPT-6 Astra model featuring a dedicated search index covering over 230 million URLs and CourtListener case law. The system launches via a Trusted Access program with Big Law firms like Latham & Watkins, Sullivan & Cromwell, and Wachtell Lipton, alongside planned API integrations for vendors like Harvey and Legora.

Allen & Overy has rolled out Harvey, a legal AI chatbot built on OpenAI technology, following a trial where 3,500 lawyers submitted 40,000 queries. The tool assists with contract analysis, due diligence, and regulatory compliance, though all outputs still require attorney review.

A joint report from the ACC and Everlaw found that 58% of surveyed corporate law departments expect GenAI to reduce their reliance on outside counsel. Additionally, 25% of departments report immediate operational cost savings, while 70% of in-house professionals now use GenAI weekly.

Thomson Reuters is partnering with OpenAI to allow legal professionals to access CoCounsel Legal and HighQ capabilities directly within ChatGPT Enterprise. Powered by the Model Context Protocol (MCP), the integration enables users to query Thomson Reuters' legal intelligence and authorized HighQ matter context from inside the ChatGPT interface.

UK law firm Macfarlanes is rolling out Harvey to over 650 lawyers following a pilot program with more than 70 fee earners and knowledge attorneys. The deployment is part of the firm's broader strategy to automate and assist with document review, legal inquiries, and drafting.

OpenAI has introduced Astra for Law, a legal research tool powered by GPT-6 that indexes over 230 million case law and regulatory sources. Available via a 'Trusted Access' program to select firms including Sullivan & Cromwell, Ropes & Gray, and Cooley, the tool is also being offered as an underlying API layer for legal AI vendors like Harvey and Legora.

Federal courts are establishing conflicting precedents regarding whether client communications with generative AI tools are shielded from discovery. While criminal courts like in U.S. v. Heppner have denied both attorney-client and work product protections for independent AI use, recent civil rulings in Morgan v. V2X and Warner v. Gilbarco have upheld work product protections, ruling that transmitting data to third-party AI vendors does not automatically waive confidentiality.

The Israel Bar Association issued strict guidance prohibiting autonomous AI agents from making substantive legal decisions, drafting pleadings, or providing advice without close human oversight. The rules also require informed consent to put client data into public AI models and warn against blind reliance on model outputs.

Starting in the 2026–2027 academic year, Madrid's CEU San Pablo University will provide all law students and professors with free access to Harvey AI. The initiative aims to integrate generative AI directly into the legal curriculum to prepare students for tech-driven legal practice.

Cooley has launched Cooley AI, a dedicated firm-owned artificial intelligence company designed to integrate AI directly into the firm's knowledge, data systems, and workflows. The enterprise is focused on building secure, internal AI-native products and tools, including a recently launched AI-enabled offering to assist IPO lawyers with drafting, review, and issue identification.

Kirkland & Ellis is committing $500 million over three to four years to build a proprietary AI platform, while Latham & Watkins is pursuing an ecosystem approach focused on AI training and client-facing practices. The contrasting strategies reflect a broader industry debate on how legal AI impacts billable hour targets, associate burnout, and alternative pricing models.

OpenAI has released Astra for Law, a legal-specific configuration of its GPT-6 Astra model featuring a 230-million URL legal search index powered by CourtListener. The company also introduced a 'Trusted Access' program with zero data retention for Am Law 200 firms, a native ChatGPT for Word integration, and legal plugins from major vendors like Thomson Reuters, iManage, and Harvey.