Harnessing Generative AI as Your Digital Associate

As solo practitioners, we often find ourselves wearing multiple hats: attorney, office manager, paralegal, and legal researcher, to name just a few. The challenge of juggling these roles while maintaining high-quality legal services can, at times, be overwhelming. However, recent advances in generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) technology have opened new possibilities for solo practitioners to enhance their efficiency and reduce workload without compromising quality.

Unlike traditional AI that follows rigid rules, GenAI can understand context, adapt to different writing styles, and handle complex language tasks with remarkable sophistication. While it cannot replace human judgment or creativity, GenAI applications excel at many routine tasks that traditionally consume substantial time in a solo practice. Think of GenAI as your always-available digital associate or legal assistant (one that does not require health insurance or vacation time). For solo practitioners, the ability to effectively leverage these technologies may become a key differentiator in maintaining competitive, efficient practices while managing workload and stress.

Common Platforms and Their Features

The landscape of GenAI platforms for legal work continues to evolve, with several options available to practitioners. Each platform offers distinct features and capabilities worth considering for your practice. Below are just a few of the more well-known GenAI platforms. [Disclaimer: The author does not endorse any one particular platform over another and receives no benefit from any of the companies mentioned. This overview is provided solely for informational purposes to help practitioners understand the available options in the market.]

• ChatGPT, developed by OpenAI, offers both free and paid tiers (ChatGPT Plus). The paid version provides priority access, faster response times, and more up-to-date capabilities. While ChatGPT is widely accessible and versatile, practitioners should note that both the free and the paid versions of the platform will store and learn from conversations, which could have implications regarding privacy and confidentiality (for more, see below).
• Claude, created by Anthropic, emphasizes accuracy and nuanced understanding of complex topics. It excels at analyzing lengthy documents and can handle sophisticated legal reasoning tasks. With the paid team or enterprise plan, the platform does not use a user’s inputs or outputs to train its model. The platform has built-in features to help reduce “hallucinations” (incorrect or entirely fabricated outputs) and provides detailed explanations for its responses.
• CoCounsel, by Thomson Reuters, is a GenAI-powered legal assistant that integrates directly with Westlaw’s legal research platform. This integration provides an advantage for legal research tasks, as it draws from Thomson Reuters’ vast database of legal materials. It’s specifically designed to help lawyers research, draft, and review documents, which can mean more accurate responses for legal-specific tasks.
• Lexis+ AI, by LexisNexis, offers GenAI-powered legal research and writing capabilities integrated within the Lexis+ ecosystem. The platform includes features for legal research, document drafting, and analysis, leveraging LexisNexis’s extensive legal database. It can assist with tasks ranging from brief analysis to case law research and document comparison.
• Clearbrief focuses specifically on legal writing and analysis. It stands out for its ability to check citations, analyze legal documents, and provide writing suggestions based on successful legal arguments. The platform integrates with Microsoft Word and can help improve the quality and persuasiveness of legal documents. The instant Table of Authorities generator alone can save a practitioner hours.
• Spellbook, designed specifically for legal professionals, integrates directly with Microsoft Word to assist with legal drafting and document analysis. The platform specializes in contract drafting and review, offering features such as clause libraries, document comparison, and GenAI-powered suggestions for contract language. It can help streamline the contract review process by identifying potential issues and suggesting alternative language based on legal best practices.

Privacy and Platform Considerations

When selecting a GenAI platform, privacy should be a paramount concern for all practitioners. Free versions of popular platforms such as ChatGPT are readily available, but their terms of service often allow for the collection and retention of input data. For legal work involving sensitive client information, paid versions may offer enhanced privacy protections and data handling guarantees. Consider this distinction carefully when choosing your platform.

Some attorneys—myself included—have begun incorporating language about AI tool usage into their engagement agreements, transparently communicating their intention to leverage these technologies while maintaining professional responsibility. This proactive approach helps set client expectations while demonstrating technological competence.

Practical Applications

Generative AI can prove valuable for assisting with both routine and complex litigation tasks. As an example from my own practice, I regularly use these tools to generate working drafts of deposition outlines, factual timelines, and sample discovery requests. The software can analyze case documents and help create comprehensive question sets that often reveal angles I might not have immediately considered. Consider this simple but effective prompt:

We represent the plaintiff in the attached lawsuit. We will be deposing [Name], the driver of the vehicle that collided with plaintiff. We believe the driver was texting at the time of the accident. You are an experienced personal injury attorney. The driver initially admitted to causing the accident but later changed their story. Prepare a deposition outline in a question-and-answer format that I can use when taking the driver’s deposition.

The resulting outline produced by a GenAI system typically provides a good starting foundation that can be refined based on specific case details and strategy.

On the transactional side, GenAI shines in document review and drafting tasks. When faced with lengthy contracts or complex documentation, these tools can quickly summarize key provisions, flag potential issues, and even suggest alternative language for problematic clauses.

For routine document drafting, something as simple as, “Please revise the following paragraph for clarity: [insert text]” can yield significant improvements in readability and precision. The key is to remember that these outputs should serve as first drafts, always subject to thorough review.

Best Practices for Implementation

Success with GenAI tools requires a thoughtful approach to implementation. Practitioners should keep the following best practices in mind when using any of the platforms:

1. Always verify factual assertions in AI-generated content against your case materials.
2. Maintain a clear review process for all AI-generated drafts.
3. Stay current with platform updates and privacy policies.
4. Use specific, well-crafted prompts to obtain the best results.
5. Keep detailed records of what content was produced with GenAI tools.

GenAI Should Enhance, Not Replace, Your Professional Judgment

As GenAI tools continue to evolve, they will likely become as fundamental to legal practice as word processors and electronic research platforms. By embracing GenAI as a digital associate, solo practitioners can enhance their efficiency, reduce routine workload, and focus more energy on the highest-value aspects of their practice. After all, sailing solo requires constant adaptability and resourcefulness.

Remember, GenAI should enhance, not replace, your professional judgment. When used thoughtfully, these tools can help you focus more time on the aspects of practice that truly require human insight and creativity—complex problem-solving, client relationships, and strategic decision-making. The key lies in understanding the capabilities and limitations of these tools, implementing them thoughtfully, and maintaining an unwavering commitment to professional responsibility and client service.