Legal AI Tools in 2025: What Works and What Doesn't
Legal professionals face growing pressure to manage more cases with fewer resources, meet tight deadlines, and extract insights from large volumes of documents.
Reviewing hundreds of pages of medical records, contracts, or discovery materials manually can drain valuable time and slow down case progress.
Legal AI tools reshape how law firms tackle this workload.
This article explores how legal AI tools are used today, where they add the most value, and what limitations legal professionals should consider.
Main Takeaways:
- Legal AI tools are now widely adopted, helping firms manage high-volume tasks like research, contract review, and medical record summarization.
- The top benefit cited by attorneys is time savings, with over 54 percent naming efficiency as the primary value of AI in legal workflows.
- Tools like ChatGPT, CoCounsel, Lexis+ AI, and InPractice offer varied support depending on practice area and firm needs.
- AI performs best on routine, document-heavy work but still requires human judgment for case strategy, negotiation, and nuance.
- Successful adoption depends on testing tools, setting measurable goals, and providing role-specific training across the team.
What Are Legal AI Tools?
Legal AI tools are software systems designed specifically to support legal professionals by automating routine tasks such as reviewing records, identifying key facts, or conducting research.
These tools use artificial intelligence to analyze documents, extract important details, and organize information in a way that reduces manual effort and improves turnaround time.
Unlike traditional legal software, which stores and organizes data, legal AI solutions can interpret language, recognize patterns, and surface contextually relevant information.
How Has Legal AI Changed the Legal Profession?
Legal AI tools now support a wide range of everyday legal work, including document review, legal research, contract analysis, and medical record review. This expansion reflects a growing need among legal professionals to reduce repetitive work and increase efficiency without compromising accuracy.
What sets this shift apart is how law firms are integrating AI into their daily operations. Instead of viewing AI as a threat, many attorneys and paralegals see it as a means to enhance focus, reduce administrative burdens, and allocate more time to client service and legal strategy. AI supports high-volume review and simplifies case preparation, especially when handling complex or time-sensitive matters.
Adoption is increasing rapidly. 30 percent of law firms now report using AI tools. That figure is up from just 11 percent in 2023. As AI becomes easier to implement and more relevant to legal workflows, many legal professionals now see it as a standard part of the modern legal toolkit.
What Can Legal AI Tools Do in Everyday Practice?
AI supports nearly every area of daily legal work. Legal professionals use these tools to handle a variety of tasks that used to take hours, including:
- Legal research
- Drafting documents and briefs
- Reviewing and summarizing contracts
- Conducting e-discovery
- Preparing for depositions
- Managing client intake and communications
- Analyzing large volumes of data
AI is also used behind the scenes for knowledge management, marketing, and early case assessment.
The takeaway is simple. AI is not a one-off solution. It is becoming a standard tool for getting through routine tasks faster, so legal teams can stay focused on the high-value work that matters most.
What Are the Key Benefits of Legal AI for Law Firms?
AI helps law firms save time. That is the top reason attorneys are using these tools. In the American Bar Association’s 2024 Legal Technology Survey, 54.4 percent of attorneys said time savings and improved efficiency were the biggest benefits of AI.
When AI takes over repetitive tasks like research, document review, and summarizing records, legal teams can:
- Spend more time on strategy and client work
- Respond faster to deadlines and client questions
- Move cases forward with fewer delays
Other benefits matter less to most attorneys:
- Fewer than 10 percent said document management was the top benefit
- Just 4.5 percent pointed to cost savings
Some lawyers are still unsure about AI’s value. More than 17 percent said they do not know enough yet to judge the benefits. That shows how important education and real-world examples are for broader adoption.
Which Legal AI Tools Are Leading the Market?
Legal professionals now have access to a growing number of AI platforms designed to streamline different aspects of legal work, from general-purpose assistants to highly specialized solutions.
Here are some of the most widely adopted legal AI tools in 2025:
1. ChatGPT
Used by 52 percent of attorneys, ChatGPT is popular for drafting legal content, summarizing documents, and answering general research questions. Its accessibility and versatility have made it a go-to resource for many firms.
2. Thomson Reuters CoCounsel
Cited by 26 percent of legal professionals, CoCounsel supports legal research, document analysis, and case preparation. It’s especially useful for firms already using the Westlaw ecosystem.
3. Lexis+ AI
Used by 24 percent of surveyed attorneys, Lexis+ AI excels in legal research and natural language search. It helps attorneys locate relevant cases and statutes with speed and precision.
4. Westlaw AI, Summize, Harvey, and Blue J
These tools vary in adoption by firm size and specialty. Westlaw AI and Summize are often used by smaller firms exploring automated document analysis, while Harvey and Blue J are favored by larger firms for managing legal knowledge and predictive analytics.
5. InPractice
For firms dealing with personal injury, workers’ compensation, or medical malpractice, InPractice is a specialized platform built to handle medical record review. It uses AI to deliver searchable, structured chronologies that empower legal teams to reduce review time and focus on case strategy.
Each tool has its strengths. The best legal AI platform for your practice depends on your case volume, type of law, and where your current processes face the most friction. If your work involves extensive medical documentation, InPractice offers a purpose-built advantage.
Where Does Legal AI Perform Best?
Legal AI tools can add the most value in areas where speed, volume, and consistency are essential. These tools help legal teams manage repetitive tasks quickly and thoroughly, especially when working with large sets of records or documents.
Common strengths include:
- Document-heavy cases. Legal AI supports personal injury and medical malpractice cases that involve hundreds or thousands of pages of records.
- Contract review. AI can identify standard clauses, flag deviations, and surface inconsistencies.
- Legal research. Tools can quickly locate relevant cases, statutes, or rules based on your query.
- Due diligence. When reviewing large volumes of data for transactions, AI helps surface the most relevant content.
- Medical record review. InPractice can generate structured medical chronologies from complex case files in minutes, helping attorneys focus on strategy, not sorting PDFs.
These use cases allow attorneys and staff to offload time-consuming foundational work while maintaining control over outcomes.
Where Does Legal AI Fall Short?
Legal AI tools can support faster case prep, but they are not designed to handle every part of the legal process. Certain areas still require human interpretation, experience, and judgment.
Common limitations include:
- Settlement strategy. AI tools cannot assess tone or adjust for negotiation dynamics
- Unusual legal arguments. New or ambiguous case law often requires creative reasoning, which is beyond AI capabilities
- Subtle nuance. AI may miss cultural context, implied meaning, or sensitive information that impacts legal positioning
- Case strategy. Determining when to take a case, how to present it, or what to emphasize still depends on professional expertise
Legal professionals remain responsible for strategy, communication, and final outcomes. Tools like InPractice are designed to help attorneys and support teams move faster through time-consuming foundational work, such as medical record review. But the decisions, arguments, and results remain in your hands.
How To Evaluate AI Tools For Your Firm
Adopting legal AI can improve workflows, but only if it fits your firm’s specific needs. Here's a more practical and detailed framework to guide your evaluation:
1. Identify Repetitive and Time-Consuming Tasks
- Review recent cases and note where staff spent the most time: medical record review, e-discovery, document comparison, or contract markup.
- Speak with paralegals and junior attorneys to understand pain points. Look for patterns across cases involving large volumes of data.
- Use time-tracking reports to quantify hours spent on routine work. This will provide a baseline to measure improvement.
2. Define Specific, Trackable Goals
- Set 2–3 clear metrics that align with your firm’s caseload. Examples:
- Reduce record review time by 50 percent per case within 30 days.
- Improve document turnaround speed by 25 percent.
- Increase monthly case capacity by 10 percent without adding headcount.
- Prioritize goals based on urgency and strategic value.
3. Test AI Tools on Archived or Closed Cases
- Choose a few past cases that represent different practice areas or complexities.
- Run AI tools as if you were preparing the case again. Measure time saved, number of insights surfaced, and overall accuracy.
- Document any edits or manual work still required to validate the output.
4. Onboard Your Team With Intentional Training
- Offer short, focused demos tailored to each role (attorney, paralegal, assistant).
- Emphasize real outcomes: how this tool will help reduce late nights or speed up reviews.
- Appoint one or two team leads to pilot the tool and report back with pros, cons, and usage tips.
5. Track and Share Outcomes Consistently
- Create a shared dashboard to monitor:
- Time spent on record review before vs. after implementation
- Changes in case prep time
- Attorney feedback and client response times
- Revisit metrics monthly. If the AI tool doesn't deliver measurable gains within 60–90 days, revisit your criteria or consider other options.
Ready To Try Legal AI? Start With InPractice For Medical Record Review
If you’re exploring legal AI, medical record review is one of the best places to start. InPractice gives legal teams a fast, reliable way to generate structured summaries and timelines: no setup, subscription, or training required. You stay in control of every output while saving hours of manual review.
Upload up to 500 pages free to see how InPractice fits into your workflow. It’s a simple way to test legal AI on real case files and decide whether it’s right for your team.
FAQs
What is the best legal AI tool?
The best legal AI tool depends on your practice area and specific needs. For legal research, tools like Lexis+ AI and CoCounsel offer strong capabilities. If you need help summarizing medical records, InPractice is a purpose-built solution trusted. Firms handling general document work often use ChatGPT or Westlaw AI to assist with drafting and review. The best tool is the one that saves your team time without compromising quality or control.
Is there a free legal AI?
Yes, some legal AI tools offer free versions or trials. InPractice allows you to upload up to 500 pages at no cost to test its medical record summarization features. Open AI’s ChatGPT can be used for general drafting and research, but legal professionals should always verify accuracy. Many vendors offer demos or freemium tiers to help firms get started.
What AI are lawyers using?
Lawyers are using a range of tools, including ChatGPT, Lexis+ AI, CoCounsel, Harvey AI, and InPractice. These tools support research, summarization, drafting, e-discovery, and more. Usage depends on the firm’s size, area of law, and preferred workflows.
Is there an AI tool to create legal documents?
Yes. AI tools like CoCounsel and ChatGPT can help draft contracts, pleadings, and memos. Outputs should always be reviewed by a qualified attorney.
Will legal AI replace attorneys or paralegals?
Legal AI tools support legal professionals by handling routine tasks, but do not replace the judgment, expertise, or creativity that attorneys and paralegals bring to legal work. They are tools that enhance human capabilities rather than replacements.
How long does it take to implement legal AI tools in a law practice?
Most legal AI tools can be implemented in a matter of days. Many are cloud-based and require no installation, so teams can begin testing on real cases almost immediately. Tools built specifically for legal workflows often have shorter learning curves and don’t require extensive training or customization.
For example, InPractice can be set up and used within minutes. Legal teams can upload a case, generate AI-powered medical summaries, and review results the same day. There’s no subscription required and no need for IT support, making it easy to start small and scale up only if the tool delivers value.
