Beyond Simple Tools: vLex's Vincent AI and the Future of Trusted Legal AI Platforms

Here is my recent Daily Record column. My past Daily Record articles can be accessed here.

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Beyond Simple Tools: vLex's Vincent AI and the Future of Trusted Legal AI Platforms

There has been a noticeable shift in the way that legal technology companies are approaching generative artificial intelligence (AI) product development. Last year, several general legal assistant chatbots were released, mimicking the functionality of ChatGPT. Next came the emergence of single-point solutions, often developed by start-ups, to address specific workflow challenges such as drafting litigation documents, analyzing contracts, and legal research. 

As we approach the final quarter of 2024, established legal technology providers are more deeply integrating generative AI into comprehensive platforms, streamlining the user interface of legal research, practice management, and document management tools. Rather than standalone tools, generative AI is becoming a core feature of legal platforms, enabling users to access all their data and software seamlessly in one trusted environment.

A notable example is vLex, which acquired Fastcase last year and announced major updates to its Vincent AI product this week. Ed Walters, Chief Strategy Officer, described the update as the transformation from an AI-powered legal research and litigation drafting tool into a full-fledged legal AI platform.

This release expands workflows for transactional, litigation, and contract matters, enabling users to 1) analyze contracts, depositions, and complaints, 2) perform redline analysis and document comparisons, 3) upload documents to find related authorities, 4) generate research memoranda, 5) compare laws across jurisdictions, and 6) explore document collections to extract facts, create timelines, and more.

Similarly, both legal research companies Lexis Nexis and Thomson Reuters rolled out revamped versions of their generative AI assistants last month, reinforcing the trend toward AI-driven platforms. Lexis Nexis introduced Protégé, an AI assistant designed to meet each user’s specific needs and workflows, and serves as the gateway to a suite of Lexis Nexis products. Similarly, Thomson Reuters unveiled CoCounsel 2.0, an enhanced version of its AI assistant that was originally launched last year. Built on technology from its acquisition of Casetext’s CoCounsel, this upgraded legal assistant acts as the central interface for accessing many Thomson Reuters tools and resources, streamlining workflows across its products.

Despite the platform trend, single-point AI solutions remain valuable, especially for solo or small firms looking to streamline specific tasks like document analysis, drafting pleadings, or preparing discovery responses. These standalone tools continue to be developed and offer significant value for firms not already invested in a software ecosystem with integrated AI. If you’re in the market for an AI tool that accomplishes only one task, there’s most likely an AI tool available that fits the bill.

However, for many firms, AI integration into the software platforms they already use will likely be the most practical path forward. This approach helps to bridge the implementation gap and addresses common concerns about trust, which are often barriers to AI adoption. By partnering with trusted legal technology providers, firms can more comfortably adopt AI by leveraging the security and reliability of the platforms already in place.

With the deeper integration of AI into comprehensive legal platforms, the adoption process will become smoother, allowing legal professionals to enjoy the benefits of the reduced friction and tedium resulting from more streamlined law firm processes. This shift will allow legal professionals to focus on more meaningful work, improving both the practice of law and client service. 

Whether a standalone product or built into legal software platforms, generative AI offers significant potential, some of which is already being realized. It’s more than just another tool—it may very well redefine how law firms operate, paving the way for a more efficient and effective future.

Nicole Black is a Rochester, New York attorney, author, journalist, and Principal Legal Insight Strategist at MyCase, CASEpeer, Docketwise, and LawPay, practice management and payment processing tools for lawyers (AffiniPay companies). She is the nationally-recognized author of "Cloud Computing for Lawyers" (2012) and co-authors "Social Media for Lawyers: The Next Frontier" (2010), both published by the American Bar Association. She also co-authors "Criminal Law in New York," a Thomson Reuters treatise. She writes regular columns for Above the Law, ABA Journal, and The Daily Record, has authored hundreds of articles for other publications, and regularly speaks at conferences regarding the intersection of law and emerging technologies. She is an ABA Legal Rebel, and is listed on the Fastcase 50 and ABA LTRC Women in Legal Tech. She can be contacted at [email protected].