LexisNexis, the legal tech giant known for its innovative solutions, is making another leap forward with the launch of Protégé, a personalized AI assistant, along with Create+, an advanced AI-powered legal drafting solution. Both tools are designed to advance legal technology workflows, promising a combination of automation, personalization, and industry-grade content integration. Let’s unpack their features and explore what this might mean for users who integrate these technologies within Microsoft 365.
What Windows users will likely appreciate is familiarity. Instead of shuffling between external apps, legal practitioners can harness AI tools directly in apps they use every day, such as Word and Excel.
As artificial intelligence continues to evolve, tools like Protégé may become indispensable—not just nice-to-have. Whether you’re drafting critical legal documents or managing massive repositories, simplifying workflows while ensuring legal robustness is the future.
What do you think about AI stepping firmly into the legal space? Are tools like Create+ and Protégé a boon or just another tech splurge? Join the discussion on WindowsForum.com!
Source: Legal IT Insider https://legaltechnology.com/2025/01/27/lexisnexis-formally-launches-protege-ai-assistant-and-create-ai-drafting-solution-in-ms365/
What’s New?
- LexisNexis Protégé AI Assistant:
- Functionality: Positioned as more than your run-of-the-mill assistant, Protégé is described as an agentic AI assistant. It can autonomously complete tasks based on set objectives—from drafting litigation documents like motions and briefs to transactional drafting.
- Vault Integration Features: Users can upload massive volumes of legal documents—tens of thousands, in fact—to a feature called Protégé’s Vault. Within this secured repository, Protégé is capable of:
- Summarizing documents.
- Drafting new legal documents.
- Conducting advanced research tasks.
- Personalization: What sets Protégé apart is its ability to adapt to specific organizational workflows using Document Management System (DMS) integration. With DMS capabilities such as iManage, NetDocuments, SharePoint, and Google Drive on the table, it essentially learns from existing documents and organization-specific patterns. Add to that the invaluable legal metadata LexisNexis’s repository offers, Protégé becomes a formidable player in AI-powered legal tech.
- Self-Improvement Mechanism: Far from static functionality, Protégé reviews its own output and identifies how it can improve results for the user.
- Lexis Create+ Integration in Microsoft 365:
- Purpose: Focused on legal drafting, Create+ integrates seamlessly into Microsoft Word, enabling attorneys to pull content from repositories like LexisNexis’s trusted legal resources, firm-specific documents, and AI-provided suggestions in real time.
- In-Document Access: Imagine drafting a brief or motion in Word and having the ability to:
- Instantly research relevant clauses.
- Assimilate firm-approved templates.
- Ensure your document aligns with firm and regional guidelines—all from one platform.
- Multinational Availability: While Protégé is currently available in the U.S., law firms and practitioners in Canada, the UK, and the USA now have access to Create+.
Decrypting the Technology: How It Works
Let’s break down the wizardry behind these tools:1. What the Heck is an Agentic AI Assistant?
The term "agentic" refers to AI systems capable of independent decision-making and action based on high-level inputs or objectives. In simple terms:- You provide a directive, like "Draft a summary of this contract" or "Generate a template for a brief based on specific case law."
- The AI doesn’t just follow a static script—it analyzes, interprets, and autonomously determines the best methodology to achieve the desired result.
2. The Vault: Your AI-Powered, Secure Document Repository
Vault allows firms to take their historical documents, whether they’re NDAs, litigation closings, or employment contracts, and use Protégé’s NLP (Natural Language Processing) prowess to:- Analyze trends across uploaded documents.
- Automate repetitive drafting tasks.
- Connect similar references between old and new cases.
3. Microsoft 365 Meets Tailored Legal Drafting
Integration with Word might sound like “no big deal,” but it’s a game changer when fused with DMS and AI systems:- Having SharePoint serve as the backend for document storage lets mid-tier firms work with localized and custom legal precedents.
- NetDocuments/iManage users capitalize on content standardization, letting the AI draft everything "your way."
- Walk through drafting knowing every sentence recommendation comes vetted—either by LexisNexis or by your firm’s internal policies.
Industry Context: Why This Matters
For legal professionals, time isn’t just money—it’s everything. The rise of generative AI tools such as ChatGPT, Google Bard, and Microsoft’s own Copilot has catalyzed widespread adoption of automation in everyday workflows. However, the challenge in legal settings has always been domain-specific expertise and strict compliance. Protégé and Create+ address this in several ways:- Accuracy through context: Unlike generic AI systems, they ground results in LexisNexis’s database combined with firm-specific nuances.
- Regulatory compliance: Ensure adherence to local and international legal standards, vital across borders.
- Increased productivity: Automating boilerplate drafting or even complex briefs saves hours. This allows law professionals to focus on strategy and case-building over repetitive grunt work.
What’s the Catch?
It sounds dazzling, but let’s step back for a reality check.Learning Curve: Advanced tools like Protégé, by nature, demand onboarding. Firms might need time to personalize Vault content or teach staff how to operationally embed Protégé's workflows into their routines.
Privacy Concerns with DMS Integration: While software can integrate into platforms like iManage or SharePoint, law firms must ensure compliance with privacy laws such as GDPR in the EU or CPRA in California to protect client data.
Cost: AI, especially this kind, doesn’t come cheap. Smaller firms might struggle to justify the ROI, even if the time savings are apparent.
What Does This Mean for Microsoft and Windows Users?
The integration with Microsoft 365 places Windows users in the driver’s seat for maximizing this technology. Legal firms tethered to Office and platforms like SharePoint will benefit from native integration without needing labyrinthine setups for AI interaction. If you’re already running systems on a Windows environment, congratulations—your ecosystem just grew exponentially smarter.What Windows users will likely appreciate is familiarity. Instead of shuffling between external apps, legal practitioners can harness AI tools directly in apps they use every day, such as Word and Excel.
Final Thoughts
LexisNexis’s release of Protégé and Create+ represents a monumental shift in legal technology. By embedding world-class AI straight into Microsoft 365, it combines trusted content with practical usability. Though not without challenges, such as privacy concerns and pricing, tools like these could soon define modern legal operations.As artificial intelligence continues to evolve, tools like Protégé may become indispensable—not just nice-to-have. Whether you’re drafting critical legal documents or managing massive repositories, simplifying workflows while ensuring legal robustness is the future.
What do you think about AI stepping firmly into the legal space? Are tools like Create+ and Protégé a boon or just another tech splurge? Join the discussion on WindowsForum.com!
Source: Legal IT Insider https://legaltechnology.com/2025/01/27/lexisnexis-formally-launches-protege-ai-assistant-and-create-ai-drafting-solution-in-ms365/
