• Thread Author
The legal sector is entering a new era of efficiency and innovation, and Simmons & Simmons is leading the charge with its groundbreaking AI-powered platform, Percy AI. As law firms are increasingly inundated with complex documents—from lengthy contracts and witness statements to court filings and client emails—the ability to process and extract insights swiftly is more than a luxury; it’s essential for maintaining competitiveness. With Percy AI at its core, Simmons & Simmons is not only augmenting day-to-day productivity but is also setting an industry benchmark for the integration of generative AI in legal practice.

Navigating the Document Deluge​

Legal professionals have long grappled with an overwhelming flood of paperwork that demands precision, analysis, and rapid turnaround. Imagine sifting through hundreds of pages of dense legal text to identify key themes or inconsistencies—tasks that traditionally could take hours of painstaking work. Percy AI changes this landscape dramatically. By leveraging state-of-the-art generative AI technology, Percy can analyze and summarize large volumes of information in a matter of seconds.
A particularly striking example came during a live demonstration by Catalina Perdomo, a senior legal engineer at Simmons & Simmons. In the demo, a 550-page transcript of a legal case was fed into Percy AI, which then generated an organized, tabular summary of the arguments and themes advanced by each party. For lawyers, whose practice hinges on precise fact-finding and evidence-based arguments, this ability to distill vast amounts of data rapidly means not only improved efficiency but also a significant boost in competitive advantage.

Percy AI’s Rapid Evolution​

Percy AI began its journey in 2023 as a secure experimental environment built on Microsoft Azure OpenAI. Initially, the platform was designed to serve as a testbed for generative AI applications within the firm. However, it quickly evolved from a nascent tool into a comprehensive platform that everyone at Simmons & Simmons could use—not just the legal teams.
Key milestones in Percy AI’s development include:
  • Launch of Percy 1.0 (2023): A secure environment to experiment with cutting-edge generative AI capabilities.
  • The Role of AI Champions: A dedicated team of 71 AI Champions and Coordinators worked closely with employees to identify over 270 potential AI use cases. This grassroots initiative ensured that the platform was responsive to real-world needs.
  • Percy 2.0 (February 2025): Featuring document upload functions, an enhanced inference engine, and robust document comparison capabilities, this version dramatically expanded both the usage and sophistication of the platform. Daily engagement with the tool has become a norm as most employees now rely on Percy for essential tasks every week.
By fostering an inclusive AI culture, Simmons & Simmons has architected a solution that goes beyond automating routine tasks—it enhances the quality of work and reinvents how legal professionals handle unstructured data.

The Technology Behind Percy AI​

At the heart of Percy AI’s effectiveness lies its sophisticated Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) capability. Traditional AI systems can struggle with maintaining contextual relevance, especially when processing lengthy documents or nuanced legal texts. Percy overcomes this with an advanced inference engine that methodically applies logical rules to uploaded files, ensuring that outputs are both accurate and contextually relevant.
The system’s integration with Microsoft Azure OpenAI provides the dual benefits of high-powered processing and a secure cloud environment. This combination is particularly critical in the legal sector, where data sensitivity and factual accuracy are non-negotiable. By harnessing RAG, Percy AI not only saves time—what would normally take hours of manual review now happens in seconds—but also boosts user confidence in the reliability of the insights produced.
Some of the key technical features include:
  • Enhanced Inference Engine: Applies logical rules to data, ensuring that each output is contextually anchored to the source documents.
  • Document Upload and Analysis: Supports multiple file formats including PDFs, images, emails, and even handwritten notes, making it a versatile tool for comprehensive document analysis.
  • Real-Time Query Capabilities: Allows users to interrogate documents in innovative ways, such as comparing witness statements to identify inconsistencies or contrasting risk reports across different industries.

Driving Operational Excellence and Competitiveness​

For legal practices, the ability to process information quickly and accurately isn’t merely a time-saving feature—it can significantly impact their market position. Drew Winlaw, Partner and Global Lead of Gen AI & LLM at Simmons & Simmons, emphasizes that while Percy AI’s primary function might be to enhance productivity, the broader benefit lies in improving the quality of work. With Percy AI, lawyers can now focus on the more complex and strategic facets of their work rather than being bogged down by routine tasks.
A few areas in which Percy AI is making a tangible difference include:
  • Drafting Documents and Data Analysis: Routine tasks such as drafting and analyzing legal documents are accelerated, freeing up skilled professionals to concentrate on areas demanding intricate legal reasoning.
  • Comparative Analysis: By juxtaposing different sets of data—like witness statements or industry risk reports—Percy uncovers nuances and inconsistencies that might be overlooked in a manual review.
  • Enhanced Decision Making: With rapid retrieval and contextual answers, legal professionals can make faster, evidence-based decisions, strengthening their case arguments and overall strategy.
These improvements not only bolster the firm’s operational efficiency but also contribute to a more agile response to the dynamic legal landscape.

A Social Impact: Pro Bono Powered by AI​

One of the more inspiring aspects of Percy AI is its contribution to pro bono legal services. Simmons & Simmons has long supported charitable organizations, NGOs, and social enterprises by lending their expertise to those in need. With Percy AI in their arsenal, the firm has extended this mission by accelerating routine processes that are critical to translating legal documents and expediting case progression.
The efficiency brought by Percy AI means that pro bono teams can dedicate more time to strategic case work, thereby offering even better services to underrepresented communities. This dual approach—not just enhancing productivity for profit-driven tasks but also magnifying social impact—positions the firm as a forward-thinking leader in the legal domain.

Looking Forward: The Promise of Percy AI 3.0​

The journey of Percy AI is far from over. As Simmons & Simmons plans for the much-anticipated Percy 3.0, the future holds exciting prospects. The upcoming version aims to transform the platform into a fully-fledged Generative AI ecosystem where legal professionals can collaboratively tackle complex tasks. This next iteration is expected to include:
  • Collaborative Workspaces: A shared digital space where legal teams can work collectively, ask agents to perform multifaceted tasks, and integrate insights seamlessly across different divisions.
  • Enhanced LLM-Driven Inference Engine: Building on the foundations of the current model, this upgrade promises significantly higher output quality than standard large language models.
  • New Income Streams: By developing innovative legal services powered by AI, the firm is poised not only for operational efficiencies but also for generating new revenue streams as their clients increasingly adopt these advanced technologies.
David Huston, the LLM Programme Lead at Simmons & Simmons, reinforces this optimistic future by highlighting ongoing collaborations with Microsoft. Together, they are tailoring a legal inference engine capable of tackling even more specialized, complex tasks—a testament to the transformative potential of the platform.

Implications for the Legal and Tech Communities​

Percy AI’s evolution is a microcosm of a larger trend: the integration of AI across industries traditionally resistant to rapid digital transformation. For Windows users and IT experts alike, this case study is a vivid example of how cutting-edge technologies—when tailored to specific sectors—can redefine professional practices. Here are some broader implications:
  • Empowered Decision Making: In an age where data is paramount, platforms like Percy underscore the importance of actionable insights, which can be a game-changer not only for legal practices but also for sectors like finance, healthcare, and beyond.
  • Operational Streamlining: Automation of routine tasks through AI allows professionals to focus on higher-order challenges. For organizations reliant on Windows-based infrastructure, this is a beacon of how AI can enhance productivity without sacrificing accuracy.
  • Increased Collaboration: The anticipated collaborative features of Percy 3.0 suggest a future where cross-functional teamwork is the norm. IT professionals can draw lessons here about integrating AI-powered tools into everyday workflows, ensuring that technology serves as both an enabler and a unifier.
  • Security and Compliance: Leveraging Microsoft Azure OpenAI means that Percy AI meets stringent security protocols, an important reassurance for legal firms handling sensitive data. For Windows users concerned with cybersecurity advisories and encryption standards, this is a positive signal toward the safe adoption of AI tools.

Conclusion​

Percy AI represents more than just a technological innovation—it symbolizes a transformative shift in the legal industry. By harnessing the power of generative AI and integrating it seamlessly into daily workflows, Simmons & Simmons is setting new standards for legal productivity, quality, and competitive edge. This pioneering platform, built on secure and robust Microsoft Azure OpenAI technology, ensures that even the most complex and voluminous data can be managed efficiently and accurately.
For Windows users and beyond, Percy AI serves as a reminder that the future of work lies in embracing smart automation. With the anticipated launch of Percy 3.0, the potential to not only streamline legal operations but also to foster collaboration and generate new income streams is immense. As technology continues to evolve, so too will our strategies for navigating information-heavy professions—ushering in an era where artificial intelligence empowers professionals to reach new heights in excellence.
In the broader context, Percy AI highlights the critical importance of staying ahead of the technological curve. Whether you’re a legal expert, an IT professional, or simply a Windows user fascinated by the intersection of technology and innovation, the evolution of platforms like Percy AI offers compelling insights into how generative AI can reshape industries. The message is clear: the future is now, and it is powered by innovative AI solutions that not only save time but also enhance the very quality of our work.

Source: Microsoft Meet Percy: the legal AI platform giving Simmons & Simmons the edge
 
Last edited:
The legal profession is stepping into a new era where artificial intelligence and robust data management converge to streamline day-to-day operations and improve decision-making. The recent announcement by LawToolBox about its enhanced Copilot Agent for Microsoft 365 is a prime example of this transformation. By integrating client matter containers into Microsoft 365 and customizing the AI response through a community-driven prompt library, LawToolBox is turning Microsoft 365 Copilot into a laser-focused legal tool. This development is not just another software update—it represents a paradigm shift in how legal professionals manage their workloads while safeguarding client data.

Merging AI with Legal Practice: A New Frontier​

Law firms have long relied on manual processes, from calendaring crucial deadlines to managing heaps of documents stored in various legacy systems. In our increasingly digital world, inefficiencies and the risk of error can translate into high stakes for legal organizations. With the advent of artificial intelligence, the legal landscape is ripe for disruption. LawToolBox’s recent move to integrate with Microsoft 365 Copilot is at the forefront of this change.

The Role of Microsoft 365 Copilot​

Microsoft 365 Copilot is not just another intelligent assistant—it is a powerful AI tool designed to enhance productivity across multiple domains. However, as any legal professional can attest, a generic AI solution can sometimes lack the nuance required for complex legal tasks. For instance, when asked about “upcoming deadlines,” a standalone Copilot system might inadvertently conflate legal deadlines with personal reminders for birthdays or routine appointments.
By providing LawToolBox’s client matter containers as contextual anchors, the system ensures that queries are grounded exclusively in legal data. In other words, when an attorney asks about deadlines, Copilot returns a clean, relevant list that is intimately connected with the attorney’s active client matters. This capability is a game changer—instead of sifting through irrelevant information, legal professionals can zero in on what matters most to their practice.

LawToolBox and Microsoft 365: A Seamless Integration​

The integration of LawToolBox with Microsoft 365 Copilot isn’t a mere surface-level enhancement; it’s a robust, architecture-level merger that leverages the combined strengths of both platforms.

Customizable Community Prompt Library​

One of the standout features of this integration is the Microsoft Copilot community prompt library. Here’s how it works:
  • Tailored for the Legal Sector: LawToolBox has developed a specialized prompt library that legal professionals can customize. Designated prompt experts within each firm can adapt prompts to match specific practice areas, ensuring that Copilot’s responses are not only accurate but deeply contextual.
  • Community-Driven Innovations: The system allows industry thought leaders to contribute to the prompt library. These contributions are attributed to the experts, building a network of shared knowledge that benefits the broader legal community.
  • Personalized Prompt Gallery: Once the community prompt library is customized, each legal professional can save selected prompts directly to their Microsoft Copilot prompt gallery. This ensures that every query leverages the most relevant and context-rich responses tailored to their workflow.
This approach places significant power in the hands of legal practitioners. By bridging community expertise with advanced AI, LawToolBox ensures that every query posed to Copilot is informed by collective industry wisdom. It’s like having a seasoned legal team advising your every digital interaction.

Client Matter Containers in Microsoft 365​

At the heart of this integration is the concept of client matter containers. LawToolBox activates these containers within Microsoft 365, essentially creating a dedicated space where all legal data—be it calendars, deadlines, files, or correspondence—is organized and securely maintained. This integration delivers several benefits:
  • Enhanced Data Relevance: By anchoring Copilot’s queries within a client matter container, attorneys receive answers that are limited to their actual legal work.
  • Streamlined Workflow: The process ensures that the legal calendar, documents, and deadlines are aggregated in one trusted location within Microsoft 365, reducing the need to switch between disparate systems.
  • Inherited Security and Compliance: With the integration, client matter containers inherit Microsoft Purview sensitivity labels. This is crucial for compliance with industry regulations and internal policies, offering an additional layer of security without any extra administrative overhead.

Revolutionizing Legal Queries with Contextual Intelligence​

Imagine an attorney in the midst of a hectic day asking, “What are my upcoming deadlines?” In a traditional setup, the answer might be muddled with distractions from non-legal reminders. With LawToolBox’s integration, however, the response is sharply focused. Here’s the difference in a nutshell:
  • Without LawToolBox: Copilot might retrieve a mix of data—legal deadlines, personal calendar events, even reminders about unrelated administrative tasks.
  • With LawToolBox: The query is grounded in the client matter container. The answer is streamlined to only include legally relevant deadlines, ensuring that the attorney is not sidetracked by extraneous information.
This enhancement is not just about efficiency—it’s about accuracy in a field where missteps can have significant consequences.

Security and Compliance: The Backbone of the Integration​

Data security remains a top priority in any legal environment, and this integration leverages Microsoft’s extensive security framework. Microsoft invests over a billion dollars a year in protecting the Microsoft 365 platform, ensuring that it stands as one of the most secure enterprise environments available.

Key Security and Compliance Features​

  • Purview Sensitivity Labels: When LawToolBox provisions client matter containers, they automatically inherit sensitivity labels from Microsoft Purview. This means that even if a legal professional is managing highly sensitive case information, it remains locked down with enterprise-grade security controls.
  • Seamless Integration with Existing Security Infrastructure: The client matter containers are nestled within the Microsoft ecosystem. As a result, the same robust security protocols that protect Microsoft Teams, Outlook, and SharePoint extend to LawToolBox’s data management framework.
  • Automated Security Controls: With native integrations in place, many security processes are automated. This reduces the risk of human error and ensures that legal data is both secure and compliant with evolving regulatory standards.
For law firms, this integration not only enhances productivity but also provides peace of mind. They can be confident that the sensitive information critical to their work is managed on one of the most secure platforms available today.

Bridging Systems: Integrating with Billing and Document Management Solutions​

A significant challenge in the legal industry is managing data across numerous systems, such as billing platforms and document management systems (DMS). LawToolBox addresses this by offering seamless integrations with leading systems, including:
  • DMS Solutions: Platforms like iManage and NetDocuments are already trusted by legal professionals to manage documents securely. LawToolBox integrates with these systems to automate the creation of client matter containers in Microsoft 365, ensuring that all legal data is consistent and accessible.
  • Billing Systems and Beyond: LawToolBox works with various billing systems, and integration partners such as Centerbase, Coyote, Soluno, and SurePoint LMS extend its functionality. Even legal organizations with custom accounting or case management systems can leverage Microsoft Azure Logic Apps to feed data into the LawToolBox environment.

How These Integrations Benefit Legal Organizations​

  • Unified Data Ecosystem: Legal professionals no longer need to navigate multiple systems. Instead, billing, calendaring, and document handling converge within Microsoft 365 under the LawToolBox umbrella.
  • Automation of Routine Tasks: The integration automates tasks that would otherwise be time-consuming if done manually. From populating client matter containers to updating case statuses, automation lowers the risk of errors and increases overall efficiency.
  • Enhanced Data Integrity: With data flowing seamlessly between systems, discrepancies are minimized, ensuring that legal teams work with accurate and up-to-date information at all times.

Increased Productivity: A Win for Legal Professionals​

By anchoring Microsoft 365 Copilot with LawToolBox’s client matter containers, legal professionals can streamline their daily operations significantly. Here are some concrete ways this integration boosts productivity:
  • Focused Query Responses: As discussed, the system ensures that queries related to deadlines or case details return only relevant information. This means attorneys spend less time filtering out noise and more time on substantive legal work.
  • Customized AI Responses: The community prompt library allows for personalized responses. Legal professionals can fine-tune Copilot to address the nuances specific to their practice area, whether it’s litigation, corporate law, or another specialty.
  • Integrated Workflows: With critical functions integrated within the Microsoft 365 ecosystem, legal teams can work without constantly switching between multiple platforms. This not only saves time but also reduces the likelihood of oversight.
  • Empowering Internal Sales and Service Providers: Managed Service Providers (MSPs) and resellers benefit too. They have a potent tool that bridges the gap between internal client legal departments and broader organizational needs, which can streamline sales processes and drive additional revenue streams.

Industry Voices: Expert Endorsements and Future Potential​

Industry figures are already taking note of this innovation. Microsoft’s Corporate Vice President for Microsoft 365 Copilot Ecosystem, Srini Raghavan, has highlighted the significant role that context plays in delivering accurate AI responses for legal matters. Coupled with the enthusiastic endorsement of legal technology thought leaders, these expert opinions reinforce that LawToolBox is setting a new standard for legal AI solutions.
Carol-Lynn Grow, co-founder and COO at LawToolBox, emphasized the mission behind the integration: to seamlessly mesh with the Microsoft ecosystem so that legal professionals can rely on AI without compromising the specificity or security of their client data. This integration is as much about leveraging existing technology investments as it is about paving the way for future innovations in legal practice.

The Broader Implications​

  • For LawToolBox: This integration strengthens its reputation as the leading legal solution leveraging the power of Microsoft 365. By being the only product that organizes and aggregates legal calendars, files, and data within this environment, LawToolBox is poised to become indispensable in the legal tech landscape.
  • For Managed Service Providers and Resellers: The tool provides a unique opportunity to tap into corporate legal departments, which are often the gatekeepers for wider organizational technology changes. This could allow MSPs and resellers to secure new business opportunities and meet internal sales targets more effectively.
  • For Legal Professionals: The direct benefit is clear—enhanced efficiency, reduced risk, and the empowerment to focus on legal strategy rather than mundane administrative tasks.

Looking Ahead: The Future of Legal AI Integration​

As LawToolBox continues its tour across Microsoft Innovation Hubs in the US and EMEA, the momentum behind this integration is clear. Early demos have shown that when technology is carefully tailored to meet the exacting standards of the legal industry, the benefits are profound. Looking to the future:
  • Scaling Community Contributions: The community prompt library is set to evolve with ongoing contributions from legal professionals and thought leaders. This evolving resource will only increase in value, providing ever-more tailored AI interactions.
  • Enhanced Collaboration: With integration already in place for platforms like Microsoft Teams, Outlook, and SharePoint, future enhancements could streamline even more collaboration tools, further reducing the friction between legal administration and practice.
  • Security Enhancements: Continuous updates from Microsoft regarding security patches and innovative data protection measures mean that legal organizations can expect a consistently high level of data protection. Combining these with LawToolBox’s integration only strengthens the overall cybersecurity posture.
  • Future Integrations: As additional integration partners come on board, legal organizations may soon find even more tools working together seamlessly—transforming a traditionally siloed industry into a model of interconnected efficiency.

Final Thoughts​

The integration of LawToolBox with Microsoft 365 Copilot is more than an incremental upgrade—it’s a leap toward a smarter, more responsive legal practice. By combining the scalable security and collaborative power of Microsoft 365 with LawToolBox’s industry-specific innovations, legal professionals now have a tool that elevates their everyday interactions with AI.
Key takeaways include:
  • A robust community-driven prompt library tailored specifically for legal contexts.
  • Dedicated client matter containers that ensure Copilot’s responses are tightly bound to legal data.
  • Seamless integrations with leading document management and billing systems, creating a unified data ecosystem.
  • Enhanced security measures, drawing on Microsoft’s significant investments in protecting the Microsoft 365 platform.
  • Increased productivity and operational efficiency, enabling law firms to focus more on strategic legal work rather than administrative overhead.
This collaborative synergy between AI, legal expertise, and robust data security sets a new standard in legal technology. As law firms continue to seek solutions that align with modern work environments and stringent security requirements, the LawToolBox and Microsoft 365 Copilot integration is poised to become a vital asset in the legal tech toolkit.
In an industry where every detail counts and every deadline can have profound implications, having an intelligent assistant backed by deep legal context isn’t just convenient—it’s essential. The days of generic, one-size-fits-all AI are over. Today’s legal professionals deserve a tool that adapts to the intricacies of their work, and LawToolBox is delivering just that.
For legal professionals, managed service providers, and industry observers alike, this development signifies a step into a future where technology and tradition merge seamlessly. It’s a future where the power of AI is harnessed, not to replace human expertise, but to amplify it—allowing legal experts to focus on what they do best while leaving the mundane, yet essential, tasks to capable digital allies.
The road ahead looks promising, and as technology continues to evolve, one thing is clear: when legal acumen meets cutting-edge AI integrated within the secure embrace of Microsoft 365, the potential for innovation is immense. LawToolBox is leading the charge, and the broader legal community can only stand to benefit from this transformative journey.
In the rapidly shifting landscape of legal technology, it pays to keep an eye on developments like this. As firms across the country—and around the globe—begin to harness these advanced tools, the practical benefits will speak for themselves, setting a new benchmark for efficiency, security, and precision in legal practice.

Source: StreetInsider https://www.streetinsider.com/PRNewswire/LawToolBox+Agent+Turns+Microsoft+365+Copilot+into+an+AI+Tool+for+Legal/24586219.html
 
Last edited: