The Applications of AI in Litigation

Legal work is getting a boost from AI. Litigation is faster, more streamlined, and a lot less tedious, thanks to AI. Lawyers can now focus on the important parts of their job. Here’s how it’s being used in litigation today.

1. eDiscovery

Discovery is one of the most time-consuming parts of litigation. Finding the right stuff in a sea of emails, contracts, and case files takes forever. Lawyers and their assistants can spend weeks on this alone. 

AI-powered eDiscovery tools take the heavy lifting off legal teams by scanning massive amounts of data in minutes.

Think of it like this: people reviewing things manually miss things. These tools, using machine learning, are much better at finding patterns, spotting errors, and highlighting important details. They’re much more accurate. 

Instead of digging through endless documents, attorneys get a prioritized list of the most relevant files, making it easier to focus on building their case.

Besides saving you time, AI helps prevent those annoying little mistakes we all make sometimes. Overlooking evidence weakens any argument. But AI catches everything to minimize that problem. 

With tighter deadlines and increasing data volumes in litigation, AI-driven eDiscovery helps firms stay ahead without getting buried in paperwork.

2. Legal Research

Finding the right case law, statutes, and legal precedents takes up a significant portion of an attorney’s time. Research platforms using AI speed things up; they quickly find the right cases and give you the main legal points.

Instead of manually combing through databases, lawyers can rely on AI to surface the most applicable rulings in seconds.

A few platforms offer case comparisons to show where arguments might fall short. Attorneys use this to make their strategies sharper. 

Less time researching means more time crafting winning arguments for your clients. 

3. Drafting Legal Documents

Legal document drafting is another area where AI is making a difference. Whether it’s responding to discovery requests, preparing contracts, or reviewing your legal writing, AI-powered tools automate much of the process with generative AI and large language models.

Generative AI tools generate templates based on past cases and legal best practices. Imagine trying to build a house without a blueprint.  These tools are like that blueprint, making sure everything is done correctly and nothing is forgotten.

Essentially, using AI for writing is great for saving time; it handles a lot of the grunt work, but human review is still necessary.

A great example of this is Briefpoint, an AI-driven platform designed to handle discovery responses efficiently. Instead of spending hours drafting responses manually, attorneys can use Briefpoint to generate high-quality, customized discovery documents in minutes.

The tool automates formatting, inserts relevant objections, and structures responses based on legal standards—saving firms time and reducing errors.

By integrating AI-powered tools like Briefpoint, attorneys can focus more on case strategy and client advocacy rather than getting bogged down by repetitive paperwork.

4. Case Strategy and Predictions

One of AI’s most powerful applications in litigation is predictive analytics.

Using past cases and their results, AI can figure out the probable outcome of a new case. It does this by also looking at settlement patterns. Better decisions about settling versus trial are easier for attorneys with this information. 

Some AI tools even assess the strengths and weaknesses of different legal arguments so lawyers can fine-tune their approach. While AI can’t guarantee an outcome, it provides valuable insights that help firms manage risk and develop stronger case strategies.

5. Compliance and Risk Management

AI is also playing a key role in regulatory compliance. Law firms dealing with highly regulated industries—such as finance, healthcare, and corporate law—use AI to review contracts and agreements for compliance risks.

Legal issues? These tools will flag them. Need contract revisions? They’ll suggest them. Want to compare your new contract to past agreements? These tools make it easy to achieve better consistency.

Firms can sidestep costly legal battles by automating compliance checks; this helps prevent missing important requirements.

6. Contract Review and Analysis

Reviewing contracts manually can take hours, especially for firms handling large volumes of agreements.

Contracts get a speed boost from AI; it spots inconsistencies, missing pieces, and possible problems. It can also compare agreements against previous versions to highlight any changes that may impact legal standing.

AI-powered contract analysis tools don’t just speed up reviews—they improve accuracy by catching details that a human reviewer might overlook. 

This is particularly useful for transactional law, mergers and acquisitions, and employment agreements, where small errors can lead to significant legal consequences.

7. Client Communication and Chatbots

While AI won’t replace direct client interactions, it can make communication more efficient. Some law firms use AI-powered chatbots to handle routine inquiries, schedule consultations, and provide basic legal information. Lawyers gain extra time; clients get quicker responses. 

Chatbots can’t offer legal advice, but they can assist with initial intake, document collection, and FAQs. Clients can access law firms more easily, and it doesn’t mean more work for the firms.

8. Fraud Detection and Investigations

Finding fraud and misconduct is easier with AI, mainly because it’s really good at picking up patterns in huge data sets.

Law firms and corporate legal departments use AI to analyze financial records, contracts, and communications for suspicious activity. Spotting possible fraud is easier for legal teams thanks to these tools, which identify irregularities. Investigations become more efficient as a result. 

AI is particularly useful in white-collar crime cases, regulatory investigations, and corporate compliance audits, where finding key evidence quickly can make a significant difference.

What Are The Benefits of Adopting AI Into Your Practice?

AI isn’t just about speeding up processes—it brings real, measurable advantages to law firms. By handling repetitive legal tasks, improving accuracy, and reducing costs, AI allows attorneys to focus on strategy, client relationships, and complex work.

Here’s how integrating AI into your practice can make a difference.

Faster, More Efficient Workflows

Legal work comes with a ton of paperwork, research, and repetitive tasks, especially during litigation. AI takes a lot of that off an attorney’s plate by speeding up processes like document review and case research.

For example, generative AI models and natural language processing (NLP) can help you draft documents in minutes instead of the hours (or days) it would usually take.

So, instead of spending eternity digging through discovery documents or searching for relevant case law, AI can pull up what’s needed in minutes. That means lawyers can focus more on case strategy and less on tedious admin work.

Cost Savings

Law firms run on billable hours, but not all billable work adds real value.

Automating routine tasks like legal research and document creation with AI offers substantial cost reductions. This efficiency boost translates directly to the bottom line for businesses. For example, a law firm could reduce its administrative costs by 15% or more.

Take Briefpoint, for example—it slashes the time attorneys spend drafting discovery responses, saving firms around $20,477 per year, per attorney. That’s money that can be reinvested into client service, firm growth, or even taking on more cases without overloading the team.

Improved Accuracy and Reduced Errors

Even the best attorneys can miss small details when reviewing stacks of documents. AI provides an extra layer of accuracy by flagging inconsistencies, spotting missing clauses in contracts, and identifying compliance risks before they become problems.

It won’t replace human judgment, but it can help make sure nothing slips through the cracks. With AI handling the heavy lifting, legal teams can be more confident that their research and filings are rock-solid.

Better Decision-Making

By analyzing past rulings, settlement trends, and even judge behavior, AI can predict case outcomes with surprising accuracy. Before court or settlement talks, this gives lawyers a much better idea of their likelihood of success.

High-stakes litigation? Forget relying solely on intuition. Data-driven strategies provide a powerful competitive edge.

More Time for High-Value Work

Legal work isn’t just about filing motions and drafting contracts—client relationships and courtroom strategy matter just as much. AI helps attorneys shift their focus from repetitive admin tasks to the work that truly moves the needle.

Because AI now does the legwork of research, document preparation, and compliance reviews, lawyers have more time for the things that really matter: building winning cases, negotiating fair settlements, and providing expert advice to their clients. 

This means better representation for everyone.

Better Client Service

Clients want quick answers and timely updates, and AI helps law firms deliver just that. Chatbots and virtual assistants can handle basic client inquiries, schedule meetings, and even help with initial case intake.

AI-powered document automation tools also speed up response times, so clients aren’t left waiting on paperwork. Ultimately, this results in a more seamless experience for clients and less back-and-forth for attorneys.

Scalability for Law Firms

Growing a law firm takes more than just adding new attorneys—it requires efficient processes. AI makes it easier for firms to scale without hiring an army of associates.

Smaller businesses can handle a bigger caseload by automating their busywork. This prevents them from becoming overloaded.

It’s a win-win: Smaller legal practices can compete with larger ones by providing excellent service at a reasonable cost. This means clients get quality representation without the hefty price tag.

Are There Any Limitations or Drawbacks to AI-Powered Litigation?

AI is a powerful tool, but it’s not perfect.

One of the biggest concerns is that AI lacks human judgment. While it can analyze documents, predict case outcomes, and automate research, it doesn’t understand legal nuances the way a trained attorney does. Complex cases require strategic thinking, negotiation skills, and ethical considerations that AI simply can’t handle.

Bias is another issue. AI learns from the past. So, if past court cases showed bias, the AI might repeat those same mistakes. Attorneys must check AI suggestions; otherwise, predictions and recommendations might be biased.

There’s also the matter of cost and implementation. While AI can save money in the long run, high-quality legal AI tools require upfront investment and ongoing training. Firms must integrate these tools into their workflow and make sure staff knows how to use them effectively.

Don’t forget the laws and the moral side of things. These are critical considerations. Legal work from AI needs a lawyer’s check to make sure it’s right and follows all the rules.

Courts may also challenge AI-generated filings or arguments, making it clear that while AI can assist in litigation, it won’t be replacing attorneys anytime soon.

What Does AI Mean For the Future of the Legal Profession?

The legal field is changing thanks to AI, and it’s happening faster than most people thought. When OpenAI first released ChatGPT, most law firms weren’t paying much attention.

A survey from Thomson Reuters found that only 3% of attorneys and law firm staff were actually using AI, and 60% had no plans to adopt it. Even firms that were considering AI were hesitant to implement it in real legal work.

Less than a year later, the landscape had completely shifted. A follow-up survey of top U.S. law firms revealed that AI was already making an impact.

While many firms initially limited its use to internal tasks that didn’t involve client data, nearly half of the Am Law 100 firms had started actively using AI for legal research, business operations, and case strategy.

This rapid adoption shows that AI isn’t just a passing trend for the legal industry—it’s a fundamental shift in how legal work gets done. While AI won’t replace attorneys, firms that embrace it will be better positioned to stay competitive, improve efficiency, and provide faster, more accurate legal services.

Your Discovery Process Doesn’t Have to Be a Drag

Here’s a clear fact—litigation comes with a lot of tedious work. You didn’t become a lawyer to spend hours drafting discovery responses or digging through endless case files. And this is exactly why AI is becoming more and more of a necessity for legal professionals these days.

Adopting AI is all about giving you the tools to work faster and more efficiently. The firms that embrace AI aren’t drowning in paperwork. They’re focusing on case strategy, client advocacy, and winning.

If you’re tired of spending hours on discovery drafting, Briefpoint makes it simple. Generate structured, professional responses in minutes instead of wasting valuable time on formatting and repetitive edits. More efficiency means more time for legal work that actually matters!

See what it can do for your legal practice—schedule a Briefpoint demo today.

Make Your Litigation Workflows More Value-Adding

Discovery responses cost firms $23,240, per year, per attorney. $23,240 estimate assumes an associate attorney salary of $150,000 (including benefits – or $83 an hour), 20 cases per year/per associate, 4 discovery sets per case, 30 questions per set, 3.5 hours spent responding to each set, and 1800 hours of billable hours per year.

Book a demo and save on these costs with Briefpoint.

1. Briefpoint.ai

Briefpoint.ai takes away the burden of one of the most repetitive legal processes: discovery document preparation. 

When done manually, law firms would typically have to spend hours–if not days–on drafting discovery documents. And that’s just one part of the tedious discovery process.

With Briefpoint’s generative AI, legal teams can draft discovery response documents in minutes. These include but are not limited to:

• Requests for admission
• Requests for production
• Interrogatories

The process is as simple as it can be:

• Upload your opposing counsel’s discovery request—Briefpoint automatically extracts key details like court name, case number, and parties involved.
• Select objections and responses—Briefpoint pre-fills objections and responses for each request or interrogatory, allowing you to customize as needed.
• Use Briefpoint Bridge to collect client input—select the interrogatories that require client responses, send them a plain-English questionnaire, and seamlessly integrate their answers into the document.
• Download your draft in Microsoft Word—get a fully formatted, near-complete document in minutes, ready for review and final edits.

Briefpoint.ai saves legal professionals thousands of dollars every year. More importantly, lawyers and paralegals can spend the extra time on more impactful and engaging work.

Try it for yourself today!

2. Clio

Clio has long been the answer for law firms and legal professionals looking for a simple yet effective practice management system.

Source: G2

Its comprehensive suite is remarkably user-friendly and accessible to a broad range of professionals, regardless of their technical expertise. It includes:

• Case management: Organizes client matters, documents, and communications in one centralized platform.
• Time tracking & billing: Tracks billable hours, generates invoices, and integrates with payment processing tools.
• Document management: Stores, organizes, and shares legal documents securely with version control.
• Client intake & CRM: Streamlines client onboarding with customizable intake forms and contact management.
• Task & workflow automation: Automates routine legal workflows to improve efficiency and reduce administrative tasks.
• Secure communication: Provides encrypted messaging and client portals for confidential interactions.
• Integrations & API access: Connects with legal tech tools like QuickBooks, Microsoft 365, and Zoom.

As a cloud-based litigation platform, Clio offers the flexibility required in today’s legal environment and allows work to be conducted from virtually anywhere. 

This adaptability is especially valuable given the increasing shift towards remote and flexible working arrangements.

3. Everlaw

Everlaw is a global leader in advanced discovery and litigation support solutions. Its platform is known for merging cutting-edge technology with an intuitive design to manage the complexities of legal document analysis and case preparation efficiently.

Source: G2

Its tools are designed to simplify the electronic discovery process. This includes:

• Predictive coding: Uses machine learning to prioritize and categorize documents, speeding up the review process.
• AI-powered document review: Automates document analysis, helping legal teams quickly identify relevant information.
• Advanced search and filtering: Offers powerful search capabilities with Boolean operators and AI-driven suggestions.
• Redaction and annotation tools: Allows users to highlight, redact, and comment on key information directly within documents.
• Case timeline visualization: Helps legal teams track case progress and connect key events through interactive timelines.
• Automated transcription: Converts audio and video files into searchable text for faster review.

What’s also great about Everlaw is how it champions team collaboration. The platform includes tools for annotation, tagging, and sharing documents, enabling team members to work together regardless of their physical location.

4.LawVu

LawVu combines multiple aspects of legal operations into one convenient platform. This approach is meant to address the specific needs of in-house corporate legal departments and improve the efficiency, collaboration, and overall management of legal matters.

Source: G2

The platform offers:

• Matter management: Centralizes all legal matters, documents, and communications in one platform.
• Contract lifecycle management: Tracks contracts from drafting to execution with automated workflows.
• Spend management: Monitors legal expenses, invoices, and budgets to control costs.
• Knowledge management: Stores and organizes legal documents, templates, and historical case data.
• Task & workflow automation: Streamlines legal processes with automated task assignments and approvals.
• Collaboration tools: Enables secure communication and collaboration between in-house teams and external counsel.

Plus, LawVu’s platform includes advanced analytics and reporting capabilities, which allow legal services to get a clear grasp of their operations, assess performance, and make data-driven decisions to improve their services.

5. LeanLaw

LeanLaw is a smart solution for smaller and mid-sized law firms looking to mesh their legal practice needs with solid accounting.

Source: LeanLaw.com

By teaming up with QuickBooks Online, LeanLaw taps into powerful accounting tools and makes the whole financial side of running a law firm—from keeping track of billable hours to keeping an eye on the firm’s finances—a lot smoother and more straightforward.

Here’s a look at some of its key features:

• Time tracking: Tracks billable hours with real-time timers and manual entry options.
• Automated billing & invoicing: Generates invoices with LEDES compliance and integrates with QuickBooks.
• Trust accounting: Manages client trust accounts with built-in compliance safeguards.
• Expense tracking: Logs case-related expenses and links them to client invoices.
• Revenue & compensation reports: Provides insights into firm profitability and attorney compensation.
• Matter management: Organizes cases, documents, and client information in one place.
• Client portal: Enables secure client communication and access to invoices.

LeanLaw also offers a package for organizing client details and internal resources, so everything you need is just a few clicks away.

6. Smokeball

Smokeball is legal practice management software geared specifically towards small law firms and solo practitioners. It focuses on streamlining repetitive legal processes, which can reduce the time lawyers spend on administrative work.

Source: G2

Some of its best features include:

• Case & matter management: Centralizes case files, client communications, and documents in one platform.
• Document automation: Generates legal documents quickly using customizable templates and client data.
• Task & workflow automation: Streamlines legal workflows with automated task assignments and reminders.
• Firm insights & reporting: Provides real-time analytics on firm performance, revenue, and productivity.
• Secure client communication: Offers a built-in client portal for messaging and document sharing.

Billing and time tracking are other areas where Smokeball excels. It automatically tracks the time spent on each task and integrates this with its billing system, which simplifies the invoicing process and makes sure that no billable hour goes unrecorded.

7. Ironclad

Ironclad is a complete and scalable solution for teams drowning in contracts and looking for a better way to get things done.

Source: G2

The contract management tool automates the creation, execution, and management of contracts with the following features:

• AI-powered contract review: Uses AI to analyze contracts, identify risks, and suggest edits.
• Automated contract generation: Creates contracts using templates and pre-approved clause libraries.
• E-signature integration: Integrates with DocuSign and other e-signature platforms for seamless contract execution.
• Real-time collaboration: Allows legal, sales, and procurement teams to collaborate on contracts within the platform.
• Contract repository & search: Stores all contracts in a secure, searchable database with advanced filtering.
• Compliance & audit trails: Tracks all contract changes and approvals for compliance and reporting.

In addition, this tool can integrate with other tools you’re already using. Its integration capabilities make sure that contract management becomes a cohesive part of the broader business ecosystem and leads to smoother workflows across departments.

8. MyCase

MyCase is a legal practice management software that simplifies legal workflows and keeps them running smoothly. It tackles everything from case management and client communications to billing and time tracking into one neat platform.

Source: G2

This means lawyers can spend less time juggling different tools and more time focusing on their clients’ needs.

With MyCase, everything you need to run your law practice is right there in one easy-to-use interface. Its core features include:

• Case management: Organizes case details, deadlines, and documents in a centralized system.
• Document automation: Creates, stores, and manages legal documents with customizable templates.
• Time tracking & billing: Logs billable hours, generates invoices, and integrates with online payment processing.
• Secure client messaging: Provides a built-in client portal for encrypted communication and case updates.
• Task & calendar management: Schedules meetings, tracks deadlines, and assigns tasks to team members.
• Online payment processing: Allows clients to pay invoices easily through credit cards or ACH transfers.
• Reporting & analytics: Offers insights into firm performance, revenue, and case progress.
• Mobile access: Enables lawyers to manage cases and communicate with clients on the go.

MyCase is also great when it comes to keeping clients in the loop. It offers secure messaging, updates on case progress, and easy online payment options, which helps law firms improve their client relationships.

9. CoCounsel

CoCounsel, powered by Casetext, is another innovative legal tech tool. This AI-driven assistant is groundbreaking for several reasons, notably, its ability to offer legal support across a range of tasks that traditionally require hours of human effort.

Source: Thomsonreuters.com

It is designed to understand and execute a variety of legal tasks like:

• AI-powered legal research: Uses advanced AI to quickly find relevant case law, statutes, and legal precedents.
• Automated contract review: Analyzes contracts, flags risks, and suggests revisions to ensure compliance.
• Deposition preparation: Summarizes depositions, highlights key testimony, and extracts important details.
• Litigation strategy assistance: Provides AI-driven insights to help lawyers craft stronger legal arguments.
• Legal document analysis: Reviews legal documents for inconsistencies, missing clauses, and potential errors.
• Secure cloud-based storage: Keeps all legal research, documents, and case materials organized and accessible from anywhere.
• Real-time collaboration: Enables legal teams to work together on case analysis, research, and document review.
• Integration with legal tools: Connects with existing case management and document automation software.

Powered by Casetext’s extensive legal database, it leverages the latest in AI legal technology to fine-tune its capabilities and offer more personalized and accurate assistance over time. Plus, they offer rapid response services for global operations.

10. UniCourt

UniCourt is a legal tech service that simplifies how law firms get their hands on and use legal data. It’s a go-to resource for law firms, businesses, and anyone who needs quick access to court records and insights into legal trends.

Source: UniCourt.com

The best feature of UniCourt is how it brings all kinds of legal data together under one roof. Whether you’re keeping tabs on a specific case, digging into legal precedents, or trying to spot trends in litigation, UniCourt lets you do it all without the need to jump between different databases.

Here are some of its key features:

• Automated court data access: Retrieves real-time case data from federal and state courts.
• Legal research & analytics: Provides AI-driven insights into case law, dockets, and litigation trends.
• Case tracking & alerts: Notifies users of case updates, filings, and procedural changes.
• API & data integration: Connects court records with legal and business intelligence platforms.
• Docket management: Centralizes court dockets for easy organization and access.
• Business & litigation intelligence: Identifies patterns in litigation, helping firms assess risks and opportunities.
• Document retrieval: Automates access to pleadings, motions, and other legal filings.

Aside from accessing data, UniCourt helps you manage it better. You can set up alerts to track cases automatically, so you’re always in the loop with real-time updates without constantly checking in manually.

Automate Discovery Drafting with Briefpoint.ai

Artificial intelligence is designed to eliminate the most tedious legal workflows. So, why not start with the most time-consuming tasks?

Briefpoint simplifies the process, cutting hours of manual work down to just minutes. With AI-powered automation, smart objections, and seamless client input collection through Briefpoint Bridge, your legal team can work faster and more efficiently—without sacrificing accuracy.

Stop spending valuable time on repetitive tasks. Try Briefpoint today and see how much time and money you can save. Schedule a demo now!

The Best Legal Technology Company for Discovery Documents

Discovery responses cost firms $23,240, per year, per attorney. $23,240 estimate assumes an associate attorney salary of $150,000 (including benefits – or $83 an hour), 20 cases per year/per associate, 4 discovery sets per case, 30 questions per set, 3.5 hours spent responding to each set, and 1800 hours of billable hours per year.

Book a demo and save on these costs with Briefpoint.