The tool your legal organization needs to conquer hybrid work
Despite some firms calling employees back to the office, hybrid work is here to stay. According to the 2024 Law Firm Office Attendance Policies Report from Thomson Reuters, fully 85% of large law firms require four or fewer days in the office. Organizations focused on retention should note that satisfied employees are less likely to leave, reinforcing the need for flexible attendance policies.
Legal professionals are adapting, with many firms adopting a “work from anywhere” model, balancing team attendance with productivity. Both corporate and government legal departments have seen similar increases in flexibility over the past several years. Legal AI assistants enable lawyers to stay productive anywhere by quickly completing tasks such as document review, data extraction, and drafting correspondence.
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| “Work from anywhere” goes beyond remote work |
| A legal AI assistant enables productivity from anywhere |
| Transform how you learn and deliver your craft |
“Work from anywhere” goes beyond remote work
Work from anywhere is a business model that organizations adopt so they can deliver services and manage teams from any location, using digital-first and remote-first technologies. This approach goes beyond traditional remote work by prioritizing digital solutions over physical ones, allowing legal organizations to enhance both virtual and in-person experiences seamlessly.
Moving to this model helps organizations access a broader talent pool and experience improved business continuity. They may find greater cost efficiency and scalability through cloud technologies and real estate costs. They are also able to provide a popular perk – working remotely – while maintaining productivity levels.
While challenges such as legacy systems and data security exist, the shift promises increased productivity, flexibility, and preparedness for future growth.
A legal AI assistant enables productivity from anywhere
A legal AI assistant, like CoCounsel from Thomson Reuters, is an AI-powered tool designed to help legal professionals handle a range of tasks quickly and accurately. Within a single interface, it can:
- Prepare for a deposition
- Search a database
- Review documents
- Summarize long, complex documents
- Extract contract data
- Monitor contract policy compliance
- Draft correspondence
- Assemble timelines
Legal professionals experience significant efficiency gains with legal AI assistants, whether they’re in the office, in transit, or working from home. That’s because a tool like CoCounsel Core can rapidly analyze vast amounts of material. The system takes minutes to complete tasks that would take hours for a human, such as reviewing 100 pages of contract material.
Additionally, legal AI assistants offer high levels of accuracy, reducing human error in tasks like contract review and extraction. By streamlining repetitive tasks, these tools allow legal professionals to focus on more strategic and client-centered work, ultimately improving productivity, accuracy, and the quality of legal service.
Here are three ways a legal AI assistant supports a work from anywhere model:
- Having a sounding board
Legal professionals often need to talk through ideas or issues with colleagues, but this is hard when the team isn’t in the office. Scheduling a virtual meeting isn’t as convenient as stopping by someone’s office. Attorneys can ask a legal AI assistant to summarize documents or draft deposition questions as a starting point, then check that against their expertise to move forward confidently.
- Learning the ropes
New attorneys may struggle without direct access to more seasoned attorneys. A legal AI assistant helps bridge this gap. For instance, it can monitor contract compliance to ensure work product matches the organization’s standards. It can also summarize complex documents, providing insights that help newer associates refine their work. It’s like on-the-spot coaching.
- Maintaining responsiveness from anywhere
Remote workers sometimes face scrutiny about productivity. A legal AI assistant helps attorneys respond quickly by summarizing contracts or legal documents and validating the information, saving time compared to manual review.
The Thomson Reuters report found that more senior attorneys have more flexibility to work remotely than newer attorneys. Equipping the team with a legal AI assistant can be especially helpful for those days when there isn’t a partner to pop in on – even if the new associates are in the office.
Transform how you learn and deliver your craft
A legal AI assistant is a powerful tool that can help transform the way lawyers learn their craft and deliver results in a work-from-anywhere environment. Lawyers can use them to stay productive and manage their workload seamlessly, regardless of their location.
When you’re walking out of court, use it to respond to an urgent request for a summary of the implications of a particular legal document. When you’re on the subway, double check that you haven’t missed any important questions in your deposition prep. And at home, use it for perspective and understanding when you don’t have ready access to a colleague.
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CoCounsel is the legal AI assistant from Thomson Reuters. Discover our comprehensive suite of AI-powered tools designed to revolutionize the way legal professionals work.
