One workflow first
Evaluating legal AI without a firm-wide rollout
Start with a recurring process, explicit data and authority boundaries, a lawyer-review point, and a measurable baseline.
Read the independent-firm workflow guideNesthing Legal for Law Firms
Put AI inside a controlled workflowwithout giving up lawyer oversight
Configure first-pass document review, evidence retrieval, approval routing, and exception handling around the firm's selected sources, policies, and deployment boundaries.
Readiness before tools
Test the boundaries before connecting an AI agent
Document workflow, data, decision rights, evidence, acceptance, and operating requirements before a pilot decision.
Open the readiness assessmentBaseline
Measure the current workflow before automation
Acceptance
Test evidence, routing, and approval controls
Review
Report measured outcomes after a controlled pilot
Designed Around Professional Review
Each workflow is scoped to the firm's approved sources, decision rights, and escalation rules. Outputs remain subject to review by the responsible legal professional.
01
Cited First-Pass Review
Retrieve potentially relevant approved sources and route unsupported or ambiguous findings for lawyer review.
02
Citation-Gated Review Drafts
Produce structured issue and evidence fields. Unsupported findings are blocked or marked for review; model errors remain possible and professional review is required.
03
Usage and Cost Records
Configure internal usage and cost records where identifiers and reconciliation controls have been accepted. Any client billing treatment remains the firm's decision under its rules and engagement terms.
Deployment Controls
Documented Boundaries and Responsibilities
- ✓ Privacy: Define roles, purpose, access, retention, model routing, and subprocessors for the deployment.
- ✓ Controls: Select and acceptance-test access, approval, logging, and deletion controls.
- ✓ Outputs: Agree formats, limitations, source references, and approval requirements before release.
Example Workflow Stages
Document intake and validation
Evidence retrieval and provenance checks
Issue routing and exception handling
Lawyer approval and controlled delivery
Law Firm Guidance
Partner Decision FAQs
Key boundaries for evaluating a controlled workflow.
Will using AI reduce our firm’s billable hours?
The commercial effect depends on the current workflow, review requirements, adoption, and measured pilot results. No billable-hour or profitability outcome should be assumed before measurement.
How does a controlled workflow address model errors?
Configured retrieval, structured outputs, citation checks, abstention rules, and human approval can reduce unsupported output. They cannot guarantee that model errors never occur.
Can usage records support internal costing?
A deployment may record model and infrastructure usage for internal costing after the logging and reconciliation controls are accepted. Client billing treatment must be determined by the firm.