Legal AI Evolves: From Passive Tools to Proactive 'Agentic' Assistants

For years, artificial intelligence in the legal sector has largely operated as a sophisticated vending machine: input a query, await a response, and hope the output is useful. While impressive in their speed and capacity to process vast datasets, these tools have often left legal professionals doing significant heavy lifting, particularly when dealing with generic, non-legal models. The inherent complexity of legal reasoning—a blend of logic, intuition, and often circuitous exploration—has highlighted a fundamental disconnect. Lawyers don’t just seek answers; they shape arguments, test hypotheses, and delve deeply into problems. Yet, most early legal tech remained frustratingly static, waiting for explicit instructions.

Generative AI has undoubtedly pushed boundaries. Platforms like Lexis+ AI, for instance, revolutionized how lawyers could summarize, draft, and research, instantly providing citations. However, even with such advanced capabilities, the onus often remained on the user to perfectly frame questions. An imprecise prompt could lead to a tedious cycle of rephrasing, while insufficient guidance risked irrelevant results, and excessive guidance negated the tool’s efficiency.

This dynamic is now undergoing a significant transformation. A new generation of legal AI is emerging, distinguished by its proactive, rather than passive, nature. These aren’t merely response engines; they are designed to anticipate needs and offer suggestions. LexisNexis is at the forefront of this evolution with Protégé, a generative AI assistant recently launched in the UK, equipped with what are termed “agentic capabilities.” In essence, Protégé goes beyond simply answering questions; it observes the user’s workflow and proposes the next logical steps. For example, initiating a research query might prompt Protégé to offer follow-up questions or relevant suggestions, not because it was asked, but because it intelligently identifies potential requirements. This represents a shift from a transactional tool to something akin to a diligent, forward-thinking trainee who anticipates tasks and prepares documents without explicit instruction.

The true value of this shift lies less in raw speed and more in mitigating the “cost of context-switching.” Modern legal practice often involves a relentless digital juggle: drafting, prompting, clarifying, formatting, switching between applications, refining commands, and correcting AI outputs. Protégé aims to alleviate this burden by handling multi-step tasks and even self-checking its work before presenting it for final review. This allows lawyers to dedicate less time to wrangling instructions and more to refining the outcomes of their work. Furthermore, when integrated with Lexis Create+, Protégé operates natively within Microsoft Word, eliminating the need to toggle between platforms or copy-paste content, seamlessly embedding intelligence directly into existing desktop workflows.

What truly sets Protégé apart is its capacity to operate within the specific context of a law firm. Unlike generic AI models trained on vast, undifferentiated datasets, Protégé can connect with document management systems such as iManage or SharePoint. This allows it to draw upon a firm’s internal knowledge base—including real precedents, proprietary clauses, and jurisdiction-specific materials—alongside LexisNexis content when formulating answers or drafting responses. Additionally, any document uploaded to Protégé’s secure “Vault” can be summarized, searched, or converted into a draft. The system also retains memory of uploaded content, enabling it to suggest further tasks, helping lawyers maintain workflow continuity without needing to retrace steps.

Early trials with leading firms like Eversheds Sutherland and Irwin Mitchell have underscored these benefits. As Eleanor Windsor of Irwin Mitchell noted, the technology is poised to save teams considerable time, allowing them to redirect their focus to more strategic client matters. This signals a maturation of legal AI, moving beyond mere bells and whistles to deliver tangible time savings and enhanced efficiency. Protégé builds upon the foundation of earlier AI tools by introducing initiative and flow, reducing friction, and enabling legal professionals to concentrate on high-value work. When an assistant begins offering insightful suggestions before a question is even posed, it transcends the role of a mere tool, becoming an integral part of the team.