For litigators, that matters because some of the most important context in a matter does not begin in a research or drafting tool. It begins in the evidence.听

Documents. Testimony. Facts developed over the course of discovery. The record a lawyer ultimately has to connect to the law and turn into analysis, strategy, and work product they can stand behind. AI should make that process easier.听

This week at ILTACON, 抖阴成年 and Everlaw announced plans to integrate Everlaw with CoCounsel Legal. The first planned integration will allow mutual customers to bring Everlaw documents into CoCounsel Legal in bulk, making it easier to use litigation and investigation materials across CoCounsel Legal鈥檚 research, analysis, drafting, and workflow capabilities.听

For customers, that means less friction between reviewing evidence and doing the legal work that follows.听

For us, it is also one more piece of the broader CoCounsel Legal ecosystem we are building: connecting the systems, content, and tools professionals already rely on so they can move through complex legal work with more continuity and less unnecessary handoff.听

Everlaw brings an important part of that ecosystem into the picture for litigation: the evidentiary record.

Connecting evidence, context, and legal analysis听

A litigator rarely asks a purely abstract legal question. The real question is how the facts, evidence, and applicable law come together: whether a particular document changes the argument, whether testimony is consistent with the rest of the record, or whether the evidence supports the position being put before a court. Carrying that context through the legal workflow is essential to making AI genuinely useful in litigation.听

CoCounsel Legal brings together research, analysis, drafting, and other legal workflows with authoritative content from Westlaw and Practical Law. But in litigation, authoritative legal information is only one part of the picture. The evidentiary record matters just as much.听

Bringing those worlds closer together can make AI much more useful in the day-to-day practice of law.听

By reducing the need to manually move documents between systems, we can help lawyers spend less time on those handoffs and get to the substantive legal work faster.听

Moving from evidence to analysis with less friction听

Consider what happens when a litigation team identifies a set of important documents during discovery.听

Those materials may already have been collected, reviewed, organized, and understood within an eDiscovery platform. But when the team moves into other parts of the legal workflow, that context does not always move with them.听

That can mean exporting documents, uploading them into another environment, and reconstructing parts of the matter before the lawyer can move forward. Every handoff creates friction.听

The planned Everlaw integration is intended to shorten that path. Once Everlaw documents are available in CoCounsel Legal, lawyers can apply CoCounsel Legal鈥檚 research, analysis, drafting, and workflow capabilities to those materials, creating a more direct connection between the evidentiary record and the legal work that follows.听

It is also exactly the kind of connection we want to keep adding across the CoCounsel Legal ecosystem: bringing more of the places where legal work already happens into a workflow where professionals can research, analyze, draft, and act with the right context around them.听

Connected AI still has to meet the standard of legal work听

Making more information available to AI cannot mean lowering the standard for what comes out. The lawyer is still responsible for the argument. Still responsible for the citation. Still responsible for understanding whether the evidence supports the conclusion.听

That is why verification, transparency, and professional judgment matter so much. At 抖阴成年, we describe this standard as Fiduciary-Grade AI: AI designed for high-stakes professional work, grounded in authoritative information and built so professionals can review, verify, and ultimately stand behind the work it helps produce.听

Connecting more of the matter into that workflow should strengthen the lawyer鈥檚 ability to exercise judgment, not remove the lawyer from the process.听

Building a broader ecosystem around legal work听

Law firms and legal departments have invested in specialized technology for a reason.听

Evidence may live in an eDiscovery platform. Documents may live in a document management system. Legal research comes from trusted legal sources. Work product may move through several systems before it is complete. AI is not going to make that ecosystem disappear. The opportunity is to make it work together better.听

That is the direction we are taking with CoCounsel Legal. We are building an ecosystem designed to connect the tools, content, and workflows professionals already depend on, while preserving the context, permissions, controls, and trust required for high-stakes work.听

Everlaw is an important addition to that ecosystem because it brings the evidentiary record closer to the research, analysis, and drafting lawyers are already doing in CoCounsel Legal.听

And it is one part of a much broader direction.听

As we continue expanding the CoCounsel Legal ecosystem, we want professionals to be able to bring more of their work, their context, and the systems they trust into a more connected AI experience.听

For customers, that can mean fewer unnecessary handoffs and a more direct path from evidence to insight and work product.听

For the industry, it is another signal of where legal AI is headed. The next generation of legal AI will not just be more capable. It will be built to connect the work around it.听

In the latest , Blanchfield shared how the power of generative AI 鈥� and the dramatic leap it鈥檚 making in how professionals across industries can access large quantities of data 鈥� is transforming the legal industry and beyond. Blanchfield credits the more than 1,500 attorney editors on her team, who create and enhance content, with harnessing the power of generative AI for legal research.

Human expertise is just one component of how 抖阴成年 is capitalizing on the potential of generative AI. Three elements are critical, as David Wong, chief product officer, 抖阴成年, noted in his comments about the launch of CoCounsel 2.0 at ILTACON: 鈥淲e have the data, the expertise, and the tech. Few have all three in such quantity and depth.鈥�

In the new , Wong focused on the role of human domain experts, noting they鈥檙e key to the process of creating and validating data used by AI models for professional research.

鈥淭here’s a lot of both prompt engineering, fine tuning, and system refinement that’s necessary to get quality to a usable spot,鈥� Wong said. 鈥淓xperts, experienced researchers and experienced lawyers can help to gauge whether or not the systems are correct. We couldn’t have an objective, quantified measure of quality on these systems without the editors, without those experts.鈥�

Wong and Blanchfield discussed the importance of human experts in ensuring the accuracy and reliability of AI.

鈥淢aintaining accuracy is at the heart of what the editorial team does,鈥� Blanchfield said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 the number-one priority across every editorial team. We maintain our content to be accurate and trusted.鈥�

Wong acknowledged it鈥檚 challenging for the team to process and update unstructured, constantly changing data in real time. He said that 抖阴成年 ensures that its AI models are customized and meeting the varying needs of various jurisdictions through a combination of software and algorithms that take advantage of the LLMs.

鈥淪o when you ask a question of , for example, we are running an end-to-end algorithm which runs search, retrieves data, re-ranks, interprets and then ultimately passes that information to a large language model to synthesize and produce the answer,鈥� Wong said. 鈥淚t’s a very complicated system which involves multiple types of technology, multiple types of information retrieval.听Processing unstructured, dynamic data and customizing AI models requires integrating multiple technologies and algorithms to optimize performance.鈥�

Hear more of Wong and Blanchfield鈥檚 insights on integrating AI into professional tools and ensuring that information is trustworthy in the of the TechConnect series, which brings diverse and dynamic perspectives from all corners of the technology world with thought-provoking questions and conversation.

What truly stood out to me at ILTACON was the energy and enthusiasm of the event. I was struck by how the collaborative atmosphere among attendees 鈥� ranging from seasoned legal professionals to tech enthusiasts 鈥� created an enriching environment for knowledge exchange and networking.

The conference center was brimming with excited representatives from law firms and vendors showcasing innovative solutions. Everyone was grappling with how 鈥� and when 鈥� generative AI could transform the practice of law.

The insightful sessions on cybersecurity, data privacy, and the future of legal tech trends provided valuable takeaways that are likely to shape the industry in the coming years. Overall, the conference underscored the rapid advancements and the pivotal role of technology in transforming the legal landscape.

CIO insights

I moderated a among G100 and G200 CIOs. The CIOs discussed the evolving role of the document management system, the opportunity for generative AI to drive efficiency improvements now and in the future, the evolving expectations of corporate law departments, and data security practices.

Audience attendees seemed especially interested in the tenor of the conversation around transformative AI solutions. One of the CIOs said that his firm was using CoCounsel as its AI assistant and that lawyers at the firm were eager adopters. He mentioned wanting to buy more seats. That was a fun moment for me!

CoCounsel 2.0

We hosted a number of extremely well-attended events, including customer dinners, an appreciation event, and other celebrations. The opportunity to share perspectives and learn from law firms was invaluable.

I was thrilled to see that the announcement of CoCounsel 2.0 seemed to generate the most excitement among product news. Jake Heller, head of Product for CoCounsel, 抖阴成年, showcased a side-by-side view on the speed of the application, highlighting how CoCounsel 2.0 moves more than 3 times faster than the current version CoCounsel Core. After customers saw that, they were clamoring for access.

On a personal level, I enjoyed seeing so many former colleagues and peers. The legal community is a tight-knit group. It was amazing to walk the halls of the conference centers and catch up with so many great people.

Check out other 抖阴成年听ILTACON recaps, including the legal industry鈥檚 reaction to the听launch of CoCounsel 2.0. and highlights from the 听鈥淗ow Today鈥檚 Lawyers Are Enhancing Their Practice with AI鈥� session.

A shift in the legal industry’s approach to technology

What stood out to me at ILTACON was the momentum behind the adoption of generative AI across the legal industry. It was striking to see how many law firms, regardless of size, have already integrated generative AI into their practices.

My personal highlight at ILTACON was participating in a panel discussion on the application of generative AI in legal practice. We received thoughtful and insightful questions from the audience, reflecting a deep interest in maximizing the potential of generative AI.

During the panel, we conducted a quick audience survey, and nearly every attendee indicated that their firm was already using generative AI. This widespread adoption reflects a significant shift in the legal industry’s approach to technology, signaling that generative AI is already playing a pivotal role in shaping legal practice.

The primary focus of interest in my panel was on the practicalities of implementing generative AI solutions within law firms. Attendees seemed particularly interested to learn about best practices for conducting a successful proof-of-concept, including strategies for testing the accuracy and reliability of generative AI software.

Attendees also seemed interested in understanding how to effectively measure ROI from adopting generative AI. The focus was not on whether law firms should adopt generative AI, but rather how to adopt this technology and derive the most value.

From skepticism to enthusiasm

One of the most surprising and encouraging moments at ILTACON was seeing the shift in attitudes toward generative AI. Where there was once skepticism and anxiety, I now see a growing acceptance and even enthusiasm.

The concerns that previously dominated discussions 鈥� like the potential impact on the billable hour 鈥� seem to have softened. Instead, there’s a growing recognition that generative AI is not just a disruptive force but a transformative tool that can enhance legal practice.

Many attendees expressed optimism that generative AI will ultimately expand the reach of legal services, enabling more people to engage with the legal system, pursue legal claims, and explore innovative legal strategies.

This is a guest post from Valerie McConnell, senior director, CoCounsel, 抖阴成年. Check out other 抖阴成年 highlights from ILTACON, including the launch of CoCounsel 2.0.

CoCounsel 2.0 draws on its robust set of specialized skills to handle complex, multi-step work, helping professionals quickly pinpoint key knowledge in vast databases, thoroughly communicate sophisticated information, and complete essential work with unprecedented speed.听CoCounsel 2.0 generates answers three times faster than the current version, operates more intuitively, and delivers more thorough, nuanced results.

It also tests combining the unique capabilities and strengths from OpenAI, Google, and 抖阴成年, such as its industry-leading content and legal technology.听 CoCounsel 2.0 will also bring additional and upgraded capabilities for legal professionals.

The just-launched Claims Explorer in Westlaw Precision with CoCounsel simplifies claims research by enabling legal professionals to enter facts and identify applicable claims or counterclaims. , the end-to-end GenAI-enabled solution from 抖阴成年, accelerates drafting by as much as 50%.

鈥湺兑醭赡� is here for one reason: to ensure our customers reliably and safely realize the greatest possible value from this generational technology鈥攁s quickly as possible,鈥� said David Wong, chief product officer, 抖阴成年. 鈥淐oCounsel 2.0 is founded upon our ability to combine our data, expertise, and trusted content with cutting-edge technology. Partnering with leading LLM providers is a key part of our strategy and will help us deliver even more for our customers, enabling them to accomplish what they need to evolve their businesses more quickly and more effectively than ever.鈥�

Wong will discuss CoCounsel 2.0 with Jake Heller, head of Product for CoCounsel, 抖阴成年, and Kriti Sharma, chief product officer of Legaltech, 抖阴成年, in their ILTACON session, 鈥淢aximizing Impact and ROI: Harnessing the Full Potential of GenAI in the Legal Profession.鈥�

鈥淐oCounsel 2.0 is more powerful than the first generation of CoCounsel and accessible from within 抖阴成年 products 鈥� beginning with Westlaw Precision and Practical Law 鈥� plus from within Microsoft 365, beginning with Word, Teams, and Outlook. It’s exactly what our legal customers are looking for,鈥� Sharma said. 鈥淒ebuting CoCounsel 2.0 at ILTACON is the perfect fit, as it鈥檚 all about realizing successful legal strategies for transforming the legal industry. I’m thrilled for the opportunity to share our powerful CoCounsel 2.0 vision and discuss how legal professionals can embrace professional-grade GenAI to streamline their workflows and boost productivity while maximizing ROI.鈥�

鈥淲e鈥檝e always been on the leading edge of emerging technology and it鈥檚 incredibly fulfilling to experience our vision 鈥� of providing every professional we serve with a GenAI assistant 鈥� becoming reality for our customers,鈥� Heller said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e seeing a growing maturity in the adoption of AI, and legal professionals are ready for the practical application and optimization of GenAI. CoCounsel 2.0 enables them to use GenAI to its fullest potential to drive efficiencies and productivity gains 鈥� working with the tools they already use every day.鈥�

For more on CoCounsel 2.0, read the press release. Check out more Innovation Blog posts for product news, leader insights, and customer perspectives on how 抖阴成年 is paving the way for the future of professionals.