LexisNexis announces updates including release of Lexis Create in the US and new plugin for Microsoft Copilot 

LexisNexis today (2 August) announced a raft of updates on its partnership with Microsoft, including the availability in the US of intelligent drafting tool Lexis Create and a new Create plugin for Microsoft Copilot. 

Lexis Create is a drafting hub within the Microsoft environment, which means that fee-earners can access the LexisLibrary, precedents and drafting notes without needing to switch platforms. The new plugin will mean that when Copilot launches, Lexis Create customers will also be able to leverage Microsoft’s generative AI capabilities to develop, draft, edit, and validate documents within Microsoft Word. 

Lexis also announced that Azure OpenAI Service has been rolled out to customers via Lexis+, which is a collection of legal information including legal research, practical guidance, analytical tools, brief analysis, and bill tracking capabilities. Azure OpenAI Service provides REST API access to OpenAI’s language models including GPT-4. 

Lexis in May announced the launch in beta of Lexis+ AI, which leverages generative AI in the drafting process. Firms involved in the beta include Baker McKenzie, Foley & Lardner and Reed Smith.  

In a further announcement, Lexis today provided a launch date for Lexis Connect, its corporate legal matter management system available in Teams. It will be commercially available in Q3, with generative AI capabilities added in Q4. 

“Lexis Connect applies the best of LexisNexis’ innovation and know-how to extend core Microsoft 365 capabilities and Azure OpenAI Service with a focus on supporting legal professionals’ success. It de silos work using a smarter collaboration space for legal and business professionals. This approach accelerates the journey to apply AI to real work that matters.” said Jason Barnwell, associate general counsel, corporate, external, and legal affairs at Microsoft.   

“Microsoft and LexisNexis have a long history of collaboration, and we’re excited about how our Microsoft-integrated products will help improve the lives and work product of legal professionals,” said Jeff Reihl, CTO of LexisNexis Legal & Professional. “Lexis Connect, Create and Copilot truly embody our strategy of creating a fully integrated ecosystem, inserting world-class legal data, content, and technologies directly into attorney workflows. To enhance this, we’re incorporating professional-grade generative AI capabilities into our current and future products to elevate legal work and help lawyers be more efficient at their jobs.”