From Tools to Teammates: The Rise of AI Agents in Law

Artificial intelligence agents are not just another technology tool for law firms. Instead, they represent a continuing evolution in how lawyers will practice, manage firms, and serve clients.

That message anchored a recent ILTACON session titled Orchestrating Intelligence: AI Agents in the Legal Space. AI agents should be seen as goal-oriented “co-workers” that adapt, reason, and act, rather than simple programs designed for narrow tasks.

Practical applications

Much of the discussion centered on how agents are already being deployed in law.

On the business side, agents can scan emails, understand context, and propose next steps, such as pulling deal histories or drafting responses for client pitches. On the practice side, they can review new drafts, generate redlines, summarize changes, and even suggest risk mitigation strategies.

Litigation and research offer some of the most promising examples. Agents can analyze complaints, propose counterarguments, search case law, and draft responses while checking in with lawyers along the way. Firms using agent-powered research tools reported cutting research time by more than half while also uncovering arguments they would have otherwise missed.

Drafting also stood out as a significant efficiency gain. By embedding a firm’s playbooks and preferred styles, agents can generate first drafts that are closer to final form. Lawyers then focus on reviewing and refining, rather than starting from scratch.

Orchestration, not just automation

The future lies not only in automating single tasks but in orchestrating multiple steps into coherent workflows. For example, an agent might identify nonstandard contract terms, compare them against a firm’s database, and suggest strategy adjustments, all without being prompted for each action.

That orchestration requires deep context. Agents perform best when they can access a firm’s structured knowledge: prior matters, client histories, deal documents, and internal know-how. Firms that invest in capturing and organizing that data will be best positioned to benefit.

Looking ahead

In the next one to two years, panelists predicted, agents will evolve from task helpers to proactive colleagues. Rather than waiting for instructions, they could monitor workflows and alert lawyers when action is needed or even take action themselves before being asked.

The message for firms is clear: agents represent a new way of working, one that will demand investment in structured data, workflow mapping, and governance.

“The outcome is the same. Work product is the same,” said Hron. “Agents change your role in the process of getting to that work product.”