July 21, 2024
Thomson Reuters Launches Its Latest Generative AI Skill in Westlaw Precision with CoCounsel
Claims Explorer, a new generative AI skill, simplifies claims research, saves time, and reduces the risk of missing an important cause of action
- In testing with attorneys, those who used the new capability found relevant causes of action three times faster than when using traditional research methods.
- In reviewing Am Law 50 litigation where claims were added after the initial pleadings, the new skill found 94% of the claims that were missed in the initial pleadings and later added by the firms.
TORONTO, July 21, 2024 – Thomson Reuters (TSX/NYSE: TRI), a global content and technology company, today introduced Claims Explorer, a new generative AI skill available in Westlaw Precision with CoCounsel, that enables legal professionals to enter facts and identify applicable claims or counterclaims. Using generative AI to simplify claims research, users enter facts and quickly receive a list of applicable claims.
For legal professionals filing a lawsuit, defending a lawsuit, or advising clients on potential liability, often their first step is to identify applicable claims or counterclaims. Yet not all claims are equal. Some causes of action have a lower threshold to achieve, some provide for attorneys’ fees or higher damages, and some fit better with the facts of a particular case.
“Finding claims with traditional research methods can be difficult and time consuming,” said Mike Dahn, head of Westlaw Product Management, Thomson Reuters. “Even experienced lawyers can miss applicable claims. Customers have told us about the difficulty of claims research for years, and it’s not just that it can take hours – it's error prone, which is easy to see in how often reputable firms attempt to add new claims or counterclaims later in litigation, after the initial pleadings. But courts won’t always allow you to add a claim later, and missing the best claims can have significant consequences. It can mean the difference between winning or losing a motion, recovering more in damages or attorney's fees, or potentially losing a case.”
Dahn added this new skill was purpose-built using the latest generative AI plus new claims content created by Thomson Reuters attorney editors. “When we tried to solve claims research issues with AI alone, it didn’t work very well, so we had our attorney editors create new content about causes of action that enabled AI to work much better. We’ll continue to do work like this for other workflows where AI alone struggles."
Enabling legal professionals to find the strongest claims for their matter and avoid missing those relevant to their case is more important than ever.
“In our survey with attorneys about claims research, 69% reported taking cases they would have rejected had they fully understood the value of the claims, and 23% rejected new business based on a lack of a cause of action where they found later that a valid claim existed,” Dahn said.
In addition to helping users quickly identify claims for plaintiffs and counterclaims for defendants, the new generative AI skill can help law firm attorneys and corporate counsel better understand potential liability before a potential lawsuit is brought.
This new skill is the most recent milestone in the Thomson Reuters expanded vision for CoCounsel – the professional-grade GenAI assistant – to enable professionals to seamlessly complete complicated work involving multiple products through a single generative AI assistant.
“Claims Explorer solves significant research problems in a way that GenAI alone has trouble with,” noted Dahn. “We have a long history of delivering solutions that combine trusted editorial expertise, cutting-edge technology, and a strong focus on the needs of our customers. With GenAI, we’re just getting started. This technology has so much promise, and when combined with editorial work, we’re excited about all we’re doing now and will do in the near future.”
Visit Westlaw Precision with CoCounsel to learn more about its generative AI skills.
Thomson Reuters
Thomson Reuters (TSX/NYSE: TRI) (“TR”) informs the way forward by bringing together the trusted content and technology that people and organizations need to make the right decisions. The company serves professionals across legal, tax, accounting, compliance, government, and media. Its products combine highly specialized software and insights to empower professionals with the data, intelligence, and solutions needed to make informed decisions, and to help institutions in their pursuit of justice, truth, and transparency. Reuters, part of Thomson Reuters, is a world-leading provider of trusted journalism and news. For more information, visit tr.com.
Contact
Jeff McCoy
+1.763.326.4421
jeffrey.mccoy@thomsonreuters.com