Thomson Reuters has introduced the AI for Justice Legal Aid program, which aims to democratize access to its CoCounsel generative AI software. The initiative is led by Laura Safdie, cofounder of Casetext, the original developer of CoCounsel, and now part of Thomson Reuters following its acquisition. According to Safdie, this program aspires to make generative AI as accessible to legal services organizations as it is to larger legal firms, addressing a persistent justice gap.
The program is designed with two key components. First, the Legal Innovators Incubator will collaborate with an initial cohort of 15 legal services organizations (LSOs), including groups like The Innocence Center and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. These organizations will receive complimentary access to CoCounsel and engage directly with Thomson Reuters experts to explore use cases that could benefit their operations and clientele. Notably, OpenAI has made a contribution by donating API credits to support this initiative.
Laura Safdie emphasized that this partnership will work towards the co-development of playbooks or modules that these organizations can adapt to suit their needs. This exploration extends to various legal procedures, such as asylum applications or habeas petitions.
Michael Semanchik, executive director of The Innocence Center, attested to the efficacy of CoCounsel 2.0, stating that the AI was instrumental in handling administrative tasks, like grant applications, thus freeing up valuable time.
Alongside the Legal Innovators Incubator, Thomson Reuters is offering other legal nonprofits access to CoCounsel at a substantially reduced rate, positioning it close to the cost. For eligible organizations, the subsidized pricing is set at $50 per seat per month, providing access to CoCounsel Core 2.0 and CoCounsel Drafting, along with active support to facilitate the AI’s integration into their operations.
Safdie highlighted the value of this initiative beyond just cost, noting that partnering with expert guidance through the intricacies of AI implementation holds significant potential to influence fields such as federal benefits and domestic violence work.
For further information, please consult the original announcement.