In an effort to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) technology into the legal profession, the Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA) has announced a partnership with the AI contract review platform, SimpleDocs. This collaboration aims to provide ISBA members with access to SimpleDocs’ AI-driven tool, SimpleAI, through a special offer that includes a complimentary 30-day trial and a subsequent 25% discount on subscription prices.
Targeted specifically at legal professionals, SimpleAI is designed to streamline contract workflows by enabling tasks such as reviewing, redlining, drafting, and comparing contracts all within the familiar interface of Microsoft Word. The tool was vetted by the ISBA’s Steering Committee on Artificial Intelligence, which assessed it based on criteria such as ease of use, practical application, and strong privacy and security measures. Importantly, SimpleDocs has a clear policy against using customer data to train AI models.
Aaron Brooks, chair of the ISBA AI Steering Committee, emphasized that the partnership reflects the Association’s commitment to identifying and promoting high-value AI tools that maintain transparency around confidentiality. Brooks himself has adopted SimpleAI in his practice, highlighting its utility in augmenting attorney workflows.
This collaboration represents one of the pioneering initiatives between a state bar association and an AI platform focused on legal services. It signifies a broader commitment by ISBA to support its members in navigating the evolving intersection of law and AI through practical resources and educational initiatives.
Cofounder and CEO of SimpleDocs, Preston Clark, remarked on the strategic intent behind this partnership, noting it as a starting point for his company’s broader objective to partner with legal organizations. His statement outlined the purpose as providing practical tools that integrate seamlessly into existing legal systems, as most attorneys seek tangible aids that enhance their efficiency rather than experimental AI applications.
As part of their partnership, ISBA and SimpleDocs are also planning to create joint educational programming, including CLE content and product demonstrations, to foster the responsible adoption of AI in legal practice. Further information for ISBA members regarding this offering can be accessed both on the SimpleDocs website and the ISBA’s website.
For a deeper insight into SimpleAI’s functionality, potential users can refer to related content where legal technology commentator Bob Ambrogi conducts a demonstration of the contract redlining feature with SimpleDocs CEO, Preston Clark. This video can be viewed here.