The AI tools marketed to law firms fall into two camps: legal-specific platforms (Harvey, CoCounsel, Lexis+ AI) and general-purpose models adapted for legal work (Claude, ChatGPT, Copilot). The legal-specific tools offer turnkey workflows but come with vendor lock-in and premium pricing. The general-purpose tools are cheaper and more flexible but require you to build your own systems.
This guide reviews each tool honestly — what it does, what it costs, and whether the lock-in is worth it for your firm. The three tools firms evaluate first: Harvey AI (enterprise BigLaw, quote-only), CoCounsel (Thomson Reuters, $75–$500/user/month depending on tier), and Clio Duo (AI layer inside Clio practice management, contact sales for pricing).
Related: AI by Practice Area · AI Disclosure Directory · The 5 Levels of AI in Legal
