How A&O Shearman and Harvey’s Agentic AI is Transforming Legal Workflows

Modernizing Legal Workflows

A&O Shearman (AOS) has joined forces with Harvey to develop automated agents that handle demanding legal tasks. These AI-powered tools streamline processes such as antitrust filing analysis, cybersecurity, fund formation, and loan review. By integrating decades of legal expertise with cutting-edge automation, AOS is redefining how work gets done in the legal arena.

Building on a Legacy of Legal Technology Innovation

This initiative is a natural progression from innovations like AOSphere, one of the earliest expert systems, and ContractMatrix—developed in collaboration with Microsoft last year. The experience gained through these pioneering projects has paved the way for today’s enhanced, multi-step legal workflows. The tools now reduce tasks once requiring hours of manual review to mere minutes, ensuring accuracy and efficiency that legal professionals can trust.

Powering Business Impact and Revenue Growth

The new AI agents are not just focused on improving internal operations. AOS plans to extend these solutions to other law firms, large corporations, and financial institutions via subscription and usage-based fee models. This dual strategy marries technological excellence with a smart revenue model, opening fresh revenue streams while bolstering the firm’s competitive market position.

By delivering significant time savings and minimizing error-prone manual processes, these innovations have the potential to disrupt traditional billing structures. As the legal industry evolves, the shift toward automated workflows could prompt a rethinking of how legal services are priced and delivered.

Insights from Industry Leaders

Industry experts are quick to underscore the transformative potential of these AI-driven tools. As

David Wakeling, Global Head of AI Advisory at AOS, explains: “There has been a lot of hype, but these agents are the first concrete legal use-cases of agentic AI within a multinational law firm – and therefore within much of the commercial landscape. These agents do in minutes what previously took several hours, and frustrated people.”

Winston Weinberg, CEO and co-founder of Harvey, adds, “For decades, the legal industry has relied on the same structure and approach to deliver results for clients. Together with A&O Shearman, Harvey is building agentic workflows that save tremendous amounts of time without sacrificing accuracy and trust.”

Antitrust partner James Webber captures a common sentiment among legal professionals:

“All lawyers working on antitrust matters have had that sinking feeling – usually around 3am – of ‘there must be an easier and quicker way of doing this’. And this is the way to do it…..is the hint.”

Exploring the Implications

• How significant will the time and cost savings be?

  By reducing processing times from hours to minutes, these tools promise not only noticeable cost savings but also a reallocation of resources to more complex, strategic legal challenges.

• Will traditional billing practices be upended?

  The move towards automated workflows could challenge conventional billable hour models, driving law firms to explore new pricing structures that reflect enhanced productivity and reduced overhead.

• Can proven innovations like AOSphere and ContractMatrix pave the way?

  Past successes offer a robust foundation, yet scaling these solutions to manage more intricate legal matters remains a critical benchmark for future adoption.

• Will external sales fuel substantial new revenue streams?

  The revenue models suggested by the subscription and usage-based fee structures indicate strong potential for significant new income from external law firms and corporate clients.

Balancing Promise with Prudence

While the benefits are compelling, a measured view is essential. Integrating AI agents into established legal frameworks presents challenges, including data privacy concerns and the need for seamless integration with legacy systems. The move may stir debate among professionals accustomed to traditional practices. Nonetheless, this evolution mimics an industrial-grade autopilot that efficiently handles routine tasks, empowering legal experts to focus on high-level strategic work.

The collaboration between AOS and Harvey stands as a testament to the proactive steps being taken to modernize legal services. By leveraging advanced legal technology, this partnership is poised to reshape workflows, offer substantial operational improvements, and signal a broader shift across the industry.