Generative artificial intelligence is no longer a distant concept in the legal profession; it is an active force reshaping how lawyers research, draft, analyze, and serve clients. Recognizing this shift, the Utah State Bar has approved LexisNexis as its trusted AI partner, bringing Lexis+ AI® to Utah attorneys as part of a broader commitment to innovation and professional excellence.
This partnership was announced at the Fall Forum and represents more than access to a new technology. It reflects a strategic investment in helping licensees work smarter, stay competitive, and confidently navigate an evolving legal landscape.
As part of this initiative, the Bar launched a dedicated AI resource page, which is designed to serve as a centralized hub for understanding generative AI. The page offers curated tools, educational materials, and practical insights that help lawyers move beyond experimentation and toward responsible, effective adoption of AI. (Access the AI resource page through your Practice Portal.)
Rather than leaving attorneys to evaluate AI tools on their own, the resource page provides guidance grounded in professional standards, ethics, and real-world legal workflows. It is a space where lawyers can explore emerging technology with confidence, knowing the tools highlighted are built specifically for the legal profession.
Additionally, the Bar’s AI Standing Committee and Innovation in Law Practice Committee have collaborated to provide information specifically for Utah lawyers. Below is a video from Nick Hafen, the chair of the innovation committee, who provides guidance on precautions to take when using AI.
Why Lexis+ AI Matters for Today’s Legal Practice
The approval of LexisNexis as the Bar’s trusted AI partner ensures that attorneys have access to AI solutions developed with legal accuracy, reliability, and confidentiality as core priorities. As AI becomes increasingly central to legal work, trusted technology is no longer optional.
Lexis+ AI supports attorneys by:
- Streamlining legal research and document review
- Generating strong first drafts of legal documents
- Providing fast, clear answers to complex legal questions
- Grounding results in authoritative, trusted legal content
These capabilities allow lawyers to spend less time on repetitive tasks and more time applying judgment, strategy, and advocacy for their clients.
What Sets Lexis+ AI Apart
Lexis+ AI functions as a legal research assistant purpose-built for attorneys, not a general consumer AI tool adapted for law. Key advantages include:
- Research in seconds
Lawyers can receive clear summaries, answers, and case insights quickly—always tied to authoritative sources that can be reviewed and verified.
- Smarter drafting
The platform helps generate polished first drafts with linked citations, making it easier to confirm accuracy and refine work product.
- Built for lawyers
Guardrails reduce errors, help prevent hallucinations, and ensure outputs remain grounded in real law, not speculation.
- Client-safe by design
User prompts remain private and are not used to train external AI models, supporting confidentiality and ethical compliance.
- A competitive edge
By working faster without sacrificing accuracy, attorneys can keep pace with the profession’s technological evolution while maintaining high standards of legal practice.
Empowering Lawyers to Stay Ahead
The Bar’s partnership with LexisNexis underscores a forward-looking approach to supporting its licensees. By pairing Lexis+ AI with a dedicated AI resource page, the Bar is giving attorneys not just access to technology, but the context, education, and trust framework needed to use it responsibly and effectively.
For lawyers navigating increasing client expectations, tighter timelines, and growing information complexity, tools like Lexis+ AI can be a meaningful advantage when implemented thoughtfully and with professional safeguards in place.
Another video done collaboratively with the Bar’s AI committee and innovation committee features helpful generative AI tools and tips from AI Committee Chair Bennett Borden and innovation committee member, Victoria Carrington. Watch it to get their expertise recommendations from the tools they use in their own practices.
Lexis+ AI is only one of many benefits available through the Bar. Attorneys who have not yet explored the free AI resource page are encouraged to add the card on their Practice Portals to explore the full range of resources and support available or to reach out with questions about joining.
As the legal profession continues to evolve, the Bar remains committed to equipping its licensees with the tools and insights needed to thrive today and in the years ahead. If you decide that Lexis+ AI is right for you, you’ll get a 15% discount for being a Bar licensee. Don’t forget you also have free access to Decisis! Nearly 2,500 Utah lawyers are using the free research platform, which is focused on core primary law (cases, statutes) with a simple interface and strong citator. It is also available on your Practice Portal.
RELATED: Decisis is the New Free Legal Research Tool for Active Utah State Bar Lawyers
Subject-matter inspiration informed by industry analysis authored by Pamela Langham. This article is an original work and does not reproduce her language or structure.