What is Legal Analytics?

Above the Law
by Jennifer Petersen
February 24, 2026
AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary
Legal analytics is revolutionizing the legal profession by leveraging advanced data analysis and AI-driven insights to empower lawyers and law firms. These tools enable professionals to make more informed, data-backed decisions throughout litigation, helping them strengthen strategies and outcomes. By analyzing historical patterns, legal analytics can predict the likelihood of motion success, uncover connections between unrelated cases, or estimate settlement values. Tools like Lexis+ unify legal research, analytics, and AI insights in a single platform, providing faster access to critical information. The power of legal analytics lies in its ability to transform vast amounts of legal data—such as court records, opinions, verdicts, and settlements—into actionable insights. These tools identify patterns and trends that might not be apparent through traditional methods, allowing lawyers to anticipate case developments and tailor their strategies accordingly. For example, legal professionals can assess how judges have ruled on similar matters or evaluate opposing counsel’s tactics, enabling more informed decision-making. Beyond courtroom dynamics, legal analytics also provides critical insights into case outcomes and financial risks. By analyzing verdict and settlement data, lawyers can better estimate case values and support negotiations with data-backed expectations. This not only improves resource allocation but also helps legal teams prepare more persuasive arguments and advise clients with greater confidence throughout the lifecycle of a matter. At its core, legal analytics relies on high-quality, reliable, and comprehensive datasets to deliver accurate insights. The accuracy and usefulness of these tools depend on both the quantity and quality of data available. Clean, well-validated data is essential for producing trustworthy results, ensuring that legal professionals can rely on the insights generated by these systems to make confident decisions. For legal professionals, adopting legal analytics means embracing a future where data-driven insights complement traditional legal expertise. By grounding strategies in historical patterns and outcomes, legal teams can plan more effectively, reduce risk, and achieve better results for their clients. As the legal profession continues
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Originally published on Above the Law on 2/24/2026