For Paralegal / Legal Assistants ·
What you'll accomplish
By the end of this guide, you'll know how to use Lexis+ AI (LexisNexis's AI research assistant) to ask legal research questions in plain language and get back answers grounded in real, verified case law — with citations you can actually use. Unlike ChatGPT, Lexis+ AI cannot fabricate cases; every citation it gives you exists in the LexisNexis database and has been checked against Shepard's.
What you'll need
Go to lexis.com and log in with your firm's credentials. On the main search screen, look for the "Lexis+ AI" tab or click the AI icon. If you see a standard search bar and no AI interface, your firm may need to upgrade to Lexis+ AI — ask your office manager or IT contact.
What you should see: A conversational chat interface similar to ChatGPT, but with the LexisNexis branding and a note that responses are grounded in Lexis content.
Type your research question conversationally, just as you'd ask a knowledgeable colleague. You don't need Boolean search syntax here. Include the relevant jurisdiction.
What you should see: A loading indicator while Lexis+ AI searches the database, followed by a structured answer.
Troubleshooting: If responses seem too general, add more specifics: "In California, in a personal injury case..." rather than just "in a personal injury case."
Lexis+ AI returns an answer in plain language followed by a list of supporting cases with citations. Each citation is clickable — it takes you directly to the case in the LexisNexis database. Green checkmarks next to cases indicate Shepard's validation (good law). Red warnings flag negative treatment.
What you should see: A structured response with numbered case citations, each with a brief description of the holding and relevance to your question.
For any case you plan to include in a research memo or filing, click through to read the actual case text. Verify that the quote or holding AI attributed to the case appears in the actual document. This step is essential — even citation-safe AI summarizes cases and can occasionally mischaracterize nuance.
Once you've identified the key cases, use Lexis+'s export function to save case documents to your research folder or attach them to the Clio matter. For the research memo, use the "Copy citation" feature to get properly formatted Bluebook or jurisdiction-specific citations.
For case law research:
What is the standard for [legal issue] in [state/jurisdiction]? Provide the key cases establishing this standard.
For statute interpretation:
How have courts in [state] interpreted [statutory provision or code section]? What are the key cases applying this statute?
For distinguishing facts:
My client [brief factual description]. How have courts treated similar facts in [issue area] cases? Are there cases where defendants prevailed on [specific defense]?
For recent developments:
What are the most recent cases from [state] courts on [issue]? Has the standard changed in the last 3 years?