As I noted yesterday, over the weekend, OpenAI released\u00a0Deep Research, an AI agent capable of completing multi-step research tasks and synthesizing large amounts of online information. The company says Deep Research (not to be confused with the controversial Chinese AI product DeepSeek) can complete complex research tasks in minutes that might otherwise take hours or [\u2026]<\/p>\n
As I noted yesterday, over the weekend, OpenAI released\u00a0Deep Research<\/a>, an AI agent capable of completing multi-step research tasks and synthesizing large amounts of online information. The company says Deep Research (not to be confused with the controversial Chinese AI product DeepSeek) can complete complex research tasks in minutes that might otherwise take hours or days, and that it should be particularly useful for people in fields such as finance, science and law.<\/p>\n Curious about it, I decided to experiment with its capabilities. Yesterday, I posted the first of those experiments, using it to analyze the legality of President Trump\u2019s pause of federal grants<\/a>. In about 10 minutes, it produced a 9,000 word detailed memorandum, concluding that the pause \u201cappears to rest on shaky legal ground.\u201d<\/p>\n Today, I try a much-different task \u2014 recommending software for a law office. I gave it this prompt:<\/p>\n \u201cI am the managing partner of a four lawyer general practice law firm in Massachusetts. We are looking to buy a law practice management software suite. Please research and recommend the best options for my firm and provide details on their comparative features.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n It immediately came back to me asking me to provide further clarification by answering these four questions:<\/p>\n I responded:<\/p>\n \u201cWe would like it to include document automation accounting and client portals. It should be deployed in the cloud. Our budget is flexible.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Based on that, it went to work, and after about nine minutes, gave me the response you see below. The response recommends five products. In making the recommendation, it included two charts, one comparing key features and another comparing pricing, usability, security, support, and user satisfaction. It concluded with a section of key takeaways and considerations.<\/p>\n Important disclaimer:<\/strong> I have not verified the accuracy of the information set out below. I am presenting this solely for the purpose of illustrating the type of research that can be done using OpenAI\u2019s Deep Research tool.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Overview:<\/strong> A four-lawyer general practice in Massachusetts needs cloud-based law practice management software<\/em> that streamlines daily operations. Key priorities include document automation<\/strong> (to generate legal documents efficiently), integrated accounting<\/strong> (for billing, trust accounting, and financial management), and secure client portals<\/strong> (for file sharing and communication). Below is a detailed comparison of top solutions, covering features, pricing, usability, security, customer support, and user satisfaction.<\/p>\n We evaluated five leading cloud-based law practice management platforms ideal for small firms. All these solutions offer case management, time tracking, billing, and matter organization, but they differ in strengths like document automation libraries, built-in accounting modules, and client portal capabilities. The table below provides an at-a-glance comparison:<\/p>\n Table 1: Key Features (Document Automation, Accounting, Client Portal)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n
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\nTop Solutions Compared<\/h3>\n