Webinar Replay: NetDocuments AI Profiling and Agentic Editing for Metadata-Driven Legal Workflows

Webinar replay: Driving the platform evolution - Transforming legal work with Generative AI

Recorded on 25 September 2025, this session focused on how practical AI features are changing day-to-day legal work. Legal IT Insider's editor Caroline Hill hosted a discussion with Jennifer Poon, legal AI solutions director at NetDocuments and former litigator at Akin Gump and corporate associate at Simpson Thacher.

Why metadata still matters

Search is only as good as the profile data behind it. That hasn't changed with generative AI. What's new is how semantically indexed data can trigger downstream workflows, letting firms automate routine steps without sacrificing control.

Think matter types, jurisdictions, parties, agreement subtypes, and key dates. When those attributes are consistent, you get faster retrieval, better reuse, and automatic actions tied to business rules.

What we saw: AI Profiling and Agentic AI Editing

NetDocuments' AI Profiling helps firms apply a consistent taxonomy across their document set. The goal: reduce guesswork, normalize labels, and make profile attributes reliable enough to drive workflow.

The new Agentic AI Editing Tool lets teams apply global edits at scale. Standardize clause language, update defined terms, or align house style across a corpus-while preserving attorney oversight and auditability.

Building a workable taxonomy

A taxonomy fails when it's bloated, vague, or hard to maintain. It works when it reflects how lawyers actually search, draft, and review. Begin small, prove value, then expand.

• Start with 10-20 high-signal fields: agreement type, governing law, client, matter, practice area, parties, effective/renewal dates.
• Define each field clearly and lock down picklists to avoid drift.
• Assign ownership: who can add terms, approve changes, and retire fields.
• Train the team, review exceptions monthly, and track accuracy against search and workflow outcomes.

Workflow wins when profiles are complete

With reliable attributes, you can move beyond "find" into "act." For example, a lease agreement with term and renewal data can trigger an automated review task 90 days before renewal. The same approach can route NDAs for expedited review or flag client-specific clauses for second-level checks.

• Lifecycle prompts tied to effective, renewal, and termination dates.
• Client policy routing when a document references restricted terms or tools.
• Playbook alignment: push the right fallback clauses based on agreement subtype and governing law.

Handling clients who restrict generative AI

Some clients prohibit the use of generative AI. Treat this as a governance and segmentation problem. Build controls into intake, matter setup, and document profiling, then enforce them in your DMS and workflow tools.

• Tag matters and documents with client AI permissions; block AI actions where prohibited.
• Keep a human-in-the-loop review step for sensitive content.
• Maintain audit logs and provide client-facing summaries of controls.
• Reflect restrictions in engagement letters and playbooks so teams don't guess.

Key takeaways for legal teams

• Good metadata remains the foundation for search, reuse, and automation.
• AI-assisted profiling and editing can scale quality without adding headcount.
• Start with a lean taxonomy, measure impact, and iterate with governance.
• Encode client AI preferences into profiles and workflows to avoid risk.

Resources

Explore NetDocuments' AI capabilities here: ndMAX by NetDocuments.

If your team needs structured upskilling, see our curated programs: AI courses by job.

Replay link: To listen to the webinar, access the replay on the host site.