Thomson Reuters has released a set of workflow enhancements for Westlaw New Zealand, highlighted by the addition of AI-Assisted Research features.
The upgrade introduces artificial intelligence capabilities and several new tools to assist legal professionals working within New Zealand’s legal system. The core update enables lawyers to ask complex legal queries in natural language, with the AI providing verifiable responses and direct links to primary law.
Product features
The new release is headlined by the AI-Assisted Research functionality. In addition, the suite includes Outline Builder for creating structured research outlines, Keep List for instant bookmarking, Hide Details to filter non-essential results, Search Snippets for on-the-spot context review, Search Highlighting to emphasise keywords, and a customisable Getting Started Bar for commonly used content.
Thomson Reuters states these enhancements are designed to reflect the unique research habits and professional standards of lawyers in New Zealand.
“Generative AI holds immense promise for the legal sector, and lawyers must be able to rely on the sources behind every conclusion,” said Vishal Bali, Managing Director for Asia and Emerging Markets. “Thomson Reuters remains steadfast in its mission to provide New Zealand’s legal professionals with advanced generative AI technology and information they can trust to enhance their expertise and support their clients and organisations with confidence.”
Local considerations
The enhancements to Westlaw New Zealand come as legal professionals in the country face greater pressure to adapt their practices and differentiate services in a rapidly changing environment. According to the 2025 ROI of Legal Tech and AI Report, 72% of New Zealand law professionals plan to accelerate digital transformation within their organisations over the next year.
James Jarvis, Vice President for Product Management, Westlaw, Thomson Reuters, highlighted the company’s focus on the local context:
“New Zealand’s legal community expects precision, reliability, and contextually relevant insight. Our goal is to ensure that Westlaw New Zealand operates in harmony with how local lawyers work – providing research tools that reflect their professional standards and uphold the integrity of the legal process.”
Security and compliance
Thomson Reuters emphasises measures to address security and compliance in the use of AI in legal research. All queries on Westlaw New Zealand are processed under a zero-retention policy with third-party AI providers, ensuring no customer data is used for model training. The platform meets the requirements of SOC 2 Type 2 and has ISO 42001:2023 verification for AI management systems.
The company states that having responsible and secure AI integrated into the Westlaw platform is a priority in its ongoing product roadmap, with further capabilities scheduled for release through 2026.
This latest release follows the earlier introduction of CoCounsel, the generative AI assistant by Thomson Reuters, in New Zealand in March 2025, signalling a sustained commitment to AI-supported legal research tailored for local conditions.