Referent

Referent is an AI-native practice management software for law firms. It is designed for lawyers and firms looking to shift operational work to AI agents while retaining human oversight. The platform emphasizes that lawyers approve key actions and focus on clients, relationships, and growth.

Referent runs specialized AI agents that operate from the firm’s live matter context. The agents handle intake, matters, client email, deadlines, billing prep, and follow-ups, staging every critical action for the lawyer’s review and approval.

The software is presented as a system of action where AI handles the routine tasks and the lawyer approves what touches a client or high-risk activity. It emphasizes an auditable log of actions and strict sign-off requirements for sending, filing, or billing. The design focuses on confidentiality, auditability, and per-firm control over data and actions.

Referent highlights a vision of enabling solo or small firms to carry more matters by leveraging AI to automate repetitive workflows. It emphasizes that AI is a tool to multiply lawyer capacity while preserving judgment and client-facing care. The team describes their approach as building a platform that connects AI agents to a practice’s real data and workflows, with strong governance and security.

Use cases

• Automating intake and matter creation with client engagement
• Managing emails and documents within matters