SAL launches LawNet 4.0 with AI model for contract law research

A key feature is the GPT-Legal Q&A model that supports natural language queries.

The Singapore Academy of Law (SAL) has announced the launch of LawNet 4.0, an upgraded version of its legal research platform, alongside new content-sharing partnerships with global legal publishers.

The upgraded LawNet 4.0 platform incorporates artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance legal research productivity.

A key feature is the GPT-Legal Q&A model, jointly developed with the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA).

The AI model supports natural language queries, offering legal professionals AI-generated responses with linked references to Singapore legislation and case law. It currently focuses on contract law, with expansion into other areas planned.

Furthermore, SAL has entered into strategic agreements with four international legal content providers — LexisNexis, Thomson Reuters, vLex, and Legora — to increase global access to Singapore’s legal content.

Under these agreements, legal professionals and researchers around the world will gain access to official Singapore judgments, including the Singapore Law Reports.

In addition, SAL’s contract precedent database will be integrated into Legora’s platform, enabling users to benefit from AI-assisted contract drafting and review tools tailored to Singapore law.

Other improvements include faster search speeds, improved relevance through enhanced algorithms, and a new legislation module that links statutory provisions to related case law, starting with the Companies Act.

In a separate initiative, SAL and IMDA also unveiled a proof of concept for an “agentic AGM demonstrator.”

The AI tool is designed to support corporate secretarial functions by managing the planning and execution of annual general meetings, with an emphasis on streamlining compliance and administrative processes.