There is no single answer. The right choice depends mainly on your needs, the type of data processed and the level of security expected.
A general-purpose chatbot, an international platform, a document database enriched by AI or a specialised Swiss solution do not serve the same uses.
In Switzerland, the quality of the sources, professional secrecy and the place where data is processed must be examined before choosing a tool.
For a broader view of the digital tools used by law firms, also read our article on Swiss legaltech.
Start from your need
Before comparing brands, you need to define the problem you want to solve.
Your priority may be legal research, drafting, comparing contracts or analysing large files. You also need to determine whether the tool will work only on public information or on confidential client files.
The choice also depends on your practice. A firm that works mainly in Swiss law does not have the same needs as a team that handles many international files.
Finally, define what you actually expect from the tool: save time, improve the quality of the sources, reduce repetitive tasks or make teamwork easier.
General-purpose AI
Assistants such as ChatGPT or Claude are useful for rephrasing a text, structuring ideas or working on non-sensitive content.
For professional legal research, their limits are more significant. A general-purpose AI can produce an incorrect reference or an answer that does not take Swiss law sufficiently into account.
The data-processing conditions also vary according to the version and the provider used.
These tools therefore remain best suited to general tasks that require neither confidential data nor precise legal sources.
Our comparisons ChatGPT or Silex and Claude or Silex set out these differences in more detail.
International legal platforms
Solutions such as Harvey or Legora offer advanced research, drafting and document-analysis functions.
They can be suitable for large firms that work across several jurisdictions or that have to process large volumes of documents.
For a practice that is mainly Swiss, however, you need to look carefully at the law covered by the tool, where the data is hosted and the contractual terms.
An international platform can perform well without necessarily meeting the same requirements as a solution developed specifically for the Swiss market.
To go further, read our comparisons Harvey AI or Silex and Legora or Silex.
Swiss document databases with AI
Players such as Swisslex, Weblaw and legalis.ch now add artificial-intelligence functions to their document databases.
Their main advantage is that they draw on Swiss legal collections already known to professionals.
These solutions are particularly useful when the task is to find a statute, a decision or a publication quickly in an existing database.
The difference lies mainly in the depth of the analysis. Some platforms remain mainly oriented towards document search, while other tools are designed to build an analysis from the sources and the context of the file.
Our comparisons Swisslex or Silex, Weblaw or Silex and legalis.ch or Silex present these approaches.
Omnilex follows a different logic by presenting itself as a legal workspace that runs from research to drafting. Our comparison Omnilex or Silex sets out this approach.
Specialised tools
Some solutions focus on a precise need.
DeepJudge, for example, is oriented towards search in a firm’s internal knowledge. Other tools specialise in contract review or due diligence.
This specialisation can be very useful when your need is clearly defined. By contrast, the professional sometimes has to use several pieces of software to cover the whole file.
These solutions are therefore often complementary rather than universal.
Our comparison DeepJudge or Silex presents the differences with a broader legal research and analysis solution.
Solutions specialised in Swiss law
Another approach is to choose an AI designed from the outset for Swiss law.
Silex belongs in this category. The tool combines legal research, verifiable sources and analysis of internal documents.
According to Silex, data is hosted in Switzerland by Infomaniak and client files are not used to train the models.
With Silo, professionals can also query their own documents and match them with the legal sources used in the analysis.
The protection measures are presented on the security page, while the features are set out on the product page.
Compare the tools against the same criteria
To compare several solutions properly, always use the same criteria.
Start by checking whether the tool actually meets your main need. Then examine the quality of the sources: can you open the references cited and check that they are up to date?
Data security is just as important. You need to know where the information is processed, who can access it and whether it is used to train the models.
Also look at whether the tool can work with your own documents and let you go back easily to the original piece.
Finally, compare the real cost over a year, taking into account the licence, storage, any credits, integrations and training.
Our article on AI-assisted legal analysis explains how to check the quality of the answers produced.
Test the tools on real files
A commercial demonstration is not enough to choose a tool.
The most useful approach is to test two solutions on the same real cases, with the same questions.
Choose a few files that you know well. Compare the answers, open the sources cited and note the errors or missing information.
Also measure the time actually saved up to a usable result, including checks.
After a few days of testing, you will be better able to determine whether the tool brings a real gain or mainly adds a new step to your work.
Questions to ask before signing
Before choosing a provider, ask for precise answers on data processing.
You need in particular to know where the data is hosted and processed, whether client files can be used to train the models and which people can access them.
You also need to check that documents from several organisations are properly separated and that the sources cited can be opened directly.
Integrations with your existing tools and the total cost must also be clear from the outset.
The applicable legal framework is presented in our article on AI and data protection.
Silex in the tools already used by lawyers
Silex can be integrated into software already present in some firms.
The integration of Silex into WinLex and SkyLex makes it possible, for example, to launch a legal search without leaving the practice-management software.
The partnership between Silex and MCR Solutions pursues the same aim by integrating legal research into existing work processes.
The private bank Bordier & Cie also uses Silex for its legal research.
The partnership between Silex and EXPERTsuisse concerns in particular audit, tax and fiduciary professionals.
Silex plans
Silex plans include legal research functions and a space for internal documents.
The various plans and their limits are presented on the pricing and solutions pages.
The aim remains the same: speed up the analysis while leaving the final validation to the professional.
In short
To choose a legal AI, start from your need rather than from the brand.
General-purpose assistants are useful for simple, non-sensitive tasks. International platforms are better suited to cross-border practices. Swiss document databases remain useful for finding sources, while specialised tools meet precise needs.
For a practice centred on Swiss law, you need above all to check the quality of the sources, data protection and the possibility of working with the documents in the file.
To test Silex on one of your files, you can book a demo.
For personal use, see our guide on legal AI for individuals.
FAQ
How much time should you allow to test a legal AI?
A few days of tests on known files are often enough to compare the quality of the sources, the time saved and ease of use.
Does Silex make it possible to analyse internal documents?
Yes. With Silo, professionals can query their own documents and use them in their analyses.
Are client files used to train the models?
According to Silex, no. Client files are not used to train its models.
