Key facts
| API compatibility | OpenAI-compatible /v1/chat/completions; drop-in base URL change |
| Models | 30+ models behind one API; open-weight options for private deployment |
| Typical patterns | Matter intake, contract lifecycle support, policy Q&A, legal ops |
| Integration path | Connects to CLM, matter-management and e-discovery systems via middleware |
| Pricing model | Flat monthly self-serve plans with unlimited fair-use usage; no per-token billing — see the live pricing page |
| Free tier | plugsky-micro and plugsky-lite on the free plan, no card required |
| Deployment | Plugsky cloud, your VPC, on-prem and air-gapped options |
| Identity and audit | SSO/SCIM, role-based access, SIEM audit log export and BYOK via KMS or HSM |
TL;DR
- Automate intake and policy Q&A; keep advice with qualified lawyers.
- Control access at matter level and log every query.
- Define retention and legal-hold rules before indexing content.
- Verify regulatory summaries against the source update.
- Start free with plugsky-micro and plugsky-lite, no card required.
How it works, step by step
- Pick a workflow such as matter intake or contract deviation review.
- Agree retention, legal-hold and privacy rules before indexing content.
- Design matter-level access controls and audit logging.
- Build against the OpenAI-compatible endpoint with scoped keys.
- Create an escalation playbook for questions requiring legal advice.
- Measure cycle time and accuracy against a counsel-reviewed sample.
Try it yourself
Where an AI API fits in legal
In-house teams are measured on throughput and risk. The API fits where work is repetitive but reviewable:
- Matter intake: classify requests, extract key facts and route them to the right owner.
- Contract lifecycle support: compare incoming terms against playbooks and summarise deviations for review.
- Policy Q&A: answer business questions from current policy with citations, reducing routine tickets.
- Regulatory monitoring: summarise regulatory updates into impact notes for counsel to assess.
- E-discovery assistance: cluster and classify documents for counsel-directed review.
Security, privacy and data handling
Legal operations data spans privileged advice, personal data and commercial secrets, so access and records need intent:
- Control access at matter and role level, and log every query with an actor.
- Keep privilege-sensitive content in private or region-locked environments.
- Define retention and legal-hold behavior for prompts, outputs and indexes.
- Require counsel review for advice, commitments and external statements.
Deployment options and model choice
Legal operations often start with region-locked cloud for intake and policy Q&A, then add private deployment for privileged content. Plugsky exposes the same OpenAI-compatible endpoint whether the workload runs in shared cloud, your VPC, on-prem or air-gapped, and region-locked planes keep processing where your policy requires. Teams route to 30+ models through one API, with open-weight options when a site has no external connectivity, and port code with a base URL change. Chat, streaming, JSON mode, function calling, embeddings, RAG and agents are live; audio, images, moderation, files, batch, fine-tuning, assistants and the responses API are coming soon. plugsky-micro and plugsky-lite are free with no card, a 14-day full-access trial covers paid tiers, and the live pricing page lists current plans.
From pilot to production
Legal operations tooling is judged by defensibility. Avoid:
- Mixing matter indexes without an ethical-wall equivalent.
- No legal-hold strategy for outputs that may become evidence.
- Letting business users act on policy answers without a review path.
- Assuming generated regulatory summaries are authoritative.
- Deferring privacy and records review until after rollout.
Start with intake and policy Q&A, agree retention and legal-hold rules before indexing privileged content, and keep counsel owning advice. Publish an internal playbook so business users know when a question must go to a human.
Honest comparison
| Capability | Plugsky | Typical per-token API | Building in-house |
|---|---|---|---|
| API compatibility | OpenAI-compatible chat, embeddings and tools | Usually compatible | Full rewrite |
| Deployment | Cloud, VPC, on-prem and air-gapped | Mostly cloud-only | You operate GPUs and serving |
| Data residency | Region selection and sovereign options | Limited regions | You control fully |
| Pricing | Flat monthly self-serve, fair-use usage | Per-token, harder to forecast | GPU plus operations cost |
| Model choice | 30+ models behind one API | Varies by provider | You host every model |
| Industry fit | Matter intake, contract lifecycle support, policy Q&A, legal ops | Generic API, you adapt it | You build every workflow |
Frequently asked questions
Can we keep our existing OpenAI SDK code?
Yes. Plugsky exposes an OpenAI-compatible API, so you change the base URL and model name and keep your integration.
Is there a free plan?
Yes. The free plan includes two free models, plugsky-micro and plugsky-lite, and does not require a credit card.
Can it give legal advice?
No. It can retrieve, summarise and draft; qualified lawyers must advise and decide. Publish an escalation path for business users.
How does pricing work?
Self-serve plans are flat monthly with unlimited fair-use usage; enterprise agreements cover residency, isolation and SLA terms. See the live pricing page for current plans.
Can data be kept in our region?
Yes. Region-locked planes keep processing in a selected region, with VPC, on-prem and air-gapped options for enterprise setups.
Which endpoints are live today?
Chat completions, streaming, JSON mode, function calling, embeddings, RAG and agents are live. Audio, images, moderation, files, batch, fine-tuning, assistants and the responses API are coming soon.
How do we handle legal hold?
Decide before indexing: what prompts and outputs are retained, for how long, and how holds override deletion. Put it in policy and configure retention accordingly.