OpenAI has launched Astra for Law, a legal industry-focused version of its GPT-6 Astra model designed to support law firms and legal technology companies with legal research, drafting and custom application development.

The launch, announced on September 17, marks OpenAI’s latest move into the legal technology market as major AI companies expand tools for lawyers and corporate legal departments. Google recently expanded its Gemini Enterprise offerings for legal professionals, while Anthropic has introduced legal capabilities for users of its Claude AI assistant.

Astra for Law combines GPT-6 Astra with a dedicated legal search index covering U.S. case law, statutes, regulations, court rules and administrative decisions.

OpenAI said the platform also includes specialized instructions for legal analysis and writing, enabling lawyers to research legal questions, develop arguments and examine potential objections. The legal index is updated with new sources daily.

The company said legal technology providers including Harvey and Legora will be able to build products and workflows using Astra for Law. The platform is also designed to connect with tools from providers including Relativity, Clio, Intapp and Thomson Reuters.

OpenAI said selected U.S. law firms will initially receive access through its Trusted Access program, which includes controls designed to protect confidential client work. The company has worked with firms including Sullivan & Cromwell, Ropes & Gray, Cooley, Latham & Watkins and Wachtell Lipton on developing and testing legal AI applications.

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The launch comes as competition in legal AI intensifies. Thomson Reuters recently introduced Thomson 1.0, an AI model trained on its legal research content and designed for professional use. Its Westlaw platform also remains a major legal research resource.

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OpenAI’s move highlights the growing effort among AI companies and established legal technology providers to integrate generative AI into research, drafting and other legal workflows while maintaining access controls and professional oversight.