Johnson Stokes & Master (JSM), a leading independent Hong Kong law firm, has developed a growing suite of internal AI agents using Microsoft Copilot agents, underscoring its governance-first approach to AI adoption in regulated professional services and its commitment to delivering more consistent, efficient and accountable client service.
Geoffrey Chan, Senior Partner, JSM, said:“Our approach to AI is guided by a clear strategic principle: technology should support the quality, consistency and accountability of our work. By leveraging Microsoft Copilot agents within defined governance frameworks, we are witnessing how our knowledge, and expertise merge with technology for use within the Firm while maintaining the professional standards our clients expect. This forms part of our focus on building long-term capability responsibly, in line with client expectations and regulatory requirements, while supporting measured innovation in how legal services are delivered.”
Central to this initiative is the Employment Legal Advice Copilot Agent, designed to support high-volume employment advisory work for Microsoft for now, with plans to replicate the model for other corporate clients in accordance with their own policies and guidelines. Built within the Microsoft 365 environment, the agent integrates into lawyers’ daily workflows, enabling more structured, consistent and efficient delivery of legal services.
Acting as a structured decision-support tool, the agent helps organise matter context, identify key issues and generate first-pass drafts outlining risks, options and recommended next steps. It does not replace legal judgement as all output is reviewed, refined and approved by qualified lawyers prior to external use. Its deployment is governed by clearly defined operating parameters. The system does not generate autonomous legal advice from client data or bypass professional oversight. It operates within a defined scope, controlled access to internal knowledge and a focus on repeatable work patterns.
Joe Choy, Employment & Benefits partner at JSM who led the initiative, added: “This initiative reflects a practical and disciplined approach to applying AI in legal work. Our focus has been to use the technology to enhance the quality, consistency and efficiency of client service, while keeping legal judgement, professional oversight and accountability central to every outcome. In a legal setting, trust depends on strong governance, appropriate safeguards around confidentiality and data handling, and discipline in how these tools are applied in practice. We are already seeing meaningful benefits, with lawyers being able to spend less time on routine aspects of a matter and more time on legal analysis, client engagement and strategic discussion. By applying the technology within defined parameters and with lawyer review throughout, we are supporting our teams while reinforcing the standards clients expect.”
Amy Lee, Chief Legal Director, Microsoft Hong Kong, who has worked closely with JSM on the initiative, said: “We’re pleased to see the strong progress JSM has made on its AI legal frontier journey. From a client’s perspective, the real value of AI in legal services is not simply speed, but helping lawyers deliver timely, consistent and high-quality advice while preserving the professional judgement and accountability that clients rely on. JSM’s work with Copilot agents is a strong example of how AI can be applied responsibly to raise the quality of legal services, enhance efficiency, and ultimately support better client outcomes.”
About JSM
Johnson Stokes & Master (JSM) is a pre-eminent law firm in Hong Kong with representative
offices in Beijing and Shanghai and a Beijing IP agency which handles trademark registration
matters in Mainland China. JSM advises clients on the full spectrum of legal issues arising on
the most complex deals and disputes in and from Hong Kong and Mainland China. For more
information, please visit www.jsm.com.
