Switching Modes & Sessions
Workbench has three modes: Quick, Standard, and Thorough. Exactly one mode is active at a time, and Quick is the default. You can change mode whenever you like from the selector below the input bar.
What a mode applies to
The mode you choose applies to the next message you send, not retroactively to answers already on screen. Switching modes does not rewrite earlier responses in the conversation; it changes how the next question is handled.
A practical consequence: a single chat can contain replies produced in different modes. If you started in Quick and switch to Thorough, only the messages you send after that switch run as Thorough investigations. The Quick replies above stay as they are.
If you want the same question re-answered in a different mode, switch the selector and re-ask. The new mode handles the rephrased message; the original answer remains in the chat as history.
How mode persists
Mode persistence works on two levels:
- Per chat. Each existing chat reopens in the mode used for its last message. Open a chat that ended on a Thorough memo and it reopens in Thorough; a chat that ended on a Quick reply reopens in Quick.
- Globally, for new chats. Your last selection follows you forward. After you've switched to Thorough or Standard, the next new chat opens in that mode, not Quick.
Quick is the system default for every new account, but once you've moved off it, the platform keeps your choice in place until you switch again. Glance at the selector before you send, especially at the start of a session or when reopening an older chat.
A single chat keeps the last mode it was used in. A new chat inherits the mode you most recently selected anywhere. Together: chats keep their identity, and your global selector follows you forward.
How the modes differ in output
Switching mode changes the shape of the answer:
| Mode | What you get |
|---|---|
| Quick | A direct answer, no citations; copy-ready. |
| Standard | A memo-quality report with citations aggregated at the end; copy-ready. |
| Thorough | A legal memo with inline citations linked to each source, plus a live investigation you can follow in the Thinking panel. |
Because the shapes differ, switching is also a way to change what comes back, not just how thorough it is. If a Standard report is more than you need, drop into Quick for follow-ups in the same chat; quick clarifications stay quick and the report stays in the conversation as reference. Each message stands on its own under whichever mode was active when you sent it, and earlier messages keep their original mode: their citations, Thinking panel, and source panels don't disappear when you switch. For the common patterns of moving between modes on one task, see AI Modes.
Verifying your work
How you check the work depends on the mode that produced it:
- Thorough checks case-law citations against source as it investigates, and every inline citation links to the opinion it came from, so you verify by clicking through.
- Standard aggregates citations at the end rather than checking each as it writes. Run Cite Check on the report to confirm every cited case is real, correctly formatted, and still good law before you rely on it.
- Quick doesn't produce citations. If an answer needs cited authority, that's your signal to switch to Thorough or Standard.
Whichever mode produced the answer, review the holdings yourself before you file. The modes make checking fast and traceable; they don't replace your judgment.