(Aug 26) What happened in LegalTech last week?
Last week's legal tech highlights include Moonlit's spin-out from Deloitte, Thomson Reuters' acquisition of Safe Sign, and AI integration in legal education at USC and UC Berkeley.
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Key Stories
This week saw significant movements in the legal tech landscape, with major AI advancements and a poignant loss within the legal community.
Deloitte's spin-out of Moonlit marks a strategic shift towards specialized generative AI tools for EU legal research, further indicating the sectorâs tech-driven evolution. Similarly, Thomson Reuters' acquisition of Safe Sign Technologies underlines a growing trend of adopting legal-specific large language models to enhance service precision and innovation.
On a somber note, the community is mourning the loss of two prominent figuresâMike Lynch and Christopher Morvilloâwhose deaths reflect a significant vacuum in legal tech and law firm circles. These events collectively underscore the dynamic intersection of technology and the human element within the legal sector.
- Deloitte Legal Research Platform âMoonlitâ Spins Out: Moonlit has become an independent entity, focusing on EU legal data with advanced tracking and analysis via GenAI. This move is poised to broaden its capabilities and reach. (Artificial Lawyer)
- TRâs Safe Sign Deal: Legal-Specific LLMs May Be The Future: Thomson Reuters has acquired Safe Sign, a developer of legal-specific large language models (LLMs). This strategic acquisition enhances TRâs GenAI capabilities, suggesting a heightened focus on specialized AI solutions within the industry. (Artificial Lawyer)
- Legal sector grieves as Mike Lynch and Christopher Morvillo confirmed among the Bayesian yacht dead: The tragic deaths of tech pioneer Mike Lynch and Clifford Chance partner Christopher Morvillo have sent waves of sorrow through the legal community. Lynch was celebrating his recent acquittal on fraud charges prior to the incident. Tributes highlight their substantial contributions to the field. (Legal IT Insider)
All Other Stories
Beyond the weekâs key stories, several notable developments continue to shape the legal industry. Partnerships and acquisitions aimed at bolstering AI capabilities remain a prominent theme, with Spellbook's and Robin AI's new ventures enhancing AI utilization in legal tasks. Educational institutions are also stepping up, exemplified by USC and Berkeley offering AI-focused legal courses to prepare the next generation for tech-centric legal practice.
Additionally, leadership changes within firms like Elite signal ongoing adjustments to better align with future technological and market demands. Collectively, these stories highlight a sector that is rapidly adapting to the transformative potential of AI and evolving leadership needs.
Links and summaries
Want to explore a story more deeply? Here are the original links to the stories, with summaries to aid review.
Key stories
Deloitte Legal Research Platform âMoonlitâ Spins Out (Artificial Lawyer)
Moonlit, an Amsterdam-based AI-driven legal research platform, has successfully spun out from Deloitte, with fresh investment propelling its specialization in tracking EU directives' application across member states. This move is strategic; Moonlit, now independent, can better meet legal professionals' needs by monitoring the nuanced adoption of EU laws in various jurisdictions. Enhanced by a GenAI chatbot and customizable dashboards, Moonlit offers a significant edge by integrating varied legal interpretations and trends, crucial for cross-border legal operations. The platform's independent status underscores a growing trend in legal tech where niche, agile platforms are addressing specific market gaps left by larger, traditional publishers.
TRâs Safe Sign Deal: Legal-Specific LLMs May Be The Future (Artificial Lawyer)
Thomson Reuters' acquisition of Safe Sign, a niche legal LLM (L-LLM) developer, signals a strategic pivot towards enhancing legal AI specificity and accuracy. Despite housing around 190 tech experts and collaborating with various general LLMs, TR recognized the untapped potential of legal-specific LLMs, especially trained on granular legal data. Safe Signâs expertise, bolstered by former A&O Shearman lawyer Alexander Kardos-Nyheim and AI expert Dr. Jonathan R. Schwarz, along with TRâs vast legal data trove, can dramatically elevate the accuracy of legal AI outputs. This move not only aims to refine the precision of legal responses but may also set a new industry standard, emphasizing the importance of domain-specific model training in the competitive legal tech landscape.
The tragic sinking of the superyacht Bayesian off the coast of Sicily on August 19 has profoundly impacted the legal and tech communities, bringing sorrow and reflection. Among the deceased are Autonomy founder Mike Lynch and Clifford Chance partner Christopher Morvillo. Lynch, a pivotal figure in the technology sector often likened to "Britain's Bill Gates," was celebrating his recent legal victory when the accident occurred. Despite his controversies, Lynch's contributions to UK technology and AI have been monumental, founding entities like Luminance and Darktrace. Clifford Chance and Luminance have expressed deep sorrow, focusing on supporting those grieving. This tragic event reminds us of the intertwined human and professional legacies individuals leave behind in the sectors they transform.
All the rest
Updated: Mike Lynch missing after superyacht sinks in Sicily (Legal IT Insider)
Autonomy founder Mike Lynch is missing after his superyacht sank off Sicily, with six others, including Clifford Chance partner Christopher Morvillo and his wife. Lynch was celebrating his recent acquittal on fraud charges. Clifford Chance expressed shock and sadness, prioritizing support for affected families and requesting privacy.
Luminance Founder Mike Lynch Reported âMissingâ After Yacht Sinks (Artificial Lawyer)
Mike Lynch, founder of Luminance and Dark Trace, is missing after a yacht sank off Sicily's coast. Out of 22 people on board, 15 were rescued and one body was found. Lynch recently won a lengthy court battle with HP in the US.
Robin AI Partners With AWS for Bedrock, SageMaker + Marketplace (Artificial Lawyer)
Robin AI has teamed up with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to boost its generative AI for contract review. The partnership leverages Amazon Bedrock and SageMaker to build, train, and deploy advanced AI models securely. This collaboration aims to enhance Robin AI's global market reach with robust AI solutions.
LexisNexis Clarifies Its AI-To-DMS Connection + Why This Is A Big Deal (Artificial Lawyer)
LexisNexis has launched Protégé Legal AI Assistant, which integrates with law firms' Document Management Systems (DMS) for secure and personalized drafting. Firms can opt for manual uploads to maintain control over sensitive data. This solution aims to address data sensitivity and AI transparency concerns.
Elite appoints new CTO as Elisabet Hardy promoted to CPO (Legal IT Insider)
Elite has appointed John Machado as CTO and promoted Elisabet Hardy to chief product officer. Machado will enhance Elite's cloud-native solutions, while Sugden will assist with the transition until September 2024. Hardy aims to expand core product development to improve customer efficiency.
Pickering Pearce has appointed Paul Sambhi and Alex Young as senior directors. They bring extensive experience in legal technology and large-scale transformation projects. Their expertise will enhance the firm's capabilities and deliver significant value to clients.
Harvey Launches New Version of GenAI Assistant (Artificial Lawyer)
Legal genAI pioneer Harvey has upgraded its Assistant with new specialized modes and iterative functionality. The updates improve document processing, accuracy, speed, and language support. These enhancements aim to strengthen Harvey's position in the competitive legal tech market.
Californiaâs USC + Berkeley Offer Legal AI Courses (Artificial Lawyer)
USC Gould School of Law introduced a Law and AI certificate program, open to non-lawyers. UC Berkeley Law offers an online course on ethical AI use in legal practice. These programs show law schools adapting to AI's increasing role in the legal field.
Would You Like A GenAI-Tailored Legal Doc For Just $2? (Artificial Lawyer)
DocPro Limited, led by ex-lawyer Kim Chan, received $500,000 to develop DocLegal.ai, an AI-powered legal document service using GPT-4. The platform offers affordable legal documents but advises users to consult lawyers for complex needs. The article discusses the tension between affordable AI tools and traditional legal expertise, predicting significant advancements in AI legal services.
How Clients Are Outsourcing Legal AI R&D To Law Firms (Artificial Lawyer)
AI is revolutionizing the legal industry, with clients turning to law firms for AI-based legal tech solutions. Law firms need to balance new skills, partnerships, and client collaboration to develop effective tools. Establishing a fair billing model for AI services is challenging, but successful collaboration can transform traditional legal service models.
CC Partner Missing on Lynch Yacht + Co-Defendant Killed By Car (Artificial Lawyer)
Mike Lynch, founder of Luminance, and Clifford Chance partner Chris Morvillo are missing after their yacht sank off Italy's coast. Stephen Chamberlain, former Autonomy VP, died after being hit by a car in Cambridgeshire. Both men had recently been cleared of fraud charges related to Hewlett-Packard's acquisition of Autonomy.
Two Legal Media Veterans Launch Communications Consultancy (LawSites)
Kenneth Gary and Erin Harrison, former ALM legal journalists, have launched LIMELIGHT, a communications firm. LIMELIGHT offers marketing, media relations, crisis management, and more, targeting legal and business clients. The firm aims to use technology and industry expertise to deliver strategic, data-driven solutions for complex industries.
Lawyers often misjudge LLMs, viewing them as suitable only for routine tasks. However, experts on podcasts reveal that LLMs excel in creative and sophisticated legal work, including conceptual understanding and novel theories. They recommend using older AI for mundane tasks and reserving LLMs for complex, innovative challenges.
Gen AI and the Practice of Law Report â Download it here now (Legal IT Insider)
The legal profession is experiencing a technological shift due to generative AI, which promises to enhance practices and efficiency. Neil Cameron's report discusses the applications, benefits, and risks of this technology, emphasizing ethical and regulatory challenges. The article stresses the need for the legal industry to adapt, including changes in legal education and professional development.
Thomson Reuters acquires Safe Sign Technologies (Legal IT Insider)
Thomson Reuters has acquired UK startup Safe Sign Technologies, founded in 2022 by Alexander Kardos-Nyheim and joined by Dr. Jonathan Richard Schwarz. The acquisition aims to boost Thomson Reuters' AI solutions, especially the CoCounsel AI Assistant. This move leverages SST's expertise in legal-specific large language models.
Thomson Reuters Buys Legal Specific LLM Developer Safe Sign (Artificial Lawyer)
Thomson Reuters has acquired UK startup Safe Sign Technologies, known for its legal-specific large language models (LLMs). This acquisition aims to boost TR's AI capabilities and integrate Safe Sign's expertise. The Safe Sign team will collaborate with TR to enhance AI solutions for legal professionals.
Product Walk Through: Callidus â GenAI Disputes + Deal Platform (Artificial Lawyer)
Callidus is a new legal genAI platform designed for both litigation and transactional tasks, featuring modules for research, contract comparison, and AI assistance. Co-founder Anoop Singh demonstrated its ability to produce well-cited briefs and redlined documents efficiently. The platform was showcased at the Legal Innovators California conference, highlighting its progress among other startups.
Gavel has introduced free pre-built workflows for document automation, focusing on specific legal areas like California divorce, probate, and estate planning. These tools aim to boost adoption among small and mid-sized law firms. Founder Dorna Moini highlights that the workflows enhance work quality, competitiveness, and profitability.
Spellbook launches Gen AI agent Associate for legal projects (Legal IT Insider)
Spellbook has introduced Spellbook Associate, an AI agent designed for legal tasks like document production and contract review. Powered by large language models, it self-corrects and helps lawyers focus on more valuable work. This tool could transform junior associate training and allow smaller firms to compete with larger ones.
Thomson Reuters has acquired UK startup Safe Sign Technologies, which develops legal-specific large language models. This acquisition aims to enhance Thomson Reuters' AI capabilities in legal tasks by utilizing SST's expertise and proprietary models. The move highlights Thomson Reuters' dedication to advancing technology and research in the legal sector.
Spellbook Launches Associate: âFirst Full-Fledgedâ Legal AI Agent (Artificial Lawyer)
Spellbook has introduced an AI agent named 'Associate' to manage complex legal tasks, enhancing lawyer productivity. The AI can plan, execute, and adapt across different documents, mimicking a junior associate's role. This innovation could lead to significant changes in legal business models.
CARET Says Its CEO Left Of Her Own Accord, Remains on Companyâs Board (LawSites)
CARET's CEO Keri Gohman stepped down but remains on the board, while two other executives left following the sale of HotDocs to Mitratech. The company, formerly AbacusNext, is now focusing on law practice management products for small to mid-sized firms. Mark Schatz is the interim CEO, prioritizing the CARET Legal cloud platform while supporting legacy products.
The trial between Thomson Reuters and ROSS Intelligence has been postponed indefinitely by Judge Stephanos Bibas. The judge has asked both parties to renew their motions for summary judgment and submit more briefings on copyrightability and fair use. A new joint scheduling order must be proposed by August 28.
Spellbook Launches Gen AI Agent that Can Plan and Execute Complex Transactional Workflows (LawSites)
Spellbook has introduced Spellbook Associate, an AI agent designed for legal tasks. It can autonomously manage document updates and complex workflows, allowing lawyers to focus on more valuable work. This technology aims to boost efficiency and help smaller law firms compete effectively.
Elite lets go of three senior leaders including âface of Elite in Europeâ (Legal IT Insider)
Elite has dismissed three senior leaders, including UK-based Patrick Hurley, to focus on SaaS growth. Customers praised Hurleyâs contributions in Europe and are concerned about his departure. The company aims to align resources with evolving technology needs despite recent redundancies.
