Perhaps one of the things that we don’t think about when we are at conferences like ILTACon, is the amount of emails we get post-conference. Most of mine this week start with “sorry we didn’t connect at ILTACon, but here’s your opportunity to talk with me about the product you ignored and are probably regretting not seeing at ILTA last week.” Or something like that… I may be embellishing a bit.
There is still a lot of updates, mergers/acquisitions, and new product release information hitting the news this week, most of which was announced at ILTA. Some of the updates seem to be more of the big two legal information companies finding some point solutions to enhance their AI offerings. It’s my guess that we will see many more of these types of advancements in the coming weeks and months as companies work to fill in gaps in their offerings.
The one that caught my eye this week was Lexis’ launch of Protégé Legal AI Assistant which should leverage its Lexis Search Advantage Knowledge Management (KM) tool along with Lexis+ AI. We’ve been looking for a way to dig into our DMS (iManage/NetDocs) for a while now, and this may crack that door open a bit and let us see what happens with those results, and what security teams at law firms are going to say about using AI on the DMS.
Here’s this week’s edition of What. Just. Happened? Remember, you can track these daily with the AI Lawyer Talking Tech podcast (Spotify or Apple) which covers legal tech news and summarizes stories.
- Thomson Reuters Acquires Safe Sign Technologies
Thomson Reuters, a leader in legal information and technology, has acquired UK-based Safe Sign Technologies, a startup specializing in legal-specific large language models (LLMs). This acquisition aims to bolster Thomson Reuters’ CoCounsel AI Assistant, enhancing their AI capabilities in delivering advanced legal technology solutions tailored to specific legal tasks and ensuring legally permissible data usage. - Spellbook Launches Gen AI Agent for Legal Projects
Spellbook has introduced a new generative AI agent, “Associate,” specifically designed to handle complex legal tasks such as drafting financing documents and contract reviews. This innovation is set to help smaller law firms compete with larger ones by automating routine tasks, allowing lawyers to focus on more strategic activities. - LexisNexis Clarifies AI Integration with Document Management Systems
LexisNexis has clarified how its Protégé Legal AI Assistant integrates with law firms’ Document Management Systems (DMS). This integration provides firms with greater control over data access and enhances data security while leveraging the benefits of AI to improve legal workflows - Legal Technology Hub Discusses Their Acquisition of Legal Tech Consultants
Legal Technology Hub has expanded its capabilities by acquiring Legal Tech Consultants. This merger strengthens the combined entity’s ability to provide comprehensive solutions for legal tech vendors and law firms, enhancing guidance and support for early-stage startups and large law firms alike. - Moonlit Secures Funding After Spinning Out from Deloitte
Amsterdam-based legal research platform Moonlit, which recently spun out from Deloitte, has secured funding from Curiosity VC. Moonlit aims to enhance its AI-driven platform that streamlines cross-border legal research, addressing the need for efficient and accessible legal research across EU member states. - USC Gould School of Law Launches AI Specialization
The Gould School of Law at the University of Southern California has introduced a certificate specialization in Law and Artificial Intelligence. This program will equip students with the knowledge to navigate legal issues surrounding AI, such as privacy, intellectual property, and ethics, reflecting the growing intersection of AI and law. - Aderant Launches viAllocate for Work Allocation Challenges
Aderant has launched viAllocate, a solution designed to tackle work allocation challenges in law firms. The platform optimizes lawyer availability and skill tracking, improving the allocation of resources and enhancing associate development, ultimately maximizing billable hours. - Amazon-Backed Anthropic Faces Copyright Legal Challenges
Anthropic, an AI startup backed by Amazon, is embroiled in legal battles over the use of copyrighted materials in training its AI models. The outcomes of these cases could set precedents for AI development and intellectual property rights. - Legal Aid and AI Help Bridge the Justice Gap
AI is playing a crucial role in transforming legal aid in the U.S., helping to close the “justice gap” for low-income Americans. AI-powered tools are streamlining case management, document preparation, and volunteer recruitment, enabling legal aid organizations to serve more clients efficiently.