Latest news with #legaltech
Irish Times
2 days ago
- Business
- Irish Times
Irish legal software firm Brightflag in €425m takeover
Irish legal software business Brightflag is to be taken over by a dutch firm in a deal worth hundreds of millions of euro. Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory has agreed terms to buy Dublin-based Brightflag for €425 million in cash, it said in a statement on Thursday. It will use Brightflag to strengthen its presence among mid-sized law firms in Europe and the US, it added. The deal is expected to close next month and is subject to the 'customary closing conditions.' Brightflag, which was founded by Ian Nolan and Alex Kelly in 2014, uses artificial intelligence (AI) to help firms manage their legal bills as well as improve communications between companies and their outside legal teams. Its software scans invoices and other documents which can then be used to manage costs at big companies, which would typically spend millions of euro per year on legal fees. Brightflag's 155 staff will move to Wolters Kluwer as part of the deal. READ MORE [ Ian Nolan and Alex Kelly of Brightflag: 'It's shocking how little the Government buys from indigenous Irish technology companies' Opens in new window ] 'Wolters Kluwer shares our vision for leveraging advanced technology to enhance legal operations, and we look forward to working with the Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory team to accelerate the future of legal solutions,' said Mr Nolan, who is also Brightflag's chief executive. Brightflag's revenue hit €22 million last year, according to the company. That was a 36 per cent increase on a year earlier. By last month, it had annual recurring revenue – a key performance metric – of €27 million. About 50 per cent of its business comes from the US. The company counts the likes of Lufthansa and DropBox among its clients. 'We are excited to welcome Brightflag to Wolters Kluwer, where together we will continue to lead the way in AI-powered legal technology tailored to the evolving demands of corporate legal departments,' said Wolters Kluwer chief executive Martin O'Malley. Mr Kelly and Mr Nolan identified a gap in the market for what became Brightflag in part through Mr Kelly's time as a corporate lawyer with Matheson and Mr Nolan's background as a software engineer focused on the legal industry. 'There are major pressures on legal departments to be operationally efficient like their colleagues in other areas of the business,' they said in a 2019 interview with The Irish Times, adding that it was 'shocking how little the government buys from indigenous Irish technology companies.' It had previously raised at least €30 million across three funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $28 million (€24.6 million) in 2020. That funding round was led by One Peak Partners while previous backers Sands Capital Partners, and Dublin-based Frontline Ventures and Tribal VC also participated in the round. Sands Capital had led a funding round for the company in 2019.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Wolters Kluwer to acquire global legal software provider Brightflag
PRESS RELEASE Wolters Kluwer to acquire global legal software provider Brightflag Alphen aan den Rijn – May 29, 2025 – Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory has signed an agreement to acquire Brightflag, a fast-growing, cloud-based provider of AI-powered legal spend and matter management software, for approximately €425 million in cash. The acquisition will strengthen Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory's presence among mid-size corporations in the U.S. and Europe. Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory ELM Solutions traditionally serves large corporations and their law firms. Founded in 2014, Brightflag is an AI-powered legal operations platform designed to streamline matter management, control legal spend, and enhance collaboration between corporate legal departments and outside counsel. The company has 155 full-time employees who will join Wolters Kluwer's Legal & Regulatory division. Martin O'Malley, CEO of Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory: 'Today's legal professionals require innovative solutions that drive greater efficiency while optimizing their legal matters and spend. We are excited to welcome Brightflag to Wolters Kluwer, where together we will continue to lead the way in AI-powered legal technology tailored to the evolving demands of corporate legal departments." Ian Nolan, CEO and Co-Founder of Brightflag: 'Since our founding, Brightflag has been committed to revolutionizing legal spend and matter management through AI-driven innovation. Wolters Kluwer shares our vision for leveraging advanced technology to enhance legal operations, and we look forward to working with the Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory team to accelerate the future of legal solutions.' In 2024, Brightflag revenues increased 36% to reach approximately €22 million (un-audited), and, as of April 2025, the company had attained €27 million of ARR (annual recurring revenue). Brightflag revenues are approximately 95% recurring in nature and approximately 60% from U.S. customers. The acquisition is expected to achieve a return on invested capital (ROIC) at or above Wolters Kluwer's after tax weighted average cost of capital (8%) in its fifth full year of ownership. In the near term, the acquisition is expected to have an immaterial impact on Wolters Kluwer adjusted earnings. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to be completed in June 2025. ### About Wolters KluwerWolters Kluwer (EURONEXT: WKL) is a global leader in information solutions, software and services for professionals in healthcare; tax and accounting; financial and corporate compliance; legal and regulatory; corporate performance and ESG. We help our customers make critical decisions every day by providing expert solutions that combine deep domain knowledge with technology and services. Wolters Kluwer reported 2024 annual revenues of €5.9 billion. The group serves customers in over 180 countries, maintains operations in over 40 countries, and employs approximately 21,900 people worldwide. The company is headquartered in Alphen aan den Rijn, the Netherlands. Wolters Kluwer shares are listed on Euronext Amsterdam (WKL) and are included in the AEX, Euro Stoxx 50 and Euronext 100 indices. Wolters Kluwer has a sponsored Level 1 American Depositary Receipt (ADR) program. The ADRs are traded on the over-the-counter market in the U.S. (WTKWY). For more information about Wolters Kluwer, please visit: or follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram. About BrightflagBrightflag's AI-powered enterprise legal management (ELM) platform provides Chief Legal Officers, General Counsel, and heads of legal operations with visibility into work and spend, tools that improve productivity, and insights needed to operate strategically. Brightflag customers benefit from automatic monthly software updates and a proactive, consultative customer service team whose mission is to make them better month after month and year after year. Media Investors/Analysts Stefan Kloet Meg Geldens Associate Director Vice President Global Communications Investor Relations press@ ir@ m: +31 612 223 657 Forward-looking Statements and Other Important Legal InformationThis report contains forward-looking statements. These statements may be identified by words such as 'expect', 'should', 'could', 'shall' and similar expressions. Wolters Kluwer cautions that such forward-looking statements are qualified by certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and events to differ materially from what is contemplated by the forward-looking statements. Factors which could cause actual results to differ from these forward-looking statements may include, without limitation, general economic conditions; conditions in the markets in which Wolters Kluwer is engaged; conditions created by pandemics; behavior of customers, suppliers, and competitors; technological developments; the implementation and execution of new ICT systems or outsourcing; and legal, tax, and regulatory rules affecting Wolters Kluwer's businesses, as well as risks related to mergers, acquisitions, and divestments. In addition, financial risks such as currency movements, interest rate fluctuations, liquidity, and credit risks could influence future results. The foregoing list of factors should not be construed as exhaustive. Wolters Kluwer disclaims any intention or obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Elements of this press release contain or may contain inside information about Wolters Kluwer within the meaning of Article 7(1) of the Market Abuse Regulation (596/2014/EU). Trademarks referenced are owned by Wolters Kluwer N.V. and its subsidiaries and may be registered in various countries. Attachment 2025.05.29 Wolters Kluwer to acquire global legal software provider BrightflagError in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Forbes
3 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
15 Amazing Generative AI Tools For Lawyers And Legal Tasks
Discover the top AI tools transforming the legal world for professionals and consumers alike, from ... More contract automation to court claims. For seasoned lawyers, as well as laypeople, simply trying to make sense of a tricky contract, new tools powered by generative AI promise to transform the way we engage with the law. Legal professionals often devote large chunks of their time to drafting contracts, researching previous cases, preparing documents for submission to court, or reviewing case law. Even for non-lawyers, many everyday tasks can require diving into legal concepts and principles—wading through corporate T&Cs, tenancy agreements, consumer rights advice or business compliance. Fortunately, lawyers—professional and armchair varieties—are finding that there's a wealth of genAI tools out there that can make their lives easier. So here's my rundown of some of the leading apps, tools, and services that help with legal tasks. Some can help law firms and professionals automate dull and repetitive jobs, while others aim to make the legal systems and courts more accessible to laypeople. Harvey AI is among the market-leading legal AI platforms. Like many of the tools here, it's built on LLM technology (in this case, OpenAI's GPT models that also power ChatGPT). However, it's been fine-tuned to be particularly efficient when it comes to legal tasks such as research, contract analysis and compliance. As well as the vast amounts of training data at its disposal, it is further fine-tuned on domain-specific legal knowledge to ensure firms get assistance that's tailored to their own way of working. Harvey now also offers agentic genAI capabilities, allowing it to work autonomously on carrying out longer, multi-step tasks. LexisNexis has existed for more than 50 years as a database of legal information, including court decisions, judgments and case law. Today, it's been given a generative AI upgrade in the form of Lexis+, which is designed to act as an AI legal assistant. Users—generally legal professionals—can engage through a conversational search interface in order to create tailored legal documents, and correspondence, as well as identify relevant case law, statutes and legal commentary. It also provides instant summaries of complex legal texts and integrates with Lexis's Shepard Citation Service, ensuring citations are correct and up-to-date. This is a web-based platform offering generative AI tools for a wide variety of legal tasks often faced by consumers and laypeople, including fighting parking charges, reclaiming debts and disputing bank fees. It isn't purely AI-based—there is a strong community element to the service, too, and plenty of articles giving useful advice on a number of consumer rights, data protection and privacy issues. Billed as the "consumer AI champion," it can be used to generate dispute letters, file claims and navigate complex court processes no matter how inexperienced a user is in legal matters. Operated by Thompson Reuters, CoCounsel is an AI legal assistant that crunches through repetitive digital workloads like reviewing documents, researching case law, and identifying critical questions. It has developed a reputation as trustworthy among law firms due to a focus on robust data protection and privacy safeguards. CoCounsel has also added what it calls agentic functionality to its platform. Although it isn't yet clear what their AI agents will do, it's speculated that the legal industry will be heavily impacted by the adoption of these next-generation AI tools that promise even greater levels of automation. GenAI-powered lawtech platform was built to streamline the creation of legal documents and the negotiation involved in contracts and agreements. Specifically tailored for startups and small businesses without full in-house legal teams, it offers AI-customized legal templates from employment contracts to NDAs, covering any standard documentation that smaller organizations might require. As it's designed to be used by non-professionals as well as professionals, it features powerful functionality around reducing complexity and providing easy-to-digest explanations of contract clauses. That's far from all of the tools out there designed for lawyers and armchair lawyers. If none of the above do exactly what you need, take a look at one of these: Blue J AI-powered research assistant designed to help accountants and other professional services understand tax laws. ContractPod AI Users of enterprise legal AI platform ContractPod can access Leah, a virtual legal assistant capable of in-depth analysis. Garfield AI Use AI to simplify the process of recovering personal debts through the UK court system. Iubenda Automate the creation of privacy policies, cookie policies, T&Cs, and other pages so that website operators stay on the right side of the law. Ivo Enterprise platform offering automated contract review to streamline corporate workflows. Latch AI-assisted professional tools for automating contract negotiations. LawConnect Free AI-powered answers to legal questions. LegalEase Designed to 'level the playing field' by simplifying law for non-lawyers. PatentPal Generative AI tools designed for intellectual property lawyers, offering assistance with writing patent applications. Sana Sana Labs offers AI agents trained to work in legal business environments.
Zawya
22-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Thomson Reuters sets future agenda at SYNERGY Dubai
SYNERGY Dubai delivers leading AI insights and innovations, product enhancements, and exclusive industry expertise to 200+ customers in the Middle East. DUBAI – Thomson Reuters (TSX/Nasdaq: TRI), a global content and technology company, today returns its signature SYNERGY conference to Dubai. The future-focused agenda, featuring 22 industry leaders, unveils major product enhancements and new AI innovations designed to meet the industry's evolving needs. Over 200 customers will learn about new features on Westlaw Middle East, Legal Tracker improvements for GCC compliance, the expansion of Practical Law Middle East, and the seamless integration of its GenAI assistant, CoCounsel. Thomson Reuters global flagship event, SYNERGY, is where industry leaders converge to witness and shape the future of their professions through innovation that drives substantial business outcomes. 'From tax and compliance to legal professionals, what unifies us all is a common set of transformation drivers. In 2025, it's the speed and scale of regulatory changes, the growing appetite and adoption of AI, and the need for an innovative mindset that's shaping the future of the professional landscape. SYNERGY sets the stage for Thomson Reuters customers to determine how these trends will impact their business today and in the future.' said Jane Lewis, vice president, Asia and Emerging Markets. The event agenda covers product updates and customer success stories across Thomson Reuters portfolio: AI Integration: Thomson Reuters will showcase how it is boosting customer experience by seamlessly bringing its professional-grade generative AI assistant, CoCounsel, to the workflows and tools that professionals already use every day. Launched to UAE customers in March, CoCounsel now integrates with Westlaw International, Practical Law Middle East, and ONESOURCE, and is accessible within Microsoft 365 and data storage solutions. New and improved Westlaw Middle East: Thomson Reuters demonstrates its commitment to the region with the development of Westlaw Middle East on Westlaw International, enabling customers to achieve improved legal practice and better client outcomes through efficient legal research. This extensive legal database meets the bespoke needs of legal practitioners in the region with comprehensive coverage of Middle Eastern jurisdictions. Local data hosting on Legal Tracker: UAE customers can now ensure full compliance with Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) data sovereignty regulations while securely managing legal operations through locally-hosted Legal Tracker—Thomson Reuters comprehensive legal spend and e-billing solution for enterprise legal management. Practical Law Middle East team grows: Thomson Reuters understands that accurate, localized insight and expertise is crucial to businesses navigating the UAE's legal framework, in addition to international laws. The expansion of the Practical Law Middle East team equips legal professionals in the region with an increased arsenal of exclusive, up-to-date resources and practical guidance tailored specifically to their jurisdictional needs. Leading the GCC E-invoicing journey: As the UAE advances its adoption of Peppol, Thomson Reuters is one of the first solution providers to apply for the e-invoicing pre-accreditation. This follows the recent announcement by the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) in Singapore recognising Pagero, acquired by Thomson Reuters, as an approved Access Point Provider. With a strong global track record and local presence, Thomson Reuters is uniquely positioned to support businesses in achieving seamless e-invoicing compliance across the GCC. Continuous investment in Pillar Two Local Country Calculators: In partnership with Orbitax, Thomson Reuters delivers the only Global Minimum Tax (GMT) solution in the market with local calculators for every legislated country. With close to 60 countries, including the UAE, Bahrain, and Qatar now enacting GMT as local law, this solution helps in-scope corporations solve for tax planning, tax reporting, and tax compliance. This agenda underscores Thomson Reuters position as a trusted transformation partner for organisations looking to seamlessly implement the tools and technology needed to maintain resilience and deliver results. The conference features multiple sessions and 22 industry representatives from government, family-owned businesses, financial institutions, healthcare, energy, and more. Notable highlights include: An executive panel discussion, moderated by Reuters Gulf Bureau Chief, Maha El Dahan, spotlights how leaders like Saeed Al Falasi, Executive Director of Dubai Future Foundation, are seizing growth opportunities in 2025. John Sanei, one of the world's top 5 futurists according to Global Gurus, delivers a thought-provoking keynote on how to adopt innovative ways of doing business in a world reshaped by artificial intelligence. E-invoicing in the GCC: Tax Compliance Transformation: With the formal announcement of e-invoicing in the GCC and imminent legislation, Gustav Dahllöf, Thomson Reuters, VP of Product and former Pagero, Chief Product Officer, asks indirect tax leaders to share lessons on achieving real-time reporting. The Chief Legal Officer's Quest for 'Value': The State of the Corporate Legal Department revealed that GCs mentioned 'value' three times as often compared to 12 months ago. At SYNERGY Dubai, Group General Counsel and a General Manager for Legal dive into what value means to their organisation. Live event updates will be posted on Thomson Reuters MENA LinkedIn. About Thomson Reuters Thomson Reuters (TSX/Nasdaq: TRI) informs the way forward by bringing together the trusted content and technology that people and organizations need to make the right decisions. The company serves professionals across legal, tax, accounting, compliance, government, and media. Its products combine highly specialized software and insights to empower professionals with the data, intelligence, and solutions needed to make informed decisions, and to help institutions in their pursuit of justice, truth, and transparency. Reuters, part of Thomson Reuters, is a world-leading provider of trusted journalism and news. For more information, visit This e-mail is for the sole use of the intended recipient and contains information that may be privileged and/or confidential. If you are not an intended recipient, please notify the sender by return e-mail and delete this e-mail and any attachments. Certain required legal entity disclosures can be accessed on our website:
Globe and Mail
21-05-2025
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Grape Law's Remarkable Growth Makes It the 5th Fastest-Growing Firm in the U.S. Northeast
Grape Law ' s two-year growth rate of 1,178% places it among the top five fastest-growing private firms in the U.S. Northeast. The ranking on Inc. ' s 2025 Regionals: Northeast list reflects the firm's innovative legal-tech platforms, client-centric service model, and significant contribution to regional job creation and economic expansion. New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - May 21, 2025) - Grape Law Firm, PLLC, a New York-based U.S. business immigration law firm, today announced it has been named the fifth-fastest-growing private company in the Northeast region on Inc. Business Media's 2025 Regionals list. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: This recognition celebrates firms that have demonstrated exceptional revenue growth and job creation over the past two years. Grape Law achieved an extraordinary 1,178% revenue growth over the 2021-2023 period, solidifying its position as an industry leader in legal innovation and client service. "Following our recognition among 'The Top 100 Successful and Most Promising small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the U.S.' by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce last year, this year we were honored with the prestigious Inc. Regionals list, which showed us once again that dedicated work is always appreciated," said Muhammed Üzüm, Esq, founding attorney at Grape Law Firm. Only 154 firms made it to the list Inc. Regionals, the regional extension of the prestigious Inc. 5000 list, honors private companies in nine Northeast states—New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, and Rhode Island—that meet stringent revenue thresholds: at least $100,000 in 2021 and $1 million in 2023. Out of 951 distinguished companies, only 154 secured a place on this year's list, with Grape Law ranking fifth. "Our proprietary platforms—Grape App and Grape Assistant—have transformed how clients navigate the complex U.S. immigration process, enabling real-time updates and streamlined workflows. Our focus on innovation, transparent communication, and technology-driven solutions has built an ecosystem of trust and satisfaction. This accolade will propel us to further enhance our services and support clients through every step of their U.S. immigration journey," Üzüm stated. High approval rate of 97% Inc. Regionals also highlights the broader economic impact of high-growth private companies. Collectively, the 951 honorees added 9,114 new jobs and generated $6.7 billion in regional economic value between 2021 and 2023, a testament to their role as growth engines in their communities. Since its inception, Grape Law has grown to more than 100 professionals operating across four continents. The firm offers a comprehensive suite of U.S. business immigration services, including business formation, nonimmigrant and immigrant visa processing, Green Card applications, U.S. citizenship filings, contract drafting, and trademark registration. With a documented 97% approval rate, Grape Law's integrated approach pairs seasoned attorneys with cutting-edge case-management tools to deliver both speed and accuracy. Makes the American dream accessible Grape Law's journey highlights how tech development can redefine service standards in the legal industry and showcase the firm's role as a leader in this transformation. Its embrace of technology has streamlined processes and enhanced client service. "The Grape App streamlines case management and enhances team productivity," explains Üzüm, while the Grape Bot automates routine tasks and conducts quality checks, allowing attorneys to focus on complex legal challenges. The Grape Assistant, powered by AI, provides fast and trustworthy legal insights, further optimizing workflows. "Our vision is to set a new standard for accessibility in immigration services. And our mission remains clear: to make the American dream accessible through expert legal guidance, innovative service models, and unwavering client support," Üzüm concluded. About Grape Law Grape Law is a New York-based business immigration law firm serving clients worldwide. Guided by principles of excellence, rapid communication, and innovation, Grape Law assists corporations and individuals with company formation, visa applications, Green Card and citizenship filings, contract drafting, and trademark protection. The firm's technology platforms and dedicated team deliver a seamless, client-centric experience. About Inc. Regionals Inc. Business Media's Regionals lists recognize the fastest-growing private companies in the U.S. based on percentage revenue growth over a two-year period. Inc. Regionals is the regional extension of the Inc. 5000 list and highlights regional economic leaders.
