Tue. Apr 30th, 2024

Content Assessment: AI Strikes Again? Thomson Reuters Makes a $650M Move to Acquire Legal Tech Company Casetext

Information - 94%
Insight - 92%
Relevance - 93%
Objectivity - 90%
Authority - 91%

92%

Excellent

A short percentage-based assessment of the qualitative benefit of the recent announcement by Thomson Reuters of its acquisition of Casetext, a leader in innovative AI solutions for the legal sector.

Editor’s Note: From time to time, ComplexDiscovery highlights publicly available or privately purchasable announcements, content updates, and research from cyber, data, and legal discovery providers, research organizations, and ComplexDiscovery community members. While ComplexDiscovery regularly highlights this information, it does not assume any responsibility for content assertions.

Contact us today to submit recommendations for consideration and inclusion in ComplexDiscovery’s data and legal discovery-centric service, product, or research announcements.


Background Note: Thomson Reuters Corporation has announced a definitive agreement to acquire California-based legal tech firm Casetext for $650 million. The acquisition is aligned with Thomson Reuters’ ongoing AI initiatives and commitment to investing $100 million annually on AI capabilities. Casetext, with over 10,000 law firms and corporate legal departments as clients, employs AI and machine learning to build efficient solutions for legal professionals. Notably, it has early access to OpenAI’s GPT-4 model and has developed a successful AI legal assistant, CoCounsel. The acquisition aims to expand and speed up Thomson Reuters’ generative AI solutions, reshaping how professionals work. The transaction is expected to be completed in the second half of 2023, subject to regulatory approvals.

Press Announcement

Thomson Reuters Corporation Signs Definitive Agreement to Acquire Casetext

Thomson Reuters Corporation

TORONTO, June 26, 2023 –Thomson Reuters Corporation (“Thomson Reuters”) (NYSE / TSX: TRI), a global content and technology company, today announced it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Casetext, a California-based provider of technology for legal professionals, for $650 million cash.

The proposed transaction will complement Thomson Reuters existing AI roadmap and builds on its recent initiatives, including a commitment to invest more than $100 million annually on AI capabilities, the development of new generative AI experiences across its product suite, as well as a new plugin with Microsoft and Microsoft 365 Copilot for legal professionals.

Founded in 2013, Casetext uses advanced AI and machine learning to build technology for legal professionals, creating solutions that help them work more efficiently and provide higher-quality representation to more clients. Casetext employs 104 employees, and its customers include more than 10,000 law firms and corporate legal departments.

Casetext was granted early access to OpenAI’s GPT-4 large language model, allowing it to develop solutions with the new technology and refine use cases for legal professionals. Its key products include CoCounsel, an AI legal assistant launched in 2023 and powered by GPT-4 that delivers document review, legal research memos, deposition preparation, and contract analysis in minutes.

“The acquisition of Casetext is another step in our ‘build, partner and buy’ strategy to bring generative AI solutions to our customers,” said Steve Hasker, president and CEO of Thomson Reuters. “We believe that Casetext will accelerate and expand our market potential for these offerings – revolutionizing the way professionals work, and the work they do.”

“For the last ten years, we have harnessed the power of AI to build products that elevate the practice of law and enable attorneys to serve more people’s legal needs, with the ultimate goal of increasing access to justice,” said Jake Heller, CEO of Casetext. “Joining Thomson Reuters is an incredible opportunity to advance our mission and the field of generative AI solutions exponentially, not only for lawyers but across professions, ensuring this revolutionary technology can benefit as many people as possible.”

Closing of the transaction is subject to specified regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions and is anticipated to occur in the second half of 2023.

Thomson Reuters will hold a conference call to discuss additional details related to the proposed transaction on Tuesday, June 27 at 9:00 AM EDT. A live webcast of the conference call will be available on the Investor Relations section of www.thomsonreuters.com.

Thomson Reuters 

Thomson Reuters (NYSE / TSX: TRI) (“TR”) 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 the world’s leading provider of trusted journalism and news. For more information, visit tr.com.

Casetext 

Casetext has led innovation in legal AI since 2013, applying cutting-edge AI to the law to create solutions that enable attorneys to provide higher-quality representation to more clients, enhance efficiency and accuracy, and gain a competitive advantage. In launching CoCounsel, the first-ever legal AI assistant, Casetext ushered in a new era for legal technology. CoCounsel processes 2B+ words per day,  automating critical, time-intensive tasks for lawyers and expanding access to justice. For more information visit www.casetext.com.

Read the complete original release.


Assisted by GAI and LLM Technologies

Additional Reading

Source: ComplexDiscovery

 

Have a Request?

If you have information or offering requests that you would like to ask us about, please let us know, and we will make our response to you a priority.

ComplexDiscovery OÜ is a highly recognized digital publication focused on providing detailed insights into the fields of cybersecurity, information governance, and eDiscovery. Based in Estonia, a hub for digital innovation, ComplexDiscovery OÜ upholds rigorous standards in journalistic integrity, delivering nuanced analyses of global trends, technology advancements, and the eDiscovery sector. The publication expertly connects intricate legal technology issues with the broader narrative of international business and current events, offering its readership invaluable insights for informed decision-making.

For the latest in law, technology, and business, visit ComplexDiscovery.com.

 

Generative Artificial Intelligence and Large Language Model Use

ComplexDiscovery OÜ recognizes the value of GAI and LLM tools in streamlining content creation processes and enhancing the overall quality of its research, writing, and editing efforts. To this end, ComplexDiscovery OÜ regularly employs GAI tools, including ChatGPT, Claude, Midjourney, and DALL-E, to assist, augment, and accelerate the development and publication of both new and revised content in posts and pages published (initiated in late 2022).

ComplexDiscovery also provides a ChatGPT-powered AI article assistant for its users. This feature leverages LLM capabilities to generate relevant and valuable insights related to specific page and post content published on ComplexDiscovery.com. By offering this AI-driven service, ComplexDiscovery OÜ aims to create a more interactive and engaging experience for its users, while highlighting the importance of responsible and ethical use of GAI and LLM technologies.