$110m second fund dedicated purely to legal tech & AI
The LegalTech Fund closes Fund II – A specialist VC focused only on legal tech has raised a $110m second fund (up from $29m in 2021), explicitly betting that AI will replace a lot of junior lawyer grunt work and spread across in house, law firms and adjacent workflows. Wall Street Journal
Why it matters: More capital dedicated to your vendors means faster product cycles, more M&A and more volatility in your stack.
AI boom drives fresh $750m+ wave of legal tech funding
Reuters reports a new wave of investment into AI driven legal tools: GC AI raised $60m at a $555m valuation. Also big recent deals for Clio/vLex, Legora, Spellbook, EvenUp, Eve and others, all framed as “legal AI” infrastructure. Reuters
Why it matters: Signals that the AI legal platform race is still very much on, and that your “strategic” tools may themselves be acquisition targets.
Clio expands Dublin AI hub – 40 new legal tech jobs
Clio is expanding its Dublin operation from less than 60 to over 100 staff, positioning the office as a key AI and R&D hub after its recent $500m+ raise and vLex acquisition. RTÉ+1
Why it matters: Ireland is now on the map as a core development centre for one of the major practice management / research platforms.
Law Society of Ireland issues generative AI guidance for solicitors
The Law Society has published formal guidance on the “ethical and responsible use of generative AI” listing suitable tasks (admin, summarisation, checklists) and warning against using LLMs for legal advice, document review or citing law and caselaw. Law Society of Ireland +1
Why it matters: This will quickly become the reference document for Irish firms trying to write their own AI policies and training.
Judicial Council publishes AI guidelines for Irish judgesIreland’s Judicial Council has released new guidance on how judges may use generative AI in connection with court work emphasising benefits, limits and the need to preserve independence and fairness. Pinsent Masons
Why it matters: Bench level guidance will shape what is acceptable in submissions, skeleton arguments and how judges react to AI assisted advocacy.
Latham & Watkins runs mandatory “AI Academy” for 400 new associates
Latham brought over 400 first years to Washington DC for a two day AI bootcamp showcasing Copilot, Harvey and other tools, with a clear message – AI is no longer optional and lawyers must remain accountable while using it. Business Insider
Why it matters: A pretty strong signal of where big firms think the profession is heading – structured AI training as part of core induction.
Law firm AI readiness: Thomson Reuters publishes governance playbook
Thomson Reuters has released a white paper on “assessing law firm readiness for AI” built around six diagnostic questions about your current stack, ethics guidelines and where AI can have the biggest impact. Thomson Reuters Legal
Why it matters: Handy reference for partners trying to turn vague conversations into an actual roadmap.
AI driven SEO playbook for law firms
LawSEO has launched a 90-day “AI-driven search visibility roadmap” aimed at helping law firms use AI tools to improve rankings and content discovery. MarketWatch
Why it matters: Slightly more niche, but interesting as an example of AI moving into legal specific marketing infrastructure, not just back office ops.
