Thomson Reuters – a global content and technology company – recently 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 over $100 million annually in AI capabilities, the development of new generative AI experiences across its product suite, and a new plugin with Microsoft and Microsoft 365 Copilot for legal professionals.
Launched 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. And 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, which enabled 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 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.
KEY QUOTES:
“The acquisition of Casetext is another step in our ‘build, partner and buy’ strategy to bring generative AI solutions to our customers. We believe that Casetext will accelerate and expand our market potential for these offerings – revolutionizing the way professionals work, and the work they do.”
— Steve Hasker, president and CEO of Thomson Reuters
“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. 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.”
— Jake Heller, CEO of Casetext
