Legal tech company Clio acquires AI-focused platform specializing in large firms
Jack Newton, the CEO and founder of Clio, a legal technology company, speaks in October 2024 at the 2024 Clio Cloud Conference in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Victor Li)
Legal technology company Clio announced Thursday that it acquired ShareDo, an artificial intelligence-focused platform specializing in large law firms.
The move represents a major departure for Clio, which was founded in 2008 and is based in Vancouver, British Columbia. The practice management software platform originally focused on solo, small and midsize firms.
“ShareDo has built a powerhouse, proving that large firms are hungry for smarter, faster and more flexible technology,” said Jack Newton, the CEO and founder of Clio, in a statement. “The large law firm market is on the brink of a major shift, and this acquisition cements our role in leading that change.”
Larger firms have been more likely to use AI technology than their smaller counterparts, according to the 2024 Legal Technology Survey Report recently released by the ABA.
Nearly half (46%) of responding firms that have 100 or more attorneys are currently using AI-based tools, compared with 30% of firms with 10 to 49 attorneys and 18% of solo attorneys.
Clio, which is also an advertiser with the ABA Journal, is already one of the leading tech platforms used by firms overall, with about 15% using it for law-related tasks.
ShareDo has focused on large firms since its inception in 2011 in Manchester, England, including a recent partnership with Lawfront, a group of leading U.K. firms including Farleys, Fisher Jones Greenwood, and Nelsons.
“With the backing of such a dynamic customer-obsessed global company, I believe we can revolutionize the way in which large law firms leverage cloud technology for the good of all,” said Benjamin Nicholson, ShareDo’s CEO and founder and now the new general manager of Clio, in a statement. “Clio’s acquisition is a powerful validation of our business and the significant opportunities for market and product expansion ahead.”
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