Clio to Buy vLex: "Watershed Moment" for Legal Tech
Clio, a leading provider of legal technology, announced it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire vLex, a pioneer in legal intelligence that combines cutting-edge AI with the world’s most comprehensive global legal research platform. The transaction is valued at US$1 billion and will be paid in a combination of cash and stock.
This transaction is both a major milestone in Clio’s platform evolution and a turning point for the future of legal work. It combines Clio’s legal operating system, trusted by more than 200,000 legal professionals, with vLex’s advanced legal intelligence platform, which includes Vincent, its groundbreaking AI built on the industry’s most comprehensive global legal database. Together, these platforms establish a new category of intelligent legal technology at the intersection of the business and practice of law, empowering legal professionals to efficiently manage, research, and execute legal work within a unified system.
“This is a watershed moment for Clio and the broader legal profession,” said Jack Newton, CEO and Founder of Clio. “For 17 years, we’ve built the foundational platform that enables law firms to operate at their highest potential. With vLex, we’re building on that foundation with technology that understands the substance of the law. By bringing together the business and practice of law in a unified platform, we’re revolutionising every aspect of legal work. This sets the stage for a future powered by agentic AI, and marks the establishment of a new industry category—one that will empower legal professionals to serve clients with unprecedented insight and precision.”
vLex’s industry-leading research and drafting AI, Vincent, is trusted by thousands of legal teams, including Am Law 100 firms, courts, and law societies worldwide. Renowned for its accuracy and advanced cross-jurisdictional reasoning, Vincent has transformed legal AI, delivering faster, deeper insights across global matters. It’s powered by vLex’s proprietary global database of more than a billion editorially enriched legal documents—the most comprehensive global legal library in the world. With cutting-edge capabilities like multimodal audio and video analysis, legal theory testing, and customisable firm workflows, Vincent supports a wide range of complex legal workflows.
“This signals the onset of a transformative era in the legal industry, unlike anything we’ve seen before,” said Lluís Faus, CEO and Co-Founder of vLex. “Together with Clio, we have a bold vision for the future that empowers legal professionals to go beyond traditional research and operational silos, harnessing deeper intelligence and broader impact. With the most comprehensive global legal library and firm insights, Clio and vLex are uniquely positioned to reshape the mechanics of legal work and redefine the trajectory of the profession.”
This is the most significant acquisition in Clio’s history, both in scale and strategic impact. Beyond strengthening the platform, it accelerates the company’s ability to deliver on its mission of transforming the legal experience for all. Building on Clio’s steady momentum upmarket, the acquisition further expands its global footprint and underscores the vast, untapped opportunity for innovation across the broader legal industry. Clio is now positioned not only to help legal professionals manage their firms but also to support end-to-end delivery of legal services, extending its reach across the trillion-dollar global legal services market.
“This acquisition expands the boundaries of what legal technology can achieve,” continued Newton. “It unlocks new levels of intelligence and scale that directly advance our mission. We’re shaping a future where legal services are more insightful, connected, and accessible than ever before.”
The transaction is expected to close later this year, subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals.
About Clio
Since its inception in 2008, Clio has revolutionised the landscape of cloud-based and AI legal technology, emerging as the leader of innovation and integration. By offering advanced yet intuitive legal software, Clio has redefined efficiency and client service, establishing the standard for legal professionals worldwide.
About vLex
vLex, a portfolio company of Oakley Capital, has pioneered legal intelligence and AI-powered research since its founding in Barcelona in 2000. By combining the world’s most extensive legal database with cutting-edge AI, vLex has redefined how legal professionals access, analyse, and apply knowledge, setting new standards for precision and efficiency across the legal industry.
