Clio, the Canadian legal technology firm, said it has agreed to acquire vLex, a Barcelona-founded pioneer in legal intelligence “that combines cutting-edge AI with the world’s most comprehensive global legal research platform.”
The transaction is valued at $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,” said Clio.
“It combines Clio’s legal operating system — trusted by more than 200,000 legal professionals — with vLex’s cutting-edge 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 seamlessly manage, research, and execute legal work within a unified system.”
Clio CEO and founder Jack Newton said: “This is a watershed moment for Clio and the broader legal profession.
“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 revolutionizing 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 research and drafting AI, Vincent, is used by thousands of legal teams, including Am Law 100 firms, courts, and law societies around the world.
“Renowned for its accuracy and advanced cross-jurisdictional reasoning, Vincent has transformed legal AI, delivering faster, deeper insights across global matters,” said Clio.
“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 customizable firm workflows, Vincent spans high-value use cases across legal work.”
Lluís Faus, CEO and co-founder of vLex, said: “This signals the onset of a transformative era in the legal industry, unlike anything we’ve seen before.
“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.”
Goldman Sachs acted as Clio’s exclusive financial advisor. Law firms Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati and Gowling WLG served as legal counsel to Clio.
J.P. Morgan acted as vLex’s exclusive financial advisor. Law firms A&O Shearman and Uría Menéndez served as legal advisors to vLex.