Lawhive raises $60m to scale its AI-enabled law firm across the US
UK legal tech firm Lawhive has secured $60 million in new funding to accelerate its push into the US consumer legal market. The round was led by American investor Mitch Rales, with participation from existing backers Google Ventures, TQ Ventures and Balderton Capital. Total funding now exceeds $100 million.
Lawhive plans to open a New York headquarters and scale beyond its current US base in Austin. The company says it is already live in 35 states and expects nationwide coverage.
What Lawhive actually does
Lawhive operates as an SRA-regulated consultancy-based law firm in the UK, running a fee-share model for consultant lawyers. Its platform pairs human lawyers with an AI operating system for routine work: document drafting, legal research, client intake and case management.
Founded in 2019 by Jaime Van Oers, Pierre Proner and Flinn Dolman, the company started as a marketplace connecting clients with lawyers and built an AI assistant, "Lawrence," that drew attention for passing the SQE. Lawhive later became a law firm and acquired regional conveyancer Woodstock last year-widely noted as a first for a legal tech company.
Per Fortune reporting, Lawhive is generating about $35 million in annual revenue and supports roughly 750 lawyers across the UK and US. Focus areas include high-volume consumer work: property, family, landlord-tenant and consumer rights.
Why this matters for legal professionals
- Margin and throughput: Offloading routine tasks to AI can compress turnaround times and enable higher case volumes without linear headcount growth.
- Fee-share gravity: A scalable client-acquisition engine plus workflow automation is a strong pull for experienced solos and specialists.
- Pricing pressure: Consumer-facing matters may see flatter fees and tighter benchmarks as AI-assisted providers grow.
- Quality controls: The differentiator isn't AI usage-it's governance: model limits, human review, conflicts, privilege and audit trails.
- Regulatory fit: Multi-state consumer work means careful treatment of UPL rules, attorney supervision and client consent.
The US demand gap
Co-founder Pierre Proner told Fortune: "There's a $200 billion existing market, but there's a trillion dollars of unmet need, of people who have serious legal problems every year who can't afford an attorney." If Lawhive can profitably address smaller-ticket matters at scale, expect wider adoption of AI-assisted workflows across consumer practices.
Numbers to watch
- $60m new round; total funding now $100m+.
- $35m annual revenue; about 750 lawyers on platform.
- Live in 35 US states; New York HQ planned; presence in Austin.
Practical next steps for firms and solos
- Map your top 5 repeatable workflows (intake, ID checks, disclosures, standard motions, conveyancing packs). Automate what's predictable; script the rest.
- Set written policies for AI use: approved tools, supervision, confidentiality, redaction, and final sign-off standards.
- Pilot AI for intake triage and first-draft generation. Measure cycle time, error rates and client satisfaction, not just hours saved.
- Revisit pricing. Fixed-fee tiers with clear scope and response times can capture demand that hourly models miss.
- Track state-specific ethics guidance and UPL risks. Keep an issues log and update engagement letters with AI disclosures where needed.
- Consider a fee-share or of-counsel bench to flex capacity in surges without permanent overhead.
Context and references
- Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) - regulatory framework for SRA-regulated firms.
- SQE overview (SRA) - assessment structure referenced by Lawhive's "Lawrence."
Level up your AI capability
If you're building an internal playbook for AI in legal work, a curated course path can speed up adoption and reduce rework. See job-focused options here: AI courses by job.
Your membership also unlocks:
