Protégé leverages document management systems technology that LexisNexis acquired through its purchase of Belgium-based legal tech startup Henchman, according to LexisNexis. The DMS technology allows users to more quickly extract information from internal databases.
Sean Fitzpatrick, CEO at LexisNexis North America, UK and Ireland, said in a statement that the Protégé announcement comes only weeks after the company acquired Henchman.
"The Henchman integration and Protégé will deliver immense value to customers, enabling them to seamlessly surface data and insights from their internal work product in combination with LexisNexis content and apply new, personalized AI capabilities that will transform their workflows," he said.
LexisNexis said that some of the top 100 largest American law firms will provide feedback on Protégé through its U.S. commercial preview program.
The program gives law firms free access to Protégé for several weeks and an opportunity to provide feedback that will be used for final product development before commercial release, according to Jeff Pfeifer, chief product officer at LexisNexis Canada, Ireland, UK and USA.
Founded in 2020, Henchman uses AI to accelerate the contract drafting process for attorneys. The platform allows users to search internal databases for contract clauses and compare clauses across multiple contracts.
In 2023, the startup raised $7 million in a Series A funding round led by venture capital firms Adjacent VC and Acton Capital with participation from several angel investors.
With the integration of Henchman technology, Protégé is capable of a wide range of tasks including building information databases, creating litigation timelines and drafting and analyzing documents, according to LexisNexis.
Lexis+ AI is commercially available in the U.S., the U.K., Canada, France and Australia. LexisNexis said that in the near future, it plans to expand Lexis+ AI's availability to Austria, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Malaysia and Singapore.
"Protégé is a substantial leap forward in delivering a highly customized generative AI experience that is unique to each legal professional," Pfeifer said in a statement.
--Editing by Jay Jackson Jr.
Law360 is owned by LexisNexis Legal & Professional, a RELX company.
Update: This story has been updated to include additional information from LexisNexis.
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