Thomson Reuters has acquired CaseLines, a UK-based cloud-based legal platform which enables the legal community to manage and share evidence.
The business was developed by independent consultant Paul Sachs. Its UK implementation in 2015 was regarded as a rare success in legal IT, not least because his winning startup for the UK courts contract had two employees (Sachs and his wife) and the runner-up – the $11 billion-revenue CGI, of Canada – had some 68,000 people.
The CaseLines platform is now used by governments, judges, courts and law firms around the world. Its acquisition by Thomson Reuters comes amid a worldwide shift to virtual court hearings in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Lord Justice Fulford, Vice-President of the Court of Appeal for England and Wales says: “CaseLines has significantly transformed our Criminal Justice system in the UK. Paper documents have been replaced by the CaseLines digital system and the Judges are universally positive about the efficiencies this has created for everyone. Without CaseLines, it is very difficult to see how we would have been able to function during the coronavirus difficulties,”
The terms were not disclosed. CaseLines’ last reported profit was £1.3 million (50% ahead of 2019). Revenue is believed to be £7-8 million.
