In a $1B legaltech deal, Miami-based vLex to be acquired by Clio

Clio, a leading provider of legal technology that is based in Canada, today announced it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Miami-based legaltech vLex. The cash and stock transaction is valued at US $1 billion.

It’s vLex’s AI capabilities that attracted the suitor. Founded in Barcelona in 2000, vLex has pioneered legal intelligence and AI-powered research that helps legal professionals quickly access, analyze, and apply knowledge from legal documents. vLex combines the world’s largest legal and regulatory database with an AI-powered search engine and assistant, named Vincent, in one platform. Vincent.

With operations in Miami, London and Barcelona and owned by private equity firm Oakley Capital, vLex serves over 2 million legal professionals worldwide in over 110 countries. The acquisition is expected to close later this year pending regulatory approvals.

“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,” said vLex’s co-founder and CEO said Lluís Faus, in a statement.

“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,” added Faus, who spoke on JP Morgan’s AI panel at the Florida Venture Capital Conference in March.

Added vLex Global CFO Hugo Ruiz-Taboada shared on LinkedIn: “We’re not just celebrating a deal. We’re stepping into the next phase of a mission: to build an AI-powered platform that redefines how legal professionals think, work, and deliver impact.” For Miami, he said, this news “represents the promise of a new kind of tech hub — fast, global and fiercely disruptive.”

Clio, based in British Columbia, said the acquisition will expand its global footprint and unlock “unprecedented agentic AI capabilities.” This deal comes nearly a year after Clio reportedly raised a US $900-million Series F at a $3 billion valuation, making it one of Canada’s highest-valued tech startups.

vLex’s database of primary case law is what allows Vincent to produce citations that are free of inaccuracies known as hallucinations, Clio CEO Jack Newton said in an interview with Bloomberg. The AI engine can carry out complex legal tasks autonomously once given a goal, with lawyers overseeing key steps rather than guiding it through every prompt, he added.

In a statement, Newton called the acquisition a “watershed moment” for the legal profession: “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.”

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