On April 27, 2017, WPLLA hosted a program called “Deep Dives in Legal Research.” During that program, we heard from two legal informatics startups, Casetext and Ravel Law.
Much like a teenager with a lofty goal, startups also dream of making it big, like being acquired by a major player in the field or launching a successful IPO. Well, Ravel just hit the big-time! According to industry reports, LexisNexis has acquired Ravel.
According to a June 8, 2017 post on LawSites , LexisNexis “will be fully integrating Ravel Law’s judicial analytics, data visualization technology and unique case law PDF content from the Harvard Law Library into Lexis Litigation Profile Suite and Lexis Advance.”
LexisNexis users should see Ravel’s full integration into existing services sometime in early 2018.
Ravel’s allure stemmed in part from its commitment to free and open access to the historical document collection it scanned from Harvard Law School. Currently, LexisNexis states it will continue that access.
A June 8, 2017 post by Legaltech News provided additional detail: this deal was three years in the making. LexisNexis formalized the arrangement after an intense buying spree, first acquiring Lex Machina in 2015 and then Intelligize in 2016. Legaltech News also notes that Ravel didn’t spend those three years just sitting around and waiting; rather, it developed a Firm Analytics Tool for its arsenal of research capabilities and announced that product launch just a few weeks ago.
It will be interesting to see how LexisNexis incorporates Ravel into its corporate umbrella, as well as how it will roll out or offer Ravel’s analytics tools.
If WPLLA members would like to learn more, please email a Board member and tell us your questions and concerns. We would be happy to reach out to our Ravel contacts (or provide you with their contact info), or schedule a follow-up program for Fall 2017.
Western Pennsylvania Law Library Association 