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In the evolving landscape of legal technology, understanding how AI and comprehensive global legal databases are transforming the practice of law has never been more crucial. To provide insight into these developments, vLex's Head of APAC, Dan Hobson, recently joined the People in Legal podcast with Andy Boss to discuss vLex's journey from traditional legal publisher to AI-powered legal technology innovator.

Watch Dan’s full interview with People in Legal

From Publishing to AI-Powered Legal Solutions

The conversation highlighted vLex's fascinating evolution over the years. As Dan explained, "Back in the day [vLex] was simply publishing law reports... We put law reports on CD, on floppy disk and would post them off to clients." That was innovation back in the day, and it’s been a fascinating journey since to cutting edge AI.

What began as three separate publishing organizations with regional specialties has transformed into a unified global platform with unprecedented reach: "vLex was Spanish headquarters catering to Spain and South America. Then there was Justis Publishing, which was based in London, catering to common law countries... And then we also acquired most recently a company called Fastcase in the US and basically we integrated all of those legal documents onto one single platform."

The result is a powerful global legal database that serves as the foundation for vLex's AI offerings: "A billion legal documents in one place, tick the country you want, do your legal research, take advantage of country specific automation workflows or work out the legislation requirements."

Building Vincent AI: Collaborative Innovation by Design

What sets vLex's approach apart is how the company develops its AI solutions. Rather than building technology in isolation, Dan shared that his team spends significant time interviewing legal practitioners to understand their specific challenges.

"I spend half of my time now just interviewing practitioners and saying, what part of your job do you feel overqualified for? What takes the most of your time? And very simply, what part of your job do you not want to do anymore?" Dan explained.

This user-centric philosophy has led to remarkable innovations that transform how legal professionals work. With 2 million people using the vLex platform, Dan noted that each practitioner brings "a slightly different story" about how they leverage the technology to address their unique challenges.

The collaborative approach extends beyond initial research into active problem-solving with users. One of the most compelling aspects of Dan's interview was his description of how vLex works directly with practitioners to develop new features:

"One of the features on the platform got built because a barrister rang me on a Sunday and needed something by Monday. And he said, Dan, can Vincent do this? And I said, no, but maybe me, you and Vincent can. And we just got to work on Sunday afternoon, we managed to make 10 hours work, three hours. And then two weeks later, we'd given that back to the development team in London. They refined it, made it better. And suddenly we've got something that all barristers want."

This agile approach to development exemplifies why vLex has been able to remain at the forefront of legal technology innovation – rather than dictating how legal professionals should work, vLex builds tools that adapt to their specific needs and workflows.

Real-World Transformation Through AI

The podcast highlighted how vLex's technologies are creating tangible benefits for legal professionals. Dan shared an impressive example of how one barrister's use of the platform evolved over time:

"I interviewed a barrister on Friday, actually. He had come to us to talk about legal research 18 months ago. And just by using it for a year, the things that he now can do with Vincent, when preparing for court, it's completely transformed into so much more. Chronologies, dissecting arguments, organizing case files."

This practical transformation speaks to vLex's commitment to developing technologies that enable legal professionals to apply AI in ways that make sense for their specific practice areas.

The Future of Legal Technology: Integration and Collaboration

Looking ahead, Dan emphasized that the future of legal technology will center on integration and collaboration between vendors.

"Integration is going to be huge this year," Dan noted. "You look at document management systems like iManage and the various kind of big providers... They're doing an AI thing. We're doing an AI thing around primary law. But if you ask the law firm what they want, they want to see harmony between services so they don’t have completely disjointed and multiple offerings."

This focus on integration aligns with the broader trend toward more collegial relationships among legal technology providers. Dan observed that "communication between vendors is really important, and just communication from users to vendors, because we can all do so much with AI now, but it's working out, what do you actually want us to do? Where do we focus and how do we move forward together?"

Experience Vincent AI for Yourself

The conversation with Dan Hobson provides valuable insight into how vLex is reshaping the legal landscape through AI-powered solutions built on a foundation of comprehensive global legal content. From its origins as a traditional legal publisher to its current position as an AI innovator, vLex continues to focus on understanding and addressing the real challenges facing legal professionals worldwide.

Want to see how Vincent AI can transform your legal practice? Book a demo today and discover how AI engineered for lawyers can enhance your research, analysis, and document preparation.

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Authored By

Jeff Cox