If you’re a lawyer or paralegal or even just someone who has to deal with something legal, you’ve probably noticed the landscape is buzzing with new tech (in particular AI), which is trying to make our lives easier. Everyone’s trying to stand out, and it’s vital to be straightforward with founders and say, “So what makes you different?” With Caseway.ai, there’s actually a pretty solid answer to that.
First off, you’ve got to know the team behind this thing. One of the company’s advisors, Rian Gauvreau, helped build Clio—yeah, the $3 billion USD legal tech company that’s basically the gold standard in this space. This isn’t some random guy who’s watched a few YouTube videos about AI; this is a guy who knows his way around legal tech like nobody’s business.
That alone is a huge deal because it means Caseway has the kind of industry insider knowledge and networking chops that can help them integrate directly with Clio’s 150,000 customers, which is already in the works (setting up an API with Clio.) So, if you’re wondering how they’re planning to hit escape velocity and get so far ahead that nobody else can catch up, that’s a damn good start.
Not another ChatGPT Wrapper
But it’s not just about piggybacking on Clio’s success. Caseway is out to build its own moat, and it’s doing that by not being just another ChatGPT wrapper. This isn’t your generic machine that can tell you generic advice. Caseway is laser-focused on legal questions and finding relevant cases, which is a massive advantage.
It’s a niche product that’s getting more specialized and smarter every day. And because they’re not spreading themselves thin across different types of queries, they can develop an AI that’s genuinely tailored to the legal field. Imagine it like this: instead of casting a wide net and catching a bunch of random fish, they’re out there with a spear, getting exactly what they’re after.
Plus, they’ve partnered with the University of British Columbia and are getting three PhD students and $400,000 worth of resources to help them really build out this proprietary AI. They’re not just in it to win it; they’re in it to dominate.
Another major thing that stands out with Caseway is how they handle what everyone’s worried about when it comes to AI and law: hallucination. You know, when AI just makes stuff up? Caseway avoids this pitfall because it only considers court decisions for its answers. So, while your typical AI might pull from God knows where—Reddit, Facebook, random blogs—Caseway is giving you answers that have been written by judges.
If it ever spits out something weird, you can be sure a judge wrote it somewhere, so the risk of total nonsense is low. Or at least it’s nonsense from a judge. And they’re super upfront about not giving legal advice—just legal information. They’ve got all their sources on the side, and they’re working on linking them directly so that lawyers can quickly verify the info and move on. This isn’t about replacing lawyers; it’s about making their lives easier by cutting down research time from hours to minutes.
The Caseway Business Model
Let’s talk business model. Caseway is sticking to the B2B SaaS model for now, which makes sense given Rian’s background. They’re starting with two tiers: a $49/month basic version that lets you ask questions and a $99/month version where you can upload documents and have the machine tear the documents apart from a legal perspective.
Think about it: you get sued, you upload the civil claim, and Caseway’s AI checks the legal basis, finds out if any cases were overturned on appeal, and spots any inaccuracies. That’s a serious time-saver. Down the line, they’re thinking about an enterprise-level product tailored to specific industries, like grocery chains, that have their own set of legal concerns. But they’re not rushing it; they’re keeping their eye on the ball and focusing on what they know works first.
As for growth, their strategy is refreshingly straightforward. They’re not looking to blow their whole budget on PPC ads just yet. Instead, they’re focusing on direct sales. Alistair Vigier, the co-founder, has been grinding on LinkedIn, sending out messages to lawyers and paralegals, and getting an 80% success rate for people wanting to try out Caseway.
That’s pretty damn good.
And honestly, this approach makes sense. You’ve got this killer product, why not let people play around with it and see its value firsthand? It’s a lot more effective than just talking about what it could do. They’re also looking to leverage SEO and, of course, that sweet Clio.com partnership to bring in more users.
Getting paid users
The roadmap to revenue looks solid. They’re pre-revenue as of August 2024, but they’ve got 45 free sign-ups in the first week, and the plan is to convert as many of those into paying customers once the paid version goes live.
They’re aiming for $25k MRR pretty quickly and then planning a more significant raise for around $1-3 million, depending on traction. They’re also open to acquisition down the line, which could be a no-brainer given the current appetite for legal tech.
Clio alone is sitting on hundreds of millions and looking to make some acquisitions. There are other big players like Thomson Reuters and Internet Brands in the space, and they’ve been on a buying spree. So, while an IPO is probably off the table, getting acquired isn’t just a pipe dream—it’s a very real possibility.
The cool thing about Caseway is that it’s not just a “tech for tech’s sake” startup. It’s built by people who actually understand the legal industry’s pain points and know how to solve them in a practical way. They’re not looking to create some flashy AI tool that ends up collecting dust.
They’re building something worthwhile, scalable, and targeted, with a clear path to user acquisition and revenue. And they’ve got the brains and the connections to pull it off. If you’re in the legal field and tired of slogging through case law or just want to level up your game, Caseway’s worth keeping an eye on. It’s one of those rare products that makes sense, and it’s positioned to shake things up in a big way.
What Kind of Lawyers Is Caseway For?
If you’re a solo lawyer or part of a small law firm, you know the deal—you’re wearing a million hats. Billing, client meetings, court prep, and then there’s the time-sucking monster: legal research. Without a dedicated research team, it’s on you (or maybe a paralegal if you’re lucky) to sift through piles of case law, hoping to find that one nugget that could turn your case around. Many times lawyers are under tight deadlines, and they desperately need more time.
Caseway cuts finding cases down from hours to 15 seconds, freeing up your day to focus on what matters: preparing for court, strategizing, or even catching your breath. The more efficient you are, the happier your clients are, which means more referrals and less hassle. It also means you have a massive advantage over opposing counsel.
Now, government lawyers? These folks are slammed with a crazy workload, tight deadlines, and the pressure of not screwing up in front of a judge. Their client is the government, and if they lose in court, the taxpayer might have to cover the costs.
Government lawyers can’t afford to waste time digging through a 100-page court decision only to realize they’ve got the wrong case. With Caseway, they get what they need fast, accurately, and in a way that makes them look sharp and competent. A Crown prosecutor in BC told us they’ve been waiting for something like this, so we know it’s solving a real problem.
People Without Lawyers – Caseway Can Help
And let’s not forget self-represented litigants. 70% of people joining through the justice system in Canada don’t have a lawyer. These folks are stuck going through a system that’s practically a minefield without formal legal training. Lawyers charge an arm and a leg for research; and many self-reps don’t have $100,000+ to spend on litigation.
However, with Caseway.ai, they can learn relevant case law in plain English. It’s not about turning them into lawyers, but it does mean they get to show up informed, which is a huge win when you’re up against seasoned lawyers or just trying to figure out what your next move should be. Judges respect self-represented litigants who show up to court prepared.
Some areas of law are notorious for being research-heavy. For example, in family law, lawyers might spend upwards of 50% of their time buried in case law and precedents to handle divorces, custody battles, and alimony disputes. If you can save even half that time with Caseway, that’s a massive value add.
Immigration lawyers and personal injury lawyers, on the other hand, are constantly looking for the latest case rulings or policy changes that could impact their clients.
Criminal defence lawyers are forever digging through precedents to get favourable outcomes for their clients. This can take up 70% of their time. By breaking it down like this, you can see the actual pain points and where Caseway can make the most impact.
If Caseway goes after the lawyers who spend a good chunk of their time (and their client’s money) on research, especially those in research-heavy practices, Caseway will be a no-brainer for them. It’s about showing them how much more they can do with the time they save—more cases, more clients, more wins. That’s the story they want to hear.
