Legal tech has been taking off, and Caseway is throwing its hat into the ring with a bold plan to change how legal research is done. Born out of a straightforward idea to simplify legal research, this startup is set on a much bigger prize—carving out a new niche in a crowded market by building a unique moat around its AI chatbot.
At the heart of Caseway.ai is a team that knows the legal landscape inside and out. Advisor Ryan Gauvreau, a name well-known in legal tech circles, comes with serious credentials, having co-founded Clio, a USD 3 billion legal tech giant. Caseway’s co-founder, Alistair Vigier, brings a decade of legal industry experience and a drive to turn Caseway into something far beyond a flash-in-the-pan tech venture. “Differentiation is a huge piece of this,” Alistair Vigier says. And differentiate they have.
Making Legal Research Fast, Accurate, and Reliable
What Caseway is doing differently starts with the technology itself. While other machines and startups rely heavily on wrapping existing models like ChatGPT, Caseway is set on becoming something more specialized and proprietary. Its tool is built to answer one type of question: legal ones. “This isn’t something that you ask it a question about a recipe, then you ask it for travel recommendations,” Alistair Vigier points out.
It’s laser-focused on digging through court decisions and presenting only the facts that matter—something lawyers can rely on when time is tight, and stakes are high.
Unlike ChatGPT, Caseway doesn’t play around with guesses. When it doesn’t have the answer, it admits it. And when it does provide information, it comes with sources attached—something Vigier insists is non-negotiable. “If it can’t find an answer, it tells you it doesn’t know the answer,” he explains. This honesty is a breath of fresh air in a field where “hallucinations”—machines providing confidently incorrect answers—can be disastrous.
But what sets Caseway apart is its close partnerships. The company is already working with Clio to integrate via an API, giving Caseway potential access to a massive pool of 150,000 customers. “We can build this and we can integrate with Clio, and we can have access to 150,000 customers within an extremely short period of time,” says Vigier. This could be the key to achieving what he calls “escape velocity“—getting so far ahead of the competition that others simply can’t catch up.
Caseway is bolstering its AI with academic muscle from the University of British Columbia. With a possible commitment of $400,000 and the involvement of three Ph.D. students, UBC is helping Caseway do data science work. This collaboration allows Caseway to enhance its tech while keeping costs lower than if it relied solely on commercial R&D.
The Business Model: Keeping It Simple and Scalable
Caseway’s business model sticks to what works: a straightforward SaaS approach aimed primarily at law firms and legal departments. The entry-level tier, set at $49 per month, allows users to ask questions, while a $99 premium tier lets them upload documents for more complex, in-depth analysis. Future possibilities include a business-to-consumer offering and specialized enterprise solutions tailored to industries like finance, where legal nuances are a daily concern.
The strategy is clear: start small, prove the concept, then scale. “We don’t want to start [with B2C] just because this could be something that’s useful for companies that have legal questions or just people off the street that are self-represented going through divorces and stuff like that is a harder market to get into, that we don’t know as well,” Alistair Vigier explains. It’s a calculated move that keeps Caseway from stretching itself too thin too soon.
Rather than relying on costly pay-per-click ads, Caseway is opting for a more personal touch. Vigier has been directly reaching out to lawyers on LinkedIn, sharing what the AI can do and inviting them to take it for a spin. This grassroots approach is paying off, with an impressive 80% success rate in getting lawyers to try the platform.
It’s a smart strategy, especially for a startup where every penny counts. “I’ve built these really good scripts that people could just send out all day and just say, ‘Hey, play with our AI. Sign up for the seven-day free trial,’” Vigier notes.
This method also allows for real-time feedback and rapid iterations, crucial for fine-tuning a product in its early days. And while Caseway has its eye on larger-scale marketing techniques down the line, for now, it’s about getting in front of as many potential users as possible and letting the tech speak for itself.
Looking Ahead: Funding, Growth, and Potential Exits
Caseway is still in its pre-revenue phase, but it has already seen 45 free sign-ups in its first week. The next phase is converting these users into paying customers, all while continuing to develop its AI and expand its partnerships. On the funding front, Vigier is currently aiming to raise a $500,000 pre-seed round from his existing network, with a more substantial seed round planned for a few months down the road as the company demonstrates more traction.
As for the future, the roadmap includes potential acquisitions by big players like Clio or even aiming for a Clio-like trajectory itself. “Clio does have many million in the bank, and they’re looking to do acquisitions in the next two years leading up to their IPO,” Vigier notes. But whether it’s a buyout or going it alone, Caseway is playing a long game. “I’m probably in it for the long haul,” says Vigier, making it clear that this is more than just a quick flip.
