Licensing a law firm's records to AI labs
Labs want to see how lawyers draft, negotiate and run a matter from intake to close. We check each matter against Rule 1.6 and your clients' consent, start with the records the firm owns outright, and bring them to the buyers that take law firms.
Last verified Oct 16, 2026
Deal summary · Confidential- Industry
- Law firm
- Headcount
- 10–24
- Years of records
- 10–19 years
- What sells
- Matter files and drafting history
- Tools
- NetDocuments, iManage, Clio, SharePoint, Outlook
- Published AI lab range
- $75K–$250K per license
- Next step
- 20-minute confidential call
Example with placeholder values. Range from AI labs' published price tiers; not an offer.
The whole process, in less than 2 minutes.
What AI labs pay for and how personal details come out.
The records buyers ask law firms for
Matter files and drafting history
Drafts and redlines show how a document changed and why. Each matter needs a client-rights check first.
- NetDocuments
- iManage
- Clio
Precedents and templates
The firm's own form bank and clause library, usually the easiest place to start.
- iManage
- NetDocuments
- SharePoint
Matter management and deadlines
Intake, conflict checks, task lists and calendaring across the life of a matter.
- Clio
- Outlook
Internal discussion
How associates and partners split work and settle drafting questions.
- Outlook
- Teams
Who buys from this industry
Public terms| Buyer | Published terms | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Mode (BizBuyData for law firms) | Indicative $100K–$5M, about 3 months to payment, no broker fee. Lists law firms from 6 staff. | Who Sells Data, buying programs · Observed Oct 14, 2026 |
| Mercor | Lists legal as a target sector, with contracts, case files and discovery documents as examples. No published amounts; paid by wire, typically 2–4 weeks after signing. | Mercor, company data · Read Oct 16, 2026 |
| Turing, Project Lazarus | Lists legal and contracts among the work it buys. One payment of up to $1M, valued after sampling. | Turing, Project Lazarus · Read Oct 16, 2026 |
| Handshake AI | $100K to $4M+, paid 30–60 days after acceptance. Needs 20+ full-time employees and 3+ years operating. | Who Sells Data, buying programs · Observed Oct 14, 2026 |
Marin Data is not an agent of any buyer listed. See every buyer program or the price index.
Client confidences need informed consent
ABA Model Rule 1.6(a) bars a lawyer from revealing information relating to a client's representation without the client's informed consent or another exception in the rules. ABA Formal Opinion 480 (Mar 6, 2018) adds that information in a public court filing is still protected, and that a hypothetical breaches the rule when the client could reasonably be identified from it. Each state adopts its own version, so we check yours. Matter files move only with client consent.
ABA Model Rule 1.6 · ABA Formal Opinion 480, Mar 6, 2018 · Holland & Knight on Opinion 480, Mar 2018
We never license, in this industry
- Privileged communications
- Any matter whose client has not given informed consent
- Client names, opposing parties and case numbers
- Trust account records and your staff's HR files
A worked example
An illustrative case: a 12-person litigation firm with 14 years of matter files in Clio, NetDocuments and Outlook. AI labs' published price tiers put a firm like this at an Estimated License Value of $75K–$250K per license. The AI lab pays that to the firm directly; Marin Data costs it nothing.
Illustrative. Range from AI labs' published price tiers; not an offer.
Questions law firms ask us
Does licensing waive privilege?
It can. Frankfurt Kurnit's Oct 1, 2026 guide warns that selling communications for AI training may waive privilege over them. Privileged material stays out of scope, and every matter is checked against client consent before a buyer sees anything.
What is BizBuyData?
BizBuyData is Mode's data program marketed to law firms, and bizbuydata.com redirects to Mode's data site. Above the Law reported the launch on Oct 16, 2026. Mode says its tools remove names and identifying details, but that does not replace client consent under Rule 1.6, and privileged material stays out of scope.
We have 8 people. Do buyers take firms that small?
Mode lists law firms from 6 staff (Who Sells Data, observed Oct 14, 2026). Most other programs want 20 to 30 or more. We tell you which floors you clear before you apply anywhere.
What does it cost us?
Nothing up front, and nothing at all if no deal closes. Marin Data is paid by the AI lab, never out of your payment.
Find out what your records could be worth to AI companies.
Find out what your records could be worth to AI companies.
It costs you nothing.