Legal services provider UnitedLex has acquired Paul Hastings' data analytics team, in what the firm has described as a "first-of-its-kind" deal. 

The acquisition will see the data science, analytics and investigations (DSAI) team join UnitedLex, with the team continuing to work with Paul Hastings on advisory matters as a third-party provider. The relationship will not be exclusive, according to a spokesperson, with the team set to work with other law firms too.

As part of the agreement, UnitedLex will invest in the technological offering of the team, and help it expand into further legal sectors including litigation, contracting and investigations. 

The U.S.-based DSAI team at Paul Hastings was founded by Los Angeles-based special counsel Tom Barnett six years ago. Barnett will continue to lead the team as senior vice president and divisional general counsel at UnitedLex.

Both firms cited the acquisition as a "natural fit" which would assist with the development of  tech products and services for clients. 

UnitedLex has struck a number of deals with law firms in recent months. In January, Kansas City-based firm Polsinelli called on the firm to help build out a litigation solutions centre focused on bolstering its eDiscovery capabilities.

In November, Ashurst teamed up with UnitedLex to provide an investigations offering in Germany in what was also called a "first-of-its-kind" partnership.

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