(Story updated Jan. 31 to reflect the release of Reynen Court's platform.)

Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe has become the latest Big Law firm to invest in Reynen Court, the self-described "app store" for legal tech that formally launched on Friday.

Orrick's investment was made public Thursday, the day before Reynen Court announced its own commercial release, exiting the beta period that was launched last August. In a press release, Reynen Court founder and CEO Andrew Klein said the release came "on schedule and within budget."

"With tremendous support from five beta period participants, we have advanced the platform's functionality and refined our deployment and support services. We are now prepared to commercially launch the members of our consortium as well as additional firms and legal departments," Klein said.

Orrick was one of the five law firms that participated in the beta period.

Representatives for the San Francisco-based law firm and Reynen Court did not disclose the amount Orrick is investing.

"It's less in size than the original investment of Latham or Clifford Chance, but for us, it's still an incredibly meaningful endorsement from Orrick, which has been a fantastic partner for us in the consortium as one of the beta launchees," said Christian Lang, head of strategy at Reynen Court.

Orrick's investment also follows an additional $3 million the platform received earlier this month from Prins H and Ventech, the former of which is controlled by Klein. That money was used to hire more software engineers, Klein told Legaltech News.

Lang compared Reynen Court to the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store, in which law firms will be able to purchase certain software and use them within their own networks. Reynen Court provides a neutral infrastructure for installing, using and managing that software, Lang said.

"A law firm no longer has to keep tabs on 500 apps running in 500 different ways," Lang said. "They can keep tabs on 500 apps with one control panel."

Orrick is part of a consortium of close to 20 law firms that have supported the development of Reynen Court. They meet quarterly and work with the platform in bringing legal tech vendors on board.

"We hear from our clients again and again that the adoption of legal technology is hindered by the resources needed to vet, pilot and contract for a new solution," Wendy Butler Curtis, Orrick's chief innovation officer, said in the release. "The Reynen Court platform simplifies these steps, accelerating our clients' ability to leverage new technology—which is a win for all of us."

The other firms in the consortium include Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison; Cravath, Swaine & Moore; Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom; Covington & Burling; Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer; Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher; Linklaters; Ropes & Gray; White & Case; Davis Polk & Wardwell; Simpson Thacher & Bartlett; Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton; Debevoise & Plimpton; Slaughter and May; and Weil, Gotshal & Manges.

|

Read More

Ramping Up Ahead of Launch, Reynen Court Secures $3 Million Investment