Cleary Gottlieb Enters Legal Tech Market With ClearyX

Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP is expanding its legal service offerings through ClearyX, a wholly-owned business unit that provides tech-enabled legal and business services. The platform is developing software and tools designed to allow corporate clients to perform certain legal tasks independently.

According to reporting by Business Insider on April 15, 2026, the firm is positioning these tools to address a trend where corporate clients seek to reduce legal bills by moving work away from traditional law firm models.

The Structure and Mandate of ClearyX

Launched on June 23, 2022, ClearyX operates as an alternative legal service provider (ALSP). It is managed by its own leadership team and strategy, separate from the primary law firm structure, though it remains owned by Cleary Gottlieb.

The unit is led by CEO Carla Swansburg, who joined the organization in September 2021. Swansburg previously served as Vice President and General Manager at Epiq, a global company specializing in e-discovery, legal operations, and information management.

The mandate of ClearyX includes acting as an incubator for new products, processes, and services. The unit explores emerging legal technologies and flexible pricing models to increase efficiency and improve the client experience.

Core Service Areas and Technology Integration

ClearyX utilizes a combination of legal professionals, data analysts, and technologists to deliver outcomes across four primary operational areas:

• Strategic due diligence and transactional support
• Contract and knowledge management
• Custom collaborative portals and data analytics
• Document and process automation

The platform leverages advanced AI and emerging technologies to handle complex legal challenges. In its due diligence practice, the firm claims to achieve time savings of 30-50% and cost reductions of 40-60% when compared to traditional associate reviews.

Investment and Software Strategy

Beyond providing services, ClearyX is tasked with considering investments in legal technology. One such investment is 10BE5, a platform founded by a Cleary alumnus and a current associate. 10BE5 focuses on the automation of capital markets disclosures and associated processes.

The shift toward selling software that enables clients to conduct their own legal work reflects a strategic response to the competitive landscape. Cleary Managing Partner Michael Gerstenzang stated during the June 23, 2022 launch that Technology is a major force in our competitive landscape, and it’s critical that we embrace it.

By providing tools for in-house legal teams, the firm aims to maintain a relationship with corporate clients who are increasingly adopting lean legal team structures to manage costs.

Market Positioning

ClearyX has been recognized as a leading ALSP by Chambers & Partners. The platform is designed to augment traditional legal delivery by combining project-management discipline with tech-enabled products.

This approach allows the firm to offer a range of delivery options, from full-service legal representation to software-driven solutions where the client manages the process using the firm’s technology.