The Brief:
Once pitched as a “LinkedIn for lawyers”, Nexl has reinvented itself as the go-to platform for the business of law.
Backed by investor Dave Yuan, the company’s now chasing Big Law clients and AI-driven growth.
Nexl, the Sydney-born startup helping law firms run their business, is now worth over A$100m after raising A$35m.
Founded by former Gilbert + Tobin employee Phil Thurner, Nexl started life in 2018 as a “LinkedIn for lawyers”, which struggled to get enough traction. Its pivot to a client relationship platform changed everything.
Now it helps firms manage relationships, track revenue, and make smarter business decisions - think Salesforce, but built for law.
“How can we put a business development system into every lawyer's pocket?,” Thurner said. For example, a lawyer gets a client call and the AI reminds them, “Hey, you had these two meetings with a client”. The user will talk to the AI, which will then create a follow-up action. It’s like having a BD assistant on standby.
The platform now powers 150 firms globally, including Dentons and Gilbert + Tobin.
The company plans to use its new funding to hire 40 more staff, expand into Big Law, and acquire other legal techs that are “elevating the business of law.” It already has 90 employees, with Thurner now leading operations from New York.
Tidemark led the A$35m Series B. Tidemark’s Dave Yuan said Nexl is “a step-function change in legal customer relationship management.”
Thurner believes the rise of AI will level the playing field among firms that use similar tools. If everyone’s using the same AI to deliver the same quality of work, firms will need to compete on client experience.