Join the 5,000+ legal leaders who get The PERSUIT delivered each week for the insights and innovation shaping the legal landscape.  

Hi there,  

I’ll never forget my first CLOC conference.  

It was 2017, and two weeks earlier, I had talked my way into a free ticket to the show. I played the “We’re a very successful Aussie legal tech company looking to spend BIG sponsorship dollars at next year’s CLOC, so we’d like to check out what you’ve got to offer.”

Nothing could have been further from the truth. At that time, PERSUIT had no customers. No one in sales. No one in marketing. Certainly no one in customer success! (That would be funny. A customer success team with no customers). And we were running out of money. Fast.

When I arrived at the conference, it was just me and a laptop.

I remember walking around the event for three jet-lagged days, laptop in hand, screen open, an embarrassingly basic legal RFP workflow showing, and desperately shoving the screen into the personal space of anyone that I cornered. 

But my laptop and I had something else. We were bound by a vision – to change the legal industry from its dependence on hourly rate billing to one that thrived through value-based and outcome-driven pricing arrangements.

This week’s CLOC conference in Las Vegas was a little different from my 2017 experience. 

On Monday morning, we announced PERSUIT has acquired Apperio, the only legal spend tracking and analytics platform built for value-based engagements. The PERSUIT + Apperio team now numbers around 120. A far cry from one guy and his laptop!

What’s the ‘why’ behind the Apperio acquisition? Pretty simple. 

PERSUIT covered some but not all of the workflow related to managing external legal spend. We had the RFP and value-based pricing workflow nailed. 

But our customers and the market told us we needed to complete the story. We had to provide a way to ensure that the price agreed on PERSUIT was the price that was actually paid, with an invoice approval workflow that was designed to support the value-based fee arrangements that PERSUIT has become known for.

But Jim. You’ve been bashing the concept of e-billing for as long as we can all remember. Isn’t this just e-billing?

No. It’s about acquiring the capability to support the tracking, invoicing and payment of value-based pricing arrangements, which none of the e-billers in the market currently support.

They’re all designed to support six-minute increment time-keeper entries. Their ‘computer says no’ to anything else. And you all know how I feel about that model…

With this acquisition, PERSUIT now delivers an AI-driven end-to-end platform that transforms how legal departments scope, price, select, and manage outside counsel.

From intake to invoice review and approval, we now provide in-house legal teams with the critical infrastructure for the efficient running of the legal department.

At a time when law firm rates feel like they’re out of control (certainly to those paying them!), PERSUIT offers a clear path for in-house teams to avoid costs, eliminate billing surprises and lead with value through: 

• Intelligent firm recommendations at matter intake
• AI-powered scoping of RFPs, tailored to matter type and desired outcomes
• Firm and attorney performance insights that drive smarter panel decisions
• Invoice validation that protects against overbilling and confirms ROI

We remain true to our vision of shifting the legal industry towards value-based pricing. But time and experience helps you better understand how you can execute against that vision. In our case, completing the end-to-end workflow for external legal spend is what it will take.

Talking with customers and attendees at CLOC now, I could feel the tide turning. The change we’ve been rallying for over the past nine years is happening. And with our acquisition of Apperio, we’re going all-in on a future built around value-based pricing. 

We’re ready to meet you wherever you are in your outside counsel management journey. Are you ready to join us? 

Don’t wait until CLOC 2026. Drop me a line today. 

Cheers, 

-Jim

P.S. For a first look at the new PERSUIT + Apperio platform, register for our upcoming webinar (see below for details). 

WEBINAR

See the new PERSUIT + Apperio in action 

Join us May 21 for the official unveiling of the new PERSUIT platform!

With PERSUIT’s acquisition of Apperio, legal teams now have a true end-to-end outside counsel selection and management solution. From intake to invoice review and payment, PERSUIT + Apperio delivers smarter firm engagement, value-based pricing, and real-time spend visibility.

What to expect: A first look at the new platform, a walkthrough of how it streamlines firm selection and management, and a live Q&A.

When: May 21 at 8:00 a.m. PDT / 11:00 a.m. EDT / 4:00 p.m. GMT

CHATHAM HOUSE CHATTER

What we've seen and heard (don't worry, we won't tell 😎) in the legal community this month.

“I love PERSUIT. It helps me frame new RFPs and improve win rates.”

Partner at AmLaw 200 firm.