Linklaters has adopted a new web-based platform to automate the verification of public-facing documents when working on M&A deals and other transactions, the first major project delivered by the firm’s emerging legaltech team.

The Atticus platform is being rolled out across the firm’s London and Hong Kong offices, helping to streamline a process that has historically been time-consuming and laborious. The platform automates the verification process, making it easier for users to validate statements and ensure higher levels of accuracy. Users can upload supporting documents to verify each statement while also allowing real-time collaboration with other parties involved on a relevant transaction. The platform was piloted by the firm’s practice innovation and efficiency teams and other lawyers in London and Hong Kong, led by the firm’s specialist innovation lawyers Greg Baker and Hannah Atkinson.

Baker said: “Atticus has transformed the verification process in our equities practice. Already, we are seeing significant efficiencies with positive feedback from clients. It is the latest example of how the firm is investing in technology to add value in how we deliver legal advice for clients and alleviating the pain points for our teams.”

The emerging legaltech was launched just over a year ago and was created to explore new legal technologies in the market, identify potential tech gaps within the firm and enhance collaboration across the business.

Saul Wakerman, co-founder of Atticus, said: “We’re pleased to be working closely with Linklaters to streamline their verification processes globally. Atticus is a powerful tool that drives efficiency and accuracy in the verification of public disclosures, including prospectuses, investor presentations and annual reports. We’ve been impressed with the Linklaters teams’ pace of adoption and their eagerness to rethink processes using new technologies.”

Atticus was founded in 2017 by Wakerman and his brother Misha alongside Mitchell Brunton. Saul Wakerman is an ex-lawyer whose experience on M&A transactions – and frustrations with the standard process for document verification – led him to develop Atticus. His brother Misha and Brunton are both programmers who previously worked together at Palantir Technologies in Silicon Valley.

Iris Yeung, a corporate partner in Linklaters’ Hong Kong office, who took part in user testing, said: “Atticus is an amazing tool in making the verification process much more efficient. Not only does it save a huge amount of clerical time, it also allows our team to locate underlying documents more easily. Atticus is another great example of how Linklaters is embracing market-leading technology to improve the way we work for our clients.”