UK software firm CostsMaster is partnering with Irish AI business platform start-up Portlaw Strategic Intelligence (PSI), integrating its expertise in managing legal costs with PSI’s value-based AI implementation model for businesses.
The partnership is currently developing bespoke AI tools to help costs lawyers manage expenses more efficiently for legal services such as litigation.
PSI’s founder Dr Victoria McCloud, a former King’s Bench Master and deputy costs judge, is leading the collaboration.
PSI is an AI consultancy and development business, with a focus on small and medium-sized enterprises that may not have identified the benefits of using AI.
CostsMaster has provided legal costs drafting software for the past 25 years, helping lawyers manage costs by creating court-ready costs documents and accurate legal expense claims.
McCloud said: “Costs law rewards precision, legal and practical judgement by human professionals and is not something which can be replaced by AI. Our aim with CostsMaster is not to replace that expertise but to take the heavy lifting off. Secure, purpose-built AI that helps costs professionals work faster while staying fully in control of the result.”
Dublin and Waterford-based PSI was founded by McCloud in November last year, and she remains a consultant for London-based boutique law firm W Legal.
McCloud was Master of the King’s Bench Division at the Royal Courts of Justice for 14 years between 2010 and 2024.
The Costs Lawyer Standards Board for England and Wales released a report in October 2024 which found that there is potential for AI to extend its reach and play a more prominent role in automating routine tasks, eliminating manual data entry, speeding up legal research and providing predictive insights.
However, there remained concern over regulatory compliance, alongside the cost of technology investment.
The PSI and CostsMaster tie-up is the latest in a series of partnerships in the legal AI market.
Last week, Willkie Farr & Gallagher announced a partnership with OpenAI, making it one of the first law firms to collaborate directly with the tech giant.
And in July, London-based board technology and advisory firm Board Intelligence partnered with Danish legaltech start-up Juristic, combining its governance expertise with Juristic’s AI-powered workflows.
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