LEAP Legal Software
{{Short description|Tech company}}
{{Multiple issues|
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{{COI|date=February 2022}}
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{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}}
{{Infobox company
| name = LEAP Legal Software
| logo =
| logo_caption =
| logo_alt =
| type = Private
| industry = {{Unbulleted list|Software Development}}
| fate =
| predecessor =
| successor =
| founded = {{Start date and age|1992}} in Sydney, Australia
| founder = Christian Beck
| defunct =
| hq_location_city = Sydney
| hq_location_country = Australia
| area_served = {{Unbulleted list
| Australia
| Canada
| Ireland
New Zealand
| United States}}
| key_people = {{Unbulleted list
| Christian Beck (Founder)
| David Hill (Non-Executive Director)
| Marcus Fletcher (Non-Executive Director)
| Mark Burgess (CEO of LEAP Developments, Director)
| Richard Hugo-Hamman (Executive Chairman)}}
| products = {{Unbulleted list
| LEAP
| LEAP 365 (Software as a service)}}
| revenue = {{Unbulleted list
| US$50 million (2019)}}
| owner =
| num_employees = 600+
| num_employees_year =
| parent =
| website =
}}
LEAP Legal Software is a privately held technology company that develops practice management software for the legal profession which includes legal accounting, document assembly, management and legal publishing assets.{{Cite web|last=Software|first=LEAP Legal|title=A Powerful New Partnership Emerges in Canada|url=https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/a-powerful-new-partnership-emerges-in-canada-882206303.html|access-date=2021-11-24|website=www.newswire.ca|language=en}}{{Cite web|title=Legal Practice Management Software {{!}} LEAP Legal Software|url=https://www.leap.com.au/|access-date=2022-02-15|website=LEAP AU|language=en}} LEAP Legal Software provides a cloud-based legal practice management software to clients in Australia, Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland and New Zealand. LEAP is used by more than 61,000 users worldwide{{Cite web|title=LEAP - The #1 Legal Cloud Software Provider for Law Firms|url=https://www.leaplegalsoftware.com/about-leap/|access-date=2021-11-23|website=www.leaplegalsoftware.com|language=en}} and it is developed by LEAP Dev.{{Cite web|title=Help us build software for the future {{!}} LEAP Dev|url=http://www.leapdev.io|access-date=2017-10-13|website=LEAP DEV - We're digital natives with a pioneering approach to enterprise development|language=en-AU}}
The company is headquartered in Sydney, Australia.
History
LEAP Legal Software was founded in 1992 by Christian Beck.Blackbird Ventures [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dl7_x_-ej4&t=71s "LEAP Co-Founder Christian Beck"] 4 June 2015 In 2008, LEAP acquired LegalPax, a provider of automated forms and precedents to law firms in Queensland.LEAP Legal Software [https://web.archive.org/web/20081212025321/http://www.leap.com.au/ "LEAP Acquires Legal Pax"] 1 December 2008 At the beginning of 2010, LEAP launched a cloud software called LEAP Expedite.[https://www.legalpracticeintelligence.com.au/leap-office-cloud-a-first-look-review/ "LEAP Office Cloud - A First Look Review"] Legal Practice Intelligence, 6 November 2012 It also purchased BING! Software, a family law precedents business.Squillante, Neil. [http://blog.technolawyer.com/2016/09/leap-365.html "LEAP 365 Offers Practice Management and Document Assembly Everywhere You Go"] TechnoLawyer 22 September 2016 LEAP Office 10 was launched at the NSW State Legal Conference in August 2010.[https://web.archive.org/web/20170607011425/https://www.legalpracticeintelligence.com.au/300-people-attend-launch-of-leap-office-10/ "300 People Attend Launch of LEAP Office 10"] Legal Practice Intelligence, 30 August 2010 In 2012, LEAP Expedite was replaced with a rewritten cloud product. LEAP began rolling out the cloud version of its software to law firms in Australia in January 2013.{{Cite web|date=2019-06-06|title=LEAP Legal Software Announces Major New Expansion Initiative Into The United States|url=https://www.todaysconveyancer.co.uk/leap-legal-software-announces-major-new-expansion-initiative-into-the-united-states/|access-date=2022-02-15|website=Today's Conveyancer|language=en-GB}}
LEAP expanded to the UK and US markets in 2014[https://www.legalpracticeintelligence.com.au/leap-legal-software-is-now-in-the-uk/ "LEAP Legal Software is now in the UK"] Legal Practice Intelligence, 13 November 2014 and 2015.Needham,
Lisa. [https://lawyerist.com/128133/leap-moves-document-assembly-cloud-office-365s-web-apps/ "LEAP Moves Document Assembly to the Cloud with Office 365's Web Apps"] Lawyerist.com, 13 September 2016
LEAP 365 was the first software-as-a-service legal application for the Australian market.Butler, Stephen. [http://www.alpma.com.au/a-survival-guide-for-legal-practice-managers/cloud-computing-explained-for-a-law-firm "Cloud computing explained for a law firm"] Australasian Legal Practice Management Association, 25 June 2013 LEAP 365 was released for the UK and US markets at an event at Yankee Stadium on September 12, 2016.
In 2019, LEAP entered into a joint venture with LexisNexis Legal Professional to operate PCLaw | Time Matters.
LEAP expanded to Canada in 2020 and to New Zealand in 2022.{{Cite web|title=Commitment to Innovation {{!}} LEAP Legal Software NZ|url=https://leaplegalsoftware.co.nz/innovations|access-date=2022-02-15|website=leaplegalsoftware.co.nz|language=en}}
In 2024, a Melbourne lawyer using LEAP's AI software was referred to complaints body after AI generated made-up case citations in family court.{{Cite news |last=Taylor |first=Josh |date=2024-10-10 |title=Melbourne lawyer referred to complaints body after AI generated made-up case citations in family court |url=https://www.theguardian.com/law/2024/oct/10/melbourne-lawyer-referred-to-complaints-body-after-ai-generated-made-up-case-citations-in-family-court-ntwnfb |access-date=2024-12-03 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}
Software
LEAP Legal Software's flagship product is LEAP, a legal practice productivity solution. The key features of LEAP include legal practice management, document assembly and management, automated matter types and forms, a client and contact database, file sharing, time recording, billing and trust accounting tools, and legal publishing assets. All LEAP data is stored in AWS (Amazon Web Services) in dedicated facilities around the world.
LEAP Legal Software introduced mobile app integration in mid-2013.Legal Practice Intelligence [https://web.archive.org/web/20170608014044/https://www.legalpracticeintelligence.com.au/how-lawyers-are-using-mobile-devices-the-leap-experience/ "How Lawyers Are Using Mobile Devices - The LEAP Experience"] Legal Practice Intelligence, 23 June 2016 In November 2021, LEAP created the LEAP App for iPad.{{Cite web|title=Commitment to Innovation {{!}} LEAP Legal Software|url=https://www.leap.com.au/innovations/|access-date=2022-02-15|website=LEAP AU|language=en}}
= Integration with Microsoft =
LEAP was integrated with Microsoft Office in 2002. In January 2016, LEAP completed an integration with the new Microsoft Office 365 software allowing complex document assembly to occur in the cloud rather than the desktop.Needham, Lisa. [https://web.archive.org/web/20170626003908/https://lawyerist.com/leap-moves-document-assembly-cloud-office-365s-web-apps/ "LEAP Moves Document Assembly To the Cloud With Office 365's Web Apps"] Lawyerist.com, 13 September 2016
Awards
- Winner, “Best Software as a Service – USA (SMB),” 2021{{En dash}}2022 International Cloud Computing Awards Program, The Cloud Awards{{citation needed|date=August 2022}}
- Winner, “Overall Case Management Platform of the Year,” LegalTech Breakthrough Awards 2021{{Cite web|title=LEAP Legal Practice Productivity Solution Named "Overall Case Management Platform of the Year" By LegalTech Breakthrough|url=https://www.law.com/legalnewswire/news.php?id=2952868|access-date=2022-02-14|website=www.law.com}}
- Winner, Established Business of the Year Award and No. 1 in Law Category, Australian Digital Technology Awards 2021{{Cite web|title=2021 Rankings|url=http://www.momentummedia.com.au/australian-digital-technology-awards/winners/2021-rankings|access-date=2022-02-14|website=www.momentummedia.com.au|language=en}}
- Australian Financial Review Top Ten Most Innovative Technology Companies, 2020{{Cite web|date=2020-10-08|title=The 10 most innovative technology companies|url=https://www.afr.com/technology/the-10-most-innovative-technology-companies-20201002-p561fa|access-date=2022-02-14|website=Australian Financial Review|language=en}}
- Australian Deloitte's Technology Fast 50 in 2004,{{Cite web|title=Deloitte Technology Fast 50 2004|url=http://www.deloitte.com.au/media/docs/2004_Deloitte_Tech_Fast_50_report.pdf}} 2008{{Cite web|title=Deloitte Technology Fast 50 2008|url=http://ict-industry-reports.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2013/10/2008-Deloitte-Techonology-Fast-50-Australia-Nov-2008.pdf}} and 2009{{Cite web|title=Deloitte Technology Fast 50 2009|url=https://www.ansarada.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/2009-deloitte-fast-50.pdf}}
Leadership
Corporate development
= Acquisitions =
LEAP Legal Software has acquired several companies and brands:
- Law Perfect in 2007{{Cite web|url=https://www.leaplegalsoftware.com/david-hill/|title = LEAP Leadership - David Hill}}
- BING! in 2008[https://www.legalpracticeintelligence.com.au/leap-legal-software-pty-ltd-acquires-the-bing-family-law-software-business-2/ "LEAP Legal Software Pty Ltd Acquires the BING Family Law Software Business"] Legal Practice Intelligence, March 14, 2010
- LegalPax in 2008{{Cite web|url=http://www.leap.com.au/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081212025321/http://www.leap.com.au/|url-status=dead|archive-date=12 December 2008|title=LEAP Legal - Legal Software for Law Firms and Conveyancers|date=December 12, 2008}}
- LawWare in 2012LEAP Legal Software Acquires LawWare [https://web.archive.org/web/20170626013411/https://www.legalpracticeintelligence.com.au/leap-legal-software-acquires-lawware/ "LEAP Legal Software Acquires LawWare"] Legal Practice Intelligence, 29 April 2012
- Peapod Legal Software in 2013Venables, Delia. [http://www.infolaw.co.uk/newsletter/2016/09/cloud-based-software-lawyers/ "Cloud-based software for lawyers"] InfoLaw, September 2016
- Edgebyte in 2014Insight Legal [https://web.archive.org/web/20170626013533/http://www.insightlegal.co.uk/services/data-migration/lawbyte-from-edgebyte/ "Lawbyte from Edgebyte"]
- Perfect Software (Perfect Books) in 2015{{Cite web|url=https://www.todaysconveyancer.co.uk/main-news/interview-with-richard-hugo-hamman-executive-chairman-of-leap//|title = Interview with Richard Hugo-Hamman, Executive Chairman of LEAP|date = 3 November 2015}}
- Turbolaw in 2020 {{Citation needed|date=February 2025}}
- DivorceMate in 2021{{Cite web|last=Software|first=LEAP Legal|title=A Powerful New Partnership Emerges in Canada|url=https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/a-powerful-new-partnership-emerges-in-canada-882206303.html|access-date=2022-02-15|website=www.newswire.ca|language=en}}
== Internal start-up: InfoTrack ==
Initially a division of LEAP known as LEAP Searching, InfoTrack was launched as a separate company in 2012 and has since been brought under the umbrella company of Australian Technology Investors.{{Cite news|url=http://www.afr.com/leadership/rich-lister-christian-beck-raises-350m-for-infotrack-to-disrupt-legal-sector-20171103-gzekdy|title=Rich lister raises $350m in super money to disrupt the legal sector|date=2017-11-20|work=Financial Review|access-date=2018-04-27|language=en-US}}[https://web.archive.org/web/20170626020016/https://www.legalpracticeintelligence.com.au/the-launch-of-infotrack-online-searching-service-and-information-broker/ "The Launch of InfoTrack Online Searching Service and Information Broker"] Legal Practice Intelligence, 20 March 2012 It had a reported annual revenue of A$144 million in 2015.Thompson,
Sarah.
et al.[https://web.archive.org/web/20170626020708/https://www.aconex.com/sites/default/files/afr_infotrack_moves_towards_ipo_starters_gun_210316_0.pdf "InfoTrack Moves Towards IPO Starter's Gun"] The Australian Financial Review, 21 March 2016