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Founded in California in 2017 by former BigLaw litigator Rick Merrill, Gavelytics was a pioneering litigation analytics platform that provided predictive and descriptive data on state court cases, judicial rulings, and law firm performance. The subscription-based analytics software served major insurance companies, Fortune 500 corporate legal departments, and leading law firms on the ALM 100 list. Before ceasing operations in June 2022 due to insufficient financing, the enterprise expanded its geographic coverage to 25 states, secured multiple patents, and raised $5.7 million in total venture capital funding. Following its closure, the startup's state court assets and intellectual property portfolio were acquired by competing predictive litigation analytics firm Pre/Dicta in January 2023. After this acquisition integrated the innovative state court technologies into a new platform, founder Rick Merrill joined Pre/Dicta as a strategic advisor.
Gavelytics has raised $3.0M across 1 funding round.
Gavelytics has raised $3.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Gavelytics has raised $3.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Gavelytics's investors include Bam Ventures, Catapult Capital, Eunoia Capital Partners, Forerunner Ventures, Fung Capital, Unshackled Ventures, Willow Growth Partners LP, Gabriel Naouri, Mark Gillespie.
Gavelytics has raised $3.0M across 1 funding round. Most recently, it raised $3.0M Seed in February 2018.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 1, 2018 | $3M Seed | — | BAM Ventures, Catapult Capital, Eunoia Capital Partners, Forerunner Ventures, Fung Capital, Unshackled Ventures, Willow Growth Partners LP, Gabriel Naouri, Mark Gillespie | Announced |
Gavelytics was a Los Angeles-based legal technology company that developed a judicial analytics platform providing statistical insights on state trial court judges, law firms, lawyers, and litigants.[1][2][5] Founded by litigators for litigators, it served law firms, insurance companies, advocacy organizations, and corporate legal departments, solving the problem of limited visibility into judicial tendencies by analyzing millions of court records via AI and machine learning to deliver actionable scouting reports that improved motion success, case outcomes, and business development.[1][2][5][6] The SaaS platform expanded from California in 2017 to 25 states, secured patents, and built relationships with major clients before ceasing operations in June 2022; it was acquired by predictive analytics firm Pre/Dicta in early 2023, integrating its state court data to enable nationwide lawsuit outcome predictions.[2][3][4]
Gavelytics was founded in 2017 by Rick Merrill, a former biglaw litigator frustrated by the lack of meaningful data on judges he appeared before.[2][4] Launched in California as a pioneering tool for state court litigation analytics—where 95% of U.S. cases occur—it grew to cover 25 states, incorporating analytics on judges, law firms, lawyers, and litigants while securing multiple patents.[2] Early traction came from customers including the world's largest law firms and corporate legal departments; however, Merrill announced its sudden closure on June 30, 2022, via email, ending its independent run after seven years.[2][4] In January 2023, Pre/Dicta acquired its assets shortly after the startup's own launch, with Merrill joining as strategic advisor to advance forward-looking predictions he envisioned but couldn't fully realize.[2][3][4]
Gavelytics rode the legal tech wave of litigation analytics, shifting from opaque judicial decision-making to data-driven strategies amid rising AI adoption in law.[2][3] Its timing capitalized on state court data gaps—ignored by federal-focused tools—aligning with post-2017 demand for empirical edges in high-stakes litigation where 95% of cases reside.[2] Market forces like exploding court data volumes and litigator needs for predictive edges favored it, influencing the ecosystem by patenting innovations and proving viability for major firms/insurers.[1][2] The Pre/Dicta acquisition accelerated industry maturation, merging state data with biographical predictors to enable holistic, nationwide tools, paving the way for AI ubiquity in legal outcomes.[3][4]
Gavelytics' legacy endures through Pre/Dicta, evolving from descriptive state analytics to predictive nationwide platforms, with Rick Merrill advising on expansions like full state-court motion predictions.[2][3] Trends in judicial AI—deeper biographical modeling, real-time docket integration, and ethical data use—will shape this, potentially boosting adoption as law firms prioritize 80%+ accuracy tools amid e-discovery growth. Its influence grows via Pre/Dicta, democratizing judge insights and redefining litigation prep, fulfilling Merrill's vision from a scrappy LA startup to foundational legal AI infrastructure.[2][4]
