Trusted by elite global law firms, DraftWise’s sophisticated Legal AI Assistant uses firm precedent and guidelines to make contract review more efficient.

NEW YORK — DraftWise, an AI contract drafting and negotiation platform for lawyers, today announced the latest update to Markup, its industry-leading AI contract review tool. Following its initial release in June 2024, DraftWise partnered with Vault 10 and Am Law 100 firms to refine Markup, expanding platform use cases and enhancing AI utilization for broader review capabilities, such as customizable checklists. This milestone, alongside the company's achievement of ISO 27001 certification and expansion into the mid-law and in-house markets, solidifies DraftWise's position as the leading, trusted solution for the world's highest-performing legal teams.

"In a landscape flooded with generic AI tools making broad promises, DraftWise takes a fundamentally different approach," said James Ding, CEO of DraftWise. "We relentlessly focus on building enterprise Legal AI that addresses elite legal teams' nuanced needs. Our approach accelerates contract review with AI tailored to specific practice areas and client preferences. We're not just participating in the AI revolution but establishing a category standard for truly effective enterprise Legal AI. With these customer-led updates to Markup, our unified platform now outperforms any contract review tool available today.” 

Next-generation contract review tools 

Markup, a Legal AI Assistant, integrates directly with Microsoft Word, providing real-time contract analysis based on a firm's guidelines, playbooks, and precedents. Powered by advanced generative AI through DraftWise's partnership with Cohere, the tool identifies potential issues, suggests appropriate language, and delivers context-aware guidance that reflects specific negotiation strategies and client preferences.

"DraftWise is an integral part of our firm's innovation strategy," shared Joe Green, Chief Innovation Officer at Gunderson Dettmer. "Our partnership has not only improved how our transactional teams draft and review contracts, but the platform has enabled us to deliver more sophisticated solutions to the complex challenges of our technology clients. The continuous evolution of the platform and the DraftWise team’s rapid integration of feedback from our lawyers into their offerings reflect our shared commitment to advancing legal practice through thoughtful AI adoption."

The traditional contract review process remains stubbornly inefficient. Associates spend countless hours manually searching precedent and playbooks, often reinventing the wheel with each new agreement. Partners invest valuable time reviewing and correcting work that could have been streamlined. This approach drives up costs and increases the risk of errors with significant financial and operational consequences.

Markup fundamentally transforms this paradigm. Applying institutional knowledge to the first draft reduces review cycles and ensures contract consistency. Markup's ability to learn and adapt to an organization's unique expertise sets it apart. While competitors offer generic AI solutions, DraftWise provides a unified platform that becomes more valuable as it incorporates a legal team’s evolving deal data and client preferences.

"As we work with our venture capital and M&A teams to integrate AI into their playbooks and make all kinds of tasks more efficient, DraftWise's Markup tool is proving to be a key part of the solution," noted Vedika Mehera Ahlgren, Director of Orrick Labs. "We have collaborated with DraftWise for several years, and they continue to be a valued thought partner and an innovation partner."

DraftWise achieves ISO 27001 certification

Today, DraftWise also announces its ISO 27001 certification, underscoring its commitment to enterprise-grade security. Supported by the DraftWise engineering team led by machine learning, infrastructure, and systems specialists who bring world-class security expertise to the platform, the company serves global elite law firms and corporate legal teams that handle highly confidential matters. ISO 27001 certification is the latest independent security verification for DraftWise. It complements SOC II Type 2 and other compliance benchmarks and confirms that robust security protocols safeguard privileged information throughout all operations.

“In an era of heightened concerns around AI and data security, DraftWise's certification represents another way we continue to distinguish ourselves as the trusted choice for sophisticated legal organizations,” said Tony Mauriello, General Counsel and Data Protection Officer at DraftWise. “Our customer firms carry stringent security standards, as they should, given their high-profile client portfolio. We readily meet and exceed these security standards and will continue to prioritize customer data security and privacy in our products and services.” 

Expanding mid-law and in-house market presence

Founded in service of elite global law firms whose demanding standards set the product’s quality bar, DraftWise newly offers contract drafting and review capabilities to mid-sized firms and in-house legal departments. New customers, including Bronstein Zilberberg Chueiri & Potenza Advogados and Instacart, demonstrate how technologies refined in Big Law environments deliver value across the industry, creating a new bar for excellence for transactional legal tools.

“Mid-sized and regional firms face unique competitive pressures that provide an incredible opportunity for AI to help,” shared Will Seaton, Chief Customer Officer at DraftWise. "Using new technology, these firms deliver high-quality work for their clients more efficiently and with fewer resources needed, allowing them to develop expert reputations for client service. These high-performing firms use tools like Markup to build institutional knowledge rapidly and grow their client base by offering expert services to more companies faster.”

DraftWise's move into mid-law and in-house segments signals industry recognition that sophisticated AI tools, once considered exclusive to Big Law, are now critical competitive differentiators for forward-thinking legal organizations.

"DraftWise's AI-powered platform aligns perfectly with our innovation strategy. By embracing technology like Markup, we're not just keeping pace with the AI revolution – we're helping to define it," said Bill Koch, Chief Innovation Officer at Womble Bond Dickinson. "As a firm that prides itself on entrepreneurial approaches to complex legal challenges, DraftWise helps us see things differently and uncover insights that give our clients the winning edge in their negotiations."

About DraftWise

DraftWise is on a mission to become the foundation for AI-powered contract drafting and negotiation. By harnessing the power of AI, DraftWise seamlessly connects lawyers with precedent and guidance to empower every lawyer to deliver winning strategies. 

A global team with headquarters in New York City, DraftWise’s customers include leading legal teams across North America, Europe, and Australia, including Orrick, Gunderson Dettmer LLP, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP, Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP, Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP, and Mishcon de Reya LLP, and other Vault 10, AM Law 100, Magic Circle, Seven Sisters, and Big Four ranked firms and organizations. 

Contact Information:

Sarah Schultz
sarah.schultz@draftwise.com