What the Law Society Member Benefits partnerships mean for legal tech

In August 2024, Clio was announced as a member benefits partner of the Law Society of NSW. This partnership provides NSW solicitors with preferential rates and tailored onboarding.

For Australian legal tech, this development matters more than it might appear.

Why Law Society partnerships matter

Australian Law Societies represent large concentrations of practitioners:

• Law Society of NSW: 33,600+ members
• Law Institute of Victoria: 21,000+ members
• Queensland Law Society: 13,000+ members

These aren't just professional associations—they're trusted authorities on legal practice. Their endorsement carries weight.

When a Law Society establishes a member benefits partnership, it signals:

Credibility: The product has been evaluated and found suitable for legal practice.

Compliance: Trust accounting certification (where applicable) has been achieved or verified.

Commitment: The vendor commits to supporting the local legal profession.

For practitioners evaluating options, Law Society partnership reduces risk. Someone has done the due diligence.

The distribution advantage

Beyond credibility, Law Society partnerships provide distribution:

• Access to member communications and newsletters
• Presence at Law Society events
• Visibility in member directories
• Referral pathways from Law Society staff

For legal tech vendors, this is efficient customer acquisition. Rather than advertising to unknown audiences, they reach verified practitioners through trusted channels.

What this means for the market

The Clio-NSW Law Society partnership demonstrates that international vendors can achieve formal Australian recognition. It's not just local players who can partner.

But it also creates opportunity. The Law Institute of Victoria notably lacks a major practice management partner. Queensland's Member Rewards program accepts partnership enquiries.

New entrants with products genuinely suited for Australian practice can pursue these relationships. The path exists.

Our approach

We're building toward Law Society partnerships as part of our go-to-market strategy. This isn't just about distribution—it's about accountability.

Achieving Law Society recognition means meeting standards. It means committing to the Australian legal profession. It means being accountable to an institution that practitioners trust.

That's the kind of company we want to be.