A new AI-native law firm named Keith has successfully raised $2.6 million in a seed funding round to revolutionize the UK's legal sector. The company aims to automate up to 80% of traditional legal workflows, beginning with the notoriously complex conveyancing market. With its launch planned for this summer, Keith intends to establish itself as the country's most technologically advanced law firm from its inception.
Significant Backing from Prominent Investors
The $2.6 million investment was led by Backed VC, with significant contributions from Breega, Notion Capital, and several angel investors. This substantial financial support underscores investor confidence in Keith's vision to rebuild an outdated industry from the ground up. The capital will be instrumental in finalizing the firm's platform ahead of its public launch and initial hiring phase.
Keith is spearheaded by a team of seasoned entrepreneurs and legal experts, ensuring a blend of disruptive thinking and industry knowledge. Founders Andy Shovel and Pete Sharman, known for creating the successful plant-based food brand THIS, are joined by co-founder Sam Tucker. Strategic guidance is provided by Eddie Goldsmith, the former Chairman of the UK Conveyancing Association and a respected industry veteran.
Addressing a Broken Conveyancing System
The firm's initial focus is on the UK property market, where over 530,000 transactions fall through annually, causing immense financial and emotional distress. The current conveyancing system is widely criticized for being slow, opaque, and fundamentally broken for consumers. Keith was born from the founders' own frustrating experiences, which highlighted the urgent need for technological innovation in the sector.
By targeting conveyancing first, Keith plans to address some of the most common pain points experienced by the public when dealing with legal services. The company's ultimate ambition is to expand its AI-driven model to other practice areas after proving its efficacy in property law. This strategic approach allows the firm to tackle a well-known problem before broadening its scope across the legal industry.
Innovative AI-Powered Operations
At the heart of Keith's operations is a sophisticated network of specialized AI agents designed to handle core legal tasks. These agents will manage document review, drafting, client communication, and workflow management within strict legal frameworks and with human oversight. This model represents a fundamental departure from traditional firms that simply bolt on software to existing, inefficient processes.
A key innovation is the firm's 24/7 AI-powered client service agent, which will be accessible via phone and WhatsApp. This service is engineered to be almost indistinguishable from a person, capable of providing instant updates, answering questions, and executing actions. This feature is designed to eliminate the common client frustrations of waiting for responses and chasing solicitors for information.
A Vision for Legal Disruption
Keith is targeting a remarkable 70% reduction in property transaction times, a goal that would significantly mitigate risk and stress for clients. By streamlining processes and operating continuously, the firm aims to deliver a level of service typically available only to high-net-worth clients. This focus on speed and efficiency is central to its mission of transforming the client experience in legal services.
The company is entering a $72 billion UK legal market that has remained largely unchanged for decades and is considered ripe for disruption. Investors and founders alike believe that the future of law will not be traditional firms with added software, but tech-first brands like Keith. The firm is positioned to become a defining name in the UK's burgeoning legaltech landscape.
In conclusion, Keith's successful $2.6 million funding round marks a significant step toward modernizing the legal profession through artificial intelligence. With a strong leadership team and a clear strategy to fix the broken conveyancing process, the firm is poised to make a substantial impact. As it prepares for its launch in Q3 2026, Keith represents a new paradigm for legal services focused on efficiency, transparency, and unparalleled client support.