The AI-Native
Litigation Defense Firm
Merrill is the first AI-native law firm focused solely on efficiently and cost-effectively defending corporate clients in high-volume disputes.
About Us
Merrill is the forward-thinking law firm that today’s busy corporate legal departments and insurance companies have been searching for. We transform legal services by integrating AI and automation from day one, reserving human expertise for work where it truly makes a difference. Unlike traditional firms that treat AI as a buzzword, automation and technology are woven into the very DNA of Merrill, driving meaningful cost savings and allowing our lawyers to focus on what matters most.
Our approach ensures clients benefit from predictable costs and measurable value. AI is integrated at every step of the litigation process, creating a streamlined, assembly-line workflow that boosts attorney productivity. By concentrating on matters suited for tech-driven solutions and recruiting only forward-thinking lawyers, Merrill delivers vastly more affordable and reliable legal defense.
Merrill isn’t for everyone. We serve corporate clients dealing with increasing volumes of repetitive litigation, often driven by plaintiffs’ own use of AI. We attract attorneys who embrace innovation and want a platform to serve their clients more effectively—free from the constraints of traditional law firm models.
Contact Merrill today.
Founded by Big Law Litigators and AI Experts
Our Founders litigated at top law firms, and founded pioneering legaltech companies. We have no legacy structure to hold us back from delivering unmatched value.
Corporations With High Volume Litigation
85% of court dockets are comprised of common and repetitive claims that are settled in early stages. Are your current law firms delivering real measurable value?
Forward-Thinking Attorneys – Apply Today
Are you frustrated by your current firm’s legacy compensation structure, slow (or non-existing) adoption of technology, and lack of support? Apply to join us.
Focus Areas
AI-Powered Defense
Highly automated, AI-powered defense work aimed at reducing the cost per case of high-volume litigation. 95% of matters settle well before trial, with a majority well before dispositive motions. We automate a vast majority of tasks in the earlier stages, allowing our attorneys to focus on the most valuable work.
Value Pricing
Hourly billing has its place. But it should not be the leading model. We partner with our clients to craft true value-pricing. Whether this involves fixed or cost-plus pricing or hybrid arrangements, our transparent model is ideal for large “portfolio” matters.
Alternative Services
Law Firms should not be doing it all. From bill/invoice review, portfolio written discovery responses and answers, case assessments, etc., our technology stack combined with required expertise, provide you with key services that replace or complement your current law firms.
Team
Our founding team brings the rare combination of partner-level litigation experience + AI expertise as legaltech pioneers.
Rick Merrill
Rick is the founding Managing Partner of Merrill. He has spent nearly 20 years in the legal industry, first as an Am Law litigator and later as a legal technology company founder and CEO. Rick began his legal career at Greenberg Traurig where he represented major banks and real estate developers in litigation matters in both state and federal court.
Rick then founded Gavelytics, the first software company to digitize state court records with AI technologies and extract analytics insights about the behavior of judges, parties and law firms. Gavelytics was used by nearly half of the AmLaw 100 and was later acquired.
Education
UCLA School of Law, J.D.
University of Southern California, B.A.
Contact Information
James Lee
James is an adviser of Merrill and serves as co-founder and CEO of LegalMation, the first purpose-built AI legal tech company dedicated to automating litigation and related document drafting tasks.
James was the founding partner of LTL Attorneys LLP, a nationally recognized litigation boutique and the first spin-off of Quinn Emanuel. James started his career at Morgan Lewis before joining Quinn Emanuel
James frequently speaks and comments on AI at legal innovation conferences, holds an AI patent, and has taught trial advocacy at Stanford Law School for the past decade.
Education
Stanford Law School, J.D.
University of Southern California, B.S.
Contact Information
Thomas Suh
Thomas is an adviser of Merrill. He currently serves as co-founder and COO of LegalMation.
Before co-founding LegalMation, Thomas served as the managing partner of LTL Attorneys LLP, and as a Senior Consultant at Deloitte.
Thomas also co-founded several technology-based companies including the first online college application essay editing service and one of the first bookkeeping BPOs with service operations in Southeast Asia. He also served as Project Director at an early-stage venture capital and tech incubator, where he helped launch numerous “dot-com” startups in various industry verticals and specialized areas.
Education
UC Hastings College of the Law, J.D.
UCLA, B.A.
Contact Information
Who Should Contact Us
Corporate in-house leaders looking for measurable, effective, and cost-predictable handling for high-volume cases.
Law firm leaders seeking to turn high-volume, low-margin matters into profitable opportunities.
Attorneys looking to significantly increase their compensation; expand their work without having to rely on inconsistent associate or paralegal support; and own their P&L.
Copyright 2026 Merrill Lee & Suh LLP, a Limited Liability Partnership with headquarters in Los Angeles, California