Artificial intelligence companies are no longer just chasing law firms — they’re now targeting the next generation of lawyers before they even graduate.
Two fast-rising legal AI startups are rolling out free access and training programs for law students, hoping early exposure will translate into long-term loyalty once those students enter private practice or corporate legal departments. The strategy reflects an intensifying competition in a rapidly expanding legal AI market.
Sweden-based Legora recently announced free training and access to its AI-powered research, drafting, and document review tools for students at nine law schools, including Stanford, the University of Chicago, and Northwestern. San Francisco-based Harvey has taken a similar route, offering complimentary subscriptions that now reach 17 U.S. law schools such as Penn, New York University, and UCLA.
The push comes amid a surge in generative AI tools for legal professionals following the breakout moment for large language models in 2022. Analysts estimate the legal AI sector could swell to around $10 billion annually by the end of the decade, drawing both new entrants and established players into the fray.
Startups like Harvey and Legora rely on large language models from major AI developers, layering legal-specific functionality on top to handle tasks like case research, drafting briefs, and reviewing contracts. Meanwhile, longstanding legal research platforms continue to lean on proprietary databases of statutes and case law — assets that have historically anchored their dominance — while increasingly integrating AI into their workflows.
These traditional providers have also extended AI access to law schools. Students using certain research platforms have been experimenting with built-in AI assistants for several years, while new alliances between research companies and startups are beginning to blur competitive lines.
The motivation behind offering free student access is straightforward: today’s students are tomorrow’s paying customers. If graduates walk into their first jobs already comfortable with a particular AI platform, they may advocate for it inside their firms.
Executives say the benefits extend beyond marketing. Students use the tools to draft memos, prepare for exams, and even simulate opposing arguments. Their feedback also helps refine the systems — and highlights limitations, such as the tendency of AI to produce confident but inaccurate responses. With experience, users learn where automation shines and where caution is required.
The trend isn’t limited to just a few companies. A growing number of legal tech providers are forging partnerships with law schools. One established legal software firm reports its platform is now used for free at more than 200 institutions worldwide. Smaller startups offering contract drafting or transaction tools have also struck campus deals, seeing early adoption as key to long-term growth.
Students themselves appear eager for the influx of options. Many say the tools they encounter early in their studies shape the technology they prefer later in practice. As AI becomes embedded in legal workflows, familiarity is quickly turning into a professional advantage — and startups are racing to secure it.
