Fuse

Collaborating at the intersection of law and technology 

Fuse accelerates digital innovation in the legal industry. It nurtures a cohort of cutting-edge tech companies—from startups to scale-ups—who are strategically important for us, our clients, and the future of law.

Fuse applies these innovative technologies to solve real-world legal, regulatory, and deal-related challenges. Our lawyers work directly with clients and tech innovators to learn about and develop tools designed to address today’s most complex challenges.

At the vanguard of digital innovation

Launched in 2017, Fuse was the first permanent incubator of its kind. 

Every year Fuse invites applications from legal tech companies and selects a cohort of participants best-suited to resolving our clients’ challenges. Those cohort companies then work day-to-day with our lawyers and clients to refine their products and services.

Chambers and Partners’ LawTech Guide ranks Fuse as the only Band 1 entry in its "Incubators and Accelerators" category.

Over the past seven years, Fuse has received more than 1,000 applications from LegalTech companies, including 230 applications in 2023 alone. Fuse has supported over 70 businesses, contributing to advances in contract automation, AI, data privacy, blockchain, and regulatory compliance.

What sets Fuse apart 

• Hands-on collaboration: Fuse fosters direct partnerships between lawyers and innovators to develop practical solutions, and allows our clients to experience new technologies first-hand. 
• Strategic development: Fuse provides a growth platform for legal tech companies, helping them refine their solutions and expand their impact while helping clients streamline their operations. 
• Market-leading insight: We continuously monitor the global digital environment to identify emerging trends and provide insights that help clients stay ahead of industry disruptions.

Pioneers in collaborative legal tech 

For our cohort of start-ups, scale-ups, and mature companies, Fuse offers an opportunity to refine products, prove concepts, and accelerate growth. 

For our clients, Fuse connects them with the brightest minds in technology, law, and business. They actively participate in shaping legal technologies that meet their needs, creating value, improving efficiency, and capitalizing on the rewards of streamlined legal operations. 

For our lawyers, Fuse provides the tools, training, and hands-on experience they need to embrace a tech-enabled approach to law. Eight out of 12 apps in the legal tech toolkit used by A&O Shearman’s lawyers have come from companies that have participated in Fuse.

Fuse Cohort 8: Focus on digital assets 

This year's Fuse Cohort focuses on digital assets, helping us explore the impact of digital disruption in financial institutions. We worked closely with key clients—including Goldman Sachs, Citibank, JP Morgan, ABN Amro, and others—to nominate leading technology companies in this space. The cohort features a mix of pioneering startups and established industry players. 

By engaging directly with innovators in the digital asset domain, we enable our lawyers to explore new legal questions affecting digital assets, financial products, and market infrastructure, positioning our clients to capitalize on emerging opportunities.

Find out more about Fuse Cohort 8

Experience the future of law with Fuse 

Join us at Fuse, where tomorrow’s technologies are developed today. Whether you’re a client looking to stay ahead of the curve or a tech company aiming to revolutionize the legal industry, Fuse is where innovation, law, and technology converge.