In a strategic move aimed at strengthening its position as a leading global platform for contract standards, Law Insider has acquired oneNDA. The acquisition signals an ambitious effort by Law Insider to expand its offerings by incorporating oneNDA’s open-source contract standards into its extensive database of public contracts.
Through this acquisition, Law Insider plans to integrate the oneNDA.org standards library—featuring resources like oneNDA, oneNDA Playbook, oneNDA M&A, and oneDPA, along with their translations—into its platform. These resources will be accessible free of charge to Law Insider’s over 3 million registered users and 10,000-plus paying subscribers. This integration is a precursor to the launch of Law Insider Standards in December, a comprehensive contract standards and playbook library made available for free.
The cofounder of oneNDA, Electra Japonas, emphasizes the transformation this acquisition heralds for legal professionals. The goal is to establish a universal standard that reduces redundant legal battles over often uncontested documents, allowing lawyers to focus on more critical matters. Japonas has joined Law Insider as its first Chief Legal Officer.
This endeavor is pivotal for Preston Clark, president and cofounder of Law Insider, who perceives the acquisition as a major step towards adapting to the evolving landscape shaped by contract standards and AI-enabled drafting tools. Notably, oneNDA’s previous collaboration with Law Insider’s sibling company, SimpleDocs, to create AutoNDA—a software platform to automate the creation and management of NDAs under the oneNDA standard—paves the way for further integration of automated processes into contract management.
To enhance user experience, Law Insider plans to make an automated version of its standard contracts available, driven by SimpleDocs. This innovation will allow users to create, distribute, and electronically sign documents seamlessly and at no cost. Additionally, standard playbooks will be accessible via SimpleDocs’ AI-powered Word add-in, offering instant redlining suggestions.
The partnership is set to broaden the scope of contract standards, encompassing various use cases and industries. Users will be able to explore curated standard documents from the Law Insider/oneNDA community, covering agreements such as MSAs, SOWs, and SLAs, upon the launch of Law Insider Standards in December.
While Law Insider continues to provide free and premium access to its contracts database, all standard contracts will remain free, reflecting the company’s commitment to removing barriers to entry and fostering widespread adoption of these standards.
The expansion is seen as an exciting development for both oneNDA and Law Insider, as it marries Japonas’ vision with Clark’s ambition to create a universally accessible and trusted repository of contract standards—catalyzing a transformation in the way legal professionals approach contract negotiations and drafting.
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