Legal AI firm Legora is expanding its presence in Australia and the Asia-Pacific region by opening a Sydney office and appointing new senior leaders. The company’s recent growth follows a $150 million Series C funding round, which valued the business at $1.8 billion.

Australian growth

Legora has experienced rapid adoption of its platform among Australian law firms, prompting a significant ramp-up in local hiring. The company’s chief executive has indicated that staff numbers in Australia may need to double every three months to keep pace with demand.

“In less than six months, Legora has gone from a standing start in Australia to being adopted by some of the region’s biggest law firms. I expect our Australian team will need to double in size every three months to meet current demand in Australia and across the APAC region,” said Max Junestrand, CEO and co-founder, Legora.

Leadership appointments

Heather Paterson will lead Legora’s Asia-Pacific and Japan operations from Sydney. She is tasked with overseeing the company’s expansion across the region, with an immediate focus on the Australian legal sector.

“The legal sector’s transformation is happening right now and Australia is at the forefront of this disruption,” said Heather Paterson, APJ Lead, Legora

Paterson, who has more than ten years’ experience at the intersection of law, technology, and business transformation, has worked with global law firms, investment banks, and corporate strategy teams during her career.

Legora has also named Graeme Grovum, Kosta Hountalas, and Murray Edstein as senior legal engineers. Grovum was previously Head of Legal Technology & Client Services at Allens, while Hountalas and Edstein come with experience from firms including Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer and McKinsey & Company.

“We’re hiring the brightest lawyers in Australia and will continue to look across firms to see who we can bring on to support our expansion. These roles are for legal engineers who can blend traditional legal expertise with AI engineering capability. It’s one of the most exciting jobs in the country, backed by standout partners and incredible market demand,” added Paterson.

Sector momentum

Since May 2025, Legora’s global customer base has expanded from 250 to 550 organisations, and the number of markets it serves has more than doubled to over 50. The company attributes this momentum to a growing interest in the use of AI in legal practice, as firms look to streamline administrative tasks and focus on higher-value work.

Legora is continuing to add to its Australian team, deepen partnerships with local law firms, and support the legal sector’s adoption of AI-based tools for research, drafting and advisory work.