ILTA and Meritas Announce Strategic Partnership to Advance Legal Tech and Client Service Inside Independent Law Firms
- Collaboration combines global technology intelligence and peer learning to help independent firms strengthen their competitive advantage and client service
- A “centerpiece” of Meritas' growing legal tech program, the partnership gives member firms expanded access to ILTA research, events, education, and membership opportunities
CHICAGO and MINNEAPOLIS, August 19, 2026 — The International Legal Technology Association (ILTA), a global community of more than 26,000 professionals focused on advancing technology and innovation across the legal profession, and Meritas, the premier global alliance of independent law firms, have formed a strategic partnership to expand access to high-quality legal technology education, intelligence, and peer learning to Meritas' 171 independent member law firms and their more than 9,200 lawyers worldwide.
“This partnership reflects what ILTA does best: bringing people together to learn from one another and grow stronger as a community,” said Dawn Hudgins, Chief Experience Officer at ILTA. “We are excited to welcome Meritas member firms into the ILTA family and extend our reach alongside Meritas at conferences around the world. Partnerships like this one are how we deliver on our mission to serve legal technology professionals everywhere.”
Under the agreement, ILTA and Meritas will collaborate on reciprocal marketing, educational programming, and conference participation to benefit members of both organizations.
Meritas member firms now have access to a new set of ILTA benefits, including:
- Legal technology market intelligence, including access to ILTA's benchmark research on legal technology adoption and trends.
- Education and technology expertise, including opportunities to incorporate ILTA thought leaders at Meritas conferences and educational programs on such topics as AI, cybersecurity, tech budgeting, and related topics.
- Expanded participation in ILTA events and communities, strengthening the connections between Meritas professionals with peers implementing and managing technology inside law firms and legal departments.
- Membership opportunities for eligible Meritas firms, designed to deepen participation in the global legal technology community.
According to Marti Phillips, head of Meritas' Legal Technology Program, the collaboration is a centerpiece of the rapidly expanding program, formed in 2023, which provides Meritas member firms with technology education, shared peer intelligence, benchmarking, AI pilots, and other resources designed for them to identify, evaluate, and implement legal technology strategically while developing the human capabilities needed to leverage tech to enhance client service.
“ILTA and Meritas share a strong belief in peer learning and professional development, which makes this relationship a natural extension of what Meritas is building through its legal tech program,” said Phillips. “ILTA resources deepen the Meritas Legal Tech Program, enabling independent member firms’ access to the collective experience of thousands of legal technology professionals worldwide, insights from firms of every size and structure, and a broader perspective they can bring back to the strong peer community within Meritas.”
About Meritas
Meritas is a global alliance of independent, market-leading law firms providing companies with access to trusted legal counsel across jurisdictions worldwide. Meritas member firms combine deep local knowledge with the relationships, shared knowledge and resources of a global network. The network's commitment to quality, collaboration, cybersecurity and client service is supported by rigorous standards that member firms must meet to maintain membership.
About ILTA
The International Legal Technology Association (ILTA) is a global community of more than 26,000 legal technology professionals across 50+ countries. ILTA provides education, networking, and resources that help legal professionals navigate technology and drive innovation across the legal industry.
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