Clio The New NZ Legal AI Tool Lands

By LawFuel News Desk

While some legal tech outfits race to slap an AI badge on anything that beeps, Clio has been playing the long game—and now New Zealand lawyers get to reap the rewards.

Clio, the legal tech unicorn and industry heavyweight, has just launched Clio Duo in New Zealand after its successful rollout in the U.S., positioning the AI assistant as a truly trusted tool for Kiwi legal professionals.

Unlike many AI solutions that feel like beta tests disguised as breakthroughs, Duo has been refined with feedback from real-world law firm users. The result? A digital sidekick that’s less “sci-fi” and more “streamline-my-practice-now.”

A Smarter Approach to AI in Law

Denise Farmer, General Manager APAC at Clio, (pictured) is excited by the launch, reported in the Clio media release. “This isn’t just tech for tech’s sake,” she says. “Duo is about making legal work easier, faster, and fairer for everyone.”

Clio’s NZ launch comes at a time when local law firms are grappling with increased demands for value-based pricing, better client experiences, and (let’s be honest) fewer hours tied to mind-numbing admin tasks. Duo promises to be the fix that doesn’t break the ethics rulebook.

And with Clio’s jaw-dropping $1 billion acquisition of vLex now enhancing its AI data muscle, the company is doubling down on its mission to democratize legal services worldwide.

Not Just Another Legal Buzzword

Clio’s AI does more than make your calendar look fancy. Think admin streamlining, automatic document summaries, and fast, insightful client comms. The goal? Give lawyers back their time—while keeping clients better informed and reducing the cost of legal services.

One enthusiastic early adopter, Femke van der Hoeven from Collective Family Law, puts it plainly:

“Duo is becoming an essential asset in supporting our day-to-day legal work.”

That’s not marketing hype—that’s frontline feedback.

Why This Matters for NZ Law Firms

Although generative AI still raises eyebrows (and the occasional ethical panic), Clio has worked on developing a platform that is built on trust, the platform placing ethical responsibilities and best practices at the center of its AI rollout.

Farmer also points to how Clio Duo fits neatly into the shift toward value-based billing, particularly in smaller markets like New Zealand where clients are hyper-aware of legal costs.

Following the vLex deal, which we reported earlier in July and hailed as the largest legal tech acquisition ever—Clio is aiming to create a globally integrated ecosystem of tools and data. The NZ launch of Duo is just the beginning.