August, the new AI venture launched in 2023 by Columbia grads Rutvik Rau, (pictured) Thomas Bueler‑Faudree, and Joseph Parker, has just scored a $7 million seed round.
Backers include heavy hitters like NEA and Pear VC, plus angel cheerleaders including Gokul Rajaram, Ramp’s Geoff Charles, OpenAI’s David Azose, and Bain Capital’s Kevin Zhang, according to a Reuters report.
They’re zeroing in on midsize law firms—the ones feeling squeezed by paperwork and high overheads—and offering relief via clever automation. Think less grunt work, more high-value client time.
Headquartered in New York, August currently runs a lean team of 12, aiming to scale to 25–30 before year-end. It’s carving out a niche in a space occupied by more established players like OpenAI‑backed Harvey, which tends to court big-firm and enterprise budgets.
The development of August is refreshing as an AI startup focusing on midsize firms, the backbone of the industry, rather than just chasing BigLaw’s budget.
The firm’s media statement is below –
August Raises $7M to Deliver Configurable Legal AI to Midsize Firms
Led by NEA and Pear VC, with participation from top law schools, the round will expand August’s modular AI agents and tailored onboarding model
NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–August, the first AI platform built specifically for midsize law firms, raised $7M and unveiled configurable AI workflows that adapt to each firm’s tasks. The round was led by NEA and Pear VC, with strategic participation from leading law schools, Afore Capital, and notable angel investors, including Gokul Rajaram, Geoff Charles (Chief Product Officer at Ramp), David Azose (Head of Engineering at OpenAI), and Kevin Zhang (Partner at Bain Capital Ventures), among other prominent backers.
August provides bespoke services catered to midsize firms—an underserved market with more than 50,000 practices worldwide that collectively employ half a million lawyers. With August, these firms can embrace alternative or flat‑fee billing and accelerate document‑heavy tasks such as contract review, due diligence, discovery preparation, and drafting.
Firms across four continents—North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia—have already integrated August into their practices. Unlike one-size Big-Law tools, August’smodular AI agents “snap” to local statutes, disclosure rules, and document standards, configuring themselves for the needs of their users.
“August gives midsize law firms the freedom to shape AI around their own playbooks, whether they’re advising clients in Miami, Sydney, or Mumbai,” said Rutvik Rau, Co-founder & CEO. “Our approach combines modular technology with personalized onboarding led by both attorneys and engineers, helping firms consistently deliver high-quality legal services that unlock growth and enhance client relationships.”
By shifting routine document work to AI, August frees partners and associates to focus on strategic client counseling. Firms using August have already seen substantial impact. Hicksons, a leading Australian firm, reviewed 5,000 negligence files 90% faster, allowing the firm to expand its caseload capacity and compete more effectively for new clients. ELP, one of the largest tax firms in India, cut diligence time by60%, enabling more advisory work and optimized fee structures. Additionally, a Florida litigation team used August to analyze 40,000 pages in a $100M dispute, saving seven figures in external counsel costs and weeks of partner time.
“We conducted a process to find the best option and we chose August because they had the most accurate platform and were the most willing to work with us to solve our specific challenges,” said David Fischl, Partner at Hicksons.
“We see tremendous potential in the midsize legal market, where firms are eager for innovation that drives meaningful ROI,” said Tiffany Luck, Partner at NEA. “August’s AI platform and custom agents enable midsize firms to deliver exceptional client value and drive significant growth. We’re excited to partner with the August team as they reshape legal technology in this high-impact segment.”
August’s platform uses a modular AI agent orchestration framework that closely emulates attorney thought processes, ensuring high accuracy, traceability, and quality of legal work. All deployments can run securely behind firms’ internal firewalls to meet regional data-residency requirements.
August was founded in 2023 by Rutvik Rau, Thomas Bueler-Faudree, and Joseph Parker, who bring deep expertise across AI, legal practice, and enterprise technology. The team met at Columbia University’s ML research lab, with experience spanning midsized law firms, Blackstone’s data science team, and leading tech companies, including DoorDash and PayPal.
August is headquartered in New York and is actively hiring across engineering, legal, product, and sales teams.
“We’re excited to back August as they pursue a massive opportunity,” said Mar Hershenson, Founding Managing Partner at Pear VC. “Midsize law firms account for more than a third of all practicing lawyers worldwide, yet August is the first AI platform built specifically for them. Early adopters are already completing document-review cycles 80% faster, and during PearX we saw firsthand how deeply customer-driven—and how uniquely strong in AI, legal insight, and execution—the August team is.”
To learn more or inquire about open roles, contact team@august.law or visit www.august.law.
About August
Founded in 2023, August offers a configurable AI platform explicitly designed for mid-sized law firms and in-house legal teams. Supported by leading investors, including NEA, Pear VC, Stanford Law School, and prominent angels in AI and legal technology, August empowers legal professionals with innovative tools tailored to the unique needs of their practices and the dynamic nature of their clients.
