Law firms, legal tech, and the branding battle royale
It seems like every week brings a new AI player on the scene, but now there’s a trend of legal spats over what exactly to call them.
AI-focused businesses have been popping up everywhere as demand for the tech surges. According to LawtechUK’s data, the number of UK-founded lawtech companies on its tracker climbed from 270 to 295 during the first half of 2025 alone.
The surge in entrepreneurship is driven by increased funding for new tech start-ups, and the field is getting crowded. Of the near-record 177,771 trademark applications the UKIPO received, it was estimated that roughly one in seven contain the terms ‘artificial intelligence’, ‘machine learning’, or ‘generative AI’ within their list of goods and services.
But there are only so many catchy names to go around before legal teams start firing off letters about trademark trouble.
John Coldham, head of brands and designs at Gowling WLG, tells Morning Wire that “we are likely to see a rise in trademark disputes as more AI‑focused legal businesses and technology providers enter the market.”
AI speeds up brand creation but lacks the “common sense” to avoid existing trademarks, often leading to inadvertent mimicry. “As more AI‑native firms launch, often with tech‑sounding or algorithm‑inspired names, we can expect greater competition over brand space and, inevitably, more conflict where names or visual identities edge too close to existing rights,” he added.
Will the real ‘Wordsmith’ please stand up
Things got interesting last week when a law firm and a legal tech company in the UK clashed over a trademark. Wordsmith Law, which secured a trademark for WORDSMITH back in 2018, decided to take legal action against Scotland-based Wordsmith AI, spotted by Oliver Fairhurst, partner at Lewis Silkin.
Wordsmith AI, founded in 2023, had a $100m valuation as of last June. Wordsmith LLP is a City-based boutique corporate and commercial law firm.
But this case is messier than it looks. Wordsmith AI tried to make its brand official by filing for a UK trademark in 2025, but was blocked by another applicant.
Wordsmith LLP sought to file a new trademark application for ‘WORDSMITH’ covering AI software, SaaS, and PaaS for the legal sector.
Roger Lush, partner at Carpmaels & Ransford, explained, “The registered trademark for ‘WORDSMITH’ is likely to be a core part of Wordsmith Law’s complaint.”
“This reflects the traditional focus of law firm branding being on the firm’s name. As law firms start to develop and brand their own software tools, we could see an increase in brand activity in the legal sector beyond the names of firms,” he added.
Competitive market forces branding agenda
This comes at a time when law firms have started to focus (and invest) in branding as the legal sector becomes even more competitive.
As reported by Eyes on the Law last May, some law firms were starting to realise the importance of tying their name to something iconic. At the time, Hill Dickinson, headquartered in Liverpool, had just slapped its name on Everton’s new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock.
“A strong, clearly articulated brand helps clients understand what a firm stands for, builds trust through consistent experiences, and creates the emotional connection that increasingly shapes how businesses choose their advisers,” Coldham added.
However, with AI tools flooding the market and challenging existing trademarks, it is vital for businesses to keep their trademark portfolio under review. Lush added that “for law firms, that will probably mean thinking more broadly than just ‘legal services’.”
Eyes on the Law is a weekly column by Maria Ward-Brennan focused on the legal sector.