Legal AI platform Merrill launches as new-model litigation firm while Harvey and Legora test OpenAI's GPT-6 Astra
Two developments in legal AI emerged in the week of 8 September 2026. A new legal technology firm called Merrill, co-founded by Rick Merrill, has launched positioning itself as a new-model (NewMod) alternative to traditional law firms for litigation work, with the pitch that companies are frustrated by the absence of a lower-cost, non-hourly option for litigation services. Separately, legal AI platforms Harvey and Legora have both tested OpenAI's GPT-6 Astra, described as OpenAI's new flagship large language model and its most capable model yet for end-to-end tasks.
Why this matters
The launch of Merrill as an AI-native litigation alternative, alongside the rapid early testing of a more capable underlying model by the two leading legal AI platforms, illustrates the speed at which the competitive landscape for legal services is shifting. Traditional law firms face pressure from two directions simultaneously: new-model firms undercutting on cost and AI tools enabling in-house teams and alternative providers to handle tasks that previously required external counsel.
On the Ground
City firms tracking the AI and legal technology market will be monitoring whether new-model litigation firms gain traction with corporate clients, and reviewing their own AI tool deployments in light of GPT-6 Astra's capabilities. Technology lawyers advising clients on AI vendor contracts would be reviewing technology licence agreements and data processing agreements for platforms testing or adopting the new model. A trainee would assist with AI governance policy drafting and vendor due diligence questionnaires.
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