Artificial intelligence is creeping steadily into the law. Now an Australian start-up claims it can do more than retrieve cases. MiAI Law says it can replicate legal reasoning itself, and investors have rushed to test the proposition.
MiAI Law, an Australian AI-driven legal system, has officially launched following a period of beta testing with various legal professionals. The system, designed by practising barrister Laina Chan, aims to apply artificial intelligence directly to case law and legislation.
The platform has successfully raised AU$2 million in just five days, drawing investment from a range of sources including investors, family, staff, and angel supporters. Notable investors in the venture include Wai Ling Chan, Mei-Shan Tan, and David Ioannidis.
MiAI Law distinguishes itself by being built from the first principles of law, focusing on reasoning from source to conclusion. Unlike generic AI tools, the system offers structured, verifiable, and auditable analyses. It includes features such as contract review, LawCheck, and AppealCheck, designed to stress-test legal reasoning.
David Ioannidis, one of the investors, stated, “I invested in MiAi Law because it was not designed as a superficial large language model wrapper. Laina’s ambition was to build an AI-native legal platform from first principles using foundation models as components within a broader reasoning system, not as the product itself. More importantly, Laina’s combined legal and technical depth as well as her refusal to compromise on the objective were key factors (for my investment). Her relentless resolve materially increases the probability that her vision becomes a reality.”
Chan emphasised the unique approach of MiAI Law, saying, “There was no AI system that embedded legal reasoning into its architecture. Law is not just retrieval. It is reasoning from facts and principles. MiAI Law is built to follow that same discipline.” She further noted, “Most tools can locate a case or statute. But they don’t show you why it matters, how it connects, or where the reasoning may fail. MiAI Law delivers transparent, methodical reports that lawyers can verify and test.”
The platform is designed to support, not replace, professional legal judgment. Chan remarked, “AI can support judgment, but it must never obscure it. MiAI Law is designed to strengthen professional reasoning, not replace it.”
The Hon. Michael Kirby AC CMG commented on the innovation, stating, “MiAI Law is the way of the future and it is great to see an Australian at the forefront.”
Danny Feller SC described the platform as transformative, saying, “If ever there was a ‘killer app’ for lawyers that delivers, MiAI Law would have to be it. It transcends traditional legal research as it doesn’t just find information; it synthesises it. It has cut my preliminary research time substantially and uncovered lines of argument I might have otherwise missed. It is, without exaggeration, AI for lawyers on steroids, and will become an essential part of a lawyer’s toolkit.”
Ian Percy highlighted the platform’s capabilities, stating, “MiAI is set to revolutionise legal AI research. The case and legislative research functions make difficult tasks easy. Case summaries can be produced within minutes with a helpful executive summary, followed by a chronology, statement of legal issues, arguments and judgment reasoning including precedent treatment, ratio and obiter. The contract/agreement review function is groundbreaking. Legislative research is made easy. MiAI’s legal AI research partner has been designed by a practicing lawyer – for lawyers. This is a product you need to try for yourself to appreciate just how good it is.”
Anderson Wong shared his experience, saying, “MiAI Law has changed how I work through a problem. Instead of just searching and summarising, I can interrogate the issue properly, test different angles, and trace the reasoning back to the cases and legislation. It’s not just about getting up to speed on the law, it’s about feeling confident that you are giving your clients the best strategic advice.”
Hollia Lam expressed her satisfaction with the system, stating, “Using MiAI Law feels like having a second brain or counsel sitting next to me. I can interrogate issues as deeply as I want, at any time, and it gives me reasoning that feels like speaking to a barrister rather than just getting a summary like I get from tools like Lexis. It has given me the confidence to take on matters I wouldn’t previously have accepted.”
Jonathan Hyde praised the platform’s precision, saying, “MiAI Law has exceeded all expectations and is truly a sound reasoning model that accurately synthesises and distils complex legal questions with remarkable precision. The quality is high, accurate and consistent across each function from case summary through to deep legal research mode. I highly recommend the product, which is simple and easy to use, free from the usual challenges experienced on other platforms. MiAI Law is a more intuitive product which sets it above Westlaw and Lexis.”
Nawras Alamarat also shared positive feedback, stating, “I have submitted several contracts through MiAI and received amazing and insightful feedback. The AI clearly reflects the deep legal expertise behind it, offering nuanced analysis that goes beyond the norms of automation.”
