In a major deal that has seen it build a proprietary system of intelligence leveraging its own data and client knowledge, Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer (HSF Kramer) has partnered with data and AI specialist Acora together with Microsoft, we can reveal.
Together, Acora and HSF Kramer are embedding firm-contextual AI at the core of legal workflows. Central to this transformation is their Sovereign System of Intelligence, built on Microsoft Azure and Microsoft Foundry and governed through Microsoft Purview. It digitises HSF Kramer’s legal expertise by combining data, governance, analytics and AI in a scalable environment, in which unstructured data in legal documents, spreadsheets and emails can be more easily interrogated and surfaced through an applied ontology.
David Turner, global CTO at HSFKramer, joined in 2024 with a mission, among other things, to help the firm make more data driven decisions. He has been instrumental in shaping the firm’s AI strategy, and described the new system as “a moat” around HSF Kramer’s internal knowledge.
“What began as a programme to align processes, culture, and operating model has evolved into a centrally governed, globally orchestrated platform,” Turner said. “With their unique data tools and speed of delivery, Acora helped accelerate our AI vision. We’re now able to build strong foundations across our Microsoft architecture to underpin future AI strategies and ultimately deliver on the needs of our clients and lawyer community.”
This collaboration comes as leading law firms rethink how AI can drive productivity and profitability while safeguarding institutional knowledge. Kirkland & Ellis recently created waves with the announcement that they are spending $500m building a bespoke, proprietary AI platform. That is on top of the money it is spending on third party AI tools. HSF Kramer selected Legora this year.
The Sovereign System of Intelligence development has been led by Raj Toora, who joined the firm in September 2025 as senior manager enterprise architecture and is now principal strategist for emerging technology. “This is just the beginning,” said Toora. “Sovereign System of Intelligence was designed to help us balance innovation, governance, user adoption, and client expectations while delivering better outcomes.”
