LegalTech and the IPO Market-RIP or Activity Ahead?

April 22, 2025 / Monica Zent
Venture Legal 4

Business Insider wrote that the much-anticipated IPO comeback may not materialize as expected. Despite optimism that 2025 would bring new momentum, the first quarter told a different story, with both Klarna and StubHub delaying their IPO plans.

Against this backdrop of market uncertainty, I wanted to examine the potential for IPOs in the LegalTech sector and consider how different scenarios could unfold. The latest edition of my newsletter, Venture Legal: Where Capital Meets Legal Innovation, takes a closer look at:

  • The overall IPO environment and what it signals for investors
  • What the slowdown could mean for LegalTech and the growth of legal technologies
  • How secondary markets may play a role in providing alternative pathways to liquidity
  • From the perspective of early-stage investors, several strategies are worth considering:
  • Prepare for longer holding periods rather than expecting a quick IPO or acquisition
  • Monitor the cap table to ensure that founders and early backers retain flexibility for secondary sales
  • Look beyond traditional acquirers, as secondary buyers, consolidators, and SPVs may provide partial liquidity options
  • Maintain realistic expectations, since liquidity may look different in this environment, but it remains achievable

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Venture Legal, Ed. 4: LegalTech and the IPO Market-RIP or Activity Ahead? 

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