Putting A Nail In the Coffin of Its On-Prem Product, Relativity Sets 2028 Deadline for All New Cases to Move to the Cloud

Relativity has lengthy been one of many dominant suppliers of e-discovery software program, and for a few years, that meant its broadly used, on-premises Relativity Server product. Thus, when the corporate launched its cloud platform RelativityOne in 2017, these studying the tea leaves may need seen the foreshadowing of the eventual demise of the legacy Server product.

Now, that eventual demise is much more imminent, as the corporate has introduced that, starting Jan. 1, 2028, it’ll require that each one new issues be hosted on RelativityOne.

That is writing that has been on the wall for a while, after all. Relativity says that greater than 75 p.c of its enterprise has already transitioned to its cloud providing. Nonetheless, it marks a major turning level for the corporate and a major milestone within the authorized career’s accelerating shift to cloud-based applied sciences.

Nonetheless, the information doesn’t imply the fast demise of Server. In a weblog submit asserting the choice, Relativity’s CEO Phil Saunders stated that, whereas new issues will must be created in RelativityOne after the deadline, current Relativity Server issues created earlier than Dec. 31, 2027, will proceed to be supported. There will even be restricted geographical and use case exceptions to the coverage, he stated.

Learn extra about RelativityOne within the LawNext Authorized Expertise Listing. 

Even because the authorized career has seen higher adoption of the cloud, there have remained many legislation companies and organizations which have most popular on-premises options for information safety and management causes. However on-premises options are constrained of their capabilities as in comparison with the cloud, significantly as higher processing energy is required to combine synthetic intelligence and deal with bigger information volumes.

“We consider in our bones that native cloud software program represents essentially the most promising path ahead,” Saunders wrote within the announcement, saying that we now have reached a “tipping level” the place “native cloud software program undeniably offers the superior efficiency, scale, and safety required to deal with the authorized information challenges of tomorrow.”

The three-year advance discover designed to provide the corporate’s buyer base enough time to plan their transition. Relativity had already established a transition assist program that features monetary incentives, migration help, and check environments.

It has additionally arrange a devoted e mail deal with (cloudjourney@relativity.com) for purchasers to inquire about transition assist and influence evaluation.

Whereas some legislation companies and authorized departments might not be prepared for the cloud, Relativity says that it’ll work with prospects to develop custom-made transition plans which can be “achievable, economical, and can set their companies up for achievement.”

The announcement comes as Relativity continues to increase its synthetic intelligence capabilities, significantly via its Relativity aiR platform, which Saunders stated has been adopted by greater than 130 early customers.

“In 2025, we’re furthering our investments in Relativity and dealing alongside our strategic companions to supply the platform, playbook, and training wanted that will help you obtain superior outcomes with generative AI,” Saunders wrote.

Saunders’ submit additionally offered an replace on the Authorized Knowledge Intelligence (LDI) initiative, which Relativity helped launch final 12 months. This initiative, which incorporates participation from varied business stakeholders, goals to create standardized fashions and definitions for authorized expertise workflows.

Whereas Saunders stopped wanting issuing a dying certificates for its Server product, the choice to maneuver all new circumstances into the cloud means its days are numbered. And with Relativity being one of many largest gamers within the e-discovery house, to not point out the authorized expertise house, its transfer is bound to solely additional speed up the authorized business’s broader shift to the cloud.