News UK says the partnership will allow them to train an AI product for newsroom lawyers to manage increased publication flow in a multimedia newsroom.
ClearDraft's model, the first of its kind, is designed to be procedural, not generative, meaning it scans content to identify legal risk patterns rather than creating new content. Its design enables it to provide nuanced risk analysis and feedback before publication, assisting journalists to identify legal issues rapidly and freeing up in-house lawyers to concentrate on more complex legal issues, such as investigative work, combatting Strategic Litigation Against Public Participation and other fast-moving news stories.
Founded by media lawyers Alex Wade and David Burgess and San Francisco-based technologists in late 2025, ClearDraft counts many top-tier media groups among its clients. ClearDraft’s jurisdiction partner programme will see its technology harnessed in territories around the world, with the product adapted for United States, German, Spanish and Dutch law during 2027. Also in Q1 2027, ClearDraft will roll out its audiovisual service, making its product truly comprehensive.
Angus McBride, GC of News UK, said: “Investing in ClearDraft is a natural step for News UK as we continue to lead the way in responsible, fearless journalism and in harnessing new technology. ClearDraft will empower our journalists to break important stories faster and with greater confidence, while our legal teams can focus on the most complex and sensitive cases. It’s a win for journalism and a win for our readers.”
Alex Wade, co-CEO of ClearDraft, said: “I’ve worked for nearly 30 years with News UK, both as a journalist and lawyer. For me personally, it’s a great privilege to bring the technology developed by the ClearDraft team to such a prestigious newspaper group. But more importantly, this is just the beginning for ClearDraft. Our radical reimagining of legal clearance will have a global impact, as we help content creators of all kinds to publish quickly and cost-efficiently, without fear of a lawsuit.”
Co-CEO David Burgess, whose 25 years of media law expertise included being head of production clearance for EMEA at Netflix, said: "We've seen the growing burdens facing the media industry as it navigates tight deadlines with limited legal resources and heightened litigation risk. We’ve built an AI Product that integrates seamlessly into editorial systems to handle the sort of risk flagging that often bogs down compliance workflows. I watched ClearDraft review a 100,000-word book in minutes, flagging the same risks that would take a lawyer at least 15 hours to identify, so the potential savings in time and cost are truly extraordinary. This platform will materially change how legal clearance is handled across the industry.”
“We’re thrilled to announce our client partnership with News UK”, added Burgess. “They are leaders in their field and understand the precise pain points we set out to address with ClearDraft.”
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