The amount of legal technology patents filed has boomed in the last five years, new research has shown.

Some 933 patents relating to legal tech were filed last year – more than four times the amount in 2013, when 202 were filed. Since then, the number of patents filed has grown steadily year on year by an average of 38%, the Thomson Reuters research shows.

Broken down by jurisdiction, China filed the majority of all legal technology patents in 2018, with 51% of the global total. The US was the second largest, with 23% of the filings made there, while the UK accounted for just 0.5% of filings last year.

Examples of recent patents filed include an AI programme to automate dispute resolution, a Cloud-based legal filing system, and an AI legal consulting system.

Thomson Reuters customer markets chief operating officer Brian Peccarelli said in a statement: “There is the growing realisation that not only can lawyers make quicker decisions when assisted by AI, they can also make better decisions by having more information available to them.

“Although AI and machine learning may displace some more junior jobs in the legal sector, it’s important not to overstate its impact. AI is reshaping how lawyers conduct their work, rather than eliminating it.”

Recent developments in the legal tech market include Slaughters-backed AI platform Luminance signing a deal with Big Four accountant EY this week, as law firms and providers assess how best to use advancements in the area.