Navigating SRA requirements for the Carta-Avantia deal

Overview

About Avantia Law

Founded in 2019, Avantia Law is a UK-based, AI-native law firm that combines legal expertise with proprietary technology to support private markets clients with high-volume, process-driven legal work.

Avantia has developed its own legal technology, including the agentic AI platform Ava, to automate transactional and contracting processes for clients operating across private equity, venture capital and asset management.

Opportunity

The opportunity: Securing SRA approval for an innovative AI-enabled legal services acquisition

With demand increasing for integrated, technology-enabled legal services, US-based fintech and fund administration platform Carta acquired Avantia Law. The transaction enables the creation of Carta Law, a new legal offering designed to deliver integrated legal and compliance services to Carta’s global asset management and investor client base.

The new platform will combine AI-powered legal workflow automation with oversight from qualified lawyers through Avantia’s established law firm structure. It is expected to support high-volume legal services including non-disclosure agreements, know-your-customer reviews, compliance checks, and routine transactional work across private market transactions.

What We Did

How our Corporate experts advised Avantia Law on the SRA approval process

Centering on a technology-led proposition, the transaction necessitated specialist corporate advice to ensure compliance with Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) regulations from the outset.

Led by Corporate Partner Rachel Khiara and Senior Associate Saskia Robinson, our specialists advised Avantia on the SRA’s approval process and provided regulatory requirements for the transaction.

Guidance on the transaction helped Avantia to navigate the complexities of establishing Carta Law, including direct engagement with the SRA, providing clear, pragmatic regulatory advice on complex and innovative structures.

Impact

The outcome: SRA approval secured at pace for a landmark legal technology transaction

Securing SRA approval within 60 days (approximately half the typical timeframe for comparable transactions), our input helped to facilitate Carta’s smooth acquisition of Avantia Law.

Bringing Carta’s technology platform and Avantia’s AI-driven legal capabilities together under one roof, the new proposition is expected to help private markets clients access more integrated legal and compliance services.

Stuart Swift, General Counsel at Avantia Law, said:

“Rachel and the Knights team brought exceptional regulatory expertise and commercial insight to every stage of this transaction.

“Their ability to navigate the complexities of establishing Carta Law, including direct engagement with the SRA while maintaining focus on our business objectives, made them invaluable partners throughout.”

Key results, in review:

Advised Avantia on the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) approval process.
Supported on the wider regulatory requirements for the transaction.
Secured SRA approval within 60 days (approximately half the typical timeframe for comparable transactions).
Supported the launch of an AI-enabled legal services platform for private markets clients.