Purpose Legal Acquires Hire Counsel, Tapping Mazares to Blend AI and Human Review
Purpose Legal acquired Hire Counsel in February 2026 and named Greg Mazares Sr. to lead AI-human integration.
Why it matters: Legal professionals must adapt workflows as AI redefines eDiscovery and document review. For GCs and in-house teams, balancing automation with legal expertise is crucial to managing risk, compliance, and performance expectations.
- Purpose Legal completed its acquisition of Hire Counsel in February 2026 to expand hybrid legal services.
- Greg Mazares Sr., Purpose Legal CEO, oversees strategy integrating AI-powered review with human expertise.
- 77% of surveyed legal professionals expect AI to transform their work within five years.
- Mazares joins EDRM's Global Advisory Council, shaping standards for eDiscovery and data privacy.
Purpose Legal’s February 2026 acquisition of Hire Counsel signals a broader shift in legal services, with CEO Greg Mazares Sr. steering a model that combines traditional legal staffing and AI-enhanced eDiscovery.
- The merged company delivers project-based managed review—where teams analyze large sets of legal documents for litigation or regulatory matters—under the 'Hire Counsel, a Purpose Legal Company' brand.
- Its 'Purpose Legal' line focuses on digital forensics, technology services, and advanced, AI-driven document review methods.
Mazares believes the human element remains central: “By uniting Hire Counsel and Purpose Legal, we’re building a platform where human expertise and AI reinforce one another, not compete.” He points to the need for GCs and in-house professionals to manage new compliance risks and maintain client trust as workflow automation expands. Read more.
According to a 2025 survey, 77% of legal professionals say AI will have a high or transformational industry impact within five years, and 72% view AI as a positive force—yet most caution that ethical guardrails and human oversight are non-negotiable.
Mazares' dual roles—in leading the integration and as a member of the EDRM Global Advisory Council—put him at the center of developing best practices for data privacy and responsible technology adoption.
His 2023 published views on targeted, not indiscriminate, data collection also highlight ongoing ethical concerns as legal technology advances.
By the numbers:
- 77% — Legal professionals expecting AI to transform their work by 2030
- 72% — Lawyers viewing AI as a positive force in the industry
Yes, but: Many in-house teams remain cautious, highlighting the need for robust ethical standards as AI integrations scale.
What's next: Purpose Legal plans further integration of AI tools across eDiscovery and staffing solutions through 2026.