Cerulean

Cerulean is a web-based AI platform for litigation and arbitration bundles, hearings and evidence. It is aimed at counsel and tribunals handling high-value matters where document volume, cited retrieval and controlled presentation matter. Its private-preview status and inquiry-based pricing make it a specialist option rather than a broadly accessible legal workspace.

Overview

Cerulean Systems Ltd positions Cerulean as an AI-native bundle, hearing and evidence platform. The product brings document review, evidence presentation, transcripts and reading itineraries into one matter-focused environment. That combination is most relevant when a hearing team must move repeatedly between a large record, live testimony and the tribunal’s shared exhibits.

Its scope is deliberately legal and procedural rather than general-purpose document management. Cerulean is in private preview for selected chambers and tribunals, so access is currently limited. The company is based in London, and its founders, Peter Brogden and Simon Hughes KC, are practising lawyers.

Key features

Bundle review and cited AI search

A three-zone reading workspace is designed for hearing days and bundles containing tens of thousands of documents. Users can ask plain-English questions about a matter and receive answers grounded in specific paragraphs, with citations linking back to the source passages. That makes retrieval more auditable than an uncited summary and gives counsel a direct route to the underlying text. It is a strong fit for dense records; teams wanting a general research assistant or open-ended knowledge base should look elsewhere.

Evidence presentation and exhibits

Presentation mode sends pages, paragraphs or excerpts to the tribunal with a single keystroke. Exhibit management and evidence annotation are included, so the same record can support preparation and live presentation. The workflow is built for controlled courtroom use rather than casual slide presentation.

Transcripts and itineraries

Live transcripts are threaded into the bundle, keeping testimony connected to the documentary record. Reading itineraries can remain private to counsel or be shared in the tribunal’s common record. That separation supports preparation without exposing every working note, while still allowing a selected hearing record to be shared.

Integrations and matter security

Microsoft Word, SharePoint and NetDocuments connectors can be provisioned per matter, which suits firms that need to bring established repositories into a case-specific workspace. Each matter has its own tenant, and client documents and answers are not used for model training. UK data-centre hosting and region-locking on request address residency requirements.

Security controls include SAML single sign-on, enforced multi-factor authentication, matter-scoped roles and IP allow-listing. Cerulean says it maintains SOC 2 Type II, holds ISO 27001 and ISO 42001 certification, and complies with UK and EU GDPR. Cryptographically integral action logs and verified erasure across live stores, caches and derived indexes are meaningful controls for sensitive case material. A named security contact and access to the founding team give customers a direct escalation route.

Pricing

Cerulean is paid software with pricing on request. There are no published plan prices, seat allowances, quotas, trial terms or renewal terms to compare. That inquiry model is workable for chambers and tribunals that need matter-specific provisioning, but it prevents smaller practices from budgeting without engaging the vendor. Access is also limited to selected participants during the private preview.

Platforms

Cerulean is available on the web. Its integrations with Word, SharePoint and NetDocuments are provisioned per matter rather than presented as separate platform editions.

Who it's for

Cerulean is for counsel and tribunals handling high-value litigation or arbitration with large bundles, hearing presentation and transcript-driven workflows. It makes the most sense for teams that need cited AI retrieval, exhibit control and strict matter isolation in one environment. It is a poor fit for anyone seeking an immediately self-serve product, a published low-cost plan or a desktop-only application.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Paragraph-level answers with source citations make AI retrieval easier to verify.
• Pros: Presentation mode, exhibit management and annotation connect preparation to tribunal display.
• Pros: Threaded transcripts and private or shared itineraries support distinct counsel and tribunal workflows.
• Pros: Matter-specific tenants, region-locking, strong identity controls and verified erasure address sensitive records.
• Cons: Private-preview access limits who can adopt it now.
• Cons: Custom pricing and absent published limits make cost and capacity planning difficult.
• Cons: Web-only delivery will not suit teams requiring a native desktop or mobile platform.

Alternatives

For a broader category comparison, see Legal Trial Presentation Software.

• Lexel is the better starting point for users wanting a freemium service with iOS, web and self-hosted options, including a free one-user plan with 3 TB storage.
• Visiodocs suits reviewers who need a free, trial-supported macOS, Windows or web tool with OCR and annotation, though its free plan caps storage and total documents.
• eTrialToolkit is worth considering when free judge and registrar licences or self-hosted deployment are priorities.
• Exhibit Presenter Plus fits Windows users seeking a free demonstration version and a one-time paid edition.
• LIT SUITE is a better match for iOS or macOS solo litigators who prefer a published $50-per-month annual App Store plan.
• CaseTestify is another paid web alternative.
• Epiq Discover is a paid web service with transactional or subscription pricing, but its pricing is not published.
• Omnigo Trial Presentation Software is another paid web option for trial presentation.

Verdict

Choose Cerulean when a litigation or arbitration team needs cited retrieval across very large bundles, tribunal-ready evidence presentation and tightly controlled matter security. Its strongest case is the integration of those hearing workflows with paragraph-grounded AI and transcript context. Look elsewhere if you need open access, transparent pricing, a free tier or a native desktop and mobile product.