Rick Merrill Named Chief Operating Officer of Lateral Link’s Bridgeline Solutions

Bridgeline Solutions, a Lateral Link company, is pleased to announce the appointment of Rick Merrill as Chief Operating Officer. Rick’s background as both a big firm litigator and legal tech industry founder provides Bridgeline Solutions and its sister WBE company, Cadence Counsel, with a wealth of industry knowledge, connections, and insights that will drive further growth.

Rick spent six years as a litigator at Greenberg Traurig in Los Angeles, handling real estate, entertainment, and commercial litigation matters. He represented developers, banks, and Fortune 500 companies in both state and federal courts. Through this experience, he developed a deep understanding of how modern software tools can aid litigators in novel ways.

These insights led Rick to found Gavelytics, an AI-powered state trial court analytics platform that tracked motion practice and trial outcome statistics of judges, lawyers, law firms, and parties across 35 states. Sold as a B2B SaaS solution, Gavelytics was used by nearly half of the Am Law 100 and numerous Fortune 500 companies. Its success in transforming legal analytics ultimately led to its acquisition by Pre/Dicta in 2022.

Craig Brown, co-founder and CEO of Bridgeline Solutions, stated, “We’re thrilled to add Rick to the team, as he’ll ensure we’re maximizing our use of technology, including AI, in our global staffing solutions.” Michael Allen, founder and CEO of Lateral Link, shared, “We are excited to have Rick on board and look forward to the innovation and expertise he will bring to Bridgeline.”

“I’ve been in the legal industry since 2006 and can’t wait to incorporate new ideas and technology into legal staffing and recruiting,” said Rick. “The time is ripe for maximizing client service and efficiency via technology, and I’m eager to get started.”

About Bridgeline Solutions

Bridgeline Solutions is a leading provider of legal staffing solutions, specializing in both contract and permanent placements. The firm places "star" contract attorneys, document review personnel, compliance personnel, and lateral support staff & law firm executives across a wide range of practice areas.

Bridgeline’s global presence and commitment to innovation ensure that law firms and corporate clients receive the highest level of service in securing top-tier legal talent.

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