Case Works, a technology-enabled litigation support company for plaintiff law firms, expects to buy several companies in the next two years with new backing from Renovus Capital Partners, said CEO Dan Miner.

The Austin, Texas-based company, which has yet to acquire, will be looking for lower middle-market sized companies with USD 10m or more in annual revenue, he said.

Case Works provides case development for mass tort claims and would be interested in companies that enable expansion along the value chain or expansion beyond mass tort services, Miner said in a joint interview with founder and Chair Susan Barfield. The company could also explore growing services into different types of plaintiff cases such as personal injury, class action or mass arbitration, she said.

The firm hopes to close its first deal within 12 months, Miner said, noting technology-driven litigation support is nascent and fragmented. It will be evaluating avenues to grow its services through partnerships and M&A, he added.

Case Works prides itself on its compassionate touch for employees and clients, as well as tech-enabled problem solving, and potential targets will need to align with that culture, Barfield said.

The company develops mass tort cases with services such as claims qualification, intake, medical record retrieval and review, and plaintiff engagement. Since its inception in 2015, it has worked on more than 200,000 cases brought or resolved, including claims for some of the largest law firms, Miner said. Case Works invoices for each stage of litigation services, he added.

Barfield founded the company while studying nursing at the University of Texas and helping with medical information for a family member’s law firm. She realized how inefficient law firms were at handling large cases and began Case Works with a handful of nurses.

She ran the company bootstrapped before running a process that led to a majority stake sale to Renovus, a deal that closed on 30 April, she said. Case Works sought the equity backing to invest in technology, hire and make acquisitions, Miner said.

Bailey & Co was its financial advisor on the Renovus deal. The company will look for advisors on a case-by-case basis for acquisitions, the CEO said.

Case Works has about 70 employees and is profitable, said Miner, who declined to disclose company financials. Renovus’s target portfolio company profile is at least USD 3m in EBITDA and between USD 10m and USD 200m in enterprise value, according to its website.

Case Works expects consolidation in the space, which has seen new entrants arrive with tech improvements that drive efficiencies, he said.

“Our focus is to balance that innovation with the current client focus,” Miner said.