NetDocuments Acquires eDOCS, Pledging Stability and a Path to the Cloud

LEHI, UT – January 12, 2026 – NetDocuments, a leading cloud-native legal technology provider, today announced the completion of its acquisition of the eDOCS document management system (DMS) from OpenText. The cash deal, valued at $163 million, marks a significant consolidation in the legal software market, expanding NetDocuments' global footprint to over 90 countries and absorbing a long-standing on-premises solution into its portfolio.

The transaction includes the full eDOCS product line, its intellectual property, and its dedicated team of employees. For the thousands of law firms and corporate legal departments reliant on eDOCS, the move signals a new chapter, with NetDocuments promising both long-term support for the existing platform and a clear, managed pathway to its modern, AI-enabled cloud infrastructure.

A Strategic Consolidation in Legal Tech

The acquisition is the latest in a series of strategic moves that solidifies NetDocuments’ position as a dominant force in the competitive legal DMS landscape, a market often characterized as a “two-horse race” between it and key rival iManage. This buyout follows NetDocuments' successful acquisition of Worldox three years prior, a deal that significantly bolstered its presence among small and mid-sized law firms. The addition of eDOCS, a staple in larger law firm environments, now extends that influence further upmarket.

Before the acquisition, eDOCS held a significant market share, particularly within the US Top 200 law firms. Its former owner, OpenText, commanded a 12% share in certain firm size brackets, largely due to the eDOCS platform, which it had acquired nearly two decades ago as part of its purchase of Hummingbird. Industry analysts consistently categorized eDOCS as an advanced and stable solution, but one of the few remaining legacy DMS platforms not yet part of a modern, AI-driven ecosystem.

For OpenText, the divestiture aligns with a broader corporate strategy to streamline its vast product portfolio and focus on its core mission of “secure information management for AI.” The company had signaled its intent to sell non-core assets to reduce outstanding debt, a plan that gained momentum following a change in leadership in August 2025. The sale of the eDOCS business, which contributed approximately $30 million in annual revenue, was seen by industry observers as a logical and overdue step, allowing OpenText to sharpen its strategic focus while providing NetDocuments with a valuable customer base and an experienced team.

A 'Safe Harbor' for the eDOCS Community

Central to NetDocuments’ messaging has been a firm commitment to the existing eDOCS user base. Recognizing the disruption that vendor changes can cause, the company has moved quickly to allay fears of a forced migration or a sudden end to product support. The company has publicly stated that it will continue to support the on-premises eDOCS platform with no end of life planned, preserving the workflows and institutional knowledge built around the system.

“We’re proud to welcome the eDOCS community to NetDocuments,” said Josh Baxter, CEO of NetDocuments, in a statement accompanying the announcement. “Customers and partners now have a dedicated home with a company committed to supporting what works today and helping legal professionals do their best work. Our focus is to provide stability and continuity first, while ensuring customers have access to a modern platform and a clear, seamless path to modernization when they choose to pursue it.”

To back this promise, the company has launched a dedicated welcome site with resources and FAQs and has begun proactive outreach to customers and partners. Crucially, long-time eDOCS team members have transitioned to NetDocuments, ensuring that deep product expertise and established relationships are maintained. This retention of human capital is a key component of the strategy to provide uninterrupted, high-quality support during the transition period and beyond.

The Path to Modernization

While stability is the immediate priority, the long-term vision is centered on modernization. The acquisition provides eDOCS customers with a direct and supported route to NetDocuments' intelligent DMS, a cloud-native platform that integrates AI-powered features, advanced security, and seamless workflows with tools like Microsoft 365. This dual approach—supporting the legacy system while offering an upgrade path—caters to the entire spectrum of legal tech adoption, from firms content with their current on-premises setup to those eager to embrace the cloud.

NetDocuments is leveraging its experience from previous acquisitions to create a streamlined upgrade experience. The company has announced it is developing “purpose-built migration tools” designed specifically to help eDOCS customers transition their data and processes with minimal disruption. By owning and supporting both platforms, NetDocuments can engineer a more cohesive and less risky migration, preserving critical institutional knowledge that is often lost during complex system changes.

This strategy taps into a powerful industry trend. The legal document management software market, valued at approximately $1.8 billion in 2023, is projected to more than double to $4.5 billion by 2032, driven largely by digital transformation and the accelerating shift to secure, cloud-based solutions. By providing a 'safe harbor' for on-premises users and a clear path forward, NetDocuments is positioning itself to capture a significant share of this growth.

Integrating People, Products, and Partners

The success of the acquisition will ultimately depend on the seamless integration of not just technology, but also people and processes. The operational plan, which began development in October 2025 when the deal was first announced, is now in full motion. For the time being, eDOCS customers will continue to use OpenText’s support portal, with a full migration to NetDocuments’ own help and support systems planned for the second half of 2026.

NetDocuments has also affirmed that the existing eDOCS product roadmap will be maintained and updated to ensure continued stability and performance for the on-premises solution. This provides predictability for IT departments and firm leadership as they plan their future technology strategy.

Furthermore, the acquisition is expected to accelerate NetDocuments' growth in the corporate legal and government sectors, where OpenText had cultivated strong, long-standing relationships. By integrating the eDOCS team and its deep industry knowledge, NetDocuments gains not only a product and customer base but also invaluable expertise to expand its reach and deliver tailored solutions to these important market segments.