About ClearDraft
We Help Creators Publish With Confidence
ClearDraft pairs AI risk detection with expert human review to deliver fast, affordable content clearance
By streamlining clearance workflows, we cut through complexity and free legal teams to support bold reporting and impactful stories.
Our mission at ClearDraft is to help creators, journalists, publishers, and broadcasters move faster — with courage, clarity, and confidence.
We believe vital stories shouldn’t be slowed by opaque, expensive clearance processes.
That’s why ClearDraft pairs AI‑driven media‑law analysis with expert human review, surfacing defamation, privacy, and contempt risks early so teams can focus on building impactful creative and meaningful reporting—not wrestling with compliance. We’re building a world where robust legal review is accessible and affordable, not a barrier to bold work or rigorous investigative reporting.
At its core, ClearDraft exists to protect both creative freedom and a free press, so the stories that matter most can be pursued, published, and defended.
Alex Wade &
David Burgess
David Burgess
Co-CEO's
Our Story
Built by Lawyers.
Powered by Technology. Driven by Purpose.
The story behind ClearDraft and why we built it.
2017
Two Media Lawyers Meet
Alex Wade and David Burgess begin working together at a specialist content clearance firm - building a partnership grounded in decades of media law experience.
2022
A Better Way Forward
Frustrated by slow, costly clearance processes stalling editorial teams, David and Alex began exploring whether software could do what traditional workflows couldn't: clear content fast, reliably, and affordably.
2023
Building the Proof of Concept
Alex and David partnered with Yeti, a California-based technology company, to build a platform that combines bespoke AI—trained on a lifetime of media law expertise—with review by expert lawyers.
2024
The Moment That Changed Everything
Yeti demoed a working proof of concept that cleared a full article in seconds. In that moment Alex and David knew the future of content clearance had arrived.
2026
ClearDraft Launches
With the technology proven, ClearDraft opens its doors — gaining traction with major media organizations across news, books, and podcasts.
Our Team
Meet ClearDraft
Our team combines experienced media lawyers with cutting-edge
technologists to redefine legal review for modern publishing.
technologists to redefine legal review for modern publishing.
Alex Wade
Co-CEO
Alex is a leading media lawyer and writer with 35 years’ experience across the media sector. His writing has appeared in The Times, The Guardian, Financial Times, and other leading publications.
David Burgess
Co-CEO
David is a media lawyer with 25 years’ experience, including senior roles at Netflix, The Independent, Evening Standard, and Hearst Magazines UK. He advises on defamation, copyright, privacy, and compliance risks.
Katie Burgess
Chief of Staff
Katie is a former litigator who co-founded and led operations at a leading media clearance firm, overseeing clearance for high-profile projects. She's also served as executive advisor in the non-profit sector.
Natalie McEvoy
Head of Clearance
Natalie is a specialist media lawyer and Solicitor Advocate with 20+ years’ experience. She has worked at leading firms including Schillings, Withers, and Mishcon de Reya.
Sara Vandore-Mackay
Head of Clearance
Sara is a media lawyer with over 20 years’ experience advising producers, broadcasters, and creators on legal and compliance risk. She has held senior roles at Channel 4 and in independent practice.
Rudy Mutter
Chief Technical Officer
Rudy is CTO and Co-Founder of Yeti, where he partners with businesses to build custom, AI-powered solutions. He brings over 15 years’ experience, delivering projects for Google, Netflix, and Harvard.
Tony Scherba
Chief Product Officer
Tony is CEO and Co-Founder of Yeti Technologies, a leading digital product development firm in San Francisco that partners with startups and Fortune 500 companies to design, build, and scale innovative software solutions.
Lem White
Chief Operating Officer
Lem is an investor and strategist who specializes in private markets, asset management, and business building. He founded Possibility Labs, a $200M multi-strategy impact investing platform.
James Vaughan-Jones
Head of Legal Engineering
James is a media lawyer with over a decade of experience at the intersection of law and technology. He has served as senior editorial lawyer at Vice Media and as a consultant solicitor at Reviewed & Cleared.
Laura Pulido
Lead Product & Design
Laura is a product leader with 15 years’ experience spanning design, product, and engineering. She delivers intuitive, accessible products from concept to launch, combining strong design with technical execution.
Will Harris
Senior Developer
Will is a software developer who enjoys turning complex ideas into intuitive digital experiences. With a focus on reliability and scalability, Will builds systems that are robust, performant, and maintainable.
Cory Scharf
Senior Developer
Cory is a full-stack engineer focused on building fast, scalable products across web and mobile. He works primarily in TypeScript, React, and GraphQL, delivering clean and well-architected systems.