TheLegalFrontDoor

I had serious FOMO last week as my friends and colleagues were posting exciting content from The Legal Tech Fund (TLTF) conference happening this week in Miami, Florida. In fact, I had so much FOMO that I nearly posted this on LinkedIn to counter all of the people who were posting about attending TLTF:

But one of the things I love is how much this #LegalTech community shares with others. I’ve joked that we do that because even if you have my entire playbook on how we do things at my firm, you’ll never be able to implement it at your firm because of culture, different systems, different goals, etc.

One of the things shared at the conference was a beautiful whiteboard image that detailed the session called “The Legal Front Door.” While I was not at the conference, there was a lot of detail in this image that resonated with me and made me want to dive a bit deeper into the details. And one of the ways that I’ve been doing this lately is to use the multimodal functionality of ChatGPT-4o to extract the story from an image. I’ve done this with Sprint Designs by taking pictures of all of the walls covered in Post-It Notes, and I did it with this picture that was posted on LinkedIn.

For those who haven’t tried this before, ChatGPT can read images. It does a really good job of also understanding text in the images. Even when those are handwritten notes within the image. Upload the image and start asking questions about it.

Here’s what I asked:

Me:
Who was the moderator and presenters for this session?

ChatGPT 4o:
The moderator for the session was Hemma Lomax. The presenters were:

    • Mia Beinhorn
    • Chris Hilliard
    • Felipe Maldonado Garcia

These names are noted in the visual summary of the session.

Follow Up:

Me:
Create a very thorough breakdown of this session at The Legal Tech Fund (TLTF) conference based on this image.

ChatGPT 4o:

Title: The Legal Front Door

Core Themes and Takeaways:

    1. Customization and Perception in Compliance:
      • Key Quote: “One size does not fit all.”
      • Compliance often has a perception problem, seen as friction or a “dirty word.”
      • The session emphasizes the need for a tailored approach to compliance to make it more approachable and effective for businesses.
    2. Empowering Employees:
      • Objective: Enable employees to conduct their own research.
      • Encourage empowerment by providing tools and support.
      • Key Approach: “Say yes and how,” focusing on enabling action rather than hindrance.
    3. Ethical Concerns and Risk Tolerance:
      • Ethical Considerations: Set clear expectations to navigate complex situations responsibly.
      • Agile Mindset: Adaptability is vital; the legal team needs to remain flexible and responsive.
      • Risk Evolution: Businesses must evolve their tolerance for risk, stepping away from overly conservative stances.
    4. Trust and Advocacy:
      • Core Value: Trust is highlighted as the #1 value.
      • Legal functions are moving from traditional compliance roles toward advocacy roles, with the regulator asking, “What’s your value?”
    5. Knowledge Management and Meeting Employees Where They Are:
      • Knowledge management systems are crucial for answering recurring questions and preventing duplication of effort.
      • Engage with employees by addressing their pain points and tailoring solutions to meet them in their work environments.
    6. Leveraging Human and Artificial Intelligence:
      • A mix of human intelligence and artificial intelligence is essential.
      • Human Oversight: AI tools are beneficial but must be paired with human reviewers to ensure accuracy and relevance.
      • Focus on leveraging the combined expertise of humans and technology.
    7. Business Wants and Needs:
      • Legal teams need to understand what the business truly wants and needs.
      • User education is vital—find out what users care about and ensure they understand the value the legal team brings.
    8. Demystifying Legal’s Role:
      • Legal’s role is not only to fix broken processes but to demonstrate how it adds value even when processes seem functional.
      • Key Insight: Legal teams should work to “get them comfortable” with their processes and decisions.
    9. Visualized and Moderated Contributions:
      • Moderators and Panelists: Hemma Lomax, Mia Beinhorn, Chris Hilliard, Felipe Maldonado Garcia.
      • The session visuals and strategy were developed by Big Paper Strategy, ensuring clear communication of complex ideas.

Key Visual Metaphors and Analogies:

    • The Key: Symbolizes unlocking potential in legal processes by understanding employee pain points.
    • The Dinosaur: Represents outdated processes, emphasizing the need for modern solutions and making employees comfortable with change.
    • Brakes and Acceleration: Compliance can act as brakes (preventing accidents) or allow acceleration (go faster safely).
    • The Cliff and Tightrope Walker: Represents the balance between evolving risk tolerance and maintaining human oversight.

Actionable Insights for Legal Teams:

    1. Shift the Narrative: Frame compliance as an enabler, not a blocker.
    2. Tailor Approaches: Customize legal solutions to fit unique organizational needs.
    3. Foster Trust: Build advocacy within the organization to showcase legal’s value.
    4. Educate and Empower: Provide tools and training to employees to foster independence.
    5. Balance AI with Human Oversight: Ensure the integration of AI tools is complemented by human expertise.
    6. Evolve Risk Tolerance: Encourage organizations to re-evaluate their risk frameworks to align with modern business needs.

Conclusion:

This session effectively captures the evolving role of legal departments, blending compliance, knowledge management, and employee empowerment with innovative strategies. The focus on trust, customization, and collaboration highlights how legal teams can transform from gatekeepers into enablers of business growth.

 

Next Follow Up:

Me:
I need to write an email to my boss back at work to explain what I learned from this session. My boss is very concerned about the risk around using legal technology, especially when it comes to Generative AI tools. So, write the email in a way that helps ease those concerns with some of the examples presented in this session.

ChatGPT 4o:

Subject: Key Insights from “The Legal Front Door” Session

Dear [Boss’s Name],

I hope this email finds you well. I wanted to share some valuable insights I gained from a session titled “The Legal Front Door” at the TLTF conference. The discussion focused on modernizing legal operations while addressing key concerns such as risk management and the responsible use of technology, particularly Generative AI tools. I believe the points discussed directly address some of the concerns you’ve raised about the adoption of legal technology.

Balancing Risk and Technology

A major theme of the session was the importance of evolving risk tolerance without compromising oversight or ethical standards. Here’s how they suggested doing this:

    • Human Oversight: Even when leveraging AI tools, the speakers stressed the necessity of pairing AI with human reviewers. This ensures that technology augments rather than replaces critical decision-making.
    • Agile Mindset: The legal team must remain adaptable and forward-thinking, addressing challenges like AI bias or errors with a solution-oriented approach.

Building Trust in Technology

The panelists emphasized that trust is the cornerstone of any technology adoption. To achieve this:

    • Knowledge Management Systems: They discussed the importance of AI-powered knowledge management tools that surface answers to frequently asked questions. These tools reduce repetitive work and allow lawyers to focus on high-value tasks, without compromising on compliance.
    • Educating Users: It was stressed that technology’s role is not to disrupt but to empower employees by helping them understand how it aligns with their daily responsibilities.

Proactive Risk Management Examples

The session included examples of how legal teams can manage risks while benefiting from new technologies:

    • Customized Solutions: Legal technology, including AI tools, must be tailored to the organization’s specific risk appetite and operational needs. For instance, tools can be configured to flag potential risks automatically, ensuring compliance is maintained without additional friction.
    • Clear Ethical Boundaries: Setting expectations and using technology to enforce ethical guidelines were highlighted as key to mitigating risk.

How We Can Apply This

    1. Start Small and Scale: We could adopt AI tools in low-risk areas, such as internal document management or automating responses to non-sensitive employee inquiries, to build trust and test the waters.
    2. Embed Human Oversight: Even in areas where we use Generative AI, a human reviewer would ensure quality and accuracy, avoiding potential reputational risks.
    3. Educate and Empower: By training our employees and stakeholders to use AI effectively, we can mitigate risks while fostering greater independence and efficiency.

Reassuring Takeaway

One of the presenters noted that legal technology doesn’t need to “replace” existing processes—it should simply show how it adds value. This aligns with our need to ensure that tools like Generative AI work as assistants, not decision-makers, maintaining our standards and compliance frameworks.

I believe these insights provide a clear path forward, allowing us to explore new technology responsibly while addressing your concerns. I’d be happy to discuss this further and brainstorm ways to apply these ideas to our own operations.

Best regards,
[Your Name]

Conclusion

Not too shabby for what you can get from just an image, right?

Now, let me insert the cautionary language that you should always remind yourself when you’re dealing with commercial tools like ChatGPT 4o (the paid version), is that you shouldn’t put things in the system that is proprietary or confidential.

This week we welcome Jane Oxley, Chief Revenue Officer at Smokeball, to discuss the pivotal role of communication in legal organizations and how AI is transforming legal practice management. While normally in Australia, we were lucky enough to find Jane while she was working in Chicago, Jane shares her global perspective on communication challenges, bridging time zones, and the creative ways Smokeball leverages technology to streamline law firm operations. Co-host, Greg Lambert kicked off the show by introducing the concept of “Lambert’s Law,” highlighting that “all problems are communication problems,” setting the tone for an insightful discussion on organizational efficiency.

Jane explains how effective communication structures can reveal the health of an organization, whether through Slack’s rapid exchanges or more traditional law firm channels like email and face-to-face meetings. She notes the unique challenges faced by smaller firms, particularly their focus on casework over internal collaboration. Smokeball addresses these needs by integrating AI tools that help firms manage cases, streamline communication, and reduce administrative burdens, allowing lawyers to feel more in control of their workflows.

Jane Oxley and Marlene Gebauer also discuss the role of AI in enhancing productivity and profitability. Jane describes Smokeball’s AI tool, Archie, which helps automate document creation, email drafting, and summarization tasks. With AI handling routine work, lawyers can dedicate more time to client interaction and higher-value tasks. This shift not only increases efficiency but also helps smaller firms bill more accurately for their time—a long-standing challenge in the legal industry.

Addressing the potential impact of AI on the billable hour, Jane shares her perspective on the slow but inevitable shift toward value-based billing. She emphasizes that while AI enhances efficiency, widespread change in billing models requires education and a mindset shift. Some firms have begun experimenting with alternative billing structures, but the transition is gradual and nuanced, varying by practice area. Ultimately, AI tools empower firms to deliver better client service and justify their fees confidently.

Finally, the discussion highlights ethical considerations in adopting AI, particularly regarding client data privacy and regulatory compliance. Jane advises firms to be vigilant in choosing trusted AI providers and implementing safeguards. She predicts that AI will amplify client expectations for efficiency and responsiveness, but the human side of law—empathy, communication, and trust—will remain irreplaceable. By embracing AI to manage routine tasks, firms can focus on delivering exceptional client experiences, making the human element the true winner in this evolving landscape.

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Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@gebauerm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@glambert
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email: geekinreviewpodcast@gmail.com
Music: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jerry David DeCicca⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

TRANSCRIPT

Continue Reading Communication, AI, and the Human Side of Law: Insights from Smokeball’s Jane Oxley

This week, we talk with Elena Tsalanidis and Justin Hansky, co-founders of Deeligence, a revolutionary due diligence workflow tool. Hailing from Australia, this dynamic duo delves into the challenges of traditional due diligence processes and how their AI-powered platform aims to streamline and optimize legal workflows for greater efficiency and accuracy.

Elena Tsalanidis and Justin Hansky share their personal journeys that led to the creation of Deeligence. From Elena’s background in human rights litigation and her experience working at Buckingham Palace, to Justin’s tenure as an M&A lawyer, their combined expertise and insights have laid the foundation for an innovative solution in legal tech. Their unique approach to addressing inefficiencies in due diligence is rooted in their deep understanding of both the practice and business of law.

The hosts and guests explore the skepticism surrounding generative AI in the legal field, including transparency and the accuracy of outputs. Elena and Justin emphasize that Deeligence prioritizes clarity and user trust by integrating human oversight into the process. They outline how their platform simplifies document review, reduces the need for exhaustive scoping, and enables legal professionals to identify key contract provisions quickly and confidently.

Implementing new technologies in law firms often encounters resistance due to entrenched practices and security concerns. The Deeligence team discusses their strategies for encouraging adoption, from ensuring ease of use to providing verifiable results. They also highlight the importance of fostering internal champions who recognize the value of modern tools in enhancing legal service delivery and client satisfaction.

Deeligence challenges the traditional billable hour model by enhancing the efficiency of tasks like due diligence. The platform allows firms to offer fixed-fee models without compromising the quality of their work, enabling them to surface critical issues across all documents instead of relying on selective reviews. This shift promotes more comprehensive client outcomes and cost predictability, marking a significant transformation in how legal services are delivered.

Looking ahead, Elena and Justin discuss their aspirations for Deeligence, including expanding into international markets like the US and UK. They express their commitment to staying at the forefront of legal tech innovation, continually improving their platform to meet evolving industry needs. Their insights underscore a broader trend of specialized, user-focused AI solutions redefining the legal landscape.

Listeners are invited to connect with Elena and Justin to learn more about Deeligenceand its impact on legal workflows. This episode provides a compelling look into how technology and a fresh perspective can address long-standing challenges in the legal profession.

Listen on mobile platforms:  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@gebauerm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@glambert
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email: geekinreviewpodcast@gmail.com
Music: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jerry David DeCicca⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

TRANSCRIPT

Continue Reading Revolutionizing Due Diligence: Elena Tsalanidis and Justin Hansky From Deeligence

Once again, hallucinated citations are not just for lawyers. A recent Minnesota case highlighted the issue of GenAI hallucinations when it come to making up things to fit the narrative of its users. In this situation, a prestigious Stanford University Professor, Jeff Hancock, founding director of the Stanford Social Media Lab submitted an affidavit to the court in support of Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison that contained two citations to academic articles that do not exist. To put a cherry on top of this story, the affidavit was about the effects of “deep fake” technology and its influences on elections. Whether this is laziness, or purposeful (my guess is the prior), my prediction is that fake quotes and citations are going to run rampant in 2025, so get your cite checkers out for both legal and scientific citations.

For those in the US, next week is Thanksgiving, so I’ll be taking a break and heading a bit north to windy and cold(er) Oklahoma to see family and friends. I hope many of you are doing the same.

Here are some other stories that caught my attention this week. Remember, you can track these stories with the AI Lawyer Talking Tech podcast (Spotify or Apple) which covers legal tech news and summarizes stories on a daily basis.

 

Misinformation Expert’s Report Contains Fabricated Citations
A Minnesota-based misinformation expert recently faced scrutiny after submitting a report to the state legislature that included fabricated citations. The expert acknowledged using artificial intelligence tools to draft the document, which resulted in references to non-existent sources. This incident highlights the potential pitfalls of relying on AI for content creation without thorough verification, emphasizing the necessity for human oversight to ensure accuracy and credibility in official communications.
Source: Yahoo! News

Lexis+ AI Faces Scrutiny Over Fabricated Citations
A Canadian law professor sparked debate by critiquing Lexis+ AI’s research capabilities, citing instances of fabricated case citations and mischaracterized summaries during testing. The professor described the AI’s performance as failing, raising concerns about the reliability of generative AI in legal research. LexisNexis defended its tool, emphasizing it is still in development and designed to augment, not replace, traditional research methods. This incident underscores the challenges of integrating AI into legal practice, particularly the need for robust validation processes and human oversight​.
Source: Artificial Lawyer

University of Hawai‘i Develops AI Expungement Tool
The University of Hawai‘i launched an AI-driven expungement tool, automating the creation of court documents for clearing criminal records. The tool is expected to increase access to justice by making the process more efficient and cost-effective.
Source: University of Hawai’i News​

Aderant Achieves SOC 2 Certification
Aderant, a leading global provider of business software for law firms and other legal organizations, has announced that its Software as a Service (SaaS) platforms have achieved Service Organization Control (SOC) 2 Type 2 certification with zero exceptions. This certification signifies that Aderant’s cloud-based offerings meet rigorous standards for security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy, assuring clients that their sensitive data is protected. The independent audit, conducted by KirkpatrickPrice, covered key platforms including Aderant Expert/Expert Sierra, handshakes by Aderant, iTimekeep, BillBlast, and CompuLaw. This achievement reinforces Aderant’s commitment to data security and underscores the reliability and trustworthiness of its cloud-based solutions for legal professionals.
Source: Legal Technology News

Brightflag Launches GenAI Assistant for Legal Spend Management
Brightflag has introduced the first generative AI assistant specifically for legal spend and matter management. Leveraging a database of over $250 billion in legal invoices and 3.5 million matters, the tool helps corporate legal teams make faster, data-driven decisions by providing insights and predictions in natural language. This innovative assistant aims to optimize budgets, improve efficiency, and enhance predictability for legal departments.
Source: Legal IT Professionals

Trellis Launches Trellis AI
Trellis unveiled Trellis AI, a generative AI tool designed to transform trial court litigation. The platform automates legal tasks such as document review and drafting, aiming to improve efficiency and reduce litigation costs.
Source: Legal Technology News

Hotshot Launches M&A Simulation Platform
A new merger and acquisition (M&A) simulation platform, developed by Hotshot, aims to boost associate training and development in law firms. This interactive tool provides a realistic, firm-specific M&A experience, allowing associates to hone practical skills in due diligence, negotiation, and deal execution. The platform emphasizes experiential learning and personalized feedback, addressing the limitations of traditional training methods. Hotshot believes this immersive approach fosters deeper understanding, improved decision-making, and greater confidence in handling complex transactions, ultimately benefiting both associates and the firms they work for.
Source: Bluefield Daily Telegraph

NetDocuments Showcases ndMAX Assist for Legal AI Innovation
NetDocuments has revealed its AI assistant, ndMAX Assist, which automates legal workflows such as document creation and research. Aimed at making legal AI more proactive, the technology could reshape legal practices, streamlining operations and reducing inefficiencies.
Source: Legal IT Insider

Beyond Billable Hours: Flatiron’s Conrad Everhard on a Fixed-Fee and Tech Based Approach to M&A
Flatirons Development, a Colorado-based real estate law firm, has embraced a fixed-fee, tech-driven approach to mergers and acquisitions, seeking to offer clients greater predictability and efficiency. By leveraging technology like Kira Systems for due diligence and custom-built software for document automation, the firm has streamlined processes and reduced the time spent on routine tasks. This allows attorneys to focus on higher-value work and provide more personalized client service, while the fixed-fee structure promotes transparency and eliminates surprise billing. The firm believes this model sets them apart in the competitive legal landscape and better serves the needs of their clients, particularly in the often complex and drawn-out M&A process.
Source: Technically Legal – A Legal Technology and Innovation Podcast

Theo AI Raises $2.2 Million for Litigation Analytics
Theo AI secured $2.2 million in funding to develop its litigation outcome prediction platform. The tool analyzes case data to forecast probabilities, damages, and timelines, offering strategic insights for lawyers.
Source: Artificial Lawyer

Buenos Aires Courts Adopt ChatGPT for Drafting Rulings
Buenos Aires has begun using ChatGPT to draft rulings on simple cases like payment orders, aiming to reduce judicial backlogs. While AI drafts are reviewed by judges, this move positions the city as a pioneer in integrating AI into the judiciary.
Source: Rest of the World

Tonic Textual Introduces AI for Legal Document De-Identification
Tonic.ai’s Textual tool uses large language models to redact sensitive information while preserving data integrity, ensuring compliance with privacy regulations like GDPR and HIPAA. This innovation simplifies privacy compliance for legal professionals.
Source: Security Boulevard​

 

[Ed Note: We were holding off on publishing this episode because we were waiting on the official announcement that Kara Peterson and Rich DiBona of Descrybe.ai were the Silver Anthem Award winners in Best Use of AI from the International Academy of Digital Arts & Sciences! Congratulations to Kara and Rich for the prestigious award! – GL]

In this episode of “The Geek in Review,” we welcome Kara Peterson and Richard DiBona, the dynamic married duo behind Descrybe.ai. Descrybe is an AI-powered legal tool aimed at democratizing access to legal information, particularly by providing summarized legal decisions that make case law more accessible to everyone. The conversation centers around how Descrybe was created, its mission, and the challenges and opportunities involved in developing a legal tech tool that truly serves its users.

Kara and Rich share the story of how Descrybe began as a personal project sparked by a challenging legal issue they faced themselves. Rich, a software engineer, started experimenting with AI summarization of judicial opinions and was struck by how well it worked. Over time, this experiment evolved into Descrybe—a platform that not only delivers quick case law summaries but also enhances accessibility through simplified language and multilingual support. They delve into the technical challenges of managing massive datasets of judicial opinions and ensuring that their platform remains accurate and reliable.

The development of Descrybe has been heavily influenced by user feedback, which Kara and Rich emphasize throughout the episode. They explain how advisory feedback has been instrumental in shaping key features, such as Spanish translations and simplified summaries, which make the platform more accessible to non-native English speakers and those with varying levels of reading proficiency. Their genuine commitment to evolving the product based on user needs is a core aspect of Descrybe’s mission to democratize legal information.

A particularly intriguing segment of the episode focuses on Rich’s perspective on the legal tech market and his skepticism regarding companies that label their offerings as “LLMs” (large language models) without meeting the threshold of a true LLM. Kara adds her insights on the broader mission of Descrybe: not only to innovate within legal tech but also to address access to justice as a public health issue. They both underscore the importance of responsible AI development, ensuring that new technology genuinely benefits society rather than exacerbating existing inequalities.

Towards the end of the episode, Kara and Rich discuss the future of AI in the legal industry and the role Descrybe aims to play. They express optimism that AI can be a powerful force for improving the legal system, especially if it is used to automate lower-level tasks and free up lawyers to focus on more impactful work. They also highlight the potential for AI to facilitate alternative dispute resolutions, diverting some cases from the courts altogether. Kara concludes on a hopeful note, emphasizing that if the right choices are made now, AI could be a driving force for positive systemic change within the legal field.

This conversation with Kara Peterson and Richard DiBona offers a candid, behind-the-scenes look at building Descrybe—a legal tech solution driven by a mission to improve access to justice. Their commitment to making complex legal information understandable for everyone shines through, making this episode a must-listen for anyone interested in the intersection of technology, law, and social good.

Listen on mobile platforms:  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@gebauerm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@glambert
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email: geekinreviewpodcast@gmail.com
Music: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jerry David DeCicca⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

TRANSCRIPT

Continue Reading Democratizing Law with Descrybe.ai’s Kara Peterson and Rich DiBona

Another week, another round of travel. This time to rainy and cold Raleigh, NC. It’s a beautiful city… when it’s not cold and damp. But, I still had a great time with a number of law librarians and KM attorneys reviewing some new information tools on the market.

A lot of tools now are focusing on “workflows”. Which I have mentioned seems to be the term of the year now for newer products. However, if I hear another vendor use the phrase, “we want to meet the attorney where they work” (really meaning MS Word), I may walk out of the presentation on the spot. Remember in 2016 when everyone created a Word Plug-in? Welcome  back to 2016.

Here are some other stories that caught my attention this week. Remember, you can track these stories with the AI Lawyer Talking Tech podcast (Spotify or Apple) which covers legal tech news and summarizes stories on a daily basis.

 

  • Harvey.ai: A Love-Hate Relationship Highlighting BigLaw’s Innovation Dilemma
    The legal tech platform Harvey.ai, which leverages artificial intelligence for legal work, has become a focal point of debate within BigLaw. While firms outwardly advocate for innovation and efficiency, their internal resistance to platforms like Harvey.ai reveals a conflict between embracing disruptive technology and preserving traditional billing structures. Critics argue that this hesitation stems from a fear of upsetting established practices, despite the clear benefits AI offers in improving productivity and client outcomes. This dichotomy underscores a broader challenge in the legal industry—how to reconcile a progressive rhetoric with genuine support for transformative technologies. Harvey.ai’s journey encapsulates the ongoing struggle for innovation in legal tech.
    Source: Legally Disrupted
  • Helm360 Partners with iTrain Legal – Helm360, a provider of legal software solutions, has partnered with iTrain Legal to boost legal tech adoption by offering enhanced user training. This collaboration aims to improve productivity and efficiency in law firms by maximizing the return on investment in legal technology.
    Source: Legal IT Professionals
  • Robin AI Secures $25 Million in Funding – Legal tech startup Robin AI has raised $25 million, fueling the AI boom within the legal industry. This funding will enable Robin AI to expand its AI-powered contract tools, making it easier for legal teams to draft, review, and negotiate contracts.
    Source: AOL
  • LawDroid Expands AI-Driven Legal Assistants – LawDroid, known for its AI-powered legal assistants, is helping law firms streamline tasks such as client intake and document automation. Founder Tom Martin highlights LawDroid’s focus on data security and ethical AI use, providing a competitive edge for smaller firms.
    Source: The Geek in Review
  • Lex Machina Expands Analytics to Cover All Federal District Civil Cases
    Lex Machina has significantly broadened its legal analytics platform, now encompassing every federal district court civil case since 2009. This expansion provides legal professionals with powerful insights into judge behavior, case timing, and attorney performance, revolutionizing case assessments and litigation strategies.
    Source: LawSites
  • SEC Prioritizes AI and Cybersecurity for 2025 – The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has announced that AI, cybersecurity, and crypto will be major focus areas in its 2025 examination priorities. The SEC’s scrutiny on AI usage in financial services reflects the increasing importance of technology oversight in the legal sector.
    Source: White & Case
  • Generative AI in Litigation Transforming Workflows – Legal professionals are increasingly leveraging generative AI for litigation tasks, including document review and legal research. This advancement is poised to enhance efficiency and reduce costs, though ethical oversight remains crucial.
    Source: Legal IT Professionals
  • Increased Acceptance of Generative AI Among Lawyers – A new survey reveals that 62% of lawyers are comfortable using generative AI in their practice. However, firms are implementing usage policies and investing in training to address data security and ethical concerns.
    Source: Legaltech News
  • AI-Powered Tools Transform Legal Operations – New AI tools are helping legal departments harness data for insights and predictive analysis. These advancements allow for more proactive and data-driven strategies in managing outside counsel spend and operational efficiency.
    Source: JD Supra
  • Christiane Müller-Haye on Custom AI Use in Legal Tech – Christiane Müller-Haye of LexisNexis highlights the implementation of a proprietary ChatGPT instance, emphasizing the growing trend of law firms developing customized AI tools to meet specific needs and enhance data security.
    Source: Global Legal Tech Hub
  • Data Scraping Regulations to Protect User Privacy – Global privacy regulators have updated guidelines to protect against unauthorized data scraping, a pressing issue in legal tech. The guidance underscores the importance of compliance for legal professionals using web scraping in legal research and analytics.
    Source: Hogan Lovells
  • AI-Assisted Hiring Tools Under Scrutiny for Bias – A report warns that AI-powered hiring tools can unintentionally perpetuate discrimination, highlighting the importance of regular audits and human oversight. This scrutiny reflects an increased focus on ethical AI use in HR practices within the legal industry.
    Source: Fisher & Phillips LLP
  • For the Innocent AI Platform Wins Social Impact Award
    An AI-powered tool, “For The Innocent,” has won a Signal Award for its role in identifying wrongful convictions by analyzing case files, highlighting AI’s potential to expedite justice in criminal cases.
    Source: Legal Talk Network

This week we welcome Tom Martin, founder of LawDroid, a pioneering AI platform aimed at transforming legal workflows through automation and no-code solutions. Tom shares his journey from practicing law to creating LawDroid, which supports legal professionals with tools designed to streamline tasks, enhance client communication, and automate document preparation. Throughout the conversation, Tom emphasizes how LawDroid is reshaping legal tech and access to justice, especially for underserved communities, by integrating generative AI and language processing into accessible, customizable applications.

Tom dives into the advantages of generative AI in legal practice, noting how tools like LawDroid take the heavy lifting out of document summarization, drafting, and other language-intensive tasks. He describes how AI-driven “agents” provide round-the-clock assistance to clients, effectively extending support beyond traditional working hours. The discussion also covers Tom’s views on AI’s potential to increase accessibility in the legal field, particularly through collaborations with legal aid organizations, allowing individuals to quickly find information and resources following natural disasters or legal challenges.

Beyond practical tools, Tom discusses how LawDroid leverages no-code options, enabling law firms of all sizes to customize solutions without heavy technical knowledge. He highlights LawDroid’s AI receptionist, lead capture bots, and document automation features, which empower legal professionals to serve clients more efficiently and affordably. Tom also shares insights into how LawDroid’s adaptability allows it to serve various legal practices, from estate planning to client intake processes, with options for those looking for hands-on or fully supported implementations.

The conversation further explores the implications of AI on the legal profession’s future, including both the potential for job transformation and the significant efficiency gains that AI brings. Tom reassures listeners that while AI may shift certain roles, it ultimately enhances lawyers’ ability to focus on complex and meaningful work, opening doors for expanded client bases and reduced costs for legal representation. He also speaks to data security, underscoring LawDroid’s commitment to protecting client data and privacy in compliance with ethical standards.

To conclude, Tom shares his thoughts on the importance of fostering a collaborative legal tech community, reflected in his co-founding of the Legal Technology Awards. He underscores the need to continually recognize leaders in the industry who are committed to social impact, innovation, and improving access to justice. As the interview wraps up, Tom looks forward to future developments in AI, advocating for an inclusive legal system that leverages technology to guarantee access to justice for all.

For more insights from Tom Martin and to learn about LawDroid, check out the links below.

Links & Resources

Listen on mobile platforms:  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

 

Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@gebauerm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@glambert
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email: geekinreviewpodcast@gmail.com
Music: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jerry David DeCicca⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

TRANSCRIPT

Continue Reading Tom Martin on LawDroid’s Impact in Legal Tech

This week I got to spend time with a few of my peers from other law firms in lovely Fort Lauderdale, Florida. We talked about the actual effects of new technology on the legal information industry, and the wins, losses, and draws when it comes to adoption to these new tools within their firms. It really helped to find others who are facing the same issues and learn from each other. It’s one of the best things about this industry, and that is the willingness to share ideas.

Just for fun, I asked Google’s NotebookLM to make a podcast about adoption of technology in the legal industry, and had the hosts compare this adoption to what happened to them when their band broke up. It ended up very interesting. Check that out here.

Here are some other stories that caught my attention this week. Remember, you can track these stories with the AI Lawyer Talking Tech podcast (Spotify or Apple) which covers legal tech news and summarizes stories on a daily basis.

 

CanLII Sues for Copyright Violation
The Canadian Legal Information Institute (CanLII) filed a lawsuit against Lexum, claiming copyright infringement over substantial portions of its legal database content. This case raises questions about open-access legal information and proprietary rights.
Source: Pique News Magazine

Leya and Calame Launch GenAI Partnership in France
Leya, a legal ops consultancy, and Calame, a group of French business law firms, have joined forces to offer AI-powered solutions. Their collaboration aims to streamline legal tasks such as contract review and due diligence, potentially revolutionizing legal services in the French market​.
Source: Artificial Lawyer

The LegalTech Fund’s Zach Posner on Legal Tech Investment Trends
Zach Posner of The LegalTech Fund discusses a shift from early-stage investments to mature, revenue-generating companies in legal tech. This trend reflects a preference for established companies with proven market fit​.
Source: LawNext Podcast

Ditch the Dinosaurs, Embrace the Digital
The legal industry is experiencing a push towards modernization, with law firms adopting cloud computing, automation, and AI to stay competitive. This shift helps firms improve client service, efficiency, and profitability by automating routine tasks like document review and legal research​.
Source: Legaltech on Medium

PROWESS Platform to Transform Legal Talent Management
Leopard Solutions’ PROWESS platform is reshaping legal recruitment by using data and analytics to match law firms with freelance attorneys. This innovation offers firms flexibility in staffing and lawyers more control over their careers.
Source: The Geek in Review Podcast

Veritext Legal Solutions Unveils Rough Draft Smart Summaries
Veritext Legal Solutions launched Rough Draft Smart Summaries, an AI tool that condenses depositions, streamlining preparation for legal professionals. The tool reflects Veritext’s commitment to enhancing efficiency with AI-driven solutions for better trial and motion preparation​.
Source: Legal Technology News – Legal IT Professionals

How Legal Data APIs are Driving Law Firm Growth
LexisNexis highlights the value of data APIs, which provide actionable insights for business development, helping firms optimize client targeting, competitive analysis, and strategic planning.
Source: LexisNexis

NetDocuments Debuts ndMAX AI Assistant
NetDocuments launched ndMAX, a new AI-powered assistant aimed at automating tasks like document creation and email management. The tool could significantly free up lawyers’ time for higher-level work by streamlining document-related tasks
Source: Legal IT Insider

Knowable Names New CEO
Nik Reed, co-founder of Ravel Law and former COO at Knowable, has been appointed CEO of the contract analysis platform, aiming to enhance its services for corporate legal departments. With $30 million in Series B funding, Knowable is set to expand its reach within the legal tech market.
Source: LawNext

AI Adoption Driving Growth
A Thomson Reuters study found that early AI adopters in the legal field are experiencing substantial growth, with revenue up by 14% and increased caseloads. This boost is largely attributed to the automation of routine tasks, improving client satisfaction and firm profitability.
Source: Thomson Reuters.

This week we welcome back Laura Leopard and Phil Flora from Leopard Solutions to discuss their latest innovation, the PROWESS platform. This newly launched tool aims to transform the way corporate legal departments manage and evaluate their relationships with outside counsel. As Leopard Solutions embarks on this new phase after its acquisition by SurePoint, Laura and Phil delve into how PROWESS brings unprecedented capabilities to legal teams by centralizing data, enhancing decision-making, and simplifying the selection process of legal talent.

Laura explains that the PROWESS platform was born out of the need to streamline the outdated methods many in-house legal teams use to locate outside counsel. Rather than relying on personal contacts or spreadsheets, PROWESS leverages Leopard Solutions’ extensive database of over 6,000 law firms to offer data-driven insights. The platform allows legal departments to search for attorneys and law firms by specialization, diversity metrics, and even billing structures, providing a comprehensive overview that helps corporate counsel make informed, strategic choices for their legal needs.

One of the key features of PROWESS is its 360-degree firm report and ranking system, powered by Leopard Solutions’ unique data-driven methodology. Phil explains how the platform’s rankings go beyond traditional metrics, focusing on firm growth, retention, and diversity within the attorney ranks. By incorporating continuous updates and client feedback, the ranking system serves as a real-time indicator of a firm’s standing in the market. Over time, the platform will enable in-house teams to provide feedback on engagements, further refining the rankings and enabling firms to showcase the quality of their work.

The PROWESS platform also offers law firms an opportunity to proactively market their strengths. Law firms can contribute their own data to the platform, such as alternative fee arrangements and attorney billing rates, which helps them stand out in searches. Laura and Phil highlight how this “passive marketing” tool allows firms to differentiate themselves in a competitive market, as corporate clients can explore and assess options they may not have previously considered. Phil emphasizes that this feature is particularly valuable for smaller and mid-sized firms, allowing them to compete alongside larger firms by showcasing their specific expertise.

In closing, Laura and Phil share their vision for the future of PROWESS. They envision it evolving into a more comprehensive marketplace, potentially allowing firms to bid on posted matters. Both are excited about the potential for increased transparency and efficiency in the legal industry as PROWESS matures, facilitating stronger relationships between law firms and in-house legal teams. With plans to integrate AI-driven features and client feedback mechanisms, Leopard Solutions is poised to shape the future of legal talent management and engagement.

Links:
Leopard Solutions PROWESS

Listen on mobile platforms:  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@gebauerm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@glambert
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email: geekinreviewpodcast@gmail.com
Music: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jerry David DeCicca⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

TRANSCRIPT

Continue Reading Revolutionizing Legal Talent Management: Laura Leopard and Phil Flora on PROWESS from Leopard Solutions

I hope everyone bagged enough Halloween candy last night to last them through to the US Thanksgiving dinners. Hard to believe it is November, but apparently I say that every year.

This week in legal tech news had some interesting acquisitions like Harbor acquiring Ascertus, as well as new partnership announcements like Spellbook using Thomson Reuter’s Practical Law data to enhance its drafting tools. Law firms are also coming to the realization that they can’t just buy AI products and expect their lawyers and other professionals to just jump in and become prompt engineers. So, you’re seeing more and more stories lately on the training needed to teach the AI skills necessary to actually take advantage of these very expensive tools.

There is also some trending news over a number of weeks now that show a growing disbelief that AI tools are actually going to help solve the justice gap in the United States. I don’t think this surprises anyone that has been following these trends, but once again, the legal market really doesn’t seem to be very interested in tackling this problem whether it is with AI tools or any other approach to the lack of access to justice. Same problem, different year. I’m sure one of those prediction betting sites has high odds that this time next year, we’ll have additional articles on why advancements in legal technology still can’t shrink the access to justice gap.

Remember, you can track these stories with the AI Lawyer Talking Tech podcast (Spotify or Apple) which covers legal tech news and summarizes stories on a daily basis.

Harnessing RAG Models in Legal Industry
Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) models are transforming legal workflows by pairing large language models with information retrieval systems to produce more reliable responses grounded in verified data, addressing common “hallucination” issues. RAG’s potential is seen in document drafting and research enhancements.
Source: 3 Geeks and a Law Blog

Spellbook Partners with Thomson Reuters for Enhanced Contract AI
Canadian legal tech company Spellbook has integrated Thomson Reuters’ Practical Law database, providing users with comprehensive contract drafting resources. This collaboration aims to improve accuracy and efficiency in contract creation, leveraging AI to streamline legal drafting and research.
Source: Artificial Lawyer

Harbor Expands with Acquisition of Ascertus in the UK
US legal tech provider Harbor acquired Ascertus Limited, a UK-based legal technology services provider. This acquisition strengthens Harbor’s global presence and enhances its expertise in document and email management solutions, expanding its iManage user base and service offerings.
Source: Legal Technology News​

Law Firms Expand AI Training Programs
Major UK law firms, including Allen & Overy and Freshfields, are now offering AI-focused training programs for lawyers. These initiatives aim to prepare legal professionals for the changing landscape by focusing on practical skills in legal research, drafting, and analytics using AI tools.
Source: LawCareers.net

Popup AI Training for Law Firms Launches
Popup AI’s new on-demand training program for law firms demystifies AI through courses on prompt engineering, document automation, and ethical AI implementation. This program is accessible for all technical levels, aiming to foster AI literacy across law practices​.
Source: MyShingle

Big Law and Innovation: The Struggle Continues
A Forbes report discusses Big Law’s complicated relationship with innovation. Despite heavy investments in legal technology, billable hour models and a risk-averse culture impede real progress. Firms are beginning to explore alternative billing models to support long-term tech adoption​.
Source: Forbes​

Legal CRM Challenges and Solutions
An analysis highlighted law firms’ struggles with legal CRM adoption due to issues like low user engagement and lack of integration with other tools. However, with clear objectives and tailored training, firms can enhance client relationships and improve internal communication, showcasing the critical role of technology in transforming client services in law firms.
Source: JD Supra

End-to-End Document Creation Gaining Traction in Legal Tech
A shift toward full-spectrum document automation is underway, aiming to automate the entire document creation process. By integrating client intake, data gathering, and final drafting, this approach reduces time and errors, allowing legal professionals to focus on strategic work.
Source: Artificial Lawyer​​

Legal Marketing Association Awards Recognize Jackson Walker’s AI Innovations
The Legal Marketing Association recognized Jackson Walker and CMO Barbara Bell Malin for innovative use of AI in client communications and intake processes at the Your Honor Awards. This highlights a growing trend of AI adoption in law firm marketing, as firms of various sizes integrate AI to improve client interaction and streamline operations.
Source: Jackson Walker L.L.P

OpenAI Faces Lawsuit Over Alleged Biometric Data Collection
A new lawsuit claims that OpenAI’s ChatGPT collects and uses biometric data without user consent, potentially violating Illinois’ Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA). This case could lead to stricter regulations on biometric data in AI, impacting how companies handle personal information in AI development.
Source: Internet & Social Media Law Blog

Megan Thee Stallion Sues Over AI Deepfake Use
Rapper Megan Thee Stallion has filed a lawsuit over AI-generated deepfake content featuring her likeness, raising concerns about unauthorized AI use in media. This case could set a precedent for future AI-related privacy and intellectual property claims.
Source: Blockonomi

AI Evaluating Judicial Decisions Sparks Ethical Debate
A new study proposes using AI to analyze the performance of human judges by evaluating decision consistency and potential biases. While this approach aims to improve judicial transparency, it raises questions about AI’s role in assessing nuanced legal judgments.
Source: Legaltech on Medium​