Solving Mobile Discovery with ModeOne’s Matt Rasmussen

By Greg Lambert & Marlene Gebauer on May 19, 2025

This week we sit down with Matt Rasmussen, Founder and CEO of ModeOne, to dive into the evolving challenges and solutions around mobile device discovery. What started as a frustration-fueled “passion project” has grown into a powerful, cloud-based legal tech tool that dramatically speeds up mobile data collections while safeguarding user privacy. Rasmussen brings over two decades of litigation tech experience, and his team is focused on automating the traditionally slow, invasive, and expensive process of mobile forensic collection.

Matt shares the lightbulb moment that led to ModeOne’s founding—after nearly being hit with a book by an executive unwilling to hand over their entire phone during an M&A data collection. That experience crystallized a need for a targeted, remote, and custodian-friendly solution. ModeOne’s approach allows for precise data extraction, filtering out personal messages, and narrowing collection to relevant participants or timeframes—thereby reducing friction, legal risk, and cost. The tool shrinks a two-week process into a matter of hours and removes the need for shipping hardware or dispatching personnel.

The conversation then turns to the power of cloud scalability and how ModeOne’s architecture enables parallel processing of hundreds of phones simultaneously without ballooning costs. Matt recounts a case involving over 400 phones processed in just two weeks—compared to the seven-month timeline it would’ve required using traditional methods. He explains how operating directly on devices with lightweight agents and leveraging cloud resources allows them to outperform older queue-based systems and ensure defensibility through record-level audits.

Beyond litigation, the use cases for ModeOne are growing fast, particularly in corporate compliance and legal holds. With recent updates from the DOJ and FTC increasing expectations for mobile data preservation, companies are now compelled to treat phones with the same seriousness as emails and cloud documents. ModeOne’s ability to preserve data in a scalable, minimally invasive way makes it a key player in this regulatory shift. Rasmussen also highlights that while AI may not be the focus of this episode, ModeOne is quietly integrating features like sentiment analysis, emoji flagging, and communication mapping through a partnership with StreamView.

As the episode wraps up, Rasmussen discusses the startup journey—from bootstrapping to being named Legal Tech Startup of the Year in 2024. While initial adoption faced the usual “wait-and-see” mentality common in legal tech, ModeOne is now working with several Fortune 10 companies, AMLaw 25 firms, and leading LSPs. Looking forward, Rasmussen predicts mobile data will only grow more central to investigations and legal matters. With privacy and policy changes ahead, ModeOne is doubling down on mobile—not diversifying away from it. As he puts it: “We’re digging deep on phones.”

Listen on mobile platforms: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

[Special Thanks to ⁠Legal Technology Hub⁠ for their sponsoring this episode.]

Blue Sky: ⁠⁠@geeklawblog.com⁠⁠ ⁠⁠@marlgeb⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email: geekinreviewpodcast@gmail.com
Music: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jerry David DeCicca⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Transcript:

Continue Reading Solving Mobile Discovery with ModeOne’s Matt Rasmussen

Episode 300: 2025 CounselLink Trends Report with Kris Satkunas and Toby Brown

By Greg Lambert & Marlene Gebauer on May 12, 2025

For the 300th episode of The Geek in Review, we celebrate in true “three geeks” fashion by bringing back two familiar voices: Kris Satkunas, Director of Strategic Consulting at LexisNexis, and legal pricing expert Toby Brown, CEO at DV8 Legal Strategies. Kris joins to walk through highlights from the newly released 2025 CounselLink Trends Report, and Toby brings his trademark insight… and a touch of skepticism to the discussion. Together, they explore what the latest data reveals about legal pricing, client behavior, firm strategy, and the evolving landscape of law firm-client relationships.

The conversation opens with a focus on the headline trend: partner billing rates continue to rise steeply, particularly in high-value areas like M&A and regulatory work. Despite clients claiming to negotiate hard on pricing, the data on effective rates, what clients actually pay, suggests those increases are sticking. Kris points out that clients are becoming more sophisticated in managing blended rates and staffing strategies, using analytics and technology to influence outcomes, even if hourly billing still dominates.

A recurring theme is the widening rate gap between large and mid-sized firms, now a staggering 61%. Kris attributes this to the concentration of high-rate work in large firms and their dominance in practices like M&A and regulatory. Toby adds that the presence of pricing professionals at larger firms contributes to more strategic rate setting—something mid-sized firms often lack. The team also discusses a new report metric analyzing new matter spend, which reveals that even fresh legal work is increasingly flowing to the largest firms, countering narratives that mid-sized firms are winning market share.

When the conversation shifts to Alternative Fee Arrangements (AFAs), Kris cautiously celebrates a slight uptick in usage, while Toby remains doubtful about long-term momentum. They agree that lawyers’ difficulty in scoping matters remains a key barrier. The role of project management professionals is highlighted as crucial for moving the industry forward on AFAs—but adoption is still slow, especially outside of established comfort zones like IP and employment law.

Greg brings up another area ripe for disruption: ALSPs and their potential to absorb high-volume, low-risk work. While Kris hasn’t yet seen a data-supported shift toward ALSPs, Toby sees tremendous opportunity—particularly when ALSPs combine process standardization and AI tools. The hosts also discuss specific use cases, like LegalMation for employment litigation, where existing tech could already reduce cost and inefficiency, if only firms were willing to change.

The episode closes with a look ahead. Kris notes the eye-popping rate growth among associates—some nearing $2,000/hour—as a surprising trend, while urging caution in interpreting conflicting data from different sources. Her “crystal ball” prediction? Legal rates will likely continue to climb, especially in high-stakes practice areas, while AFAs may finally gain ground if firms invest in the infrastructure to scope and manage work properly. As always, the team ends with good humor, mutual respect, and a shared love for data—exactly the energy you’d expect for The Geek in Review’s milestone 300th episode.

[Special Thanks to ⁠Legal Technology Hub⁠ for their sponsoring this episode.]

Transcript:

Continue Reading Episode 300: 2025 CounselLink Trends Report with Kris Satkunas and Toby Brown

Laura Clayton McDonnell on Legal Technology, AI, and Corporate Transformation at Thomson Reuters

By Greg Lambert & Marlene Gebauer on May 5, 2025

This week, we welcome Laura Clayton McDonnell, President of the Corporates Business Segment at Thomson Reuters. Laura shares her inspiring journey from corporate securities law to executive leadership at top technology companies, including Apple, Cisco, IBM, Microsoft, and now Thomson Reuters. She discusses how her Silicon Valley upbringing and her family’s immigrant experience have shaped her leadership style and commitment to innovation in the legal industry. Laura’s personal purpose—rooted in values like courage, curiosity, and integrity—drives her mission to deliver measurable value to clients through legal technology and business transformation.

The conversation highlights the rapid advancements in legal technology, with a special focus on the impact of generative AI and agentic AI in the legal sector. Laura explains how she stays ahead of legal tech trends by collaborating with internal teams, listening to customer feedback, and learning from her daughter, a practicing transactional lawyer. She emphasizes the importance of a growth mindset, continuous learning, and adaptability—qualities she honed during her time at Microsoft under Satya Nadella’s leadership and through the teachings of Carol Dweck’s “Growth Mindset.”

Laura provides insights into how corporate legal, tax, and compliance departments are evolving from traditional cost centers to strategic business partners, thanks to innovative legal technology solutions from Thomson Reuters. She discusses how tools like Westlaw, Practical Law, Legal Tracker, and OneSource are helping legal professionals automate routine tasks, reduce contract review times by over 80%, and save millions on outside counsel spend. Laura notes that forward-thinking clients are not just adopting new legal tech tools—they are developing comprehensive strategies to transform business processes, training, and staffing for the future of legal work.

The episode also explores the rise of alternative legal service providers (ALSPs) and the ongoing bifurcation of the legal market driven by technology adoption. Laura observes that general counsel are increasingly sophisticated in their approach, weighing cost, complexity, and the use of AI to achieve better outcomes. She stresses that legal technology is now essential for law firms and ALSPs alike, and that innovation and value delivery are key to staying competitive in the evolving legal landscape.

Looking to the future, Laura predicts that predictive analytics, risk assessment, and cross-functional insights will become even more critical for legal, tax, and compliance professionals. She highlights the growing demand for skilled legal talent and the importance of ongoing training, ethical oversight, and building resilient, growth-oriented teams. Laura encourages legal industry leaders to prepare for a future where human expertise and advanced legal technology work together to drive strategic transformation and business success.

For more information on legal technology trends, AI in the legal industry, and upcoming events, Laura invites listeners to connect with her on LinkedIn or visit Thomson Reuters. She also highlights the upcoming Thomson Reuters customer conference in November, where attendees can experience product demos and gain insights into the latest legal innovation and industry trends.

Links:

[Special Thanks to ⁠Legal Technology Hub⁠ for their sponsoring this episode.]

Transcript

Continue Reading Laura Clayton McDonnell on Legal Technology, AI, and Corporate Transformation at Thomson Reuters

Kenzo Tsushima of Morae on Innovation, Change Management, and Servant Leadership

By Greg Lambert & Marlene Gebauer on April 28, 2025

This week, we sit down with Kenzo Tsushima, Managing Director of Mind Factory at Morae, to discuss how AI is transforming legal operations and consulting services. Kenzo shares his unique career journey, blending a passion for technology with legal expertise, and highlights why the legal industry is positioned to leverage AI advancements more quickly than heavily regulated sectors like healthcare. With a background that spans consulting leadership and GC roles, Kenzo offers a rare dual perspective on how law firms and corporate legal departments can future-proof themselves by embracing emerging technologies like MorAI, Morae’s proprietary AI platform.

Kenzo discusses the creation of MorAI, launched in mid-2023, as a response to widespread legal tech “decision fatigue” — where an abundance of AI tools overwhelms buyers. Rather than pushing generic solutions, Morae designed MorAI around highly specific legal workflows such as contract review, RFP response automation, and internal helpdesk queries. Kenzo emphasizes the importance of “solutionizing” AI: showing real, targeted results rather than relying on hype. Using examples like their Helpdesk module, Kenzo explains how legal teams can instantly boost efficiency by querying historical RFP responses and deploying AI for natural language document reviews, significantly reducing administrative burdens across legal and procurement functions.

A strong advocate for servant leadership and human-centric AI adoption, Kenzo outlines how Morae’s approach goes beyond technology — focusing heavily on change management and upskilling legal professionals. Through programs like SEEDS (Skill Enablement Employee Development Series), Morae invests in developing both consulting and technology skills among its team. Kenzo notes that traditional legal professionals, often unfamiliar with public speaking or technology tools, can thrive when given structured, bite-sized learning opportunities. This consultative-first mindset, he argues, not only improves client outcomes but creates a more resilient and engaged workforce.

Addressing cybersecurity and data privacy concerns, Kenzo details Morae’s use of private Azure instances and multiple legally trained LLMs to ensure client data security and confidentiality. Unlike public AI tools, MorAI is designed to be a trusted legal companion that never co-mingles client data or trains on external internet content. Kenzo also explains why Morae’s strategy of multi-LLM deployment (leveraging OpenAI, Anthropic, and others) future-proofs clients against rapid developments in AI models — ensuring their legal technology stacks remain agile and powerful over time.

Finally, Kenzo shares his insights on the challenges ahead for the legal industry: decision fatigue, resistance to change, and the crucial need to align with younger generations’ expectations around technology use. He urges law firms and corporate legal departments to rethink build-vs-buy strategies, embrace commercially available solutions, and foster AI champions within their organizations. As new roles like legal engineers and prompt engineers emerge, firms that support AI-enabled upskilling and servant leadership will not just survive — they will lead the next era of legal innovation.

[Special Thanks to ⁠Legal Technology Hub⁠ for their sponsoring this episode.]

Transcript

Continue Reading Kenzo Tsushima of Morae on Innovation, Change Management, and Servant Leadership

Charting the Three Waves of Legal AI Transformation with Thomson Reuters’ Raghu Ramanathan

By Greg Lambert & Marlene Gebauer on April 21, 2025

This week we welcome Raghu Ramanathan, President of Legal Professionals at Thomson Reuters, for an insightful discussion on the profound impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on the legal industry. Bringing a fresh perspective shaped by his extensive background in technology leadership at companies like SAP and strategy consulting with McKinsey, Raghu shares why he believes the legal sector, alongside healthcare, stands at the forefront of the AI revolution. His journey into the legal tech world, driven by the transformative potential of AI, sets the stage for a deep dive into current trends, future predictions, and the strategic initiatives shaping the future of law.

Central to the conversation is Raghu’s updated perspective on the evolution of law firms, revisiting predictions he first made in 2017. He outlines a compelling framework describing “three waves” of AI adoption currently underway. The first wave, “Optimization,” which many firms are experiencing now, focuses on using AI to enhance existing workflows, making tasks faster and more efficient. The second wave, “Re-engineering,” involves fundamentally rethinking processes, staffing models (including the traditional pyramid structure), pricing strategies, and the very nature of legal work to leverage AI’s capabilities more deeply. Looking further ahead, the third wave anticipates the emergence of entirely “New Business Models,” where law firms might offer tech-based services, explore adjacent business lines, embrace true outcome-based pricing, and potentially even reshape the legal value chain.

The discussion delves into the significant implications these waves have for law firm talent and structure. Raghu predicts a shift in the traditional law firm pyramid, potentially leading to leaner associate ranks but a greater need for experienced partners and, crucially, integrated tech talent. This necessitates not only attracting technologists but also potentially rethinking firm equity structures to retain them. Furthermore, the skill set required for the “lawyer of the future” is evolving; proficiency in delegation to AI tools, broader unstructured problem-solving, and embracing technological integration will become paramount, demanding changes in legal education and professional development.

Thomson Reuters is actively navigating and shaping this transformation, particularly through its AI platform, CoCounsel. Raghu highlights the rapid evolution of CoCounsel, emphasizing the continuous development of new “skills”—capabilities ranging from summarization and research to drafting and complex analysis like the innovative “Claims Explorer.” He explains TR’s strategy involves integrating proprietary data (like Westlaw), client-provided documents, and public information, leveraging advancements in Large Language Models (LLMs) from various providers to deliver comprehensive and powerful AI assistance. Prioritizing new skill development involves balancing significant client value with technical feasibility, constantly informed by close collaboration with innovation-focused customers.

Beyond law firms, the conversation explores the crucial role and adoption of AI within the court system. Raghu notes a surprising enthusiasm among courts, driven by the urgent need to address growing case backlogs and enhance access to justice within tight budgets. He points to Thomson Reuters’ significant partnerships, including a major agreement to deploy AI tools across the US federal courts and ongoing collaboration with the National Center for State Courts (NCSC), which is fostering education and policy discussions among judges and court staff nationwide. Complementing product innovation, TR’s expanded “Customer Success” initiative underscores the importance of user adoption, providing dedicated resources and best practices to help lawyers and legal professionals effectively integrate AI tools into their daily workflows, ensuring technology translates into tangible value.

Concluding with a look ahead, Raghu anticipates that smaller and mid-sized law firms may initially leverage AI more aggressively as a competitive equalizer, pushing larger firms to make bolder, more strategic moves beyond simple optimization. He stresses that the ultimate differentiator for success in the AI era will likely be less about the technology itself and more about effective change management—strategic clarity, operational implementation, and fostering a culture that embraces new ways of working. The rapid pace of AI adoption already witnessed in the legal sector signals that this transformation is not a distant prospect but a present reality reshaping the industry at an unprecedented speed.

Read the Whitepaper: “2025 Generative AI in Professional Services Report“

[Special Thanks to ⁠Legal Technology Hub⁠ for their sponsoring this episode.]

Transcript

Continue Reading Charting the Three Waves of Legal AI Transformation with Thomson Reuters’ Raghu Ramanathan

Beyond the PDF: Patrick Waldo on Structuring Data for Security and Efficiency

By Greg Lambert & Marlene Gebauer on April 14, 2025

In this week’s Geek in Review, we sit down with Patrick Waldo, CEO of Unicorn Forms and proud Houstonian, to explore the intersections of data, document automation, and legal tech innovation. From the vibrant startup culture at Houston’s ION and the Capital Factory’s SXSW House event to the regulatory grind of form design, Waldo shares how his journey—from working in compliance-heavy industries to launching a playfully named but technically serious platform—is reshaping how we think about document-driven workflows.

Waldo pulls back the curtain on Unicorn Forms’ approach to digitizing and structuring data trapped in PDFs. With a background in regulatory intelligence, he understands firsthand how critical, yet painfully inefficient, static documents can be. Unicorn Forms aims to transform the “eight-and-a-half-by-eleven world” into structured, field-driven digital tools. By mimicking the look and feel of familiar e-sign interfaces while embedding structured fields and integrations like Calendly or Stripe, the platform bridges the gap between legal formality and technical interoperability.

Security and compliance are at the heart of the conversation as Waldo outlines the different levels of electronic trust, explaining how Unicorn Forms distinguishes itself with hashed documents, timestamp authorities, and encryption standards that exceed many traditional e-signature solutions. He highlights how many professionals—especially in legal, healthcare, and finance—aren’t aware of the risks they take when using non-secure PDFs for sensitive data like social security numbers or payment details.

The episode also dives into the often-overlooked role of data ontologies in making government and enterprise forms interoperable. Waldo describes the complexity behind something as seemingly simple as a name or address field and how lack of standardization leads to inefficiencies and errors. By applying his years of ontology-building experience, Unicorn Forms aims to enable more intuitive, human-readable, and system-compatible data capture, with real-world use cases already in place—like improving film permitting processes for the Houston Film Commission.

From a startup perspective, Waldo gets candid about fundraising challenges, the paradox of needing metrics to raise money and needing money to build metrics, and how early-stage companies must balance marketing, sales, and product development. He emphasizes the value of angel investors and local ecosystems like the ION and the Canon, while acknowledging the rising bar of investor expectations in today’s post-2023 funding environment.

Finally, Waldo shares his philosophy behind the Unicorn Forms brand—born as an April Fool’s joke but grown into a conversation starter and signal for early adopters. With Party City swag, a pink logo, and a message that draws in the curious and the creative, Unicorn Forms is redefining legal tech not just through software, but through an intentional, approachable identity. As Waldo looks ahead, he sees opportunity in pairing strong data engineering with AI tools—not just to automate, but to make legal and regulatory processes smarter, faster, and more human-centered.

[Special Thanks to ⁠Legal Technology Hub⁠ for their sponsoring this episode.]

Transcript

Continue Reading Beyond the PDF: Patrick Waldo on Structuring Data for Security and Efficiency

RAG is Not Dead: Josef’s Sam Flynn on Legal Tech That Works

By Greg Lambert & Marlene Gebauer on April 7, 2025

This week, we sit down with Sam Flynn, COO and co-founder of Josef, to separate substance from hype in the rapidly evolving world of legal tech. Sam shares his passionate stance that “RAG is not dead,” defending Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) as a foundational and still deeply relevant method for deploying AI in the legal industry—despite the flashy allure of agentic AI. His nuanced take reminds listeners that success in this space depends not only on the sophistication of the technology, but on doing the “boring” foundational work: ensuring data integrity, context-aware chunking, and responsible workflows.

Throughout the discussion, Sam champions the idea that great legal technology should not just enhance expert workflows but make legal information accessible to non-experts. With examples from Josef’s clients like L’Oréal, Bumble, and Bupa, Sam illustrates how Josef’s tools allow legal departments to offload routine work through reliable self-service systems—freeing up time for more strategic thinking while improving speed, compliance, and consistency across organizations. He makes the case that empowering end users with trustworthy tools isn’t just good tech—it’s a new model for scaling legal and compliance services.

A key highlight is Josef’s Roxanne project, developed in collaboration with Housing Court Answers and NYU. Roxanne is an AI-powered tool designed to help tenants in New York navigate the complexities of housing law. Sam outlines the safeguards that ensure Roxanne’s answers are accurate and compliant, such as closed-domain data sources, human-in-the-loop validation, and smart escalation workflows. The conversation touches on the broader access to justice (A2J) implications of this technology—arguing that when designed carefully, AI can amplify the reach and impact of legal aid organizations by orders of magnitude.

The episode doesn’t shy away from the tensions legal professionals feel when automation enters their domain. Sam offers a powerful reframing: instead of seeing these tools as a threat, lawyers should view them as opportunities to offload low-value tasks and expand their influence. The goal, he says, is not to cut jobs—but to redefine the kind of work legal professionals do, making space for more proactive, strategic, and meaningful engagements within organizations and communities.

As the conversation wraps, Sam shares his optimism about the future—tempered by a clear-eyed understanding of the human factors that will determine success. While the technology is ready, the question is whether legal professionals will step up and take the lead. His call to action is clear: focus less on the hype, and more on the systems, safety, and trust that make tech transformative. Whether you’re a legal technologist, innovator, or cautious observer, this episode offers a grounded and inspiring look at what it takes to build legal tech that actually works.

[Special Thanks to ⁠Legal Technology Hub⁠ for their sponsoring this episode.]

Transcript

Continue Reading RAG is Not Dead: Josef’s Sam Flynn on Legal Tech That Works

Front-Stabbing the Future: AI, Law, and the Global Unraveling of Rules with Sean West

By Greg Lambert & Marlene Gebauer on March 31, 2025

This week we sit down with Sean West—co-founder of Hence Technologies and author of Unruly: Fighting Back When Politics and Law Upend the Rules of Business. Together, they explore the shifting fault lines where law, technology, and geopolitics collide. From the growing reliance on generative AI in legal work to the erosion of rule of law and the emerging threats (and opportunities) facing knowledge workers, Sean offers a strikingly global—and at times unsettling—view of the legal profession’s next frontier.

The conversation kicks off with a discussion on the Law360 survey showing that 62% of lawyers are using ChatGPT in some aspect of their work. Sean explains the popularity of general-purpose AI tools over legal-specific ones as a matter of price, accessibility, and perceived innovation. While lawyers trust themselves to edit AI outputs, Sean warns that this passive use of AI could slowly and invisibly displace traditional legal roles, without firms consciously realizing what’s been lost.

The discussion deepens as Sean introduces the idea of passive job displacement—where tasks once assigned to junior lawyers, interns, or external vendors are quietly absorbed by AI tools. He likens it to carrying “a quarter of a human brain in your pocket” for $20 a month. What starts as convenience becomes infrastructure, and over time, demand for human input declines. He also questions the long-term viability of legal tech products that can’t clearly outperform generalist AIs like ChatGPT or Claude.

Sean then draws on his geopolitical expertise to underscore the urgent need for situational awareness in law firms and businesses alike. He explains how political volatility—from China and Taiwan to Europe’s regulatory tactics—can suddenly reshape the legal landscape. Rather than relying on traditional prediction models or complex advisory plans that get shelved, Sean emphasizes proactive legal scenario planning. His new product, Hence Global, offers a “geo-legal” lens on global news, customized for specific legal practice areas to help firms act instead of react.

We push further into the implications of “front-stabbing” politics, where once-hidden power plays are now openly transactional. Sean describes a world where AI-driven lobbying, mass arbitration spam, and “robot lawyers” can reshape public policy or flood companies with legal claims at scale. He argues that when the rules are ambiguous, large players will push boundaries—and smaller players may get squeezed out. In a world without a clear referee, the game favors those who can afford better tools and faster moves.

Finally, Sean challenges legal and corporate leaders to stop avoiding the hard conversations. Whether embracing AI to boost productivity or choosing to protect jobs, organizations must be transparent. “Let’s front-stab about it,” he says. Make your commitments public—whether you’re retraining your workforce or doubling down on AI-driven efficiency. Because in a world where legal, political, and technological lines blur, silence isn’t just unhelpful—it’s a risk.

Links and Mentions:

Learn more about Unruly and Sean’s work at https://hence.ai
Subscribe to Sean’s newsletter: https://geolegal.substack.com
Try Hence Global with a discount: global.hence.ai – use promo code GEEK for one-third off

Transcript

Continue Reading Front-Stabbing the Future: AI, Law, and the Global Unraveling of Rules with Sean West

Cleary Gottlieb + Springbok AI: BigLaw Finally Gets It?

By Greg Lambert on March 18, 2025

Alright, folks, buckle up your legal tech seatbelts, because something interesting just landed on the tarmac. You know how we geeks over here at 3 Geeks and the Geek in Review love to dissect the latest moves in the legal innovation world? Well, Cleary Gottlieb, yes that Cleary Gottlieb, just went out and acquired Springbok AI. Not partnered, not invested, but straight-up acquired. That’s like a BigLaw firm deciding they’re not just going to order pizza, but that they’re buying the whole pizza chain!

Now, for those of you who may not know, Springbok AI is a company out of London focused on building generative AI tools specifically for legal workflows. Their flagship platform, SpringLaw, aims to help firms create their own custom AI solutions, from automating workflows to whipping up documents. Think of it as a legal tech Lego set powered by large language models (LLMs).

So, what does this mean for the actual delivery of legal services? For too long, legal tech felt like an add-on, a separate layer. But Cleary’s move signals a deeper integration, a recognition that AI isn’t just a tool, it’s becoming fundamental to how premium legal work gets done. As Cleary Managing Partner Michael Gerstenzang put it, their innovation strategy is all about “the integration of AI and data analytics into our workflows, as a means to elevate our delivery of legal services to clients”. It’s about making things faster, smarter, and more transparent.

What about cheaper? Maybe (probably not)??

One of the key takeaways here is the focus on custom AI-powered solutions. Instead of relying solely on off-the-shelf products, Cleary is bringing in the expertise to build tools tailored to their specific practice areas and client needs. Victoria Albrecht, Springbok’s co-founder and CEO (who is joining Cleary, by the way, along with a team of 10 data scientists and AI engineers), hit the nail on the head: “Cleary has never been one to follow trends – they set them”. This acquisition gives them the immediate horsepower to create that differentiated offering.

Now, let’s talk about the “AI Acceleration team”. This isn’t just about buying some software; it’s about embedding an entire team of experts directly into the firm. Why is this important? Because building and deploying effective AI in a legal context requires a deep understanding of both the technology and the intricacies of legal practice. You can’t just throw a generic AI at a complex legal problem and expect magic. This team, with their “proven track record in creating bespoke AI builds and products”, will be working directly with different practice groups and even clients to identify where AI can provide the most value – things like “data analytics, AI-powered summarization, automation in data gathering, and insights on that data”. It’s about strategic implementation, not just adoption.

And speaking of strategy, the planned close collaboration between the AI Acceleration team and the practicing lawyers is crucial. This ensures that the AI solutions being developed are practical and address real-world legal challenges. As Ilona Logvinova, Cleary’s Director of Practice Innovation, emphasized, this move is deeply rooted in client centricity. They’re not just innovating for the sake of innovation; they’re aiming to serve their clients in a “differentiated, elevated way”.

Now, let’s pivot to something equally significant, at least in my book: the leadership. This “AI Acceleration team” is essentially being co-led by two women, Victoria Albrecht and Ilona Logvinova. In a legal tech world that still sometimes feels a bit like a boys’ club, this is a noteworthy development. Victoria, as the co-founder and CEO of Springbok, brings the deep technical expertise and entrepreneurial drive. Ilona, as the Director of Practice Innovation at a major firm like Cleary, brings the crucial understanding of the firm’s culture, client needs, and how to integrate new technologies effectively.

While the sources I’ve read don’t explicitly discuss the gender dynamics of this acquisition, but in my opinion, having women in these key leadership roles sends a powerful message. It suggests a forward-thinking approach not just to technology but also to who is shaping that technology within the legal industry. Diverse leadership often leads to more innovative and well-rounded solutions, as different perspectives are brought to the table. Seeing women at the helm of such a significant AI initiative within a top-tier law firm can hopefully inspire more diverse leadership roles in legal tech.

This move by Cleary isn’t happening in a vacuum. The legal industry is increasingly recognizing the transformative potential of AI. While many firms have been dipping their toes in through partnerships or gradual internal development, Cleary’s acquisition represents a bold and definitely a more direct approach. Some analysts have even drawn comparisons to Simmons & Simmons’ acquisition of Wavelength in the UK, suggesting a similar strategic intent to rapidly build expertise.

Ultimately, Cleary Gottlieb’s acquisition of Springbok AI and the formation of their AI Acceleration team, led by a talented duo, signals a significant shift. It’s not just about adopting AI; it’s about owning the development and integration of AI to fundamentally reshape how legal services are delivered. This could very well be a harbinger of things to come, and I’ll be watching closely to see how this bold move plays out.

What do you all think? Is this the future of BigLaw and AI?

Exploring AI-Powered Litigation with FileRead’s Chan Koh and Justin Brownstone

By Greg Lambert on March 17, 2025

This week we welcome Chan Hee-Koh, CEO and co-founder, and Justin Brownstone, Strategic Partnership Lead at FileRead. As legal professionals and tech enthusiasts gear up for LegalWeek, the conversation starts with some lighthearted banter about the best places to visit in New York—including a passionate endorsement of Angelina in Paris’ hot chocolate. However, the discussion quickly turns toward the evolving role of AI in the legal industry and how FileRead is shaping the future of litigation technology.

Chan shares the deeply personal story that inspired FileRead’s creation: his immigrant family’s experience during the 2008 housing crisis. Seeing how legal services were out of reach for many due to the complexity and cost of litigation, he set out to develop a platform that could make legal discovery and fact-finding more accessible and efficient. FileRead focuses on litigation-specific AI applications, aiming to streamline document review, build stronger factual narratives, and uncover hidden stories within vast amounts of case data. The discussion also touches on the industry’s skepticism toward AI and the need for legal tech companies to build trust and demonstrate real value.

The conversation then turns to FileRead’s recent growth and roadmap for 2025. Having secured a $6 million seed funding round and a strategic partnership with Simplify, the company is expanding its capabilities beyond Relativity to offer a standalone AI-powered litigation analysis platform. Justin highlights how FileRead’s technology goes beyond standard eDiscovery tools by enabling instant document analysis, chronology building, and memo drafting—tasks that traditionally take weeks of manual work. The team is also working on developing litigation workflows that will automate complex fact-checking processes, helping lawyers assess case strengths and identify missing evidence more efficiently.

A key theme of the episode is the legal industry’s slow but inevitable adoption of AI. Chan and Justin discuss how legal workflows are fundamentally different from those in other industries due to the uncertainty and unpredictability of litigation. Unlike transactional law, where contracts and compliance processes are more standardized, litigation involves a constantly shifting landscape where new evidence and legal arguments can completely change the direction of a case. The hosts and guests explore how AI is beginning to bridge the gap between human expertise and technological efficiency, making legal work more strategic and less burdened by repetitive document review.

As the episode wraps up, the hosts reflect on the rapid evolution of legal technology. Greg and Marlene note that while AI has been discussed in legal tech for years, the capabilities of large language models (LLMs) have dramatically accelerated in just the last two years. Chan and Justin acknowledge that staying ahead in this fast-moving space requires constant experimentation and adaptation. However, they emphasize that while technology can enhance legal work, people remain at the center of the industry. AI should be seen as a tool that empowers attorneys rather than replaces them. To learn more about FileRead, visit FileRead.com, or reach out directly to Chan and Justin via email.

Transcript

Continue Reading Exploring AI-Powered Litigation with FileRead’s Chan Koh and Justin Brownstone