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This week we welcome Tim Follett, the founder and CEO of Structure Flow, a visual structuring tool designed specifically for lawyers. The conversation begins with a light-hearted discussion about recent events each attended. Greg shares his experience at the KM&I conference in New York, while Tim recounts his time at the Legal Geek conference in London. Marlene, not to be left out, talks about participating in Houston’s Biketoberfest at the ION innovation hub and her insightful presentation with Ian Wilson from Servient on eDiscovery workflow.

Tim delves into his experience at Legal Geek, highlighting the festival-like atmosphere and the palpable momentum within the legal tech ecosystem. He notes a significant increase in focus on AI and legal technology, emphasizing how these tools are becoming integral in the industry. The diversity and growth of the event reflect the expanding interest and investment in legal tech solutions worldwide.

The discussion transitions to the critical role of data visualization in the legal sector. Tim explains how his frustrations as a corporate attorney—particularly the tedious process of creating structure charts in PowerPoint—led him to develop Structure Flow. He underscores the importance of visual tools in capturing and communicating complex information, making it more accessible and understandable. Visualizing relationships and connections help lawyers cut through complexity, a necessity in today’s intricate legal landscape.

Exploring the integration of AI, Tim describes how Structure Flow leverages artificial intelligence to enhance data visualization. By using large language models, the platform can automate the translation of written language into visual diagrams, effectively reducing manual workload and increasing efficiency. This capability is particularly useful in tasks like legal entity rationalization, where visualizing extensive data sets can be daunting and time-consuming.

Looking ahead, Tim shares his vision for the future of visualization tools in the legal industry. He envisions a seamless, interconnected tech stack where lawyers can initiate new matters with AI assistance, pulling in all necessary information and working across multiple platforms through a unified interface. This integrated approach aims to reduce mental load, improve collaboration, and ultimately transform how legal professionals interact with complex data. The episode concludes with Tim’s enthusiasm about expanding Structure Flow’s presence in the U.S. market, bolstered by recent Series A funding, and his insights into the evolving landscape of legal technology.

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

Transcript

Continue Reading Tim Follett on Legal Data Visualization and Structure Flow

[Note: In preparation for the KM&I Conference later this week, I wanted to share some of my notes on the presentation that Laurent Wiesel and I are giving on the topic of Document Management Systems in the age of Generative AI. We only have 35 minutes to share our thoughts, so I wanted to compile my notes from interviews of leaders from NetDocuments, iManage, and LexisNexis and share with the audience. Hope to see many of you in NYC this week! – GL]

I. Executive Summary

The future of Document Management Systems (DMS) in the legal industry hinges on three distinct paths: Evolution, Integration, or Revolution. DMS solutions have long served as essential tools for organizing, storing, and retrieving legal documents and law firm knowledge, but the growing complexity and volume of legal data now demand more advanced capabilities. Traditional systems are showing their limits, and Knowledge Management (KM) professionals are at a critical crossroads where decisions must be made about how to move forward—by evolving existing systems, integrating new technologies, or embracing a revolutionary approach powered by Generative AI.

Through extensive conversations with leading vendors, including NetDocuments, iManage, LexisNexis Create, and Henchman, part of LexisNexis , this article explores how each path offers unique benefits to law firms and their KM teams. Evolutionary approaches involve enhancing existing DMS with AI-driven capabilities that automate document classification and retrieval. Integration focuses on seamlessly connecting DMS with other legal tech platforms, creating a unified ecosystem for data, workflow, and knowledge management. Finally, revolution—led by Generative AI—offers entirely new ways to automate drafting, deliver real-time insights, and transform how legal teams engage with knowledge.

For KM professionals, the choice among these paths is not merely technical but strategic. Evolving or integrating may offer incremental gains, but revolutionizing DMS with AI holds the potential for truly transformative change. As the vendors I spoke with demonstrate, these technologies can help firms unlock the full value of their knowledge assets, improve document workflows, and enhance client service delivery. By leading this charge, KM professionals can position their firms at the forefront of innovation, delivering a competitive advantage in a rapidly changing legal landscape.

Key takeaways for KM professionals include:

  • Generative AI transforms DMS from static repositories into proactive, insight-driven platforms.
  • AI-driven tools enhance the efficiency of document search, retrieval, and drafting, improving overall legal workflows.
  • The adoption of AI in DMS offers significant opportunities for KM professionals to lead in the implementation of innovative solutions that maximize the firm’s knowledge assets and improve legal service delivery.

Continue Reading The Evolution/Integration/Revolution of Document Management Systems in the Legal Industry

In this episode of The Geek in Review podcast, hosts Marlene Gebauer and Greg Lambert welcome Jeroen Thierens, Strategic Account Advisor, and Jorn Vanysacker, co-founder of Henchman, a Belgian legal tech company that focuses on building an intelligent drafting assistant for lawyers working on complex transactional contracts based on precedents in the firm’s DMS.

Vanysacker shares the story behind Henchman’s founding, emphasizing the importance of solving a clear problem with a focused product strategy. The company’s mission is to unlock the collective knowledge within law firms and legal departments by connecting to their document management systems, recognizing contracts and clauses, and making this information easily accessible within Microsoft Word and Outlook.

Henchman serves both in-house legal teams and law firms, with a customer base spanning from boutique firms to AmLaw 200 firms. The platform addresses two main use cases: drafting transactions and assisting knowledge management teams in gaining data-driven insights to prioritize their work and boost relevant knowledge in search results.

The discussion also touches on Henchman’s integration with Microsoft Copilot, which aims to provide more accurate results when drafting contracts by leveraging the structured data and metadata within the platform. The company’s European perspective is reflected in its language-agnostic system, which works seamlessly with multiple languages, making it an attractive solution for global law firms.

Looking ahead, Vanysacker and Thierens discuss the challenges and opportunities presented by generative AI in the legal industry. While acknowledging the potential of large language models, they emphasize the importance of context and accuracy in transactional work. Henchman’s approach is to use AI as a tool to enhance their product, focusing on providing the next best options rather than just the next best words, ultimately aiming to become the “Chief of Staff” for each legal professional.

Listen on mobile platforms:  ⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠ |  ⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠

Contact Us: 

Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@gebauerm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@glambert
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Threads: @glambertpod or @gebauerm66
Email: geekinreviewpodcast@gmail.com
Music: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jerry David DeCicca⁠⁠⁠⁠

Transcript

Continue Reading Jorn Vanysacker & Jeroen Thierens from Henchman: We Are Building the “Chief of Staff” For Each Legal Professional

In this episode of “The Geek in Review” podcast, co-hosts Greg Lambert and Marlene Gebauer interview Ryan McClead and Kate Boyd, the CEO and COO of Sente Advisors, respectively, as part of their “Love and Legal Tech” series. The interview delves into the couple’s history in the legal technology space, their experience working together, and the challenges and benefits of being in a relationship while also being colleagues.

Ryan and Kate share their extensive backgrounds in legal technology, with Ryan starting in the industry in 2003 and eventually becoming the head of innovation at a law firm, while Kate began her career as an intern at a law firm and later transitioned to the vendor side, working for companies such as HighQ, Compliance HR, and Kira Systems. The couple met while working together at HighQ and became good friends before starting their own companies in 2018 and eventually dating.

When discussing the best aspects of working together, Kate mentions the empathy and understanding they have for each other’s work habits and the ability to help one another when stuck on a problem. Ryan adds that working together eliminates the need to “download” their workdays to each other every night, as they are already aware of what the other is dealing with. However, they also acknowledge the challenge of not letting work consume their entire lives and the importance of setting aside time for non-work activities.

The couple shares their experiences with reactions from others when they reveal that they work together, ranging from surprise to curiosity. They also discuss how they handle disagreements within their company, emphasizing the value of their different perspectives and the trust they have built in each other’s problem-solving abilities.

When asked about the interesting projects they are currently working on, Ryan and Kate highlight their involvement in AI-related projects, product launches, and technology evaluations for clients. They also offer advice for couples considering working together, stressing the importance of maintaining separate work and personal personas, knowing each other’s strengths, and nurturing professional friendships outside of their shared work life.

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Contact Us: 

Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@gebauerm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@glambert
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Threads: @glambertpod or @gebauerm66
Email: geekinreviewpodcast@gmail.com
Music: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jerry David DeCicca⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Eve Searls

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⁠⁠⁠⁠Transcript

Continue Reading Love and Legal Tech – Kate Boyd and Ryan McClead of Sente Advisors

This week, we cover the highlights of the recent Knowledge Management and Innovation for Legal Conference with our guests, Patrick DiDomenico, founder of Inspire KM Consulting and the organizer of the conference; Tanisha Little, Director of Knowledge Management at Simpson Thatcher; and Sara Miro, Director of Knowledge at Sullivan Cromwell. In a time of Generative AI Hype, the basic ideas behind Knowledge Management have never been more relevant. As much as we believe in the future of a technology that can build upon our current knowledge, how we structure and manage that knowledge will determine just how far we can go. Knowledge management has never been more important than it is today.

The episode begins with an exploration of the organizational complexities behind the inaugural conference. Patrick DiDomenico shares his experiences in orchestrating the event, noting the extensive, months-long commitment it entailed, yet expressing satisfaction with the innovative elements introduced, such as breakout sessions.

We then shift focus to the specific sessions led by our guests. Tanisha Little and Jennifer Mendez conducted a “KM 101” session, effectively orienting newcomers to the field. Additionally, an engaging KM Attorney Roundtable, facilitated by Sara Miro and Patrick Dundas, explored issues such as change management and the implications of generative AI.

Our discussion also covers the most impactful sessions from the conference. Key highlights include Andrea Alliston’s keynote on leadership amidst disruption, Jeff Rovner’s presentation on succession planning, and Mark Smolik’s perspective on aligning law firms with client needs. The consensus underscores the conference’s comprehensive value for professionals across all levels of KM expertise.

A significant aspect of the conference was the notable influx of newcomers to the KM field. Emphasizing the importance of foundational knowledge, Patrick DiDomenico notes that such conferences often attract a substantial proportion of first-time attendees. The provision of introductory content is pivotal for equipping these professionals for more advanced discussions in future gatherings.

For our Crystal Ball Question, there is a unanimous agreement on the transformative potential of generative AI, foreseeing an increase in KM specialization, refined use cases, and enhanced emphasis on data curation. Nevertheless, mastering foundational KM practices, such as change management, is deemed essential for fully capitalizing on these technological advancements. The episode concludes with an optimistic outlook on the continuous growth and evolution in the field of KM.

Listen on mobile platforms:  ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠ |  ⁠Spotify⁠ | YouTube

⁠⁠⁠⁠Contact Us: 

Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@gebauerm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@glambert⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Threads: @glambertpod or @gebauerm66
Email: geekinreviewpodcast@gmail.com
Music: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jerry David DeCicca⁠⁠⁠⁠

Transcript

Continue Reading The Future of KM is Bright: DiDomenico, Miro, and Little Review the KM&I for Legal Conference (TGIR Ep. 229)

“All Problems Are Communications Problems.”

This is Greg’s go to phrase when it comes to working with and leading others. Marlene actually beats Greg to the punch this week when they talk with this week’s guest, Heather Ritchie. Heather is the Chief Knowledge and Business Development Officer at Hicks Morley Hamilton Stewart Storie LLP in Toronto, and as her title suggests, she wears multiple leadership hats at her firm. In her recent ILTA KM article, “12 Ways Marketing & Business Development Can Leverage Library & Knowledge Management Teams,” Ritchie walks us through the value of collaborating between the Marketing/Business Development, Knowledge Management, and Library operations of a law firm. Knowing who brings what talent to the table is key to creating stable and successful environment which results in wins for the law firm. 

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How Is Your Business Changing the Legal Industry?

In part two of our three part series, we hear from four more providers of legal industry products on how they are changing the industry. This week we hear from:

Information Inspirations:
Continue Reading Episode 27: Heather Ritchie on Marketing, BD, KM, and Library Collaboration

Vanderbilt Law School Professor, Cat Moon, doesn’t just have one of the coolest names in the legal industry, she also brings insights and a perspective on the human element of legal project management. Human centered design thinking is a core function of her teaching. It all goes back to the fact that you can teach law students, lawyers, and legal managers all the concepts in the world, but it’s all for naught if you leave out the human element. Professor Moon also gives a brutally honest view of why women in the legal field tend to leave law firms in order to pursue their creative and life passions outside the firms.

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Marlene and Greg are recently back from Legalweek in New York. While there, they went around to a number of vendors to ask a simple, but relevant question, “what are you doing to change the legal industry?” This week, we get the perspective of four vendors:

It is a fairly easy question, but one company that had a hard time answering? Thomson Reuters. It was a disappointing response from the company that probably has changed the industry more than any other. The marketing cuts that TR has taken for conferences was painfully apparent at Legalweek. One suggestion: if you’re going to cut the quantity of your representation at conferences, make sure you increase the quality of your presence.

Information Inspirations

James Goodnow interviews American Lawyer Editor Gina Passarella
Fennemore Craig, PC Managing Partner, James Goodnow asks AmLaw Editor Gina Passerella what she observed from the panels at Legalweek. Passerella notes that clients are craving data analytics, but that law firms are not producing them. Perhaps because it is not in the firm’s best interest to do so?? Greg isn’t sure that the full reason, but it needs to be a part of a conversation, which many clients and their firms simply are not having. All problems are communications problems. It’s easy to talk on a panel about what’s wrong… it’s tougher to have that conversation face to face. But that’s what needs to happen.
Continue Reading Episode 26: Cat Moon on Legal Problem Solving for the 21st Century


Technology is cool. There is no disputing that fact. Last month, while travelling for work, I had a video conversation with my kid, while I was 3500 kms away in a relatively remote mountain resort, and he was in a moving vehicle. Last week, while doing some research I came across a data visualization of…

In his post the “Great Google Debate“, Mark Gediman suggested I was wise to not touch the debate on Google, and while I am happy to take the compliment, it also makes me wonder if somewhere down the road we (and by we, I mean those industry insiders, you know who you are)

…