Technically Legal - A Legal Technology and Innovation Podcast
Technically Legal is a legal tech podcast exploring how technology is transforming the legal landscape. Each episode features insightful interviews with legal innovators, tech pioneers, and forward-thinking educators who are leading this change. Our guests share their experiences and insights on how technology is reshaping legal operations, revolutionizing law firm practice, and driving the growth of innovative legal tech companies. We also explore the broader implication of technology on everyone involved in the legal system, from practitioners to clients. The podcast is hosted by Chad Main, an attorney and founder of Percipient, a tech-enabled legal services provider. Chad launched Percipient on the belief that when technology is leveraged correctly, it makes legal teams more effective. Technically Legal Podcast is an ABA Web 100 Best Law Podcasts Honoree.
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From Bail Hearings to Blockchain Believer and Advocate: DeFi Education Fund’s Amanda Tuminelli (CLO)
09/11/2024
From Bail Hearings to Blockchain Believer and Advocate: DeFi Education Fund’s Amanda Tuminelli (CLO)
, Chief Legal Officer for the , visits the podcast to discuss her role with the organization and its objectives. (What is DeFi? It is shorthand for Decentralized Finance and the backbone of DeFi is blockchain technology and smart contracts.) The DeFi Education Fund is a nonpartisan research and advocacy group working to explain the benefits of DeFi, achieve regulatory clarity for the future of the global digital economy, and help realize the transformative potential of DeFi for everyone. Amanda goes in depth into the DEF’s areas of focus: Research and Advocacy Policymaker Education Messaging for Crypto Companies Research about Blockchain Issues and Regulations Providing “Legal Firepower” to Crypto Causes; and DeFi Project Best Practices Amanda also discusses how lawyers can pursue a career in crypto and why that wasn’t the case a few years ago. It’s not only an option now because the industry is more mature, but also because of the openness of those in the crypto world and their desire for passionate individuals to join them. To get a job in crypto law, Amanda emphasizes the importance of understanding the technology and finding projects of interest. So how did Amanda get to the DEF? She started out as a securities and white collar crime lawyer, but a case came along that would change her career trajectory. She was working for Kobre and Kim, a law firm focused on disputes and investigations, when the firm was hired by a client accused of running an illegal crypto mining scheme. To get up to speed on the case and get her client out of jail, she had to dive deep into learning about blockchain technology and that is when she caught the bug. A few years later, a friend and former college friend contacted her about joining the legal team at the DeFI Education Fund and she took them up on it. Episode Credits Editing and Production: Grant Blackstock Theme Music: Want to keep up to date about new episodes? . Want to learn more about ? Follow Chad on Linkedin: Follow the podcast on LinkedIn: Follow the podcast on Instagram: Follow the podcast on X:
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AffiniPay's Evolution: From Payment Platform to Practice Management Software and Beyond (Dru Armstrong, CEO)
08/28/2024
AffiniPay's Evolution: From Payment Platform to Practice Management Software and Beyond (Dru Armstrong, CEO)
is historically a fintech company with a big presence in legal. Their flagship product is used by law firms to bill clients and accept payments. Dru joined the company in 2021 and right around that time, the company ventured beyond the world of payment software and acquired , which is law practice management software used by law firms to keep all case details and documents in a single location, keep track of tasks and streamline client communications. Growing up, Dru wanted to be a lawyer because she comes from family of lawyers, including her father. She studied law at the University of Chicago, but after a couple of gigs with law firms, she figured out that maybe the law wasn’t for her. So, she finished her MBA and went to work for Boston Consulting. After a few years as a consultant, she needed a break, and, being somewhat of a foodie, she went to work in the kitchens of some of New York's finest dining establishments. She took lessons learned from the kitchen into her later work as a co-founder of a baby monitor start-up and ultimately roles as CEO of the property management company Grace Hill and now AffiniPay. In this episode, Dru talks about: Joining AffiniPay and its mission The company’s acquisition of MyCase and expansion into practice management software Affirm, AffiniPay’s Buy now, pay later product and its impact The company’s AI plans and integration within the platform Core responsibilities of a CEO and what has surprised her in her role as a CEO Want to keep up to date about new episodes? . Want to learn more about ? Follow Chad on Linkedin: Follow the podcast on LinkedIn: Follow the podcast on Instagram: Follow the podcast on X: Episode Credits Editing and Production: Grant Blackstock Theme Music:
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Connecting Main Street to Wall Street: How Data Driven Financial Regulation and Emerging Tech Like Crypto Can Help Bridge the Gap (Lucas Moskowitz - GC, Robinhood)
08/14/2024
Connecting Main Street to Wall Street: How Data Driven Financial Regulation and Emerging Tech Like Crypto Can Help Bridge the Gap (Lucas Moskowitz - GC, Robinhood)
A conversation with , General Counsel for financial services company . Launched in 2013, Robinhood’s stated mission is to "democratize finance for all" by making it easy for investors to start investing with a few bucks rather than having to be a high roller. Key to this effort is the fact that Robinhood offers commission-free trading and also provides access to cryptocurrencies. The discussion covers various topics, including: Robinhood’s Mission: Lucas explains Robinhood's mission to democratize finance by breaking down barriers to investing and making it accessible to everyone, regardless of their financial background. Lucas’s Career Path: Lucas shares his unique career journey, transitioning from big law to the SEC, Capitol Hill, and eventually Robinhood. He emphasizes the importance of diverse experiences in shaping his perspective. Regulation in the Financial Industry: Lucas advocates for a data-driven approach to regulation, striking a balance between investor protection and fostering innovation and access. Crypto & Blockchain: The potential of crypto and blockchain technology is explored, with Lucas highlighting their role in making financial markets more efficient. Education: The importance of educating investors about making sound investment decisions and also educating legal professionals about emerging technologies like blockchain and tokenization of assets. Stay in the know: Want to keep up to date about new episodes? . Want to learn more about ? Follow Chad on Linkedin: Follow the podcast on LinkedIn: Follow the podcast on Instagram: Follow the podcast on X:
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AI's Impact on Patent Law: Faster Searches, Smarter Analysis, Better Client Outcomes (Matthew Veale, PatSnap)
07/31/2024
AI's Impact on Patent Law: Faster Searches, Smarter Analysis, Better Client Outcomes (Matthew Veale, PatSnap)
A conversation with , a European Patent Attorney and UPC Representative at , an app that provides users with a comprehensive and user-friendly platform to conduct patent searches. Matthew discusses his experiences from work as an attorney in private practice and a stint at the UK Patent Office before joining PatSnap. Matthew will discuss: The future of AI in patent searches: How PatSnap's new AI component is transforming years of knowledge into a 10-second search. AI's capabilities in analyzing and classifying images: Why AI can outperform humans in these tasks. The impact of AI on legal practice: Assisting attorneys in understanding patent data and improving client communication. The role of AI in due diligence: Enhancing efficiency without replacing human expertise. Want to keep up to date about new episodes? . Want to learn more about ? Follow Chad on Linkedin: Follow the podcast on LinkedIn: Follow the podcast on Instagram: Follow the podcast on X:
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Revolutionizing Dispute Resolution: AAA's Acquisition of ODR.com & The Future of AI-Powered Arbitration
07/17/2024
Revolutionizing Dispute Resolution: AAA's Acquisition of ODR.com & The Future of AI-Powered Arbitration
This episode involves two people with very distinguished careers. who now heads the and , the founder of just acquired by The AAA. Bridget has served in just about every role you can in the legal industry. She started her legal career in legal aid and as a public defender handling trials and appeals. She then moved to teaching law school, first at Yale and then Michigan. After her stint as an educator, she decided she wanted to help foster even more change and won a seat on the Michigan Supreme Court where she ultimately ascended to the position of Chief Justice. Fast forward to 2023 and she took the helm of the AAA. One of Bridget’s biggest initiatives at AAA is bringing tech into the arbitration process and that is where Colin Rule comes in. He founded an online dispute resolution (ODR) company, about 15 years ago that ultimately became ODR.com which the . To say that Colin is an ODR OG is an understatement. way back in the early days of the internet. Ebay brought him on board in the early 2000s where he headed up the company’s ODR function. In this episode Bridget and Colin discuss: AAA's acquisition of odr.com: The strategic partnership between AAA and ODR.com to revolutionize dispute resolution. AI's transformative role in dispute resolution: How AAA is using AI internally and through external tools to improve efficiency and accessibility. The future of dispute resolution: A vision for a more accessible, efficient, and user-friendly system that leverages technology and data. Episode Credits Editing and Production: Grant Blackstock Theme Music: Home Base (Instrumental Version) by TA2MI
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Innovation as a Team Sport: The Importance of Collaboration in Legal Teams (Dr. Heidi Gardner - Harvard Law / School of Business) (REPLAY)
07/04/2024
Innovation as a Team Sport: The Importance of Collaboration in Legal Teams (Dr. Heidi Gardner - Harvard Law / School of Business) (REPLAY)
Dr. Heidi Gardner of the Harvard Business and Law Schools joins the podcast to talk about about latest book Smarter Collaboration and the importance of collaboration in legal teams and in all organizations generally. Smarter Collaboration is Dr. Gardner’s second book and a follow up to Smart Collaboration: How Professionals and Their Firms Succeed by Breaking Down Silos. Both books are helpful to those in law because much of Dr. Gardner’s research is based on the many years she studied collaboration in professional service firms, including many law firms. Why is collaboration across different disciplines and business units important? As Dr. Gardner explains, most importantly, it creates better client outcomes which improve revenues and profits. But collaboration doesn’t just help make clients happy and improve the bottom line, it also fosters diversity and reduces enterprise risk. Dr. Gardner has cold hard data that supports her conclusions: Back in the 1970s, 60% of US patents were awarded to individual inventors. Nowadays, that numbers has reversed. The vast majority of patents are issued to teams and the more diverse the backgrounds of those teams, the more successful their innovation. Episode Credits Editing and Production: Grant Blackstock Theme Music: Home Base (Instrumental Version) by TA2MI
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Unmasking Deepfakes & Proving Authenticity in Legal Matters: The Tech Behind Forensic Video Analysis (Brandon Epstein - Medex)
06/20/2024
Unmasking Deepfakes & Proving Authenticity in Legal Matters: The Tech Behind Forensic Video Analysis (Brandon Epstein - Medex)
Chief Forensic Officer Brandon Epstein joins the Technically Legal Podcast to discuss the purpose built forensic tool for use in legal proceedings. The company counts legal professionals, law enforcement and journalists as its customers. Medex is used to examine digital video files to establish provenance, detect tampering and identify modifications. Users may also use Medex to identify the device type that created the video. As Brandon explains, the type of hardware used to create a digital video file leaves its own fingerprint. By examining the bits and bytes of a video file, Medex can discern whether a video file was created by, say, an iPhone, an Android based device, or even whether it was altered by posting on social media. Brandon got his start in law enforcement as a patrol officer and through that work, he became acutely aware of the importance of video evidence in helping to solve crimes. Fast forward a few years later and he met Medex’s CEO at a conference they hit it off and Brandon was asked to join Medex. .
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Deal Data Demystified: How Litera’s Foundation Dragon Uses AI and Existing Law Firm Data to Arm Lawyers in Contract Negotiations (Haley Altman)
06/06/2024
Deal Data Demystified: How Litera’s Foundation Dragon Uses AI and Existing Law Firm Data to Arm Lawyers in Contract Negotiations (Haley Altman)
Haley Altman visits the Technically Legal Podcast to discuss the company’s new software offering: Foundation Dragon–an app powered by artificial intelligence that helps legal professionals advise clients based on market insights drawn from their law firm’s existing data and prior deal points. This is a repeat appearance for Haley. She was first on the podcast in 2018 to discuss the company she had recently launched called . Founded in 2016, Doxly is a cloud based app that helps automate processes involved in closing M&A deals. In 2019, Haley sold Doxly to Litera and she too joined Litera and currently serves as a strategic advisor to the company. One of the initiatives in which Haley is heavily involved is the company's recent launch of an AI product called Foundation Dragon. Foundation Dragon is an app that connects to a law firm’s document management systems and experience software and once connected, using GenAI, it compiles information from the software and enables lawyers to enter into contract negotiations from a position of strength. For instance, using Foundation Dragon users can: Learn what contractual positions opposing counsel starts with or has agreed to in the past Provide industry standards for individual contract clauses; and Enable users to find precedents across a law firm to figure out what terms colleagues are using In addition to Foundation Dragon, Haley also shares insights for startups. Including the importance of understanding the implications of capital raises and the potential impact on future exits. Learn more about Haley and if you're interested in learning more about Foundation Dragon go .
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Why Entertainment Lawyer Chris Edgar Founded Filmtracts: Legal Tech for Indie Film Contracts
05/23/2024
Why Entertainment Lawyer Chris Edgar Founded Filmtracts: Legal Tech for Indie Film Contracts
Attorney Chris Edgar talks about founding Filmtracts- a DIY platform indie film makers can use to create entertainment based contracts for their projects. Chris’ career path started with a clerkship for a future U.S. Supreme Court justice and then long hours as a Big Law litigator. After a few years of legal battles in and out of the courtroom, he realized that maybe his current career path wasn’t for him. That’s because the world of entertainment law and independent film production was calling him. In 2010, Chris threw out his own shingle and founded an entertainment law practice. A few years later he and a partner launched their own indie film production company. When other indie filmmakers figured out he was an attorney, he was often peppered with legal questions, but most of the time, those asking could not afford his services as an attorney. That’s when he decided to launch Filmtracts. A self serve repository of film related contracts that users can tailor to fit the needs of their project–and depending on the subscription they buy, they can also get a few hours of legal consultation from Chris.
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Affordable Legal Help: How a Non-Profit Law Firm is Answering the Call (Kamron Graham, Executive Director, The Commons Law Center)
05/09/2024
Affordable Legal Help: How a Non-Profit Law Firm is Answering the Call (Kamron Graham, Executive Director, The Commons Law Center)
Studies determined that at least one litigant does not have a lawyer in 75% of civil cases in the United States. The number is even higher when it comes to family law, domestic violence, housing, and small claims matters. But organizations like are doing something about it. On this episode, Kamron Graham, the Law Center’s Executive Director, talks about the not for profit law firm’s efforts to provide affordable legal assistance to people that make too much to qualify for legal aid, but don’t make enough to hire a lawyer. The Commons Law Center helps out people facing evictions, have family law issues or need help with wills and estate planning. Kamron initially planned to pursue a career in finance but pretty quickly figured out that her empathy and concern for others probably might not jibe with a Wall Street career. After returning to Oregon after college in the Northeast, Kamron started her career working in group homes, homeless shelters and served a stint with the United Way. These experiences made clear to her that a professional degree might help her have a greater impact on people's lives and give her even more of an opportunity to use her education to help others. So, in her 30s she decided to go to law school. After law school continued her career helping the underserved, including work for Legal Aid Services of Oregon and work as a public defender. Eventually she landed at the Commons Law Center, starting as a tenant defense attorney and ascending to the role of executive director. The business model of the Commons Law Center is not free legal work, but charging a sliding scale fee based on a client's income. Currently 70% of the firm's budget comes from fees. The firm is working to become 100% self-sufficient, but in the meantime to fill the gap, the firm leverages tech to streamline their processes and keep costs down. It also relies on donors, foundations, and grants. ** Thanks to for making this episode happen and connecting us to Kamron. .
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Investing in Legal Tech and the Ingredients of a Successful Start-Up (Zach Posner, The LegalTech Fund)
04/25/2024
Investing in Legal Tech and the Ingredients of a Successful Start-Up (Zach Posner, The LegalTech Fund)
Zach Posner discusses the , an investment fund he helped start that focuses on legal tech businesses and offers insight on what it takes to build a successful start up. The LegalTech Fund has a solid track record and, if you have listened to a few episodes of this podcast, you’ve probably heard from founders of companies in which the Fund has invested–including , , , and also . Zach brings a unique blend of experience and insight to legal technology investing. Among other things, prior to starting the LegalTech Fund, he helped build an education tech company that was ultimately acquired by McGraw Hill. The LegalTech Fund has a couple of main areas of investing interest: Companies building tech that harnesses information from contracting processes and companies that are working to make legal services available to more people. Zach also offers insight and advice for those trying to build a company–including the importance of investor updates because the most successful companies often have the highest frequency of reporting to stakeholders. He suggests that entrepreneurs should be open and honest about challenges, allowing investors to assist in problem-solving. Zach also says it is important for entrepreneurs to demonstrate their products in a quick, iterative manner. He stresses that frequent engagement with customers can provide invaluable insights guiding the product development process. He further suggests that entrepreneurs should be tenacious with their vision, but flexible in their approach to achieving it. .
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If Data is the New Currency, Where Does Law and Regulation Fit In? (Michael Clark - Head of Digital Transformation & Futurist, Mastercard)
04/11/2024
If Data is the New Currency, Where Does Law and Regulation Fit In? (Michael Clark - Head of Digital Transformation & Futurist, Mastercard)
This episode is a conversation with He discusses his upcoming book "Data Revolution, The New Currency of You" and what he believes will be a new paradigm in data ownership–that we will actually own our own data and benefit from its value. He also examines what role the law and regulation should play in it. Michael and many others like him, believe that data is going to become a new currency and that to date, we have overlooked its value. Consumers have given up most of their control and access to this value because we have been too focused on what we were getting in exchange its use –i.e. The software tools we use. Michael is well suited to write a book about the value of data. He has long worked in banking and spent a lot of time in the which, among other things, is a practice that provides third-party financial service providers open access to consumer banking information through the use of application programming interfaces (APIs). For consumers to take back their data and capture its value, Michael says the focus needs to broaden from data privacy and also onto security, ethics, and bias in data usage He says it is going to also take a new way of thinking–specifically more cooperation between regulators and the tech industry to effectively manage and leverage the tech fairly. Michael also believes that the use of AI will play a big role in data management going forward because there is so much data, it will continue to grow and AI is the only way we are going to be able to understand what data tells us and harness its value.
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Colin Levy Discusses His New Book The Legal Tech Ecosystem & the Skills Needed to Succeed in Legal Tech
03/28/2024
Colin Levy Discusses His New Book The Legal Tech Ecosystem & the Skills Needed to Succeed in Legal Tech
In this episode Colin Levy shares insights from his new book, , his journey into legal tech, and his role at contract lifecycle management company, as Head of Legal and Chief Evangelist. Conversation highlights: Colin’s journey into legal tech: Colin shares how he first got into legal tech during his time as a paralegal at a big law firm in New York, his decision to work for a year before attending law school and his choice to work in an in-house legal department after graduation. Colin's role at Malbek: As the Director of Legal and the Chief Evangelist at Malbek, Colin's day-to-day tasks vary from traditional legal work to writing blog posts, participating in webinars, attending events, and assisting with marketing and sales efforts. The Legal Tech Ecosystem: Colin talks about his new book, which serves as an accessible, non-technical introduction to the world of legal tech. The book combines Colin's experiences and learnings with anecdotes and quotes from other legal tech leaders. Skills needed in legal tech: Colin emphasizes the importance of understanding data, meeting people where they are, and having a clear understanding of why you want to learn about legal tech. He also talks about the need for openness to risk, experimentation, and discomfort. Legal tech vs. legal innovation: Colin clarifies that legal tech is not just about AI and robots, it can be more mundane but still helpful tools like billing software. The focus should be on making people's lives easier and increasing productivity and efficiency. .
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Professor Tonya Evans (Penn State Dickinson Law) Demystifies Crypto and Debunks Blockchain Myths
03/14/2024
Professor Tonya Evans (Penn State Dickinson Law) Demystifies Crypto and Debunks Blockchain Myths
visits Technically Legal to talk about her book . Professor Evans has pretty much held every job in legal from judicial clerk, to Big Law lawyer and now legal educator. She is also the host of the which focuses on Web3 and how it will impact the future of work, wealth and creativity. In this episode, Professor Evans talks about her journey from risk averse crypto doubter to blockchain believer. She emphasizes the importance of lawyers staying ahead of the curve in the rapidly evolving world of technology and the need for more education and awareness around crypto and blockchain, not only in law schools but also in other professional fields.To those ends, she founded , a platform designed for non-technologists to understand the new digital economy. Professor Evans’ book, Digital Money Demystified, is an excellent starting point for anyone wanting to learn more about cryptocurrencies. The book explains blockchain concepts in plain language and debunks many myths about crypto. Such as: Myth: Crypto is Mainly for Criminals. Fact: Blockchain data analysis firm Chainanalysis estimates that only .24 of all crypto transactions in 2022 were for illicit purposes. Myth: Crypto is untraceable. Fact: Blockchain transactions are pseudonymous, but, if recorded on an open blockchain, such as bitcoin, they are transparent and available to anyone to view.. Myth: Crypto is terrible for the environment. Fact: Not all blockchains are energy guzzlers, especially those based on proof of stake validation and it should not be overlooked that the energy consumed by traditional financial markets is much greater. Professor Evans also explains the need for clear crypto regulation and the risk of the United States falling behind if the regulatory environment is not clarified. Learn more about
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Will This Legal Tech Startup Kill the Billable Hour and Bring Transparency to Legal Billing? (Scott & Digby Leigh - AltFee)
02/29/2024
Will This Legal Tech Startup Kill the Billable Hour and Bring Transparency to Legal Billing? (Scott & Digby Leigh - AltFee)
Despite much ballyhoo and countless articles about them, alternative fee arrangements, or AFAs, have yet to gain widespread traction and the billable hour still reigns supreme for legal billing. Enter the Leigh brothers, Scott and Digby, and their new legal tech startup, . The company’s stated goal is encouraging legal professionals to break free of hourly pricing and move to AFAs by using the app to help scope and price legal projects. The brothers point out that the traditional billable hour pricing model doesn't provide certainty for clients and that AFAs will become more important with increasing use of AI which will likely reduce billable hours. They explain how Altfee offers a solution by providing a foundation for law firms to operate on an alternative fee model. The app helps users scope, price and audit their fees. Scott and Digby also delve into the concept of 'value billing', explaining that it involves charging fees based on the value of the service provided to the client, rather than strictly on the time spent. They underline the importance of taking both task-based considerations and value-based considerations into account while pricing. . Things We Talk About in this Episode Episode Credits Editing and Production: Grant Blackstock Theme Music:
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How a Start-Up’s Legal Bills Led to Spellbook, an AI Co-Pilot for Transactional Lawyers (Scott Stevenson – Co-Founder)
02/15/2024
How a Start-Up’s Legal Bills Led to Spellbook, an AI Co-Pilot for Transactional Lawyers (Scott Stevenson – Co-Founder)
This episode is a conversation with Spellbook co-founder Scott Stevenson about intersection of technology and creativity. Spellbook is a AI contract co-pilot for transactional lawyers that plugs into Microsoft Word. Despite founding a legal technology company, Scott is not a lawyer but is computer engineer by training. As a kid Scott was into video games and in fourth grade he talked his parents into getting him a computer because he wanted to figure out how to create them. By middle school he was building websites and eventually landed an internship at Electronic Arts. Scott is also interested in electronic music and he launched his first start up, Mune, with a music professor, to create a whole new musical instrument that combined the power of digital music with an acoustic instrument. It was during his time at Mune that Scott started to think about building a legal tech company. After he got his first legal bill he figured there might be a more efficient and less expensive way to do legal work. So he and lawyer buddy founded Rally, a document automation and templating engine for law firms which later begat Spellbook, but he funny thing about Spellbook, it was originally conceived as a marketing idea to generate leads for Rally.
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Using Agile Project Management Methodology to ID Bottlenecks and Streamline Legal Workflows (John Grant, The Agile Attorney)
02/01/2024
Using Agile Project Management Methodology to ID Bottlenecks and Streamline Legal Workflows (John Grant, The Agile Attorney)
John Grant talks about how legal teams can adopt Agile and Kanban project management methodologies to optimize workflows, correct bottlenecks and increase client satisfaction. John is a lawyer and the founder of The Agile Attorney consultancy. As John explains, the traditional project management method is waterfall. A technique often used by technology companies, involving a sequential approach where each stage is dependent on the completion of the previous one. But John is a proponent of the newer, Agile methodology, which emerged from the software development community. It is a flexible approach where tasks are broken down into small increments with minimal planning, and processes are iterative. Agile is one of John’s favorites because he believes it is well suited for legal work. John also talks about the value of a Kanban board, a visual tool used to manage work at various stages of a process. It typically includes columns such as “To Do,” “Doing,” and “Done”. So why is he so into project management methodologies? Because despite coming from a long line of lawyers, before he went to law school, he first worked in tech.
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How a Visual Impairment Led to the Founding of a Contract Drafting Software Company (Feargus MacDaeid, Co-Founder of Definely)
01/18/2024
How a Visual Impairment Led to the Founding of a Contract Drafting Software Company (Feargus MacDaeid, Co-Founder of Definely)
At an early age, Feargus MacDaeid, the founder of legal tech company , was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, which is a rare eye disease that breaks down cells in the retina slowly over time causing vision loss. Until he got to college to study computer science, Feargus’ vision was decent, but at university, it began to deteriorate and eventually went blind. After college he landed a couple of tech jobs but ultimately decided to go to law school. After law school, Feargus took jobs at two Magic Circle Firms in London, Allen & Overy and Freshfields where he was working on mergers and acquisitions. Because of his visual impairment, Feargus had to develop hacks in the software he used, like custom keyboard shortcuts, to get his job done. He met his Definely co-founder, , at Freshfields when the two of them were working on the same deal. As Feargus explains it, his soon to be co-founder was the first colleague that actually took an interest in how Feargus accomplished his work and marveled that he was getting it done. The two figured there had to be a better way for Feargus to work on contracts, but the duo figured out pretty quickly there really wasn’t and Definely was born. Definely is a suite of tools that helps lawyers accomplish the tedious tasks relating to the drafting of contracts. As the company describes it, they create legal tech solutions to free lawyers from frustrating, repetitive tasks, so they can get back to the work that matters.
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How to Include Design Thinking and Project Management Principles in Legal Work (Katherine Porter, The Resourceful Lawyer)
01/04/2024
How to Include Design Thinking and Project Management Principles in Legal Work (Katherine Porter, The Resourceful Lawyer)
This episode is a conversation with Katherine Porter about her journey from practicing law to founding her own company, Resourceful Lawyer which is a consultancy helping legal teams implement project management techniques into their legal work. Katherine discusses her unique approach to problem-solving in the legal field, which involves design thinking and project management principles. Katherine explains the importance of lawyers understanding client needs, the process of workflow mapping, and the challenges of implementing new processes in law firms. Katherine also emphasizes that empathy and understanding the client journey is a must when designing effective legal services. In the end, she also gives some real world tips about where to begin working in project management principles into legal practice.
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Best of 2023: Copyright Law & Artificial Intelligence: Is Training AI With Other’s Data Fair Use – Professor Mark Lemley (Stanford Law)
12/28/2023
Best of 2023: Copyright Law & Artificial Intelligence: Is Training AI With Other’s Data Fair Use – Professor Mark Lemley (Stanford Law)
As we close out 2023, we are replaying some of our most listened to episodes. Not surprisingly, AI was the hot topic this year and as its acceptance grows, so to tough questions, like whether AI developers need permission to use copyrighted works and other IP before using it to train artificial intelligence? In a very popular episode, Professor Mark Lemley of Stanford explained whey he does not think so because he believes that copyrighted works used to train AI fall should under the fair use exception to copyright law. Professor Lemley is the Director of the Stanford Program in Law, Science and Technology, an author of seven books and more than 130 articles on intellectual property, antitrust and related areas of the law. He is also a co-founder of Lex Machina and most recently of Counsel to Lex Lumina, a boutique IP law firm. Professor Lemley argues that AI companies should be permitted to use copyrighted works to train AI models without first getting permission from owners because of the benefits AI will yield and the impossibility of tracking down millions of copyright owners to get permission. He also believes that it is a fair use for AI developers to use works protected by intellectual property laws to train artificial intelligence models because such a use is transformative and the more data available to the AI, the more accurate it will be.
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Best of 2023: On Taking Typing out of Litigation (Automating Legal Drafting with AI) Nathan Walter (CEO Briefpoint)
12/22/2023
Best of 2023: On Taking Typing out of Litigation (Automating Legal Drafting with AI) Nathan Walter (CEO Briefpoint)
In one of 2023's most listened to episodes, Nathan Walter, founder of , joins Technically Legal to explain how his company is using technology and artificial intelligence to automate routine legal drafting tasks. A good portion of lawyers’ time and those helping them is copying or re-using prior work. This is especially true in litigation and especially in discovery. Thankfully more and more apps have been developed that help automate the creation of legal documents. Historically, these programs have been form based and users populated documents by selecting choices from a menu. But with advances in generative AI maybe form based software is unneeded. That’s what Briefpoint is banking on. Briefpoint uses tech to analyze legal documents, like interrogatories and document requests, and then generates preliminary responses to give legal teams a head start on drafting. As Nathan explains, if more legal processes are automated and augmented with AI, it will bring legal fees down and free up lawyers to focus on the complicated stuff rather than cutting and pasting prior work product.
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Best of 2023: Will Generative AI Expedite Legal Tech Adoption? (Zach Abramowitz – Killer Whale Strategies)
12/15/2023
Best of 2023: Will Generative AI Expedite Legal Tech Adoption? (Zach Abramowitz – Killer Whale Strategies)
In the most listened to episode of 2023, Zach Abramowitz makes a on Technically Legal to talk generative AI (like ) and its impact on legal technology adoption. Zach is a keen observer of legal tech and its trends. If you want to keep tabs on up and coming tech geared for legal, Zach is a good person to follow. He started is career at a large New York law firm where he worked on mergers and acquisitions. From there he launched his own tech company called Reply All and his latest venture, , is a consultancy that works with law firms and legal departments to find and utilize technology to disrupt the way traditional legal work is done. Zach has always been a strong proponent of using artificial intelligence in the legal industry, but after the release of ChatGPT and the growth of other generative AI platforms, he believes it might be the catalyst that finally expedites legal tech adoption. Zach explains why he thinks generative AI could make legal services cheaper, less profitable for service providers and on a timeline that is faster than most might think.
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The Future of Mediation, Dispute Resolution and the Law in a Web3 World (Mitch Jackson, Lawyer/Mediator)
12/07/2023
The Future of Mediation, Dispute Resolution and the Law in a Web3 World (Mitch Jackson, Lawyer/Mediator)
In this episode, trial attorney, mediator and Web3 believer Mitch Jackson talks about the future of mediation, dispute resolution and the law in a Web3 world. Mitch is a long time litigator and a name partner at Orange County, California based Jackson and Wilson. He also maintains a busy mediation practice and is passionate about the positive impact new technologies can have on the practice of law. Mitch talks about how he uses AI to facilitate mediations and his use of virtual reality to engage with clients in the metaverse. He gives a glimpse of what dispute resolution could look like in the future. He thinks cases might converted into digital files that parties interact with on a blockchain and that AI could be consulted about potential resolutions.
/episode/index/show/technicallylegal/id/28962038
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Crypto Lawyer Nelson Rosario on the Legal, Regulatory and Political Implications of Blockchain Technology (Replay)
11/23/2023
Crypto Lawyer Nelson Rosario on the Legal, Regulatory and Political Implications of Blockchain Technology (Replay)
Crypto lawyer Nelson Rosario discuses the legal, regulatory and political landscape of blockchain technology and cryptocurrency. We also get an update from TurnSignl CEO Jazz Hampton about his company’s progress since he was . Nelson started out as an intellectual property lawyer but caught the crypto bug in law school. His boutique law firm Rosario Tech Law, focuses on servicing crypto and emerging technology companies that are working to change in the way we all interact with each other and deal with privacy and power. Although IP is still a significant part of his practice, Nelson’s firm provides those companies with strategic counseling, general outside services and assistance with privacy issues. Before he went to law school he was an election official in Florida and worked to streamline voter registration rolls and how his county processed absentee ballots. Nelson discusses the potential impact blockchain technology may or may not have on elections, the political and regulatory ramifications of the recent U.S. sanctions against crypto “mixer” Tornado Cash and how blockchain technology might change certain areas of the law.
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Don’t Believe the Hype? A More Practical View of Using AI in Legal (Stephen Embry – TechLaw Crossroads)
11/09/2023
Don’t Believe the Hype? A More Practical View of Using AI in Legal (Stephen Embry – TechLaw Crossroads)
This episode is conversation with attorney and legal tech aficionado Stephen Embry. He is also the man behind the blog which is a great resource for practical and real world insight about legal tech and how technology is impacting the practice of law. Stephen discusses his journey from practicing law to becoming a technology advisor for legal professionals and firms. Embry emphasizes that good lawyers will embrace artificial intelligence technology to increase efficiency and serve their clients better, leaving more time for strategic thinking and advisory roles. But, he also points out that the legal market is highly segmented, with different firms adopting technology at varying paces. While some law firms are proactively embracing AI, he questions whether some of the claims are more hype than reality. Stephen also discusses the potential of AI handling back-office tasks in law firms, reducing overhead and freeing up time for legal professionals. He also suggests that a shift from hourly billing to task-based billing could allow law firms to benefit from AI’s efficiency. However, he noted that the adoption of AI in law firms largely depends on the clients’ demand and the industry’s readiness to depart from traditional billing methods. Despite the challenges, Embry remains optimistic about the transformative role of AI in the legal field.
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Should AI and Humans be Treated the Same Under the Law--Under a "Reasonable Robot" Standard? (Ryan Abbott - UCLA)
10/26/2023
Should AI and Humans be Treated the Same Under the Law--Under a "Reasonable Robot" Standard? (Ryan Abbott - UCLA)
If a human uses artificial intelligence to invent something, should the invention be patentable? If a driverless car injures a pedestrian, should the AI driver be held to a negligence standard as humans would? Or should courts apply the strict liability used for product defects? What if AI steals money from a bank account? Should it be held to the same standard as a human under criminal law? All interesting questions and the subject of a book called the Reasonable Robot by this episode’s guest Ryan Abbott. In the book, Abbott argues that laws should be AI neutral and that the acts of artificial intelligence should not be judged differently than humans’. He calls this a “reasonable robot” standard. The book posits that inventions created by AI should be entitled to protection under intellectual property laws and, if AI causes harm, maybe it too should be judged under the same standard as a human. Abbott argues further that if AI is treated differently under the law, it may hamper innovation. Ryan is not often idle. He has dual degrees in medicine and law. He has practiced both and also worked in bio-pharmaceuticals. He moved into IP law, and nowadays, even though he still practices, he is a professor. He teaches at the UCLA Medical School. He is also a mediator and arbitrator and Co-Chair of the AI Subcommittee of the American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA).
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Will DAOs Become the New LLC?; or What Legal Professionals Should Know About DAOs (Nick Rishwain, Cougar DAO / Experts.com)
10/12/2023
Will DAOs Become the New LLC?; or What Legal Professionals Should Know About DAOs (Nick Rishwain, Cougar DAO / Experts.com)
In this episode Nick Rishwain discusses decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs). Nick, a participant in several DAOs including Cougar DAO and TaterDAO, shares insights into the world of DAOs and their unique features. A DAO is a type of organization that operates on a blockchain, where members own tokens instead of shares and use these tokens to vote on actions the DAO will take. DAOs aim to achieve a common goal without relying on traditional business entity structures. However, DAOs can be complex and present legal challenges due to their decentralized and distributed nature. Nick explains that while DAOs have gained popularity in the crypto and blockchain space, it’s important to consider the legal implications and potential liabilities associated with participating in a DAO. He emphasizes the need for careful evaluation and choosing the right DAO legal structure, such as forming an LLC, to mitigate risks. Nick also discusses LexDAO, a legal engineering guild that fosters collaboration between lawyers, engineers, and other professionals interested in improving the legal system through code and software. LexDAO provides resources, community engagement, and advocacy for legal innovation. The podcast episode concludes with Nick sharing his experience with CougarDAO, formed to acquire real estate–specifically Cougar Island in Idaho. That deal did not come to fruition so the DAO bought property in Colorado, Memphis and most recently in Arizona. Because DAO legal frameworks are still in their infancy, Cougar Dao operates as a member-managed LLC with a code deference agreement that links the LLC’s activities to a DAO on the Kali platform. Overall, the discussion provides valuable insights into the world of DAOs, their potential benefits, and the legal considerations associated with participating in these decentralized organizations.
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Where to Begin With Data Governance Frameworks and How Software Can Help (Brandon Wiebe, GC & Head of Privacy, Transcend)
09/28/2023
Where to Begin With Data Governance Frameworks and How Software Can Help (Brandon Wiebe, GC & Head of Privacy, Transcend)
Brandon Wiebe, General Counsel and Head of Privacy at Transcend, offers tips about implementing data governance frameworks and how to utilize software in the process. Brandon’s company is a privacy platform that helps legal and compliance teams automate data compliance tasks. Brandon explains that most data privacy laws, like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the EU and U.S. state laws like the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), generally require similar things of companies: notice at the time of customer data collection implementation of data security obligations that companies have a lawful basis for collecting information and that use of the information is consistent with the companies stated purpose for collecting it individuals have the right to opt out of data sale or sharing. Despite the many data privacy laws already enacted and new ones on the horizon, Brandon is quick to emphasize that data privacy teams should not let perfect be the enemy of good. They must get started somewhere in their data privacy policy journey. He says the best place to start is an organizational data map detailing all the places in a company’s tech stack holding data subject to privacy regulations. Once a company has its data mapped, it can more easily comply with customer requests for information as permitted under data privacy laws and can also ensure it is not keeping more data than needed. Brandon also touches on why AI can complicate data privacy efforts, but also notes that artificial intelligence can also assist with data privacy efforts.
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Why the FTC’s YOLO Antitrust Strategy Against Amazon May Not Actually Be Good for Competition (Adam Kovacevich – CEO Chamber of Progress)
09/14/2023
Why the FTC’s YOLO Antitrust Strategy Against Amazon May Not Actually Be Good for Competition (Adam Kovacevich – CEO Chamber of Progress)
tlpodcast.com/why-the-ftcs-yolo-antitrust-strategy-against-amazon-may-not-actually-be-good-for-competition-adam-kovacevich-ceo-chamber-of-progress/Adam Kovacevich, the founder and CEO of the Chamber of Progress, explains why he thinks the United States Federal Trade Commission’s recent efforts to curb what it believes to be anti-competitive activity by large tech companies may not actually foster competition and could impact innovation. Most recently the FTC has targeted Amazon to reign in what the FTC perceives to be anti-competitive power over online sales and fulfillment. The Chamber of Progress describes itself as a new tech industry coalition devoted to a progressive society, economy, workforce, and consumer climate. The organization promotes public policies that “build a fairer, more inclusive country in which all people benefit from technological leaps.” The New York Times describes it as “one of the most powerful tech lobby groups”. Adam and the Chamber of Progress believe that the FTC’s change in philosophy under its current chairperson, Lina Kahn, could stifle technology innovation and actually harm consumers and sellers on the Amazon Marketplace. Under Chairperson Kahn, the FTC’s focus is less on the impact a company’s market power has on the consumer (i.e. pricing) and more on the structural and market power tech companies have over their respective industries. Prior to founding the Chamber of Progress, Adam worked at Google for many years as a Senior Director for the company’s US Policy strategy. After Google he took a similar role at Lime-the e-bike and scooter company. Right out of college he was a staffer for his local congressman and ultimhttps://tlpodcast.com/?p=6857ately handed press duties for Senator Joe Lieberman.https://tlpodcast.com/?p=6857
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How Foundation AI is Harnessing Artificial Intelligence and Computer Vision to Classify and File Documents for Law Firms (Vivek Rao / Co-Founder & CEO)
08/31/2023
How Foundation AI is Harnessing Artificial Intelligence and Computer Vision to Classify and File Documents for Law Firms (Vivek Rao / Co-Founder & CEO)
Vivek Rao, talks about his path from workers compensation attorney to co-founder and CEO of , an app that automates the manual process of collecting, categorizing and filing documents and unstructured data. The software is used by law firms and insurance companies and utilizes a combination of artificial intelligence, optical character recognition (OCR) and computer vision to process incoming documents and email by type, time-sensitivity, and matter or claim. Vivek, a native of Los Angeles, figured he would get into entertainment law, but ended up as a lawyer working in real estate and finance. Later on, he started helping a workers compensation firm handle case files. In that role, he saw an opportunity to use AI and natural language processing (NLP) to automate the manual work of processing and filing the thousands of documents his firm received every week. After the acquisition of a medical AI company he represented as corporate counsel, Vivek started wondering if a similar technology could be employed in the legal and insurance industries and after some ideation, Foundation AI was born.
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