Legal Innovation Spotlight 89 - Legal Innovation Lessons: What Works, What Doesn't, and Why with Rob Saccone
Oct 8, 2025
Rob Saccone, CTO at Lega and a legal tech veteran with over 25 years of experience, shares invaluable insights on the lessons learned from failed innovations like Clearspire and Atrium. He emphasizes the importance of adapting law firm business models to client needs and the pressures AI places on traditional billing. Discussing the challenges of alternative fee arrangements, he warns of the risks of not investing in innovation. Rob also explores the potential of practical Gen AI deployments and the need for a shift in partnership mindsets to foster growth.
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Long Legal Tech Journey
- Rob Saccone started in legal tech in 1999 at Goodwin and founded XM Law before selling to Thomson in 2009.
- He moved between startups, PE, and returned as Lega CTO to focus on Gen AI for firms.
CyFarth Lean Spinout Story
- CyFarth Lean spun up internal legal process, LPM, and analytics teams and tested packaging them as a client-facing business.
- Rob describes strong client interest but operational and integration challenges with making it a standalone business.
Voice Of The Client Determines Success
- The 'voice of the client' (VOC) must lead any business-case for change inside firms.
- Without client demand, structural innovations like Atrium or Clearspire struggle to find product-market fit.