James Schellhase, CEO of UnitedLex, shares insights on his first year leading the innovative alternative legal services provider. He discusses the transformative embrace of generative AI, highlighting its impact on e-discovery and client relations. Schellhase emphasizes the importance of UnitedLex's India-based workforce and breaking down internal silos to foster collaboration. He envisions a future where technology integration enhances operational efficiency and meets clients' evolving needs in the legal sector.
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Quick takeaways
James Schellhase emphasizes breaking down organizational silos to enhance collaboration and efficiency across UnitedLex's diverse legal services.
The integration of generative AI is seen as an opportunity to improve service delivery and provide better decision-making tools for clients.
Deep dives
Transforming Legal Services Delivery
The emphasis is on providing enhanced solutions and services to the General Counsel's Office. United Lex operates with a range of services seen as interconnected components, like blades in a flywheel, which address various legal needs including eDiscovery, compliance, and document management. The focus is on creating efficiencies and reducing costs while improving speed in legal processes. This comprehensive approach positions the company as a central ally for General Counsels, whether they are direct clients or working through outside counsel.
Leadership Change and Organizational Transformation
The transition to a new CEO marks a significant phase for United Lex, as leadership changes often require reevaluation of organizational capabilities and strategies. The new CEO, James Shellhouse, is focused on breaking down silos within the organization to improve efficiency and enhance collaborative efforts across different service areas. By integrating and unifying the various service lines, the company aims to position itself as a stronger competitor in the legal services market. This strategic adjustment seeks to streamline operations while heightening the company's ability to respond to evolving client needs.
Harnessing Generative AI for Legal Solutions
Generative AI is viewed as a key opportunity for United Lex to enhance its service offerings rather than a threat to existing jobs. The company actively utilizes AI to refine processes, improve data analysis, and facilitate decision-making for clients while being attentive to their individual risk tolerances and concerns. As legal services integrate more advanced technology, the focus remains on ensuring that these tools provide tangible ROI for clients. This integration of AI signals a shift toward more efficient handling of complex legal data and tasks, thereby supporting better service delivery.
Valuing Global Workforce and Inclusive Practices
United Lex prides itself on its Indian operations, which are considered a core asset rather than merely an offshore resource. The company fosters a collaborative culture, ensuring that employees in India are integral parts of the global team with equal access to opportunities and engagement. This inclusive approach not only enhances morale but also positions the company to respond adeptly to the pressures of a competitive industry. The CEO’s commitment to valuing this workforce underscores an investment in talent that supports continued growth and innovation.
One year ago, in September 2023, James Schellhase was named chief executive officer of the alternative legal services provider UnitedLex. The move was particularly significant, as he was only the second person ever to hold that title at the company, having succeeded Dan Reed, who cofounded UnitedLex in 2006 and had been its CEO ever since. Reed is now chairman of the board.
A year into his tenure, Schellhase joins LawNext host Bob Ambrogi to discuss how UnitedLex is seeking to embrace innovation and leverage technology to transform legal service delivery. He talks about what this change in leadership means for the company now and into the future, how the company is embracing generative AI to drive its technology-enabled services, and why he believes the company’s crown jewel is its India-based workforce.
Schellhase is no stranger to the legal industry. He was formerly executive chairman of McCarthyFinch, developer of a suite of AI-driven contract management software that Onit acquired in 2020, and before that was CEO of e-discovery company DiscoverReady, which Consilio acquired in 2018. Before joining UnitedLex, he was most recently CEO of risk management company Breakwater Solutions.
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