Love and Legal Tech - Chris Ford and Nikki Shaver of Legal Technology Hub
Mar 5, 2024
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Nikki Shaver and Chris Ford, the dynamic couple behind Legal Technology Hub, share their inspiring journey of love and innovation. They discuss the frustration that led to creating a centralized platform for legal tech solutions during the pandemic. Balancing their careers and family life, they highlight the importance of collaboration in both personal and professional realms. The couple also dives into global attitudes towards AI in legal tech, showcasing the U.S. as a frontrunner in adoption, fueled by trust in local technology.
The Legal Technology Hub emerged from the founders' frustration in accessing consolidated legal tech resources, now guiding firms through 2,400 solutions.
Navigating the challenges of working together as a couple in the same industry, they find that shared experiences strengthen both their business and personal relationships.
Deep dives
Building Legal Technology Hub
Legal Technology Hub serves as a comprehensive resource for law firms and corporate legal departments to access information about various global legal technology solutions. Founded during the pandemic, it transformed from a passion project into a successful business led by Nikki Shaver and Chris Ford, alongside their co-founder Yerun Plink. The platform provides not only details about legal technology solutions but also tools to evaluate and implement these technologies effectively within organizations. The founders experienced challenges in identifying a single source of truth for legal tech, leading to their motivation to create this centralized hub to support legal professionals.
Navigating Personal and Professional Lives
Nikki and Chris, who are also a couple, discussed the challenges and benefits of working together in the same industry. Balancing childcare and attending conferences while maintaining close family ties presents its difficulties, yet they find comfort in sharing the same professional space. Their shared experiences in legal tech contribute to their understanding of each other's careers, helping to strengthen their relationship. They highlight the importance of developing a rhythm in both their personal and work lives, allowing them to effectively collaborate while also enjoying time away from work.
Insights on Legal Tech Adoption
The founders shared observations on the varying rates of legal technology adoption across different regions, noting that the U.S. has recently accelerated its integration of generative AI tools in legal practices. Historically, regions such as the UK and the Nordic countries were seen as leaders in innovation, but a recent survey indicated that U.S. firms are now catching up. The Legal Technology Hub has expanded its database from an initial goal of 500 tools to nearly 2,400 viable solutions, demonstrating significant growth in the sector. This expansion has allowed them to provide valuable insights to legal professionals navigating the evolving landscape of legal technology.
In the fourth round of interview of "The Geek in Review" podcast's mini-series "Love & Legal Tech," hosts Greg Lambert and Marlene Gebauer chat with Chris Ford and Nikki Shaver, the dynamic couple behind the Legal Technology Hub. Their project, conceived out of necessity and frustration with the lack of a single source of truth for legal technology solutions, has grown into a thriving business that categorizes and reviews over 2000 legal tech products, aiding law firms and corporate legal departments in navigating the vast landscape of available technologies.
Their story begins in Australia, where Chris and Nikki first connected through a dating site, a testament to their adventurous spirits and willingness to embrace new technologies, even in their personal lives. This spirit of innovation and exploration carried over into their professional lives when they decided to tackle the challenge of creating a centralized platform for legal technology solutions during the pandemic. Their complementary skills in marketing, legal tech, and innovation have been crucial to their success, demonstrating the power of collaboration and mutual respect in both business and personal relationships.
Working together presents its challenges, notably in balancing professional demands with family life, as they navigate attending the same industry events while ensuring the wellbeing of their two children. Yet, it's clear that their partnership strengthens both their business and their relationship, as they share a common goal and a deep understanding of each other's strengths.
Chris and Nikki's journey is a shining example for other couples in the legal tech industry, emphasizing the importance of shared vision, respect for each other's expertise, and the willingness to support one another's ideas, no matter how ambitious. Their advice for other couples looking to work together in the industry is to focus on their common goals and leverage their unique strengths, ensuring that their partnership is both professionally rewarding and personally fulfilling.
Their dedication to innovation, coupled with their strong relationship, showcases the potential for couples to make significant contributions to the legal tech industry while building a life together.