The Innovation Strategist: Nicole Black

Hey there Legal Rebels! 👋

This is the twenty-first episode of the 2024 season of the LawDroid Manifesto podcast, where I will be interviewing key legal innovators to learn how they do what they do.

If you want to understand how legal technology has evolved and where it's heading with AI, you need to listen to this episode. Nicole Black has been a pioneering voice in legal tech for over two decades, from her early days building websites to becoming a leading strategist and thought leader. Her unique journey from public defender to legal tech innovator, combined with her role in shaping products like MyCase, gives her an unparalleled perspective on the intersection of law and technology. As someone who has consistently identified and written about emerging tech trends before they went mainstream, Nicole offers invaluable insights into how AI will transform legal practice and what lawyers can do to benefit from it.

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From Public Defender to Legal Tech Pioneer: Nicole Black's Journey in Transforming Law Through Technology

Join me as I interview Nicole Black, a trailblazing legal technology strategist, author, and innovator who has been at the forefront of digital transformation in law for over two decades.

Nicole shares her remarkable journey from public defender to legal tech pioneer. As the Principal Legal Insight Strategist at Affinipay and a respected voice in the industry, she offers unique perspectives on the evolution of legal technology and its impact on legal practice. Drawing from her experience as employee #1 at MyCase and her early adoption of legal blogging, Nicole provides valuable insights into how technology continues to reshape the legal landscape.

Her fascinating career path illuminates the opportunities that emerge when legal expertise meets technological advancement. This episode is essential viewing for legal professionals seeking to understand the technological forces shaping their profession, as well as anyone interested in how individual initiative and adaptability can lead to transformative career opportunities in law and technology.

The Skinny

In this engaging episode of the LawDroid Manifesto podcast, host Tom Martin interviews Nicole Black, a pioneering legal technology strategist and innovator. The conversation traces Nicole's journey from her early career as a public defender to becoming a leading voice in legal technology. Through her personal experiences and professional evolution, the episode offers valuable insights into the intersection of law and technology, while also exploring the future of legal practice in the age of AI.

Key takeaways:

* Nicole's early exposure to technology, including programming a TRS-80 computer at age 11, laid the foundation for her future career bridging law and technology

* Her experience as a public defender handling 600 cases simultaneously highlighted the systemic challenges in the legal system and led to her transition to private practice

* Gender discrimination in her law firm experience, including being passed over for partnership due to maternity leave, prompted her to take a different career direction

* She became an early adopter of legal blogging in 2005, which helped her build a network in the legal technology community and establish herself as a thought leader

* Her role as employee #1 at MyCase in 2012 allowed her to combine her legal expertise with her passion for technology, leading to her current position as Principal Legal Insight Strategist at Affinipay

* She believes generative AI will fundamentally transform the legal profession, potentially more significantly than previous technological innovations like PCs and the internet

* Her advice for new lawyers includes actively experimenting with AI tools like ChatGPT and preparing for significant changes in legal education and entry-level legal work

The conversation concludes with Nicole emphasizing the importance of finding and pursuing one's passion while building meaningful connections within their chosen community. Her career trajectory demonstrates how following one's interests - even when they diverge from traditional paths - can lead to innovative and fulfilling professional opportunities. As the legal industry continues to evolve with technological advancement, her insights provide valuable guidance for both current and aspiring legal professionals navigating this changing landscape.

Clips:

Is Law School Worth It Anymore?

Passion for Legal Tech and Community

Balancing Life and Work

Revolutionary Impact of Generative AI

Notable Quotes:

* "I transitioned from writing about New York legal issues to the intersection of law and tech. And so I wrote about blogging. I wrote about social media and the different platforms as they came along. I wrote about mobile computing and apps as they came along. And then cloud computing, I saw this thing coming." Nicole Black [00:23:00]

* "The things that I banked my career on that got me where I am - social media, mobile computing, cloud computing - were incredibly significant and absolutely changed, fundamentally changed the practice of law and the marketing practices and everything that goes into running a law firm. But this [generative AI] is just next level." Nicole Black [00:36:00]

* "When I say I burnt out, you burn out... you're not doing your clients justice. You're really committing malpractice constantly because you can't represent 600 people on misdemeanors. Like you just can't do it. Not the way they should and deserve to be represented." Nicole Black [00:11:00]

* "When I came back [from maternity leave], they gave me the same caseload. But I was allowed to work four days a week instead of five with the same caseload... During the annual review, the managing partner said the quiet part out loud, which was, if you hadn't taken maternity leave, you probably would have made partner this year." Nicole Black [00:15:00]

* "I'm really lucky to be able to focus my energy and curiosity and my writing skills and speaking skills on a topic that's really interesting to me. And that is always changing... there's always something new happening with technology and its application to the practice of law." Nicole Black [00:45:00]

* "Find something that they love and pursue it. And it sounds corny, but I often think that oftentimes things will come of it if you get into that community, whatever that community is, and you make connections and you are doing something you really enjoy. I think it ultimately all falls into place." Nicole Black [00:47:00]

Closing Thoughts

My conversation with Nicole Black really crystallizes how visionaries in legal tech often come from unexpected places. Her journey from coding BASIC on a TRS-80 to becoming one of the most influential voices in legal technology shows how following your genuine interests - even when they seem disconnected from traditional legal practice - can lead to extraordinary opportunities.

What strikes me most about Nicole's story is her ability to spot emerging trends before they become mainstream. From recognizing the potential of law firm websites in the late '90s to understanding the transformative power of client portals and cloud computing, she's consistently been ahead of the curve. Now, her perspective on AI being potentially more impactful than PCs or the internet deserves serious attention.

But beyond her technical insights, Nicole's experience highlights something crucial about innovation in legal services: it often comes from those who've experienced the system's pain points firsthand. Her time as a public defender, handling 600 cases simultaneously, gave her a deep understanding of why the legal system needs technological transformation.

Her story also serves as an important reminder about perseverance and authenticity. Despite facing gender discrimination and career setbacks, she found her own path by staying true to her interests and building genuine connections within the legal tech community.

For those wondering about their future in law and technology, Nicole's advice about experimenting with AI tools while maintaining a focus on human connections and community building seems particularly timely. As we navigate this period of unprecedented technological change in the legal industry, her journey offers valuable lessons about adaptability, resilience, and the importance of remaining curious.

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