Stephanie Wilkins, editor-in-chief at Legaltech News, shares her journey from private practice to freelance writing and discusses the future of generative AI in the legal industry. They also explore the impact of technology on delivering legal services, advancements in document review, and the publication's interest in highlighting innovations and startups in the access to justice space.
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Quick takeaways
Stephanie Wilkins transitioned from a civil litigator to a freelance writer and found success in the legal tech industry.
Generative AI in the legal industry holds great potential, but challenges with regulation, cost, and access remain.
Deep dives
Stephanie Wilkins' Transition from Private Practice to Freelance Writing
Stephanie Wilkins, editor-in-chief at LegalTech News, shares her transition from a civil litigator to a freelance writer. Burnout and a lack of passion for her previous legal work led Stephanie to explore a different career path. With a love for writing, Stephanie became a freelance writer and soon found opportunities in the legal tech space. She gained expertise in technology and began writing about legal tech, which eventually led her to her current role as editor-in-chief of LegalTech News.
Factors Leading to Stephanie Wilkins' Career Change
Stephanie Wilkins' decision to leave her career as a civil litigator was driven by burnout and a lack of fulfillment in her work. Despite being successful in her legal career, Stephanie realized she wanted to pursue something she enjoyed. She made the leap to freelance writing and photography, taking on various jobs and exploring different opportunities. Eventually, she found her niche in legal tech writing, leveraging her expertise as a lawyer and her innate tech-savviness.
The Evolution of Generative AI and its Impact on the Legal Industry
Generative AI, particularly chat GPT, initially created excitement and hype in the legal industry. However, it quickly shifted to unfounded fear and skepticism. Over time, conversations around generative AI have become more mature and focused on practical use cases. While the technology holds great potential, challenges with regulation, cost, and access remain. Consolidation in the legal tech market is expected, as well as advancements in AI tools that prioritize real problem-solving and user experience.
The Role of Generative AI in Access to Justice and Regulation
Generative AI presents opportunities to address the access to justice gap, but challenges also exist. While the use of this technology has the potential to assist in closing the gap, there is a concern that only well-funded corporations and firms will benefit, potentially worsening the divide. Regulatory frameworks must adapt to incorporate these technologies and strike a balance between responsible use and allowing innovation. The intersection of technology and lawyer regulation will continue to shape the legal industry, with ongoing debates surrounding unauthorized practice of law, non-lawyer ownership of firms, and the role of bar associations.
Our guest today is Stephanie Wilkins, editor-in-chief at Legaltech News at ALM. Stephanie had been a civil litigator at big law firms in New York for a decade when she decided to pursue a different career path. Having enjoyed the writing aspect of her legal work, she decided to become a freelance writer. Stephanie soon found opportunities writing about legal tech with Above The Law, technology companies, and legal marketers. In 2022, she became editor-in-chief at Legaltech News, where she has written on various issues pertaining to technology in the legal industry. Additionally, Stephanie is a freelance photographer who has traveled the world.
In today’s wide-ranging conversation, Stephanie talks about making the leap from private practice to freelance writing, the places she has visited, what she sees on the horizon for generative AI in legal, and her plans for the direction of Legaltech News.
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