Legal tech expert Kristin Hodgins joins the hosts to discuss the latest trends in legal technology and effective approaches to tech competence. They delve into the role of AI in the lawmaking process and highlight the distinction between access to legal services and access to justice. Kristin recommends design books for those in the legal tech space, and the hosts discuss Boom speakers and their audio systems.
Identifying the problem and finding a suitable solution is crucial when implementing legal technology.
Artificial intelligence (AI) can enhance efficiency and accuracy in legislative processes, making legislatures an ideal testing ground for AI.
Deep dives
The Importance of Problem-Solving in Legal Tech
Kristen Hodgens emphasizes the significance of identifying the problem that needs to be solved when implementing legal technology. She believes that whether you are a vendor or a user of legal tech, it is crucial to always question the problem at hand and focus on finding a suitable solution.
The Role of AI in Legislation and Rulemaking
Kristen discusses how artificial intelligence (AI) can be valuable in the legislative and rulemaking process. She highlights the use of AI-powered speech recognition for transcribing legislative debates and the potential for AI to improve efficiency and accuracy in this space. Moreover, she considers legislatures as a favorable testing ground for AI due to the structured nature of their data.
The Differing Approaches to Technology Competence
Kristen expresses her view on technology competence among lawyers, emphasizing that assessing lawyer competence, particularly in technology, is a challenge. While technology adeptness is a business decision that law firms and clients can determine, Kristen believes that technology competence, in its broader sense, is not a significant concern. She suggests that focusing on technology literacy and allowing law firms to set standards for their lawyers' technology skills can be effective.
The Intersection of Technology and Access to Justice
Kristen explores the potential impact of technology on access to justice. While she acknowledges the usefulness of legal technology in addressing access to legal services, she expresses concerns about the application of technology to access to justice issues. Kristen argues that access to justice is a structural problem requiring public policy solutions rather than market-based approaches and expresses the view that technology may further exacerbate inequality in this context.
Technology adeptness doesn’t have to look exactly the same from law firm to law firm. Kristin Hodgins joins Dennis and Tom to share her thoughts on the latest trends in legal technology and effective approaches to tech competence. She also discusses her career path, the distinction between access to justice and access to legal services, ChatGPT, and much more.
As always, stay tuned for the parting shots, that one tip, website, or observation that you can use the second the podcast ends.
Have a technology question for Dennis and Tom? Call their Tech Question Hotline at 720-441-6820 for the answers to your most burning tech questions.
Kristin Hodgins is project manager and product owner at Xcential Legislative Technologies.
Show Notes - Kennedy-Mighell Report #348
A Segment: Fresh Voices on Legal Tech: Kristin Hodgins
B Segment: Continued Discussion with Kristin Hodgins