

The AAAi Podcast
The AAAi Podcast
AAA CEO & President Bridget McCormack and Killer Whale Strategies founder and startup investor Zach Abramowitz explore the impact of AI on the legal ecosystem and peel back the curtain on the AAA’s AI journey in a series of conversations with industry influencers.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Oct 8, 2025 • 33min
Dioptra Cofounder and Chief Product Officer Farah Gasmi
What if the real ROI of legal AI isn’t efficiency, but lawyer happiness? Bridget McCormack and Zach Abramowitz talk with Farah Gasmi, cofounder and Chief Product Officer of Dioptra, about making contracts less painful with AI. Farah shares how Dioptra helps lawyers get “in the zone,” why usable outputs matter more than speed, and how partnering with the AAA adds the trust lawyers need to rely on AI. Social Handles https://www.dioptra.ai/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/farahgasmi/ https://www.artificiallawyer.com/2025/03/18/aaa-partners-with-dioptra-genai-pioneer/

Jul 31, 2025 • 22min
AAA Chief Marketing Officer Michael Joseloff
Recorded live at Legalweek 2025 back in March, this episode asks a simple question: What happens when a veteran of CBS, Paramount, and Fortune steps into the world of arbitration? Bridget and Zach talk with AAA’s new CMO Michael Joseloff about why legal’s “business as usual” days are over, what lessons from media’s disruption matter now, and how telling the right story builds trust when half a million disputes cross your desk every year.

Jul 17, 2025 • 43min
Podcast host and founder of Creative Lawyers Jennifer Leonard
In Episode 14 of the AAAi Podcast, Bridget McCormack and Zach Abramowitz sit down with Jennifer Leonard, Chief Innovation Officer at Penn Carey Law and founder of Creative Lawyers. Drawing on her work in legal ethics and education, Jennifer explains why the legal profession does not just need new tools. It needs a new operating system. The conversation covers the limits of traditional training, the role of systems thinking, and how law schools can better prepare lawyers to work with AI while staying grounded in public service.

Jun 19, 2025 • 40min
Hence Cofounder and Unruly Author Sean West
What if the biggest legal risk today is institutional memory loss? Bridget and Zach talk with Sean West, author of Unruly and cofounder of Hence Technologies, about how geopolitical instability, AI disruption, and legal short-termism are converging. He explains why the future of dispute resolution depends on preserving memory, rethinking incentives, and acting before the storm hits. This episode is a wake-up call for legal leaders who want to do more than just react.

Jun 5, 2025 • 34min
Professor Richard Susskind
Bridget and Zach talk with Richard Susskind about his new book, How to Think About AI, and what AI means for the future of courts, lawyers, and justice. Richard challenges the legal profession’s deep resistance to change and asks: what if access to justice mattered more than preserving legal work as we know it? LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/richardsusskind/ X: @richardsusskind Amazon: How To Think About AI: A Guide For The Perplexed by Richard Susskind Website: susskind.com

May 22, 2025 • 28min
Hebbia.ai Head of Legal Vertical Ryan Samii
What if lawyers didn’t have to settle for chatbots? Bridget and Zach talk with Ryan Samii, Head of Legal at Hebbia.ai, about building the AI infrastructure legal teams actually want. He explains why Hebbia ditched chat for a grid—and how acting fast beats waiting for perfect. This episode is a playbook for smart risk, bold design, and legal teams who don’t wait to get started.

May 8, 2025 • 30min
From Podcast Guest to Strategic Partner: Clearbrief Founder and CEO Jacqueline Schafer
Bridget and Zach talk with Clearbrief Founder and CEO Jaqueline Schafer. In this episode of The AAAi Podcast, we trace how a podcast conversation turned into a strategic partnership. It’s a case study in building trust, piloting with purpose, and quietly rewriting what it means to be the global authority in dispute resolution.

Apr 24, 2025 • 34min
Helton Law Group Founder and CEO Carrie McLain and Newcode.ai Founder and CEO Maged Helmy
Bridget and Zach talk with Maged and Carrie about building legal AI that actually works. Maged shares how Newcode was designed to meet the realities of practice - modular, secure, and deployed where the data lives. Carrie explains how her firm is built to empower clients to solve problems themselves, even if that means working herself out of a job.

Dec 5, 2024 • 34min
David Lat, Founder Original Jurisdiction
Bridget and Zach talk with David Lat, founder of Original Jurisdiction and Above the Law. David shares what lawyers’ lawyers are saying about AI, regulatory challenges, client demands, and their impact on the future of law and dispute resolution.

Oct 31, 2024 • 53min
Ford Motor Company’s AGC Darth Vaughn & Sr. Counsel Whitney Stefko Dover
Darth Vaughn, Associate General Counsel at Ford, and Whitney Stefko Dover, Lawyer at Ford specializing in legal innovation, dive into the transformative role of AI in legal operations. They discuss how AI enhances judicial efficiency and can streamline decision-making processes. The duo emphasizes the rising necessity of AI in handling increasing business disputes, alongside their unique journeys from traditional law to tech-influenced roles. They also critique current legal training methods, advocating for a more practical, adaptive approach to meet modern challenges.