The Geek In Review

Raghu Ramanathan, President of Legal Professionals at Thomson Reuters, discusses the legal industry’s pivotal role in the AI revolution. He outlines three transformative waves of AI: Optimization, which enhances workflows; Re-engineering, that rethinks processes and staffing; and the emergence of New Business Models. Raghu also highlights the innovative capabilities of Thomson Reuters' AI platform, CoCounsel, and its potential to reshape legal practices. Engaging insights on integrating technology and the future of law await listeners.

In this week’s Geek in Review, we sit down with Patrick Waldo, CEO of Unicorn Forms and proud Houstonian, to explore the intersections of data, document automation, and legal tech innovation. From the vibrant startup culture at Houston's ION and the Capital Factory's SXSW House event to the regulatory grind of form design, Waldo shares how his journey—from working in compliance-heavy industries to launching a playfully named but technically serious platform—is reshaping how we think about document-driven workflows.Waldo pulls back the curtain on Unicorn Forms’ approach to digitizing and structuring data trapped in PDFs. With a background in regulatory intelligence, he understands firsthand how critical, yet painfully inefficient, static documents can be. Unicorn Forms aims to transform the “eight-and-a-half-by-eleven world” into structured, field-driven digital tools. By mimicking the look and feel of familiar e-sign interfaces while embedding structured fields and integrations like Calendly or Stripe, the platform bridges the gap between legal formality and technical interoperability.Security and compliance are at the heart of the conversation as Waldo outlines the different levels of electronic trust, explaining how Unicorn Forms distinguishes itself with hashed documents, timestamp authorities, and encryption standards that exceed many traditional e-signature solutions. He highlights how many professionals—especially in legal, healthcare, and finance—aren’t aware of the risks they take when using non-secure PDFs for sensitive data like social security numbers or payment details.The episode also dives into the often-overlooked role of data ontologies in making government and enterprise forms interoperable. Waldo describes the complexity behind something as seemingly simple as a name or address field and how lack of standardization leads to inefficiencies and errors. By applying his years of ontology-building experience, Unicorn Forms aims to enable more intuitive, human-readable, and system-compatible data capture, with real-world use cases already in place—like improving film permitting processes for the Houston Film Commission.From a startup perspective, Waldo gets candid about fundraising challenges, the paradox of needing metrics to raise money and needing money to build metrics, and how early-stage companies must balance marketing, sales, and product development. He emphasizes the value of angel investors and local ecosystems like the ION and the Canon, while acknowledging the rising bar of investor expectations in today’s post-2023 funding environment.Finally, Waldo shares his philosophy behind the Unicorn Forms brand—born as an April Fool’s joke but grown into a conversation starter and signal for early adopters. With Party City swag, a pink logo, and a message that draws in the curious and the creative, Unicorn Forms is redefining legal tech not just through software, but through an intentional, approachable identity. As Waldo looks ahead, he sees opportunity in pairing strong data engineering with AI tools—not just to automate, but to make legal and regulatory processes smarter, faster, and more human-centered.Listen on mobile platforms:  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[Special Thanks to ⁠Legal Technology Hub⁠ for their sponsoring this episode.] Blue Sky: ⁠⁠@geeklawblog.com⁠⁠ ⁠⁠@marlgeb⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email: geekinreviewpodcast@gmail.comMusic: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jerry David DeCicca⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Transcript

Sam Flynn, COO and co-founder of Josef, a legal tech innovator dedicated to self-service tools for justice, shares insights into the real-world impact of legal tech. He defends Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) as essential for AI in law, arguing that foundational work and data integrity are crucial. Flynn highlights Josef’s successful projects with clients like L’Oréal, which enhance efficiency and empower non-experts. The discussion includes the Roxanne project, an AI tool aiding New York tenants, illustrating the potential of legal tech to improve access to justice.

Sean West, co-founder of Hence Technologies and author of Unruly, discusses the intersection of AI, law, and geopolitics. He reveals that 62% of lawyers are now using AI tools like ChatGPT, which could transform traditional roles and lead to 'passive job displacement.' West warns about the erosion of the rule of law amidst political challenges and technological advancements. He also explores the need for organizations to adapt through transparency and retraining, highlighting the uncertain future for legal professionals as AI evolves.

Chan Hee-Koh, CEO of FileRead, and Justin Brownstone, Strategic Partnership Lead, dive into the transformative world of AI in litigation. Inspired by Chan's family experiences during the 2008 housing crisis, they discuss how FileRead aims to make legal processes more accessible and efficient. The duo highlights the importance of building trust amid industry skepticism about AI. They also share insights on the company’s recent growth, including a $6 million funding round, and their vision for a standalone AI litigation platform that enhances document review and uncovers hidden narratives.

Ed Walters, Chief Strategy Officer at vLex and an expert in legal AI, returns to discuss the latest advancements in legal technology. He dives into how AI is reshaping legal research with tools like OpenAI and Gemini, emphasizing the balance between innovation and human judgment. Walters highlights vLex's multimodal AI capabilities for analyzing audio and video files, enhancing the efficiency of legal workflows. He also raises ethical considerations around AI usage and offers insights into maintaining data security in legal practices.

Zach Posner, co-founder and managing director of The Legal Tech Fund, brings a wealth of knowledge on legal tech investments. He discusses the recent surge in funding, highlighting a major $300 million raise for Harvey and the growing interest from generalist VCs. Zach sheds light on the unique challenges of early-stage funding, emphasizing relationships over traditional metrics. He also focuses on the importance of community and collaboration in the legal tech ecosystem, stressing how innovation and user experience are key to advancing the field.

Josh Smith, an expert in legal tech and cybersecurity, and Ken Jones, a principal specializing in legal technology and AI, discuss the upcoming ILTA Evolve Conference. They highlight the shift from AI speculation to practical applications, emphasizing cost-saving innovations. Insights include the importance of governance and community in legal tech, along with networking opportunities at the event. They also touch on evolving job roles in the sector and the need for legal professionals to enhance digital resilience and security knowledge.

Wendy Jephson, CEO and founder of Let's Think, dives into how behavioral science can transform decision-making in legal tech. With a wealth of experience from NASDAQ, she explains innovative ways to capture and share tacit knowledge. The discussion highlights the importance of integrating AI with behavioral science to enhance critical thinking and knowledge management. Jephson also addresses the balance between technology and human expertise, underscoring the role of women in shaping the future of legal tech through collaboration and strategic thinking.

Gabriela Isturiz, a trailblazing legal tech entrepreneur and co-founder of The XX Fund, dives into the impact of generative AI on the legal landscape. She reveals the common pitfalls of mislabeling products as 'AI-powered' without real value. The discussion shifts to the hurdles of scaling legal tech businesses and the pressing need for women-led investments. Gabriela emphasizes the importance of supporting minority founders and shares her transformative journey from a stable job to entrepreneurship, advocating for intentional investments in diverse talent.