Legaltech Week

A quiet week overall in legal technology news, but a Law.com article on the pandemic’s disproportionate impact on women and diverse attorneys generates impassioned discussion among the panelists.  Other stories we discuss include: an in-depth analysis of the legal tech market, the acquisition of a popular legal newsletter publisher, the hurdles to teaching tech to remote law students, the ABA Journal’s latest class of Legal Rebels, and a challenge to legal tech companies from Joe Patrice to develop a much-needed app.  Our panelists this week are: Nicole Black, legal technology columnist and legaltech evangelist at MyCase; Stephen Embry, publisher, TechLaw Crossroads; Caroline Hill, editor in chief, Legal IT Insider; Molly McDonough, media consultant, former publisher and editor-in-chief of the ABA Journal; Joe Patrice, editor, Above the Law;and  Zach Warren, editor in chief of Legaltech News. Bob Ambrogi of LawSites blog and LawNext podcast moderates.

In our first show of the new year, our panel of legal tech journalists share their thoughts on the events this week at the Capitol, and then turn to the week’s top stories in legal tech and innovation. They also share their predictions for 2021, and consider the question, “What exactly is legal tech?”  This week’s panelists are: Stephen Embry, publisher, TechLaw Crossroads; Caroline Hill, editor in chief, Legal IT Insider; Victoria Hudgins, reporter for Legaltech News; Victor Li, assistant managing editor of the ABA Journal; Molly McDonough, media consultant, former publisher and editor-in-chief of the ABA Journal; Joe Patrice, editor, Above the Law; and Zach Warren, editor in chief of Legaltech News.  Bob Ambrogi of LawSites blog and LawNext podcast moderates. 

In a special year-end episode of Legaltech Week, our panel of legaltech journalists share their picks for the top stories of the year in legal technology and innovation. What were they? You’ll have to listen to the episode to find out.  This week’s panelists are: Nicole Black, legal technology columnist and legaltech evangelist at MyCase; Stephen Embry, publisher, TechLaw Crossroads; Caroline Hill, editor in chief, Legal IT Insider; Victoria Hudgins, reporter for Legaltech News; Victor Li, assistant managing editor of the ABA Journal; Molly McDonough, media consultant, former publisher and editor-in-chief of the ABA Journal; Joe Patrice, editor, Above the Law; and Zach Warren, editor in chief of Legaltech News.  Bob Ambrogi of LawSites blog and LawNext podcast moderates.

Our panel of legaltech journalists discuss the week’s top story: The decision to close down its operations by legal research startup ROSS Intelligence, under pressure from a lawsuit filed against it by legal research giant Thomson Reuters. Does Thomson Reuters have a legitimate claim or is it using litigation to squelch a competitor? Our panelists share their opinions.  Other stories we discuss this week include: Benjamin Moore fires its entire in-house legal department; London firm DWF posts strong half-year financial results, owing in part to its managed services business; Irish AI-powered spend management company Brightflag raises $28 million; the House passes the Open Courts Act, in a step towards making PACER free; and a new ethics opinion addresses attorneys withdrawing from representations due to COVID concerns.  This week’s panelists are: Nicole Black, legal technology columnist and legaltech evangelist at MyCase; Stephen Embry, publisher, TechLaw Crossroads; Caroline Hill, editor in chief, Legal IT Insider; Molly McDonough, media consultant, former publisher and editor-in-chief of the ABA Journal; Joe Patrice, editor, Above the Law; and Zach Warren, editor in chief of Legaltech News. Bob Ambrogi of LawSites blog and LawNext podcast moderates.

Virtual legal conferences have been a recurring topic on Legaltech Week, as we’ve debated the highs and lows of presenting conferences online. But panelist Niki Black has persisted in pushing the idea of virtual conferences. This week, the virtual conference concept got vindicated, as several panelists attended the virtual E-Discovery Day event produced by EDRM.net, complete with avatars. In this week’s episode, we share our experiences and opinions with the virtual conference format.  Other stories our panel of legaltech journalists discuss this week include: Exterro’s nine-figure acquisition of AccessData, the federal judiciary’s surreptitious lobbying against making PACER free, the expansion of trial court research and analytics company Trellis into Illinois and Delaware, hackers targeting the COVID-19 distribution chain, law firms doing business cases on contingency, and a lawsuit reminder of why lawyers should use email encryption.  This week’s panelists are: Nicole Black, legal technology columnist and legaltech evangelist at MyCase; Stephen Embry, author of TechLaw Crossroads; Victor Li, assistant managing editor of the ABA Journal; Molly McDonough, media consultant, former publisher and editor-in-chief of the ABA Journal; Joe Patrice, editor, Above the Law; and Zach Warren, editor in chief of Legaltech News. Bob Ambrogi of LawSites blog and LawNext podcast moderates.

Virtual legal conferences have been a recurring topic on Legaltech Week, as we’ve debated the highs and lows of presenting conferences online. But panelist Niki Black has persisted in pushing the idea of virtual conferences. This week, the virtual conference concept got vindicated, as several panelists attended the virtual E-Discovery Day event produced by EDRM.net, complete with avatars. In this week’s episode, we share our experiences and opinions with the virtual conference format.  Other stories our panel of legaltech journalists discuss this week include:  This week’s panelists are: Nicole Black, legal technology columnist and legaltech evangelist at MyCase; Stephen Embry, author of TechLaw Crossroads; Victoria Hudgins, reporter for Legaltech News; Victor Li, assistant managing editor of the ABA Journal; Molly McDonough, media consultant, former publisher and editor-in-chief of the ABA Journal; Joe Patrice, editor, Above the Law; and Zach Warren, editor in chief of Legaltech News. Bob Ambrogi of LawSites blog and LawNext podcast moderates.

You may be surprised to know there was news this week other than the election. Among the top stories our panelists discuss: ballot initiatives in California and Massachusetts raise data privacy issues, Deloitte acquires UK top 200 law firm Kemp Little, a report examines the viability of captive ALSPs, legal tech patents soar in China, an ethics opinion raises COVID-19 issues, chatbots for legal marketing, and new lawyer-matching site that also provides free practice software.  This week’s panelists are: Nicole Black, legal technology columnist and legaltech evangelist at MyCase; Stephen Embry, author of TechLaw Crossroads; Caroline Hill, editor in chief, Legal IT Insider; Victoria Hudgins, reporter for Legaltech News; Victor Li, assistant managing editor of the ABA Journal; Molly McDonough, media consultant, former publisher and editor-in-chief of the ABA Journal; Joe Patrice, editor, Above the Law; and Zach Warren, editor in chief of Legaltech News. Bob Ambrogi of LawSites blog and LawNext podcast moderates.

This week on Legaltech Week, Stephen Embry, former trial lawyer and author of TechLaw Crossroads, sits in on the panel. Among the top stories our panelists discuss: The LexisNexis Rule of Law Foundation partners with National Bar Association to advance the rule of law, ALSP UnitedLex hit with a $128M suit over the demise of law firm LeClairRyan, and the world’s wealthiest law firm lays off staff. Also on the table: Intapp goes all in on the cloud, the ABA publishes its Legal Technology Survey Report, new developments in litigation analytics, and a $6.3 million raise for legal marketplace Priori Legal.  In addition to Embry, this week’s panelists are: Nicole Black, legal technology columnist and legaltech evangelist at MyCase; Victoria Hudgins, reporter for Legaltech News; Victor Li, assistant managing editor of the ABA Journal; and Zach Warren, editor in chief of Legaltech News. Bob Ambrogi of LawSites blog and LawNext podcast moderates. 

This week on Legaltech Week, we share a moment of silence to remember Gayle McCormick O’Connor, a stalwart of the legal technology industry who died last Sunday. We also discuss the remarkable story of an indicted former legaltech founder whose published a book claiming he was an FBI mole.  Other stories this week include: a legal analyst gets caught with his pants down, Baker McKenzie launches an AI project to anticipate clients’ legal needs, legaltech veterans launch major growth capital fund as other investors seek out legal tech targets, a botched redaction with a twist, and more.   This week’s panelists are: Nicole Black, legal technology columnist and legaltech evangelist at MyCase; Caroline Hill, editor in chief, Legal IT Insider; Molly McDonough, media consultant, former publisher and editor-in-chief of the ABA Journal; Joe Patrice, editor, Above the Law; and Zach Warren, editor in chief of Legaltech News. Bob Ambrogi of LawSites blog and LawNext podcast moderates. 

This week on Legaltech Week, our panel of legal tech journalists offer their views on the virtual version of the Clio Cloud Conference. Plus, our  panel of legal journalists discuss the week’s top stories, including a new global directory of legaltech, a new ethics opinion on tech competence, a $60 million investment in discovery company DISCO, and more.  This week’s panelists are: Nicole Black, legal technology columnist and legaltech evangelist at MyCase; Victoria Hudgins, reporter for Legaltech News; Victor Li, assistant managing editor of the ABA Journal; Molly McDonough, media consultant, former publisher and editor-in-chief of the ABA Journal; and Zach Warren, editor in chief of Legaltech News. Bob Ambrogi of LawSites blog and LawNext podcast moderates.