The Kennedy-Mighell Report

Two very different AI philosophies take center stage: one embraces open-ended exploration, while the other favors structured delegation and reusable workflows. The conversation explores prompting, clarification, personas, project context, and practical benchmarks. AI also analyzes the show’s audience, sparking debate over listener needs, followed by smart ideas for weather research, workspace optimization, and keeping tech recommendations grounded.

For a unique perspective on legal technology, Dennis Kennedy and Tom Mighell welcome law librarian Ariana Paulino. Ariana shares her insights on engaging with today’s leading technologies and AI tools, as well as helping law students learn to use them effectively in legal practice. They explore how building relationships with technology vendors can help lawyers stay current on essential tools for their firms and discuss the importance of balancing AI’s capabilities with strong foundational legal skills. 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. Show Notes: Data Camp getbrick.com

AI glasses, rings, and pendants promise hands-free help, but raise thorny questions about hidden recording, privacy, legal ethics, privilege, and courtroom rules. The discussion also explores accessibility and why useful hardware should come before AI features. Plus, Tom unveils a retrieval-focused second-brain system, while Spotify’s AI playlists and AI-powered article criticism round out the tech talk.

Maddy Martin, General Manager of Legal at Smith AI, brings expertise in AI-assisted intake and customer experience for law firms. She explores using AI to sort top-of-funnel noise, screen leads, and improve handoffs to live agents. The conversation covers process lock-in, ethical records and conflict concerns, integration choices, and why AI-only solutions often fail.

Adriana Linares, law practice consultant and founder of Law Tech Partners who trains lawyers on Microsoft, Adobe, and practice management tools. She talks about underused Microsoft 365 features, practical AI uses like Acrobat and Copilot, the need for tech competence in lawyers, and why small firms should invest in practice management. Short, practical takeaways throughout.

Lawyers are a unique group often characterized as being hyper-resistant to change, but is that really true? As technology changes, lawyers must adapt, but it is important to appreciate their tendency toward skepticism and caution to be able to effectively help them adopt new tools. To discuss this topic, Dennis and Tom welcome Julia Montgomery to learn about her processes for change management in law firms. Julia talks about the unique traits of attorneys, what real change management should look like in legal businesses, and how her love for legal led her to a career helping lawyers organize their work with effective, measurable strategies powered by  technology and good practices. As always, stay tuned for the parting shots, that one tip, website, or observation 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 answers to your most burning tech questions.

Christian Puzder, CEO of CaseFriend and former attorney turned legal technologist, talks AI in law and practical governance. He discusses treating AI like a super summer associate, training and policy priorities, and why workers' compensation needs specialized case workflows. Listeners hear advice on choosing trustworthy tech and where to follow his work.

Today’s law students are entering a profession being reshaped by AI, making technology literacy more important than ever. What does it mean to build a legal career and professional identity in this rapidly evolving landscape? Dennis Kennedy’s students have been exploring that very question in one of his most recent classes, and he joins Tom to share what they’ve learned. Together, they examine the realities facing today’s law students and new associates, discuss why technological fluency is becoming an essential legal skill, and highlight the opportunities young lawyers have to emerge as technology leaders within their firms and the broader profession. As always, stay tuned for the parting shots—that one tip, website, or observation 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 answers to your most burning tech questions. Show Notes: AI Ethics Rules are hitting the books. Florida: Rule of General Practice and Administration 2.515, New York: Part 161 Red Team Prompts – Using AI as an adversary to check your legal work.

Debbie Foster, CEO of Affinity Consulting and co-author of Be a Next Level Leader, helps law firm leaders with strategy, leadership, and tech adoption. She discusses teaching lawyers tech by focusing on outcomes. She outlines why a leadership playbook is vital for firms. She explores AI’s impact on billable hours and highlights practical AI use cases and hands-on collaboration to drive adoption.

They dig into hidden legal AI dangers like semantic flattening, drift, and overconfidence in fluent but lossy outputs. They explore how long sessions and lazy review can warp documents and create risky feedback loops. They call out marketing hype and urge practical testing, better information hygiene, and vigilant supervision.