Scott and Digby Lee, co-founders of AltFee, revolutionize the legal billing landscape with their innovative app designed to replace the billable hour. They delve into the significance of alternative fee arrangements (AFAs), emphasizing the shift towards value-based pricing, especially in the age of AI. Their discussion touches on enhancing client relationships through transparency, the impact of COVID-19 on legal practices, and the integration of technology to streamline billing processes. A must-listen for anyone interested in the future of legal pricing!

What does it take to build a successful legal tech startup?   In this Best of 2024 episode, we revisit our conversation with Zach Posner, co-founder of the LegalTech Fund, an investment fund focused on supporting innovative legal technology companies. Zach’s unique perspective on legal tech investing is rooted in his broad experience, including building an education tech company acquired by McGraw Hill. During our conversation, he shares valuable insights into what makes startups thrive. From the importance of transparent investor updates to fostering frequent, meaningful customer interactions that guide product development.   We also explore the LegalTech Fund’s investment focus: Tools leveraging contracting data for business insights Tech solutions expanding access to legal services Whether you’re an entrepreneur, an investor, or simply interested in the evolution of legal tech, this episode is full of practical advice and inspiring insights. Episode Credits Editing and Production: Grant Blackstock Theme Music: Home Base (Instrumental Version) by TA2MI   Want to keep up to date about new episodes? Technically Legal Update List. Want to learn more about Percipient (percipient.co)? Follow Chad on Linkedin: Chad Main | LinkedIn Follow the podcast on LinkedIn: Technically Legal | LinkedIn Follow the podcast on Instagram: Technically Legal | Instagram Follow the podcast on X: Technically Legal | X

John Grant, a lawyer and founder of The Agile Attorney consultancy, shares his innovative approach to legal project management. He advocates for Agile and Kanban methodologies to transform legal workflows, emphasizing flexibility and efficiency. Grant explains how traditional methods can hinder progress and highlights the power of Kanban boards in visualizing tasks. He also reflects on his unique journey from tech to law, discussing how blending legal expertise with technology enhances client satisfaction and optimizes team performance.

Conrad Everhart, founder of Flatiron Law Group, shares his journey from Georgetown grad to partner at major law firms like Jones Day. He left BigLaw to offer a cost-effective, tech-driven model for M&A services. The firm utilizes flat fees, low overhead, and custom software like Deal Driver to enhance client insights. Conrad also discusses his work with Stanford’s Codex project, where he's developing an AI negotiation simulator to train future lawyers, emphasizing the crucial blend of AI and human judgment in legal negotiations.

Stan Shepard, General Counsel of Atlassian, offers an engaging look into his career journey from finance journalist to legal leader at a major tech company. He reveals how Atlassian's legal team leverages internal tools like Jira and Confluence to enhance collaboration and streamline workflows. The conversation highlights the role of AI in automating legal requests and improving efficiency. Shepard also shares valuable advice on adopting AI responsibly within legal departments, emphasizing cultural shifts towards modern communication practices.

Rich Lee, CEO of New Era ADR, discusses his company's mission to revolutionize dispute resolution with a tech-driven platform. He highlights the remarkable 100-day model that drastically cuts resolution time, promoting efficiency and lower costs. Lee also addresses challenges in the legal field regarding technology adoption and the importance of social proof in driving innovation. The podcast explores the recruitment of skilled neutrals, balancing expertise with assertiveness, and the transformative impacts of AI on online dispute resolution.

This episode features Matthew Rasmussen, Founder and CEO of ModeOne, which is an app that provides targeted smart phone data discovery. Matt discusses his journey from a psych major waiting tables to landing a job in eDiscovery in its earliest days-- a job that ultimately helped him land jobs in BigLaw for multiple firms running their litigation technology departments. It was when he was working for O’Melveny & Meyers when he had his "light bulb moment" that led to the creation of ModeOne, a solution addressing the challenges of efficient data collection from mobile devices. Matt explains how ModeOne works, its benefits over traditional digital forensic collection methods, and how it addresses concerns about evidentiary defensibility. He also highlights the various use cases for ModeOne beyond litigation, including internal investigations, HR matters, and compliance. The conversation delves into ModeOne's development, its unique approach compared to competitors, and its future roadmap, including internationalization and integrations with other platforms like Relativity. Learn more about Matt. Key Discussion Points: [0:39] Matt's unconventional path to eDiscovery [3:35] The "light bulb moment" that sparked the idea for Mode One [9:02] How Mode One works and its advantages [11:36] Addressing evidentiary concerns and gaining credibility [19:19] Expanding use cases beyond litigation [22:48] iOS and Android certification process [23:31] Apps and data supported by Mode One [25:18] Mode One's built-in review tool and Relativity integration [28:04] Future roadmap and upcoming features  

Jason Heinze originally wanted to be an architect but got into disability law after taking over his father in law’s practice. To establish his client’s disability claims, he would have them manually enter daily notes into a pain journal, but he often had difficulty getting clients to consistently maintain the journals because they might forget and it was a completely manual process. He thought to himself, there has to be an app for that, but when he looked, he found some that were close, but not exactly what he needed. So, he created his own and called it ClaimData. By using the app, disability claimants can now make pain journal entries via a web app and it will also remind them to enter it.  ClaimData uses a progressive web app model for efficiency and cost-effectiveness. ClaimData integrates with case management systems and plans to expand into personal injury and workers' compensation. The app aims to simplify the evidence-gathering process for attorneys, making it easier to prove disability cases.  

Amanda Tuminelli, Chief Legal Officer for the DeFI Education Fund, visits the podcast to discuss her role with the organization and its objectives. (What is DeFi? It is shorthand for Decentralized Finance and the backbone of DeFi is blockchain technology and smart contracts.) The DeFi Education Fund is a nonpartisan research and advocacy group working to explain the benefits of DeFi, achieve regulatory clarity for the future of the global digital economy, and help realize the transformative potential of DeFi for everyone. Amanda goes in depth into the DEF’s areas of focus: Research and Advocacy Policymaker Education Messaging for Crypto Companies Research about Blockchain Issues and Regulations Providing “Legal Firepower” to Crypto Causes; and DeFi Project Best Practices Amanda also discusses how lawyers can pursue a career in crypto and why that wasn’t the case a few years ago. It’s not only an option now because the industry is more mature, but also because of the openness of those in the crypto world and their desire for passionate individuals to join them. To get a job in crypto law, Amanda emphasizes the importance of understanding the technology and finding projects of interest.  So how did Amanda get to the DEF? She started out as a securities and white collar crime lawyer, but a case came along that would change her career trajectory. She was working for Kobre and Kim, a law firm focused on disputes and investigations, when the firm was hired by a client accused of running an illegal crypto mining scheme. To get up to speed on the case and get her client out of jail, she had to dive deep into learning about blockchain technology and that is when she caught the bug. A few years later, a friend and former college friend contacted her about joining the legal team at the DeFI Education Fund and she took them up on it. Episode Credits Editing and Production: Grant Blackstock Theme Music: Home Base (Instrumental Version) by TA2MI   Want to keep up to date about new episodes? Technically Legal Update List. Want to learn more about Percipient (percipient.co)? Follow Chad on Linkedin: Chad Main | LinkedIn Follow the podcast on LinkedIn: Technically Legal | LinkedIn Follow the podcast on Instagram: Technically Legal | Instagram Follow the podcast on X: Technically Legal | X

Dru Armstrong, CEO of AffiniPay, a key player in legal fintech, dives into her journey from aspiring lawyer to leading a groundbreaking practice management software company. She outlines AffiniPay's transition from payment processing to acquiring MyCase, creating an all-in-one solution for law firms. Dru also discusses innovative offerings like Affirm's buy now, pay later service, touches on AI integration plans, and shares insights on the unique challenges and surprises of being a CEO in the evolving legal tech landscape.