Mediation has an important role to play in family law matters. It provides clarity and support through an emotional and difficult situation. A mediator’s role is central to facilitating an amicable outcome where at all possible. These capabilities require specialist training and, coupled with the use of dedicated technologies, combine to provide increased convenience for clients, a new and different way to resolve conflict, and a unique integration of human and digital skills.  In this podcast, Terri Mottershead, Executive Director, CLI chatted with Fiona Kirkman, Principal of Kirkman Family Law and the CEO and Legal Co-Founder of FamilyProperty, about how the role of a family law mediator has evolved, is still evolving, what family law mediators do, and how people can develop capabilities for the role.   If you would like to know more about NewLaw Careers, you’ll find loads of information in our NewLaw Careers Series here. If you would prefer to watch rather than listen to this podcast, you’ll find the video in our CLI-Collaborate (CLIC) free Resource Hub here.

In this podcast, Terri Mottershead, Executive Director at the Centre for Legal Innovation explored whether or not it is possible to create a Data Driven Legal Practice with data gurus David Adason, Head of Innovation, Senior Lawyer, Aptum Legal; Denise Doyle, Legal Operations Consultant; and Matt Farrington, Lawyer + Legal Technologist, Juno Legal. Topics covered in this session included: Why legal data is so much more than process – mining the data gems for true added value How legal organisations can start (and end) the process of demystifying data How data and metrics are related and why the connection matters The emerging gap in data application in law firms vs in-house legal departments and why it matters What the future will look like for legal organisations that don’t embrace data If you would prefer to listen rather than watch this episode, you’ll find the podcast in our The Legalpreneurs Sandbox podcast series here. If you are interested in learning more about the use and application of data in legal practice, please listen to our podcast with Denise Doyle (Episode 141) on The Use of Data in Legal Practice – What’s happening in law firms right now? here.

Data – it sounds exciting, illuminating and intimidating all at the same time but, as we now know, it’s also referred to as the new oil or the new electricity – and for legal businesses, just as pervasive and precious! So, how are we using data in our legal businesses right now? And, can we/should we know more, do more, and extract more from our data to make better decisions for our legal businesses and our clients? In this podcast, we explored these questions and many more with Denise Doyle. Denise is an experienced legal ops professional – data in her role is like currency (digital and otherwise) in our economy – it’s central, nothing works without it, and nothing happens without analysing it! Denise explored the use of data in legal practice as the topic for her Research Fellowship with the Centre and in this session revealed what she found and why it matters to every legal practitioner!   Topics covered in this episode include: The link between increased tech adoption and data usage The challenges for legal practitioners and practices in using data Where, how, and how often data analytics is showing up in legal business decision making and client matters…and why it’s important What’s driving (or not) upskilling in data understanding, use, and analysis Where education opportunities can/should/are being accessed (or not) about legal data How to approach and who to employ as your legal data analyst The emerging gap in data use and application between law firms and in-house legal departments…and why that matters How to close the data skills gap for lawyers…urgently! Congrats on completing your Fellowship, Denise – great insights, great opportunities ahead – we know you’ll be leading them and helping all of us do more, understand more, and make more of our legal businesses for our clients through the magic of data! If you are interested in learning more about the use and application of data in legal practice, please listen/watch this session (podcast Ep 142 and video) on The Data Driven Legal Practice – Fact, Fiction or Fantasy? too.

In this podcast, the fifth session in CLI’s Legaltech Around the World Series, David Bushby, Managing Director, InCounsel provided an overview of the local legaltech market in Canada + USA. David was joined by amazing guest panellists: Chris Bentley, Managing Director, Legal Innovation Zone and Law Practice Program at Ryerson University (Canada) Wendy Butler Curtis, Chief Innovation Officer and Chair eDiscovery & Information Governance Group, Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP (USA) Olga V. Mack, Vice President, CEO, Parley Pro LexisNexis (USA) Maya Markovich, Executive Director, Justice Technology Association (USA) Noah Waisberg, Co-founder & CEO, Zuva Inc. (Canada) Topics covered in this session included: An overview of the legaltech markets in Canada + USA How, why and where legaltech communities are developing The transformation of legaltech to tech and the implications for legal practice The impact of regulatory reform on legaltech Who and what is driving the leaders in legaltech adoption – in-house vs law firms and beyond The changing profile of legaltech buyers The pros and cons of enterprise tech stacks vs point solutions From platforms to tech companies – where does the continuum start and end? The role of tech in access to justice Who is funding legaltech development in Canada + USA The new legaltech talent profile – who, what, where and when! The challenges and opportunities for legaltech in Canada + USA You’ll find information about the other episodes in this series here. The series is presented in association with InCounsel. If you would prefer to watch rather than listen to this episode, you’ll find the video in our CLI-Collaborate (CLIC) free Resource Hub here. Don’t forget to subscribe to: InCounsel’s Weekly Newsletter CLI’s Newsletter

In this podcast, the final episode of five in CLI’s Digital Literacy Series: eDiscovery Mini Series,  Kate Clark, CEO, Enhanced Litigation Management Solutions (ELMS) and colleague Ciara Cooke, Senior Legal Technology Consultant discussed the services delivered by eDiscovery providers in Australia and how to determine which services work best for your legal practice. Topics covered in this session included: Over and above – the services delivered by eDiscovery providers Inhouse vs external providers – pros and cons Support for early claims assessment/early investigations Support for litigation matters Support for eTrials Explaining the value of eDiscovery to your clients You’ll find information about the other episodes in this series here. The series is presented in association with Enhanced Litigation Management Solutions. If you would prefer to watch rather than listen to this episode, you’ll find the video in our CLI-Collaborate (CLIC) free Resource Hub here.

In this podcast, the fourth episode of five in CLI’s Digital Literacy Series: eDiscovery Mini Series,  Kate Clark, CEO, Enhanced Litigation Management Solutions (ELMS) and colleagues Ciara Cooke, Senior Legal Technology Consultant and Sam White, Legal Technology Consultant, provided an overview of the tech tools available in the market for eDiscovery, shared their experiences in selecting and deploying these tools in their business, and illustrated all of this through a series of mini demos. Topics covered in this session included: Security of your documents What products ELMS selected and why Management of electronic documents in litigation Chronology support – products and costs Combining helpful products and tools You’ll find information about the other episodes in this series here. The series is presented in association with Enhanced Litigation Management Solutions. If you would prefer to watch rather than listen to this episode, you’ll find the video in our CLI-Collaborate (CLIC) free Resource Hub here.

Metrics have always been a critical part of business. The Legal Metrics Portal (LMP) has made them an accessible and essential part of LEGAL business. LMP is the product of a 2-year labour of love and global collaboration of leading legal ops enthusiasts and specialists: Connie Brenton, VP of Law, Technology and Operations at NetApp; Mick Sheehy, Partner, NewLaw, PwC Australia; Jeff Franke, CEO of LegalOps.com; Pratik Patel, Head of Innovation at Elevate; and J. Deckert, VP of Operations at Is Inspired. In this podcast, we spoke with two of the LMP founders and gurus, Connie Brenton and Mick Sheehy, to explore just what an amazing contribution the LMP promises to be and, given the brains trust and firepower behind it, what it will no doubt achieve – a form of crowd-sourced business intelligence! LMP has been designed for use and, is user-friendly for legal ops and a whole bunch of legal practice areas too! You might be new to legal metrics or an experienced professional, no matter where you lie on that continuum, you’ll find guidance about how to make the most of this resource and, undoubtedly, something you can use along the way. The 500 metrics are categorised, assigned levels of importance and, you can customise them and add your own metrics too!  You’ll find the website here - go visit it, you won’t be disappointed! If you would prefer to watch rather than listen to this podcast, you’ll find the video here. About the Future 50 Series In the Future 50 Series we’re chatting with legalpreneurs who, through their ideas and actions, are challenging and transforming legal BAU all around the world. If you would like to recommend people for this Series, please contact us at: CLI@collaw.edu.au.

In this podcast in the Future 50 Series of the CLI Legalpreneurs Spotlight, we chatted with Heidi K. Brown about her new book, The Flourishing Lawyer - A Multi-Dimensional Approach to Performance and Well-Being (2022). Heidi has been exploring the lawyer psyche for a number of years. What distinguishes Heidi’s work in this area is its multidisciplinary approach and that it draws from lessons learned from other industries like the world of elite sports professionals. It’s also personal. It’s part of Heidi’s lived experience as a former practising lawyer and now working with lawyers of the future in her roles as Professor of Law and the Director of Legal Writing at Brooklyn Law School in the US. A clear theme runs through Heidi’s work – the importance of empathy, curiosity, positivity and a commitment to challenging what it means to be a lawyer and changing mindsets about what lawyering is or could be now and in the future. The Flourishing Lawyer is the third in a trilogy of exploration. It started with The Introverted Lawyer: A Seven-Step Journey Toward Authentically Empowered Advocacy (2017), then to Untangling Fear in Lawyering: A Four-Step Journey Toward Powerful Advocacy (2019) and now to The Flourishing Lawyer – and it’s clear, thankfully, that this is not the end! If you would prefer to watch rather than listen to this podcast, you’ll find the video here. About the Future 50 Series In the Future 50 Series, we’re chatting with legalpreneurs who, through their ideas and actions, are challenging and transforming legal BAU all around the world. If you would like to recommend people for this Series, please contact us at: CLI@collaw.edu.au.

In this podcast, the fourth session in CLI’s Legaltech Around the World Series, David Bushby, Managing Director, InCounsel provided an overview of the local legaltech market in Europe. David was joined by amazing guest panellists: Srdjan Dejanovic, Founder & CEO, Dejanovic Law & Tech (Serbia) Helena Hallgarn, Co-Founder, Virtual Intelligence VQ (Sweden) Topics covered in this session included: An overview of the legaltech market in Europe – challenges and opportunities The drivers/agents of change in legaltech in Europe The difference between law firm, legal department and public sector use of legaltech The importance of community - support, networking, sharing of experience and information about tech in Europe The hype vs reality of tech, tech tools, and AI use and application in Europe What legaltech adoption looks like – not just for improved efficiency but, more broadly, to enhance knowledge and experience capture, compliance, user experience, support the new delivery of legal services/products The importance and need for education and better collaboration between legaltech developers and users (and the role for those who can build a bridge between them) The opportunities for those outside Europe to utilize skills and capabilities in Europe in legaltech You’ll find information about the other episodes in this series here. The series is presented in association with InCounsel. If you would prefer to watch rather than listen to this episode, you’ll find the video in our CLI-Collaborate (CLIC) free Resource Hub here. Don’t forget to subscribe to: InCounsel’s Weekly Newsletter CLI’s Newsletter

How will we know if innovative changes to the civil justice system are actually happening and more, if they are making a difference? That’s essentially the question that the American Bar Association (ABA) Centre for Innovation set out to investigate and answer in 2019. Guided by their working group, lots of stakeholder engagement, and lots of iterations too, in 2022, they concluded phase one of the project and launched its output – “a tool that enables all stakeholders to build effective metrics to evaluate their desired outcomes”- Justice System Metrics. The best way to understand the metrics and data in support is to visit the website, experiment and explore. That’s also easy to do because the site is super user-friendly. It’s been built so those new to the world of data and metrics can find what you want as easily as those who are more adept. The metrics “are searchable based on the type of data it supplies, the location you can find that data, or by keywords connecting similar or relative metrics.  The use cases are searchable by publication date, keywords, and data source.” There is also a bunch of resources on the website in the “Metrics in Action” section.  And, a step-by-step guide on how to create your journey in the “Use the Metrics” section. This is a multi-phase project. The ABA is actively encouraging people to provide feedback, resources,  and contribute their thoughts on the developed metrics and their own data and metrics too: “ the website is meant to serve as a clearing house for the metrics and research being done that help” the ABA “evaluate the effectiveness our justice system.”   Discussing this project with working group members Joey Gartner, Director of, and Counsel at, the ABA Centre for Innovation and Amanda Brown, Executive Director of the Lagniappe Law Lab, was inspiring – we can’t wait to see where this project goes next! If you would prefer to watch rather than listen to this podcast, you’ll find the video here.  About the Future 50 Series In the Future 50 Series we’re chatting with legalpreneurs who, through their ideas and actions, are challenging and transforming legal BAU all around the world.  If you would like to recommend people for this Series, please contact us at: CLI@collaw.edu.au.