

Reinventing Professionals
Ari Kaplan
The business of providing professional advice is changing. Today, anyone can go online and access a wealth of information about any topic, from legal and medical advice to financial planning and accounting suggestions. This blog is designed to offer ideas, guidance, and perspectives on how to effectively navigate a perpetually shifting professional landscape, with a unique focus on the legal industry and the technology that is driving its evolution.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Aug 16, 2021 • 14min
Addressing the Biggest Problem in Litigation Today
I spoke with Collin Williams, the founder and chairman of New Era ADR, a platform designed to help litigants reimagine how they resolve disputes. We discussed the biggest problem in litigation today, how to reshape traditional alternative dispute resolution, and how litigation is evolving.

Aug 13, 2021 • 7min
Creating a Unique Client Experience
I spoke with Jay Sheldon, the general manager of the Equinox Golf Resort and Spa in Manchester, Vermont. We discussed ways to create unique client experiences, how hospitality and general client preferences have changed in the pandemic, and how organizations are adapting to a dynamically shifting business climate.

Aug 11, 2021 • 15min
Why Legal Professionals Should Leverage Tools that Provide Automation and Scalability
I spoke with Bill Piwonka, the chief marketing officer for Exterro, a provider of software for legal teams to defensibly manage their legal governance, risk, and compliance requirements. We discussed why legal professionals should leverage tools that provide automation and scalability, how e-discovery can realize additional benefits from artificial intelligence, and how AI is evolving.

Aug 6, 2021 • 12min
Educating the Public About the Law And Earning More Than Five Million Followers in the Process
I spoke with Mike Mandell, a lawyer with Mandell Law in California, who educates the public about the law through social media. We discussed how he produces content for YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram, his process for selecting topics for his videos, the message he conveys to consumers, and how he sees the use of content-driven social media tools for lawyers evolving.

Aug 5, 2021 • 18min
Driving Change in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
I spoke with Jennifer Martinez, the Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer and a partner at Hanson Bridgett. We discussed the policies and programs that have helped the firm support its diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, its Agile Workforce Initiative, and ways that clients are driving change.

Jul 28, 2021 • 13min
Managed Services for Law Firms
I spoke with Ed Sohn, the head of solutions at Factor, a provider of managed services. We discussed Factor’s Legal Transaction Optimization service for law firms, how law firms benefit from collaborating with ALSPs, and the impact of working from home on this alliance.

Jul 26, 2021 • 10min
Legal Tech in Russia
I spoke with Daria Shunina, the head of international startup relations for the Skolkovo Foundation, an innovation center in Russia focused on attracting foreign companies to the country’s innovation ecosystem. We discussed Skolkovo’s mission, the objective of the Soft Landing program, and how interest in legal tech innovation is evolving in Russia.

Jul 23, 2021 • 11min
Empowering the Selection of Outside Counsel
I spoke with Jim Delkousis, the founder and CEO of PERSUIT, a software platform that facilitates a competitive process for sourcing outside legal counsel. We discussed the transition from law firm partner to legal tech founder, the challenges that law department leaders face in selecting their outside counsel, and how the relationship between law firms and law departments is evolving.

Jul 22, 2021 • 16min
Using Technology to Prevent Time Entry Mistakes
I spoke with Andre Wouansi, the founder and managing partner of Accurate Legal Billing, a time entry platform that uses artificial intelligence to help law firms align their invoices with e-billing guidelines. We discussed common mistakes lawyers make when entering their time, how to use artificial intelligence to analyze a law firm’s invoices, and the challenges associated with using AI to interpret unique time entries.

Jul 22, 2021 • 10min
Attracting Talent in a Competitive Market
I spoke with Michael Ellenhorn, the founder and CEO of Decipher Investigative Intelligence, a firm that develops actionable intelligence to guide law firms in developing successful lateral hiring programs and strategies. We discussed the current market in law firm hiring, how law firms are searching for fully or partially remote positions, best practices for law firm leaders to attract talent, and how hiring is evolving.