The 2021 Emerging Legal Technology Forum

Necessity is the mother of innovation and law firms and corporate legal departments faced significant headwinds throughout 2020. Indeed, once regarded (by some) as a nuanced luxury, legal tech is now seen as a vital necessity for business in the current climate. This engaging discussion assesses the impact of legal technology innovation spurred by pandemic-related challenges. Key conversation points include:

• COVID era client feedback and evolving needs (courtesy of Acritas Star Performers data)
• Measuring the value of new, pandemic-spurred legal tech innovations
• Adapting operating models and assessing talent needs
• Future outlook on legal technology and innovation

Moderator:
Zach Posner, Co-Founder and Managing Partners, The LegalTech Fund

Presenters:
Joe Borstein, Chief Executive Officer, LexFusion
Nicole Bradick, Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Theory and Principle
Wendy Butler Curtis, Chief Innovation Officer, Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP
Jeroen Plink, Former Chief Executive Officer, Clifford Chance Applied Solutions

The financial impact of the pandemic across industries, including legal services, cannot be underscored enough. For law firms in particular, positive year-end financials, following a period of fiscal austerity, raise intriguing questions in a post-pandemic landscape where tightening purse strings and modest legal spend appear par for the course. This discussion closely examines the specific challenges facing law firms and corporate clientele asked to do more with less. Key discussion points include:

• Determining your value drivers
• Measuring and quantifying the ROI on technology spend
• How to effectively validate the value of newly emerging technologies
• Exploring and weighing the value of ALSPs (Alternative Legal Service Providers)
• Talent strategy and considerations

Moderator:
Kenneth Jones, Chief Technologist, Tanenbaum Keale LLP

Panelists:
Cheryl Wilson Griffin, Chief Customer Success Officer, Lupl
Catherine McPherson, Legal Technology Strategist, BartlitBeck
Karen M. Wiltgen, Principal and National Consulting Leader for Professional Services, RSM

COVID-19 underscored the importance of digital research resources and efficient workflow platforms for legal services professionals. Indeed, but for the diligence and critical planning of librarians and knowledge management professionals, the inability of colleagues to enjoy 24/7 access to legal research and automated workflow tools would have had unenviable consequences for the business. Now, with the return-to-office movement well underway, an increased emphasis on KM capabilities and optimized workflow is forcing firms to revisit—or in some instances embrace—design thinking principles well beyond a simple tabletop exercise. This session solicits practical guidance from firms (pro)actively (re)assessing enterprise workflow. What strategies exist for firms and departments navigating stranger tides? What lessons has the pandemic taught organizational and operational leaders about the future of legal work?

Moderator:
Rob Saccone, Partner, NexLaw Partners

Panelists:
Elisabeth Cappuyns, Director of Knowledge Management, DLA Piper
Christopher Laut III, Director of Library and Knowledge Services, Sullivan & Worcester
Jennifer Mendez, Director of Knowledge Management Innovation, Fisher & Phillips

Theories abound over the role of humans in the development and adoption of AI and machine learning. How can we ensure these technologies are developed and adopted in a way that ensures safe and trustworthy use? There is a growing body of work surrounding the topic of Human-Centered AI. This session, hosted by Thomson Reuters Labs, explores why, where, and how this topic is rising to the mainstage and driving a much-needed transformation of modern business. Our panel discussion will review critical concepts such as explainability, trustworthiness, bias detection and mitigation, and the current regulatory landscape for governing the human centered development and adoption of AI solutions. Attendees will depart with a clear understanding of:

• Major headwinds and issues within the legal industry specifically
• Best practices for supporting human centered AI in large and small organizations

Moderator:
Aileen Schultz, Senior Manager, Labs Programs – Global, Thomson Reuters Labs

Panelists:
Sally Gao, Data Scientist, Thomson Reuters Labs
Stas Gayshan, General Counsel, CIC Health
Simona Tiribelli, Director of Ethics, AI & Global Health, Institute for Technology & Global Health

The continued maturation and evolution of blockchain technology holds profound ramifications for the legal profession. Whether in central banks, consumer markets, or cloistered government chambers, scrutiny over blockchain and its lucrative (if risky) derivatives continues to stoke a perfect storm of opportunity and apprehension for in-house and outside counsel. This conversation offers a timely update on key trends and developments impacting our global business environment. At a time when concerns over illicit and decentralized finance comingle with investor enthusiasm for Bitcoin, Dogecoin, Litecoin, Ethereum, and NFTs, are lawyers and compliance professionals poised to handle the wave of things may come?

Moderator:
Nadia V. Gil, Head of Strategy and Operations, Cloud Security, Google

Panelists:
Dazza Greenwood, Founder & CEO, CIVICS.com Consultancy Services
Doug McCalmont, Co-Founder & Chief Technology Officer, Chrysalis Digital Asset Exchange
Jorge Pesok, General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer, Tacen
Joseph Raczynski, Technologist & Futurist, Thomson Reuters

External partners and third-party providers are key cogs for a successful business. The past twenty months have underscored not only the intrinsic value of these trusted business relationships, but also the inherent degree of third-party risk each partnership contains therein. This session offers a timely dive into how law firms and corporate legal departments are addressing a new spate of threats from outside their organizational walls. Key talking points include:

• Third-party risk management, due diligence, and supplier challenges
• New technological opportunities and use cases for legal and business professionals
• Regulatory developments in the post-pandemic environment
• People and evolving talent skill sets for effective risk management

Moderator:
Christina Ayiotis, Member, Global Advisory Board, VigiTrust

Panelists:
Chris Guido, Program Management Office, Technology Lead, Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Jenny Hedderman, Risk Counsel, Office of the Comptroller, Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Robbie Hinz, Vice President – Associate General Counsel, VillageMD

With the battle for talent in legal services entering a new era of competition, AI-assisted recruiting is helping preeminent law firms and corporate legal departments pull ahead of the proverbial pack. Indeed, thanks to technology, the talent recruitment process is now drastically reduced, allowing hiring managers and HR professionals more time to focus on high-quality applicants, more meaningful and instructive conversations, as well as an improved overall recruitment experience. This discussion explores the cost, opportunities, and return on investment of talent acquisition technologies today. Will the growing popularity of AI-assisted recruiting help accelerate inclusive and sustainable practices across the legal profession?

Moderator:
Bryan R. Parker, Chief Executive Officer, Legal Innovators

Panelists:
Sang Lee, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder, Thine
Laura Leopard, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Leopard Solutions
John A. Nathanson, Partner and Firm Hiring Committee Head, Shearman & Sterling LLP

Please join us for cocktails and canapés as we wrap up the day’s proceedings.