ABA Journal: Legal Rebels Podcast - Legal Talk Network

How agentic artificial intelligence could shake up the legal industry

Ally Kvidt — Wed, 16 Jul 2025 11:00:07 +0000

For lawyers, artificial intelligence agents could completely change the way that they do their jobs, handling things such as legal research, document creation and managing workflows with little human supervision. But if we’ve learned anything since the dawn of the generative AI revolution, the potential benefits of agentic AI come with risks and possible consequences, as well.

How ethics reforms in Arizona led to LegalZoom’s law firm

Ally Kvidt — Wed, 11 Jun 2025 11:00:30 +0000

When Arizona changed its ethics rules in 2020 opening the door for alternative business structures and nonlawyer ownership for law firms, it sent shock waves throughout the legal industry. Nicole Miller, the chief legal officer of LegalZoom, speaks to the ABA Journal’s Victor Li about LegalZoom’s experience in Arizona thus far, as well as general issues relating to regulatory reform and alternative business structures.

To buy or not to buy? For Cleary Gottlieb, acquiring an AI company was a no-brainer

Ally Kvidt — Wed, 14 May 2025 11:00:26 +0000

Law firms acquire or merge with one another all the time. But when it comes to technology companies, firms usually keep it in-house or enter into a partnership with an outside vendor. They rarely go ahead and just buy a tech company. So when Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton announced in March that it had acquired artificial intelligence products developers Springbok AI, it made headlines.

Generative AI can help overworked immigration lawyers navigate these tumultuous times

Ally Kvidt — Wed, 16 Apr 2025 11:00:51 +0000

“May you live in interesting times.” For immigration lawyers, that old proverb is now a reality. Ever since the start of the second Trump administration, immigration lawyers have been busier than ever, and they have plenty on their plates.

This year’s historic ABA Techshow will be bigger than ever

Ally Kvidt — Wed, 12 Mar 2025 11:00:53 +0000

For one thing, it marks the 40th annual iteration of the show. For another, it promises to be the biggest of all time—emanating for the first time from the McCormick Place Convention Center in Chicago. Techshow co-chair Stephen Embry talks to the ABA Journal’s Victor Li about what to expect from this year’s show.

Should we expect new regulations on data privacy and consumer protection?

Ally Kvidt — Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:00:22 +0000

It’s a well-worn saying that the law always lags behind technology. It makes sense. We all remember the old song about how a bill becomes a law and how long the whole process can take. By the time you get to the verse about a president signing something into law, technology has either evolved into something even more cutting edge or become obsolete—replaced by a newer, shinier toy.

What’s the forecast for generative AI in 2025?

Ally Kvidt — Wed, 15 Jan 2025 12:00:00 +0000

If last year was when generative artificial intelligence went mainstream, could this year be the one when it gets even bigger? Will we see more people, law firms, companies and government agencies adopt, use or integrate it into their day-to-day activities? Will we see more rules and regulations from states or the federal government regarding its use? What about law schools and generative AI? Will we see more start to teach it? And will lawyers finally learn more about what to do, or not to do, when it comes to using it?

2024 in Review: Generative AI dominated legal tech

Ally Kvidt — Wed, 11 Dec 2024 12:00:14 +0000

More money is flowing into legal tech than ever before, as several gigantic deals dominated the headlines and enlarged quite a few bank accounts. And the push for regulatory reform extended to attorney admissions—between a demand for an online bar exam and an exploration of alternative pathways to licensure, one of the longtime pillars of the legal profession could be ready to make way. That’s just a few of the topics that will be covered in this special year-in-review episode of the Legal Rebels Podcast.

What generative AI means for the future of predictive analytics

Ally Kvidt — Wed, 13 Nov 2024 17:00:10 +0000

Lawyers, especially litigators, like to say they never ask a question that they don’t already know the answer to. But there’s plenty of unknowns out there—especially when it comes to how a case might turn out or how much it will cost. Predictive judicial and law firm analytics take some of that guesswork out of the equation.

What Filevine’s new AI tool could mean for the future of depositions

Ally Kvidt — Wed, 16 Oct 2024 11:00:24 +0000

The generative artificial intelligence tool is not just designed to transcribe depositions. It looks for inconsistencies. It suggests questions to ask. It analyzes the transcript in real time to see whether there are issues that have to be cleared up or areas of weakness to address. In other words, it’s like having another attorney in the room—only one who’s capable of digesting large amounts of data and analyzing it quickly.

What does the future hold for licensed paraprofessionals?

Ally Kvidt — Wed, 18 Sep 2024 11:00:09 +0000

Much has been made of the gigantic access-to-justice gap in this country. One possible way to help bridge the gap is to expand the pool of people eligible to practice law. Of course, that raises age-old concerns about unauthorized practice of law.

Tests into and out of law schools—what’s changing and why

Ally Kvidt — Wed, 14 Aug 2024 11:00:42 +0000

The LSAT is facing competition from the JD-Next exam, and many states are reconsidering their licensing methods as the bar exam as we’ve known it sunsets in 2028. Kellye Testy, the executive director and CEO of the Association of American Law Schools, talks with the ABA Journal’s Julianne Hill about why those changes are happening now and what it means for law schools and students.

How generative AI can help you market your legal practice

Ally Kvidt — Wed, 17 Jul 2024 15:00:31 +0000

There has been a lot of talk and concern about generative AI tools and how they are changing the legal industry.

A major worry for many lawyers is that these tools could replace them or make them redundant.

But what about the potential of generative AI to help lawyers generate business, market themselves more effectively, and make more money?

On this month’s episode of the Legal Rebels Podcast, Gyi Tsakalakis, founder of AttorneySync and EPL Digital and digital marketing expert, talks about how generative AI can help lawyers generate business and market themselves.

Can generative AI tools make it easier for lawyers to offer pro bono services?

Ally Kvidt — Wed, 12 Jun 2024 11:00:41 +0000

A commonly cited solution to helping bridge the access-to-justice canyon is for lawyers to provide more pro bono work. In that regard, have generative artificial intelligence tools made it easier for lawyers to provide pro bono services?

Will generative AI (finally) spell the end of the billable hour?

Ally Kvidt — Wed, 22 May 2024 11:00:02 +0000

It seems like every time that there’s a major disruption or event that threatens to upend the legal industry, it spells doom for the billable hour. But that could be more out of hope than anything else. The billable hour survived the Great Recession and the COVID-19 pandemic, despite many people thinking—or maybe wishing—that it wouldn’t.

The future of DEI programs in the legal industry

Ally Kvidt — Wed, 17 Apr 2024 11:00:11 +0000

The lack of diversity when it comes to race, gender, sexuality, disability and social class within the legal profession is nothing new. However, the last decade has marked a gradual increase in diversity across all fields.

Could automated transcription tools replace human court reporters?

Ally Kvidt — Wed, 13 Mar 2024 11:00:12 +0000

Transcription technology has existed for a while now, but its accuracy has never been that high. Now, artificial intelligence could make automated transcription even more accurate. As the tech becomes better and better, is it possible that it could eventually replace human court reporters?

Fall in love with legal technology at this year’s ABA Techshow

Ally Kvidt — Wed, 07 Feb 2024 12:00:58 +0000

What better way to spend Valentine’s Day than with your favorite lawyers, legal professionals, technologists and thought leaders who will be on hand to teach lucky conference goers about all the latest trends and developments in the field of legal technology?

Want to clear a criminal record? This lawyer has an app for that

Ally Kvidt — Wed, 17 Jan 2024 12:00:51 +0000

The impact for people clearing their criminal records can be life-changing, leading to long-term employment and financial security. And research shows that it also helps prevent recidivism. But the path to expungement is not always easy, requiring people with criminal records to navigate an unfamiliar, costly and drawn-out process. That’s where lawyer Noella Sudbury comes in.

What were the top legal tech stories of 2023?

Ally Kvidt — Wed, 13 Dec 2023 12:00:11 +0000

As 2023 draws to a close, the Legal Rebels Podcast looks at the top stories in legal technology for the year. Between the explosion in popularity of ChatGPT and other generative artificial intelligence tools, the continued use of virtual or hybrid working arrangements and the underwhelming mergers and acquisitions market, it was certainly an eventful year.

How this lawyer uses TikTok to skewer law firm culture

Ally Kvidt — Wed, 15 Nov 2023 12:00:51 +0000

Legal professionals are not immune to the pull of platforms such as TikTok, Instagram and YouTube Shorts. Some are even using short-form videos to inform clients about their law practice; build their business or brand; or shed light on the culture of BigLaw, crafting short-form video content giving an insider look at the profession.

Among them is Alex Su, a former lawyer and head of community development at Ironclad, a contract management software company.

How generative AI is already changing contract review

Ally Kvidt — Wed, 18 Oct 2023 11:00:55 +0000

One of the areas that has already felt the effects of ChatGPT and other large language models is contracts. Users can now use these AI-enhanced tools to help them quickly draft, analyze and review contracts. All you have to do is type in what you want, and the tech does the rest. Of course, it isn’t that simple. The technology is still in its infancy, and there are limits to what it can do.

What is the future of remote working in the law firm world?

Ally Kvidt — Wed, 13 Sep 2023 11:00:39 +0000

Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, working from home and communicating and collaborating via real-time communication tools has become the norm for many law firms and offices. The benefits of such arrangements are obvious. However, some firms, including several of the largest in the country, have begged to differ. Citing a need to maintain or preserve office culture and strengthen personal connections, these firms are now mandating at least four days in the office per week.

Changing the culture at law firms to promote wellness and mental well-being

Ally Kvidt — Wed, 16 Aug 2023 15:20:33 +0000

For decades, lawyers who worked in BigLaw could expect some version of the following: Work long hours, including nights and weekends, with minimal free time, giving up almost all semblances of a social life. The reward: money and a potential partnership. And if you didn’t like it, there was the door. And if you were having mental health or wellness issues, then suck it up and deal with it.

How GPT and other large language models could change e-discovery

Ally Kvidt — Wed, 19 Jul 2023 11:00:42 +0000

When technologically assisted review first started gaining traction in e-discovery in the 2010s, many of the same superlatives assigned to ChatGPT were used to describe this groundbreaking new process that purported to review documents faster and more accurately than humans. Lawyers would get hours and hours of time back, and clients would save tons of money.

What could AI regulation in the US look like?

Ally Kvidt — Wed, 14 Jun 2023 11:00:31 +0000

ChatGPT, the large language model released by OpenAI, is one of several such tools that have revolutionized the legal industry in a short amount of time, igniting debates about whether artificial intelligence has to be regulated—and by whom. The European Union recently took the first step toward passing the AI Act, whereby regulation would increase in proportion with the potential threat to privacy and safety that an AI system poses. China has also drafted rules to regulate AI.

Pre/Dicta takes a radically different approach to predictive analytics than others

Ally Kvidt — Wed, 17 May 2023 11:00:48 +0000

There are plenty of judicial analytics and litigation prediction tools on the market. They may have differences in execution and focus, but the general rule of thumb is that they look at a judge’s past rulings and opinions to predict how that judge might rule on a similar motion or case in the future. For instance, you can look up how a particular judge on prior motions to dismiss on certain employment discrimination cases to get an idea how they might rule on a similar one currently pending in their courtroom. That knowledge can be important for lawyers.

What the Silicon Valley Bank failure means for our financial institutions

Legal Talk Network — Wed, 12 Apr 2023 11:00:15 +0000

Many of us still get a chill running down our spines when we hear about bank failures and bailouts. After all, it was less than 15 years ago when we went through one of the worst economic disasters in history, and institutions such as Bear Stearns, Lehman Brothers Inc., American International Group Inc. and others became famous for the wrong reasons. The Great Recession took years to recover from, and some of its effects can still be felt to this day.

How Casetext utilized the latest GPT technology to create an AI legal assistant

Legal Talk Network — Wed, 22 Mar 2023 11:00:09 +0000

In November, when OpenAI unleashed the newest, most advanced version of its chatbot, ChatGPT, it immediately captured the imagination. So far, it’s been a hit. Casetext launched CoCounsel earlier this month, and it functions as a legal assistant, helping users draft all sorts of legal documents. Users can utilize CoCounsel to help draft briefs, compose research memos, draw up contracts and analyze them, and write correspondence—all by typing their questions or requests into a prompt.

What to expect from ABA Techshow 2023

Legal Talk Network — Wed, 15 Feb 2023 12:00:08 +0000

One of the biggest and longest-running legal technology shows in the country, the ABA Techshow, is right around the corner. From March 1 to 4, thousands of lawyers, legal professionals and vendors will descend upon Chicago to talk about technology.

Should lawyers embrace or fear ChatGPT?

Legal Talk Network — Wed, 18 Jan 2023 12:00:04 +0000

For some academics, researching, writing, editing and publishing a scholarly piece of work can take months, if not years, of painstaking effort, diligent commitment and rage-inducing frustration. In December, Andrew Perlman, the dean of the Suffolk University Law School, authored one in less time than it takes to watch an episode of the Game of Thrones prequel series House of the Dragon.

Why this BigLaw firm recently started a legal ops division

Legal Talk Network — Wed, 14 Dec 2022 12:00:03 +0000

Legal operations handle a lot of the business and technological stuff that many lawyers either aren’t trained to handle or don’t want to deal with. All so lawyers can focus on practicing law and representing their clients to the best of their abilities.

It’s a long road ahead for driverless cars, says Fastcase executive

Legal Talk Network — Wed, 09 Nov 2022 12:00:05 +0000

There hasn’t been much progress when it comes to driverless cars. Most major car manufacturers have sunk hundreds of billions into developing and testing driverless cars; yet the finish line seems to be nowhere in sight. So what happened?

How lawyers can unlock the potential of the metaverse

Legal Talk Network — Wed, 19 Oct 2022 11:00:05 +0000

The metaverse is all the rage these days. Users can enter a virtual world where they can interact with people from all parts of the physical world, play games, engage in commerce and do a lot of other things. Some law firms have also seen the potential.

Legal Chatbots: What can and can’t they do?

Legal Talk Network — Wed, 14 Sep 2022 11:00:04 +0000

Programmed to communicate as if they were living, breathing people, AI chatbots function by asking you a series of questions and providing you with your available options. Lawyers, law firms and courts have even gotten into the act.

Why this BigLaw Firm Adopted a Permanent Work-from-Anywhere Policy for its Lawyers and Staff

Legal Talk Network — Wed, 17 Aug 2022 11:00:51 +0000

Thanks to nearly two-years of COVID-19-related shutdowns and sheltering-in-place orders, working from home has become the new normal. Face-to-face interactions have been replaced by meeting on real-time videoconferencing platforms such as Zoom, FaceTime or Microsoft Teams, while cloud-based collaborative programs have become absolutely vital if any work is to be done.

How technology can improve immigration policy and practice

Legal Talk Network — Wed, 20 Jul 2022 11:00:32 +0000

Immigration is an area of law that lends itself well to technological innovations. It is in that intersection in which immigration lawyer Greg Siskind does his work.

Taking on unauthorized practice of law regulations to expand access to justice

Legal Talk Network — Wed, 15 Jun 2022 11:00:46 +0000

Are you struggling with debt? Do you have collectors breathing down your neck, threatening to repossess your property and filing lawsuits against you in court? For many Americans facing this dilemma, their options are fairly limited.

EmotionTrac analyzes facial expressions in real time to help lawyers pick juries, market themselves

Legal Talk Network — Wed, 18 May 2022 11:00:12 +0000

Facial recognition software is becoming a greater part of our everyday lives. But the technology is controversial and not without its critics. Questions about its accuracy—especially relating to recognizing minority faces—remain.

Special thanks to our sponsors, Alert Communications and Smokeball.

TurnSignl app seeks to provide real-time legal assistance and de-escalation of tension during traffic stops

Legal Talk Network — Wed, 13 Apr 2022 10:59:51 +0000

Like many Americans, Jazz Hampton and two of his friends, Andre Creighton and Mychal Frelix, watched in horror as two fellow Minnesotans, Philando Castile and George Floyd, were killed by police officers following what seemed to be routine traffic stops. If only there had been a way to de-escalate those situations while protecting the rights of the person detained, as well as the law enforcement officer involved. So they came up with one.

Special thanks to our sponsors, Alert Communications and Smokeball.

With alternative dispute rising in popularity, this platform aims to help mediators and arbitrators

Legal Talk Network — Wed, 23 Mar 2022 11:00:52 +0000

As a young personal injury litigator in Georgia, Gino Brogdon Jr. says he was accustomed to using different technology tools to manage his practice. But when Brogdon began working as a mediator, he realized that there were limited tech options to assist him in the alternative dispute resolution realm.

Special thanks to our sponsors, Alert Communications and Smokeball.

How a social justice innovation lab is developing new types of legal services

Legal Talk Network — Wed, 16 Feb 2022 12:00:00 +0000

The Innovation for Justice lab launched at the University of Arizona’s James E. Rogers College of Law in 2018 with the goal of designing, building and testing new solutions to addressing the justice gap impacting millions of Americans.

Special thanks to our sponsors, Alert Communications and Smokeball.

How this contracts platform uses AI to help users manage and analyze key documents

Legal Talk Network — Wed, 19 Jan 2022 12:00:10 +0000

Evisort co-founder Jake Sussman says when the company began developing its contract management and analysis platform, its goal was to use artificial intelligence as a last resort. But it soon became clear that AI was the only way to solve the contract challenges that Evisort wanted to help users tackle.

Special thanks to our sponsors, Alert Communications and Smokeball.

How an e-discovery platform has evolved to meet the new challenges facing clients

Legal Talk Network — Wed, 15 Dec 2021 12:00:59 +0000

AJ Shankar, the founder and CEO of e-discovery platform Everlaw, likes to say his company’s technology is designed to help clients find needles in a haystack. But he notes that the haystacks that law firms and corporate in-house teams have to confront have grown in size and complexity in recent years. This has prompted cloud-based Everlaw to enhance and broaden its e-discovery offerings.

Special thanks to our sponsors, Alert Communications and Smokeball.

How a law prof is training paraprofessionals to represent immigrants in legal proceedings

Legal Talk Network — Wed, 17 Nov 2021 12:00:59 +0000

Law prof Michele Pistone says there aren’t enough immigration lawyers and pro bono attorneys to meet the demand of immigrants seeking legal assistance. This justice gap is a primary reason that she created a program to train paraprofessionals to handle legal work in the immigration realm.

Special thanks to our sponsors, Alert Communications and Smokeball.

Why this BigLaw firm is embracing an ‘augmented automation solution’ for clients

Legal Talk Network — Wed, 13 Oct 2021 11:00:25 +0000

Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati announced last month that it had teamed up with Workiva Inc. to create an application that automates the S-1 form that companies must file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission when going public.

Special thanks to our sponsors, Alert Communications and Smokeball.

Why an online legal marketplace has added tech companies and other alternative providers

Legal Talk Network — Wed, 15 Sep 2021 11:00:51 +0000

Priori is an online platform known for using data and technology to connect in-house legal teams with lawyers and law firms who can assist with a wide variety of projects. But Basha Rubin, CEO and co-founder at Priori, says the company noticed that clients were sometimes turning to its online marketplace for help with problems that “might be best solved by a ‘new law’ company or a nontraditional legal provider.”

Special thanks to our sponsors, Alert Communications, Nota, and Smokeball.

This online platform aims to help pro se litigants with complex civil cases

Legal Talk Network — Wed, 18 Aug 2021 11:00:32 +0000

Sonja Ebron and her wife, Debra Slone, saw firsthand how difficult it can be to represent yourself in civil cases through experiences they had being sued and suing others. Ebron says the couple’s legal battles spanning several different practice areas ultimately prompted them to develop a platform called Courtroom5, an online toolbox that helps self-represented litigants handle their cases from start to finish.

Unlike many other technological tools for pro se litigants, Ebron says Courtroom5 is particularly well-suited to help people with complex civil matters and can be utilized by consumers nationwide. “Our goal is to simplify the process as much as possible for people who first of all really don’t want to be in court and secondly don’t have the legal background,” she says. The company, which is based in Durham, North Carolina, is also working to add a feature to help users connect with lawyers for a-la-carte services.

In this new episode of the Legal Rebels Podcast, Ebron discusses the build-up to the launch of Courtroom5 in 2017 and breaks down the different ways the platform can assist users.

Special thanks to our sponsors, Alert Communications and Nota.

How one bankruptcy software company had a banner year despite filings hitting a low

Legal Talk Network — Wed, 21 Jul 2021 10:59:38 +0000

When COVID-19 began hitting the United States hard in spring 2020, Janine Sickmeyer was among those in the bankruptcy world who thought that there would be a tsunami of cases. But contrary to the prognostications of many, the influx of bankruptcy matters never materialized.

Special thanks to our sponsors, Alert Communications and Nota.

A new evidence management tool aims to help public defenders process video and audio

Legal Talk Network — Wed, 16 Jun 2021 11:00:44 +0000

Devshi Mehrotra and her classmate Leslie Jones-Dove, who was also passionate about criminal justice reform, contacted local public defenders in the Chicago area to see how the two technologists could potentially be of help. They responded by developing a technology platform known as JusticeText, an AI-powered evidence management tool primarily geared toward public defenders.

Special thanks to our sponsors, Alert Communications and Nota.

New AI-powered legal writing tool aims to help lawyers craft winning briefs

Legal Talk Network — Wed, 19 May 2021 11:00:33 +0000

A gratifying legal victory sparked Jacqueline Schafer’s desire to create a legal technology product that would help other lawyers efficiently craft case-winning briefs full of compelling evidence. Clearbrief is an AI-powered legal writing tool that launched in March.

Special thanks to our sponsors, Alert Communications and Nota.

How one firm is trying to convince technology clients to embrace subscription pricing

Legal Talk Network — Wed, 14 Apr 2021 11:00:25 +0000

Joyce Tong Oelrich and Zohra Tejani, the founders of Tong Tejani, which specializes in government contracts and has mainly technology-sector clients, kept initial client feedback about subscription pricing in mind when they formally launched their firm in May 2020.

Special thanks to our sponsors, Alert Communications and Nota.

Experienced cloud-based law firm thrives during COVID-19, firm co-founder says

Legal Talk Network — Wed, 17 Mar 2021 11:00:40 +0000

When the spread of the novel coronavirus last spring prompted traditional law firms across the country to shutter their physical offices amid much economic uncertainty, the management team at cloud-based law firm FisherBroyles had very different concerns on its radar. The team wanted to make sure that the firm was ready to quickly ramp up hiring. Kevin E. Broyles, the firm’s co-founder and managing partner, says expanding was top of mind.

Special thanks to our sponsors, Alert Communications and Nota.

Virtual onboarding has provided some unexpected benefits, firm shareholder says

Legal Talk Network — Wed, 10 Feb 2021 17:52:44 +0000

Virtual trivia nights and happy hours are among the activities that Wolf, Greenfield & Sacks has hosted in recent months to help welcome new hires into the fold amid a remote working environment. John Van Amsterdam, a shareholder at the Boston-based intellectual property law firm, says the events hosted via video conferencing platforms because of COVID-19 have provided a surprisingly effective avenue for building personal connections.

Special thanks to our sponsors, Alert Communications and Nota.

Law firms should not rush lateral hiring, due diligence expert says

Legal Talk Network — Wed, 13 Jan 2021 12:00:13 +0000

With the shift to virtual recruitment amid the COVID-19 crisis, the speed at which law firms vet and hire lateral partners has increased, according to Michael Ellenhorn, the founder and CEO of Decipher. But Ellenhorn, whose company helps legal industry clients evaluate potential hires, says law firms would be wise not to quicken the hiring process too much.

Special thanks to our sponsor Alert Communications.

Deloitte is monitoring regulatory reforms but is focused on growing new practice

Legal Talk Network — Wed, 16 Dec 2020 12:00:24 +0000

Don Fancher, a principal in Deloitte’s legal business services practice in the United States, acknowledges that his firm has been monitoring the regulatory reform developments taking place in several states. But he says Deloitte has no current plans to apply to offer direct legal services in this country as it does in other nations. “These are issues happening in the industry that are important to our legal department clients, as well as our law firm clients, so we certainly pay attention,” Fancher says.

Special thanks to our sponsor Alert Communications.

Constant communication has been key amid COVID-19, law school dean says

Legal Talk Network — Wed, 18 Nov 2020 12:00:42 +0000

Just before students at the University of California at Irvine School of Law were set to return from spring break in March, the university decided that all classes would be moved online because of the spread of COVID-19. L. Song Richardson, the law school’s dean, says the news generated anxiety among students and faculty about how the rest of the spring semester would play out. Richardson emphasized to the law school community that they had experience addressing challenges together, and constant communication would be key to making the best of switch to remote learning.

Special thanks to our sponsor Alert Communications.

Firms of the future: COVID-19 prompts more law firms to pursue real estate downsizing

Legal Talk Network — Wed, 14 Oct 2020 11:00:16 +0000

In recent years, a growing number of law firms reduced their brick-and-mortar office space as a way to cut costs and also better meet the changing workplace needs of their attorneys. Sherry Cushman says the COVID-19 pandemic has further enhanced the desire of firms to shrink their real estate footprint.

Special thanks to our sponsor Alert Communications.

This Louisiana judge continues to innovate during the COVID-19 crisis

Legal Talk Network — Wed, 16 Sep 2020 11:00:45 +0000

Judge Scott Schlegel’s history of utilizing technology in his Louisiana courtroom to make life easier for attorneys and members of the public has come in very handy during the COVID-19 pandemic. When the public health crisis forced the closure of Jefferson Parish courtrooms earlier this year, Schlegel contacted those he knows in the legal tech world for assistance in bringing to fruition a plan to remotely accept guilty pleas in criminal cases.

Special thanks to our sponsor Alert Communications.

Bench trial by video? This lawyer says it went better than expected

Legal Talk Network — Wed, 19 Aug 2020 11:00:44 +0000

Chicago lawyer Kathy Ehrhart and her firm represented two of the three defendants in a civil case focused on alleged breach of contract concerning a real estate transaction. Though the video proceedings were not without some technical challenges, Ehrhart says the overall experience was better than she expected. “I think as time went on through the trial, we all felt an increasing ability to recapture some of those things that otherwise are lost,” she says.

Special thanks to our sponsor Alert Communications.

Legal reform advocates need to more actively engage the public

Legal Talk Network — Wed, 15 Jul 2020 11:00:40 +0000

Supporters of broad reforms to how the legal profession is regulated must do a better job drawing the public into ongoing conversations in several states about such issues, says Paula Littlewood, the former longtime executive director of the Washington State Bar Association. “We need to break outside what I call the echo chamber of the profession and really start bringing the consumer and the public to the table to understand what changes could really enhance their ability to access legal services,” Littlewood tells the ABA Journal’s Lyle Moran in this episode of the Legal Rebels Podcast. “If you talk to a family member, you talk to a taxi driver and you explain the concept of a limited license legal technician, I can guarantee you that nine times out of 10 the answer is, ‘Well, that totally makes sense.'”

Special thanks to our sponsor Alert Communications.

BigLaw firm’s legal tech subsidiary has launched a steady stream of COVID-19 tools

Legal Talk Network — Wed, 17 Jun 2020 11:00:51 +0000

When the novel coronavirus began rapidly spreading across the United States earlier this year, Kimball Dean Parker says he felt a strong desire to help consumers and businesses in need. Utah-based SixFifty set out to do what it does best: develop online tools to assist consumers of all types tackle complex legal challenges without breaking the bank.

Special thanks to our sponsor Alert Communications.

How hosting a national pandemic summit aided Nebraska courts with its COVID-19 response

Legal Talk Network — Wed, 13 May 2020 11:00:42 +0000

When the novel coronavirus began sweeping across the U.S. earlier this year, Nebraska’s courts system was better prepared to rapidly adjust its operations than some of its counterparts in other states. Michael G. Heavican, the chief justice of the Nebraska Supreme Court, attributes this to the National Pandemic Summit that he hosted in May 2019 for court leaders across the country. In this new Legal Rebels Podcast episode, Heavican talks to ABA Journal Legal Affairs Writer Lyle Moran.