Reinventing Professionals

I spoke with Ishan Girdhar, the founder and CEO of Privaa, a software company that focuses on third-party risk management. We discussed how the pandemic has changed the way companies perceive and manage risk, pitfalls that risk management teams should avoid, ways that law firms are responding to the rise in data breaches and cybersecurity concerns, and where third-party risk management is headed.

I spoke with Stuart Clarke, the head of product for Blackdot Solutions in Cambridge, England, which is an open-source data platform that helps organizations investigate data risks. We discussed the impact of remote work on financial crimes, best practices for financial institutions interested in limiting financial crimes, and the link between environmental conservation and financial crime.

I spoke with Nehal Madhani, the founder and CEO of Alt Legal, a company that provides trademark docketing software. We discussed the challenges that Alt Legal helps trademark professionals address, its 2021 Alt Legal Connect virtual conference, what attendees can expect, and how events are evolving.

I spoke with Haley Altman, the global head of corporate development for Litera, a software company that provides document lifecycle and deal management solutions to the legal profession. She was the founder of Doxly, which Litera acquired two years ago. We discussed how the legal technology companies that Litera has purchased connect, the ways that Litera Transact has evolved, and how technology will impact the future of deal management.

I spoke with Don Keller and Jim Brock, the CEO and chief product officer, respectively, at Joinder, a project management software platform for corporate legal departments. We discussed why a centralized project management platform is so important for law departments, how the increased use of technology by professionals in legal has impacted the overall comfort level, and whether law firms should focus on developing new technology.

I spoke with David Perla, the co-chief operating officer at Burford Capital, a leading provider of capital to the legal market. We discussed Burford’s 2021 Legal Asset Report, why it is important to talk to chief financial officers about legal assets, how CFO’s view affirmative recovery and legal cost management programs, and how corporate finance and corporate legal can collaborate more effectively.

I spoke with Vishal Rajpara, a co-founder and the chief technology officer at Casepoint, and Dana Wesley Sarti, a litigation support manager at Robbins, Russell, Englert, Orseck & Untereiner LLP. We discussed how legal teams are using AI within their eDiscovery workflow, the benefits of using AI and advanced analytics, the value of analytics in modern litigation, and how litigators are using machine learning to reduce the time and expense of review.

I spoke with William Morriss, a co-founder and the technology innovation advisor at IP Toolworks, which is a software platform that helps attorneys respond to rejections from the US Patent and Trademark Office. We discussed how companies are using technology to change the way they negotiate to obtain patents, the importance of the patent examiner to any given matter, best practices for preparing for an examiner interview, and how patent practices are evolving.

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.

I spoke with Raymond Millien, the new CEO of Harness, Dickey & Pierce, an intellectual property boutique with four offices and headquarters in suburban Detroit. We discussed how in-house experience can help law firm leaders, techniques for understanding and connecting with clients in a remote environment, changing client expectations, and how law firms with a specific focus can maintain their competitive advantage in a shifting legal landscape.

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.

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.

I spoke with Colin Li, the chief financial officer and chief revenue officer for Paradigm, a suite of practice management solutions for law firms, and Chad Todd, the co-founder of TrustBooks, a legal accounting software platform, which Paradigm recently acquired. We discussed how TrustBooks aligns with Paradigm’s suite of products, ways that it differs from other accounting solutions available to attorneys, and Paradigm’s long-term vision for its technology portfolio.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.