Legaltech Arcade

In this episode, I talk to Martin Clausen, CEO of Syngrato about the exciting rise of computational contracts and his new product, HyperContracts. We discuss what computational contracts are, the benefits of building computational models of commercial relationships, simulating outcomes before and after execution, how version control works when dealing with computational contracts, why applying a coding mindset to contract drafting can improve quality and decrease risk, and why they are different from smart contracts! Topics of discussion The origins of HyperContracts What computational contracts are and their benefits Contract-as-a-service Computational contracts for government framework agreements Using event flows to run contractual simulations How a contract can answer questions about itself Contractual debugging and QA Versioning and source control for computational contracts How to get started with computational contracts

In this episode, I talk to Christophe Frerebeau, Founder and CEO of Della. We discuss the evolution of AI in law, why other AI tools have been focusing on the wrong problem,  the Q&A approach to AI contract review, the interaction of legal AI with voice services, how contracts can be re-designed to lead to better outcomes, the use of AI in contract negotiation and the areas where the legal AI hype is justified. Topics of discussion Introduction to Della and the problem it solves From software engineer to legal tech founder Why AI isn't being used to its full extent in legal Becoming the google of contract analysis Augmented intelligence over artificial intelligence Layering AI tools on top of popular voice services How AI tools can support the full contract lifecycle Use of AI in contract negotiation The future of AI in law - what next?

In this episode, I talk to Adam Roney, Founder and CEO of Calls9. We discuss the challenges facing professional services organisations, the move from professional services 1.0 to 2.0, the role of technology in driving change within professional services, the stages of a digital transformation journey, success factors when approach a digital transformation project and the importance of company culture. Topics of discussion From innovation competition winner to tech CEO The origins and mission of Calls9 The evolving professional services landscape Hybrid digital/physical professional services offerings Empowering teams with connected digital workspaces Improving customer experiences with technology The dangers of risk averse culture and a lack of vision Why digital transformation audits are so important The role of company culture in digital transformation

In this episode, I talk to Tara Waters, Partner and Head of Ashurst Advance Digital, who began her career as a web developer and then moved into the law. We discuss the current state of tech within law firms, how the focus has evolved from digital services to digital products, considerations for law firms looking to build their own software, differentiating with technology, what legal tech can learn from open banking and the need for what Tara calls the "law-to-law model" to drive greater collaboration and client value. Topics of discussion Going from web development to law The current shape of leal tech in law firms From digital services to digital products Roles within digital teams The importance of buy vs. build for law firms Structuring for digital legal service delivery Whether law firms are serious about digital transformation How law firms can differentiate with technology The need for more collaboration between firms Tips for getting into legal technology

In this episode, I talk to Owen Oliver, Head of Product at StructureFlow and former co-founder of Workshare Transact. We discuss the challenges of building new tech products, how the legal tech landscape has changed in the last few years, why it made sense to take the Transact platform in-house at Workshare, his experiences as a legal tech intrapreneur and why he's excited to now be tackling visual modelling of corporate structures and transactions at StructureFlow. Topics of discussion The origins of Workshare Transact Finding a co-founder Why is made sense to take the product to Workshare Pros and cons of building a new product in an established vendor The key factors for the success of Workshare Transact Adoption challenges for new technology The impact of the sale of Workshare to Litera The future of Transaction Management Background to his recent move to StructureFlow Visual modelling or corporate structures and transactions Why 'going visual' is the future of legal tech

In this episode, I talk to Tom Dunlop, Founder and CEO of Summize. We discuss his journey from representing Team GB in badminton and getting into sports agency, to working as an in-house lawyer for fast-growth tech companies and founding Summize. We explore how legal tech vendors can succeed by leveraging the 1% principle to focus on delivering simple, yet high-value solutions that can deliver significant benefits for their customers. Topics of discussion The importance and benefits of automated contract summaries From European No. 1 badminton player to legal tech founder Bringing a sports mentality into professional life Series A and the importance of securing finance Advice for lawyers wanting to get into legal tech Why being a creative lawyer can unlock career opportunities Using video walkthroughs to humanise contract negotiation Key factors currently impacting in-house legal teams Analysis paralysis caused by a crowded legal tech market How to remove friction when selling legal technology Key factors when onboarding new customers The future of legal tech post-pandemic The deconstruction of one-stop-shop platforms

In this episode, I talk to Andy Wishart, Chief Product Officer at Agiloft. We discuss his journey from studying AI and Psychology at University, co-founding ContractExpress and becoming an accidental product manager, to cracking the US market, selling the business to Thomson Reuters and starting the next chapter of his career with Agiloft in January 2021.Topics of discussionAI in the late ninetiesThe inception of ContractExpress / Business IntegrityThe importance of early development customersCracking the US market and working in Silicon ValleyThe rise of legal operationsSelling ContractExpress to Thomson Reuters in 2015Moving from a small company to a large corporateHopes for the future of ContractExpressThe accidental product leaderTips for budding product managersWhy Agiloft is an exciting challengeThe future of CLM with Agiloft

In this episode, I talk to Daniel Porus, Chief Commercial Officer at Legatics. We discuss the key considerations for organisations looking to acquire a legal tech tool, how they can successfully navigate the procurement and onboarding process, and what needs to be in place to ensure they see value and return on investment.Topics of discussionWinning the hearts and minds of key stakeholdersPre-sales and solution consulting approachesSuccessfully navigating IT and InfoSecThe key markers for successful vendor engagementPilots and interactive proof of conceptsWhat ROI looks like for transaction management toolsWhat metrics you should measure to ensure successThe importance of a well planned change programmeHow to ensure success and engagement post-saleWhat next for Legatics in the next 12 months and beyond

In this episode, I talk to David Howorth (Co-Founder & Director) and Giles Thompson (Head of Growth) at Avvoka. We discuss the role of lawyers in tech, the current state of document automation, the impact of the global pandemic on tech adoption and what constitutes a next generation document automation tool.Topics of discussionThe role of lawyers in legal techThe impact of Covid-19 on the demand for document automationHow the pandemic will change the law firm status quoThe inconsistent adoption of document automation toolsWhy document automation tools remain under-utilisedHow law firms can structure for legal tech successThe rise of legal engineeringNext generation document automationThe need for full document lifecycle toolsRethinking the nature of contractsAutomated document mark-upsWhat's next for Avvoka in the next 12 months and beyond

In this week's episode, I talk to Haley Altman, Global Director of Business Development & Strategy at Litera, and previously the CEO of Doxly (now Litera Transact). We discuss Haley's journey from Silicon Valley lawyer to LegalTech founder, current consolidation in the market, as well as the present and future state of transaction management and DealTech.Topics of discussionHaley's background and path to becoming founding CEO of DoxlyThe current state of transaction management technologyRecent transaction management deals and market consolidationThe exciting future for Litera TransactThe impact of Covid-19 on the adoption of transaction management platformsWhat next for transaction management?The possibilities for improving due diligence processesFully automating deals - not just checklistsThe role of AI in deal deliveryBuilding a 'deal lifecycle management' platformChallenges facing transaction management platforms

In this week's episode, I talk to Evan Wong, CEO and co-founder of Checkbox.ai. We discuss the importance of no-code platforms in legal, what it takes to make them a success and the need for organisations to shift from a services to a product mindset.Topics of discussionThe key elements of a no-code platformThe inception of CheckboxWhy early stage research and validation is critical to product successThe importance of no-code for corporate legal teamsProductisation of legal servicesWhy law firms struggle to shift from a services to product mindsetThe network effect - making platforms viralThe importance of risk tolerance when deploying no-code platformsThe future of no-code platforms and their place in an ever-consolidating market

In this week's episode, I talk to Stuart Barr - Chief Product & Strategy Officer at HighQ (part of Thomson Reuters). We discuss what it takes to build and sell a legal platform and how to ensure customers see value from the product, as well as the move towards a single 'legal operating system'.Topics of discussionIs LegalTech a thing?Defining a legal platformBenefits of a toolkit platform vs. point solutionChallenges of selling a platformThe move towards productised solution templatesHow to ensure clients see value from a platformMeasuring and demonstrating ROIStructuring a product team to build a platformThe importance of integrationsMarket consolidationWhat next for legal platforms?