Legaltech Week

Each week, our panelists discuss their favorite stories from the week's news in legal technology. This week's topics: 00:00 Panelist introductions 04:30 Reflections on recent conferences 17:38 The NFL Has a New Official Professional Services Partner, and Yes, It's a Legal Tech Company (Selected by Bob Ambrogi) A surprising partnership signals how mainstream legal tech has become, with even major sports leagues investing in legal service innovation. 26:02 Survey Finds Majority of Federal Judges Have Used AI in Their Work, But Daily Use Remains Rare (Selected by Bob Ambrogi) A new survey reveals that while many judges have experimented with AI, routine adoption remains limited—highlighting both curiosity and caution within the judiciary. 34:03 Why Our Firm Still Prohibits Generative AI for Legal Research and Written Advocacy (Selected by Steve Salkin) A law firm takes a firm stance against generative AI in core legal work, raising questions about risk, reliability, and professional responsibility. 46:13 Firm hiring of associates with AI experience up 106% since last year, new report says (Selected by Victor Li) Demand for AI-savvy lawyers is surging, suggesting a fundamental shift in how firms evaluate talent and future-proof their workforce. 47:30 Some Federal Judges Are Embracing Gen AI, Though Many Are Split on Its Potential for Courts (Selected by Rhys Dipshan) Judicial perspectives on AI remain divided, with some embracing its efficiency and others wary of its implications for fairness and accuracy. 49:33 Demand for Legal Engineers Skyrockets in the AI Age (Selected by Rhys Dipshan) The rise of "legal engineers" reflects the growing intersection of law and technology, as firms seek professionals who can bridge both worlds.

Joe Patrice, Above the Law writer and podcast host, offers sharp reactions from the floor. Nikki Black, legal insight strategist and columnist, breaks down tech trends and investor moves. Stephanie Wilkins, Legal Tech Hub content director, reports on conference vibes and controversies. They discuss venue changes, exhibit hall tradeoffs, AI and investor strategies, Clio Capital launch, and announcement overload.

Steve Dunbury, legaltech commentator from Tech Law Crossroads; Rhys Dipshan, Legaltech News editor; Stephanie Wilkins, content director at Legal Tech Hub; and Niki Black, legal insight strategist at 8AM, discuss AI in courts and briefs. They cover smart glasses and courtroom privacy. They explore AI hallucinations in filings, AI-driven hiring with bot interviews and simulations, DepoSim training tools, and a PR stunt by an AI company.

Joe Patrice, legal journalist on firm strategy and AI’s impact on law; Nikki Black, legal tech ethics lead focusing on regulation; Caroline Hill, legal tech editor tracking vendor integrations. They discuss Claude’s fast plugin integrations, California rules warning lawyers not to outsource responsibility to AI, OpenAI’s outreach to in‑house teams, and how firms are reshaping work and profits around AI.

Julie Sobowale, legal tech journalist concerned with AI agent security and authenticity. Stephen Embry, legal tech writer analyzing market impacts and vendor strategy. Caroline Hill, UK legal tech editor on in-house adoption. Victor Lee, ABA Journal editor and author. They debate Claude’s legal plugin market shock, AI agents forming social networks and hiring humans, redaction failures in high‑profile files, and liability for deepfakes.

Each week, the leading journalists in legal tech choose their top stories of the week to discuss with our other panelists. 00:00 Introductions 2:56 Law firm Phishing over christmas (Selected by Joe Patrice) 11:18 How much do legal leaders trust artificial intelligence in high-stakes decisions? New study sheds light (Selected by Victor Li) 18:06 Are mandatory hyperlinks a solution to the lawyers' hallucination problems? (Selected by Stephen Embry) 30:01 LawNext: From Roommates to Billionaires: Harvey's Founders Gabriel Pereyra and Winston Weinberg on Building AI Infrastructure for Law (Selected by Bob Ambrogi) 39:44 OpenAI wants your IP (Selected by Joe Patrice) 49:38 Alexi Fires Back at Fastcase Lawsuit with Counterclaims Alleging Anticompetitive Conduct Following Clio's $1B Acquisition (Selected by Bob Ambrogi)

Join Niki Black, a legal insight strategist and columnist, and Stephen Embry, a legal tech commentator, along with Joe Patrice and Stephanie Wilkins, as they navigate the intriguing intersections of law and technology. They discuss NYC's ethical guidelines for AI note-takers amid privacy concerns, the shocking hack of the Supreme Court’s e-filing system, and a proposed California law addressing generative AI's role. They also explore the explosive growth of GenAI legal tools and the promising yet controversial AI startup AlphaLit.

In this insightful discussion, industry experts Greg Lambert, Nikki Black, Caroline Hill, Joe Patrice, and Victor Li share bold predictions for legal tech in 2026. They explore how lawyers will increasingly leverage general-purpose AI alongside traditional tools. Caroline highlights the rising power of in-house legal teams, potentially overshadowing law firms. Victor links U.S. regulatory chances to global events, while Joe warns of an AI industry crash without federal intervention. Together, they examine how technology evolution could reshape the legal landscape.

Join Stephanie Wilkins, a legal tech journalist, Nikki Black, a strategic insight guru, Steve Embry, a legal tech analyst, and Joe Patrice, a critical commentator as they dissect the most significant legal tech trends of 2025. They discuss the rise of agentic AI as the word of the year and the ensuing skepticism about its reliability. Panelists explore the frenzy of funding in legal tech, the push for integration of AI with internal documents, and the implications of Clio’s partnership with VLex. The conversation reveals how consumer AI adoption is far outpacing legal innovations.

This week features Nikki Black, a legal tech strategist and columnist, Stephanie Wilkins, a legal tech journalist, Joe Patrice, a legal commentator, and Victor Li, an ABA Journal editor. They dive into Harvey's Reddit AMA, where founders tackle tough questions about AI's future and valuation. The panel also debates Trump's executive order on state AI regulations and the Pentagon's GenAI platform flagging legal issues. Nikki shares her tech gift ideas for legal professionals, ensuring listeners are well-prepared for 2025.