[ Ed Note: We were holding off on publishing this episode because we were waiting on the official announcement that Kara Peterson and Rich DiBona of Descrybe.ai were the Silver Anthem Award winners in Best Use of AI from the International Academy of Digital Arts & Sciences ! Congratulations to Kara and Rich for the prestigious award! - GL] In this episode of "The Geek in Review," we welcome Kara Peterson and Richard DiBona , the dynamic married duo behind Descrybe.ai . Descrybe is an AI-powe...
Nov 19, 2024•49 min•Season 1Ep. 278
This week we welcome Tom Martin , founder of LawDroid , a pioneering AI platform aimed at transforming legal workflows through automation and no-code solutions. Tom shares his journey from practicing law to creating LawDroid, which supports legal professionals with tools designed to streamline tasks, enhance client communication, and automate document preparation. Throughout the conversation, Tom emphasizes how LawDroid is reshaping legal tech and access to justice, especially for underserved co...
Nov 11, 2024•33 min•Season 1Ep. 277
This week we welcome back Laura Leopard and Phil Flora from Leopard Solutions to discuss their latest innovation, the PROWESS platform. This newly launched tool aims to transform the way corporate legal departments manage and evaluate their relationships with outside counsel. As Leopard Solutions embarks on this new phase after its acquisition by SurePoint, Laura and Phil delve into how PROWESS brings unprecedented capabilities to legal teams by centralizing data, enhancing decision-making, and ...
Nov 04, 2024•31 min•Season 2Ep. 276
This week we welcome Tim Follett , the founder and CEO of Structure Flow , a visual structuring tool designed specifically for lawyers. The conversation begins with a light-hearted discussion about recent events each attended. Greg shares his experience at the KM&I conference in New York, while Tim recounts his time at the Legal Geek conference in London. Marlene, not to be left out, talks about participating in Houston's Biketoberfest at the ION innovation hub and her insightful presentatio...
Oct 28, 2024•39 min•Season 1Ep. 275
This week, we talk with a team of innovation leaders from the law firm Faegre Drinker. The guests included Shawn Swearingen, Chief Innovation Officer; David Gross, Design Lab co-founder; and Ruben Gonzalez, Design Lab Director. The discussion centered around the relaunch of Faegre Drinker's Legal Design Lab in Scottsdale, Arizona, exploring its origins, evolution, and impact on legal problem-solving. The Legal Design Lab's inception traces back eight or nine years when an associate at the firm, ...
Oct 21, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Season 2Ep. 274
In this episode of The Geek in Review , hosts Marlene Gebauer and Greg Lambert are joined by Carolyn Austin , Director of Practice Innovation at K&L Gates; Brendan McDonnel l, Partner at K&L Gates; and Abdi Shayesteh , CEO of AltaClaro . The conversation delves into innovative legal education strategies and the integration of generative AI in legal practice, highlighting how experiential learning platforms are shaping the future of legal training. Abdi introduces AltaClaro's experiential...
Oct 14, 2024•59 min•Season 1Ep. 273
This episode of "The Geek in Review" explores MinterEllison's strategic adoption of Microsoft Copilot, delving into the practical implications and challenges of implementing generative AI within the legal industry. Guests Amber O'Meara, Head of Innovation, and Tim Andrews, Director of IT Operations, discuss the firm's multifaceted approach to generative AI, emphasizing its potential to enhance client experiences, boost productivity, and empower their legal professionals by automating mundane tas...
Oct 07, 2024•47 min•Season 1Ep. 272
This week, we welcome back Serena Wellen, Vice President of Product Management at LexisNexis Legal and Professional, to discuss the newly launched Lexis Protégé tool. This advanced AI assistant is designed to enhance legal professionals' workflows by personalizing responses based on individual user profiles, including practice areas, jurisdictions, and document management systems. Wellen emphasizes that the future of AI lies in personalization, enabling Protégé to understand user habits and pref...
Sep 30, 2024•55 min•Season 1Ep. 271
This week, we sit down with Ted Theodoropoulos , CEO of InfoDash and host of the Legal Innovation Spotlight podcast. Ted brings over 25 years of experience in legal technology and has been instrumental in developing platforms that enhance collaboration and knowledge management in law firms. During the conversation, Ted shares the origins of InfoDash, the challenges of transitioning law firms to cloud-based systems, and the role of generative AI in both legal practice and business operations. The...
Sep 23, 2024•43 min•Season 1Ep. 270
This week we talk with Ed Walters from VLex to explore the Autumn 2024 release of VLex’s Vincent AI platform. Ed discusses a series of transformative updates that are turning Vincent AI from a legal research tool into a comprehensive platform that integrates drafting, transactional, and research tasks. These updates include new workflow tools, redlining capabilities, and an innovative feature called Prompt Assist, which enables users to have more control over the AI’s responses by asking follow-...
Sep 12, 2024•38 min•Season 1Ep. 269
This week, we sit down with Rachael Bosch , the founder and managing director of Fringe Professional Development , to discuss the importance of communication and leadership development within the legal industry. Rachael, with her extensive background in law firm talent management and certifications from prestigious institutions like the NeuroLeadership Institute, Harvard Law School, and Cornell University, offers valuable insights into the role of brain-based coaching in fostering effective work...
Sep 09, 2024•47 min•Season 1Ep. 268
In the legal profession, success is not solely about winning cases but also about building a sustainable practice that endures the test of time. Douglas J. Wood , a veteran entertainment and media lawyer, underscores this in his latest book, From Dawn to Dusk . Wood shares valuable insights on the importance of strategic planning for lawyers and offers advice on navigating the emotional and practical challenges of transitioning out of active practice. His reflections provide a roadmap for legal ...
Sep 02, 2024•34 min•Season 1Ep. 267
This week, we bring back our original TGIR podcast guest, Zena Applebaum. Zena is now the Senior Vice President of Market Development at Harbor, and we discuss the ongoing transformation driven by technological advancements and strategic shifts. Her insights provide a valuable perspective on the challenges and opportunities facing legal professionals as they navigate these changes. Zena talks about the integration of generative AI (Gen AI) into legal research tools, particularly at Thomson Reute...
Aug 26, 2024•22 min•Season 1Ep. 266
This week, we talk about an exciting development in the legal technology industry: the acquisition of Legal Tech Consultants by Legal Technology Hub. We bring in the key players involved in this strategic move, including Nikki Shaver , Jeroen Plink , and Cheryl Wilson Griffin . The trio share their insights into the motivations behind the acquisition and their future plans. This acquisition not only marks a significant milestone for both companies but also promises to bring innovative solutions ...
Aug 19, 2024•34 min•Season 1Ep. 265
This week on The Geek in Review, we discuss the future of legal technology with Dr. Megan Ma , a distinguished research fellow and Associate Director of the Stanford Program in Law, Science, and Technology at the Stanford Center for Legal Informatics, also known as Codex . Dr. Ma's groundbreaking work in integrating generative AI into legal applications takes center stage as she shares her insights on translating legal knowledge into code and the implications of human-machine collaboration in th...
Aug 12, 2024•35 min•Season 1Ep. 264
This week, we sit down with Conrad Everhard, founding partner of Flatiron LLP, a pioneering law firm that has revolutionized M&A services with their innovative flat fee model. Conrad shares the fascinating origin story of Flatiron, its unique approach to legal services, and the challenges and successes they've encountered along the way. Everhard recounts the inception of Flatiron LLP, co-founded with Mark Haddad and Lenny Nuara, former big law partners, who sought to modernize legal services...
Aug 05, 2024•49 min•Season 1Ep. 263
This week, we discuss the evolving landscape of professional development and training within the legal industry. With a special focus on innovative methods and technological advancements, this episode features insights from three distinguished guests: Adam Stofsky , CEO at Briefly, Ian Nelson , Co-Founder of Hotshot, and Caitlin Vaughn , Managing Director of Learning and Professional Development at Goodwin. Together, they explore how modern training programs are being reshaped to meet the demand...
Jul 29, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Season 1Ep. 262
This week, we are joined by Joshua Broyde , PhD and Principal Solutions Architect at AI21 Labs . Broyde discusses AI21 Labs' work in developing foundation models and AI systems for enterprise use, with a focus on their latest model, Jamba-Instruct . Josh explains the concept of foundation models and how they differ from traditional AI models. He highlights AI21 Labs' work with financial institutions on use cases like term sheet generation and financial document Q&A. The conversation explores...
Jul 17, 2024•37 min•Season 1Ep. 261
In this episode of The Geek in Review, hosts Marlene Gebauer and Greg Lambert sit down for a one-on-one conversation to catch up on their recent vacations and discuss some of the latest developments in the legal industry. Marlene shares her experience in Hawaii, where she enjoyed beautiful beaches, a nature preserve, and delicious local cuisine with her family. Greg, on the other hand, talks about his trip to South Africa, where he spent time in Kruger National Park observing wildlife and learni...
Jul 02, 2024•46 min•Season 1Ep. 260
Since Greg Lambert is on vacation, we wanted to share an episode of Future Ready Business podcast , which Greg also produces. Art Cavazos and Courtney White from Jackson Walker, LLP, interview Neil Chilson , Head of AI Policy at the Abundance Institute , and Travis Wussow , regulatory and governmental affairs lawyer Partner at JW. Neil and Travis had worked together at the Charles Koch Institute and are both heavily involved in advising governmental agencies and policy makers on the topic of AI....
Jun 26, 2024•45 min•Season 1Ep. 259
This week, we have a lively discussion with June Liebert and Cornell Winston , President and President-Elect, respectively, for the American Association of Law Libraries (AALL). The conversation centers around the upcoming AALL annual conference, scheduled for July 20-23, 2024, at the Hyatt Regency in Chicago. June Liebert, Director of Information Services at O'Melveny & Myers LLP , kicks off the discussion by diving into the conference theme. She emphasizes the importance of librarians taki...
Jun 11, 2024•35 min•Season 1Ep. 258
In this episode of The Geek in Review podcast, hosts Greg Lambert and Kate Boyd from Sente Advisors (standing in for Marlene Gebauer) sit down with Giles Thompson , Head of Growth, and Jun Choi , Growth Executive at Avvoka , to discuss the company's innovative approach to document automation and the impact of generative AI on the legal industry. Avvoka is a no-code document automation platform that enables legal professionals to streamline the creation and management of complex legal documents a...
Jun 04, 2024•35 min•Season 1Ep. 257
In this episode of The Geek in Review, hosts Greg Lambert and Marlene Gebauer, along with special co-host Toby Brown of DV8 Legal Strategies, discuss the subscription-based legal services model with Mathew Kerbis , founder of Subscription Attorney, LLC , and Jack Shelton , co-founder of Aegis Space Law . The guests share their experiences and insights on adopting a subscription-based model as an alternative to the traditional billable hour. Mathew Kerbis explains that his inspiration for transit...
May 30, 2024•47 min•Season 2Ep. 257
In this special episode of The Geek in Review, host Greg Lambert sits down with Ed Walters , Chief Strategy Officer at vLex , to discuss two significant announcements: the integration of vLex's Vincent AI with iManage Work and the automated docket ingestion feature with iManage using vLex's Docket Alarm . The integration between Vincent AI and iManage's Insight Plus collection allows law firms to leverage their internal knowledge assets alongside vLex's extensive public law database. This combin...
May 29, 2024•29 min•Season 1Ep. 256
In this impromptu episode of The Geek in Review, hosts Marlene Gebauer and Greg Lambert reconnect after being on the road for a few weeks. They discuss their recent " Love and LegalTech " mini-series, which featured eight couples sharing their experiences working in the legal technology industry. The series provided insights into communication, work-life integration, and the passion for innovation shared by the guests. The conversation then shifts to a recent webinar by Toby Brown and Ian Wilson...
May 20, 2024•33 min•Season 1Ep. 255
In this special "Love and Legal Tech" episode of The Geek in Review podcast, host Greg Lambert sits down with Alexis Hayman , Director of Business Development at Consilio , and Jeff Niemczura , Discovery Attorney at Google, to discuss their unique journey as a couple working in the legal technology industry. Alexis and Jeff first met in Cleveland, Ohio, while Jeff was a graduate student and Alexis was an undergrad. Their paths diverged as they pursued different careers – Jeff initially consideri...
May 07, 2024•35 min•Season 1Ep. 254
In this episode of The Geek in Review podcast, hosts Marlene Gebauer and Greg Lambert welcome back Richard Tromans , founder of Artificial Lawyer , after his year-and-a-half sabbatical. Tromans shares his insights on the impact of generative AI on the legal industry and discusses his upcoming Legal Innovators conferences in California and London. Tromans observes that while the legal industry is generally enthusiastic about the potential of generative AI, there is a stark contrast in the percept...
Apr 30, 2024•35 min•Season 1Ep. 253
In this episode of The Geek in Review podcast, hosts Marlene Gebauer and Greg Lambert welcome back Kris Satkunas , Director of Strategic Consulting at LexisNexis CounselLink , to discuss the findings of the 2024 Trends Report . The report, now in its 11th year, provides valuable insights into the legal industry, particularly focusing on hourly rates and spending patterns. Satkunas explains that the data used in the report comes from the CounselLink Insight benchmarking database, which normalizes...
Apr 23, 2024•36 min•Season 1Ep. 252
In this episode of The Geek in Review podcast, hosts Marlene Gebauer and Greg Lambert welcome Jeroen Thierens , Strategic Account Advisor, and Jorn Vanysacker , co-founder of Henchman , a Belgian legal tech company that focuses on building an intelligent drafting assistant for lawyers working on complex transactional contracts based on precedents in the firm's DMS. Vanysacker shares the story behind Henchman's founding, emphasizing the importance of solving a clear problem with a focused product...
Apr 17, 2024•30 min•Season 1Ep. 251
Our friend Damien Riehl stopped by to talk with Marlene Gebauer about two big happenings at vLex . Riehl unveiled exciting advancements in vLex's AI-powered legal research platform and shed light on vLex's commitment to streamlining legal workflows and reducing the need for extensive prompt engineering. One of the major developments is the enhanced document analysis feature. Users can now upload legal documents, such as complaints, and vLex's AI will automatically extract key information includi...
Apr 16, 2024•10 min•Season 1Ep. 250
