Legalweek 2023 brings together legal professionals and technology innovators to explore the latest trends and developments in the industry. This year’s conference featured a diverse range of sessions on the latest developments and trends in legal technology. Here are the top five themes that emerged from the conference.
1. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Automation
The use of AI and automation in legal technology has the potential to streamline legal processes and reduce costs. Specifically, several sessions focused on the use of AI and automation in contract management, document analysis, and research. As law firms look for ways to increase efficiency and stay competitive, the adoption of AI and automation is becoming increasingly important.
A key session was Casetext’s invite-only panel hosted by Laura Safdie, Pablo Arredondo, and Stephen Gillers. Casetext highlighted their generative AI platform, CoCounsel, the world’s first AI legal assistant. The panel predicted that generative AI will not replace lawyers, but will supplement substantive tasks more efficiently, summarized Jean O’Grady. Furthermore, the panel predicted that generative AI will change legal education and employment by placing more emphasis on lawyers’ strategic thinking skills.
2. Litigation Analytics
Another primary theme at Legalweek 2023 was litigation analytics. Many sessions discussed data analytics’ future impact on the legal sphere. The sessions explored trends in data analysis, emerging technologies, and AI-powered analytics.
A noteworthy session was “What Law Firms Will Look Like in 2030” by Paul Hernandez and Kevin Tews. The speakers predicted that data analytics will be increasingly used by lawyers to predict litigation outcomes and optimize success. In fact, survey results showcased by Lex Machina at Legalweek found that seven out of ten legal professionals use litigation analytics on a daily basis. Furthermore, of those who use analytics, 79% use it to gain competitive insights on judges, parties and opposing counsel, 66% use it for case assessment, and 48% use it to predict litigation outcomes.
3. Data Management and Governance
Effective data governance is critical for legal professionals in managing and analyzing data. Legalweek 2023 featured multiple sessions focused on data management, including data protection, privacy law updates, eDiscovery, and AI-driven data analysis. For instance, speakers explored best practices for effective data governance, strategies for protecting sensitive information, and the role of technology in managing and analyzing data.
One of the most notable sessions was “Tackling Legal Research and the Abyss of Information” by Mark Koussa, Anna Casey, Mike Stefanelli, and Paula Prudenti. This presentation emphasized that by using the correct technologies, users can minimize where they search for data and quickly find the specific materials that address their case’s topics, facts, and issues.
4. Collaboration and Cross-Departmental Projects
Effective communication and teamwork are essential in implementing new legal technologies. Legalweek 2023 had several sessions focused on collaboration and cross-departmental projects, highlighting the importance of effective communication and teamwork. Speakers explored successful cross-departmental collaboration on technology projects, as well as tools and strategies for remote and hybrid collaboration.
An important related session was “ROI: Return of Investment or Risk of Inaction” by Andre Davidson, Saskia Mehlhorn, Catherine Monte, and Denise Pagh. This presentation discussed the importance of communicating ROI to the C-Suite and capturing quantitative and qualitative data to measure the success of technology projects. Speakers emphasized that transparency into spend and usage is critical for successful collaboration on projects.
5. Change Management
Implementing new legal technologies can be challenging, requiring strategies for managing organizational change and driving adoption of new technologies. Legalweek 2023 had multiple sessions that discussed the challenges of change management when implementing new legal technologies. With technology evolving at a rapid pace, law firms must be agile and adaptable to stay ahead of the curve.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Legalweek 2023 offered valuable insights into the latest developments and trends in legal technology. Attendees had the opportunity to explore best practices for the use of AI and automation, litigation analytics, effective data governance, strategies for collaboration and cross-departmental projects, and managing organizational change. Be sure to check out the presentations highlighted in this blog post for additional insights and takeaways.
Courtroom Insight is a proud partner of many companies and law firms represented at the conference. We aim to continue improving legal professionals’ knowledge management and research efficiency through our solutions. To learn more about how Courtroom Insight can benefit your practice, visit our website here.
