Legal Tech Shake-ups: New Leadership, Injunctions & AI Developments
Litera sues ex-VP for breach, Derek Miller joins Lit Software, TIQ appoints new COO post-European expansion, Tangibly raises $6.5m for AI tool. The sector is increasingly AI and data-focused, indicating a tech-led, data-driven future.
Welcome to your Law Tech briefing for Jul7 19th, 2023, covering what happened in legal tech recently.
TLDR; Listen instead:
Have less than a 1 min? Three takeaways from yesterday
- Embrace Technological Growth: Legal tech professionals should adapt to emerging trends such as increased usage of AI tools, focus on data management, and integrating mobile products. Ignoring these trends could potentially lead to missed opportunities for growth, efficiency, and innovation.
- Protect Proprietary Information: In light of events such as Litera's injunction against its former VP, legal professionals must be aware of their obligations and responsibilities regarding non-disclosure and non-compete agreements, emphasizing the importance of maintaining confidentiality when shifting between employers or starting new ventures.
- Understand the Importance of Strategic Leadership: The appointment of leaders with significant industry experience and strategic vision, such as Robert van Loon at TIQ, signifies the importance of strong operational leadership. Investing in talented and strategic leadership could be key for legal tech professionals and companies looking for opportunities in overseas markets.
Briefing
Yesterday, the legal tech scene witnessed a flurry of notable events. Litera filed an injunction against its ex-VP, Kennan Samman, alleging breach of a non-compete agreement and sharing proprietary information on joining startup DeepJudge, viewed as Litera's direct competitor.
In another leadership switch, Derek Miller joined Lit Software as Chief Growth Officer, bringing traditional trial software and mobile-first products closer together. TIQ, a time capture solution provider for legal professionals, announced Robert van Loon as the new COO after its expansion in the European market. Also, Tangibly, a platform for handling trade secrets, raised $6.5m in oversubscribed seed funding for its AI tool.
Trends
Legal tech participants are focusing on the potential of AI tools and data management in driving growth. Whether patent management with Tangibly's AI tool or law practice management with software integration, AI is making waves. Data seems to be the new gold, with special emphasis on corporate legal departments becoming more data-driven and the new OSHA rule requiring electronic record submission from employers. Audiovisual evidence also got its due thanks to legal support providers investing in advanced tech for depositions, testimonies, and site inspections.
Analysis
The legal tech landscape is changing, and these events show how. Lit Software's move to bring in Derek Miller denotes increasing traction for mobile-first products. With his experience at inData Corporation, the traditional trial software-mobile product bonding could transform the legal app industry. Similarly, Tangibly's seed funding draws attention to how critical AI is becoming in intellectual property and patent management. The OSHA rule signals a trend towards digitizing records in policy enforcement, where compliance can be monitored more effectively. Lastly, Robert van Loon's appointment at TIQ exemplifies how important strategic, operational leadership will be as this software firm makes deeper inroads into Europe. Therefore, for legal tech professionals, the future is tech-led, data-driven, and, above all, constantly innovative.
Lupl. Manage your matters, deals, and cases without the chaos. Lupl brings together tasks, documents, and knowledge so legal professionals can focus on what matters most - delivering positive outcomes.
See for yourself.
Key stories
Litera has sought an injunction against Kennan Samman, Kira's former VP of global product sales, and his recently joined startup, DeepJudge. The firm alleges Samman has violated a non-compete agreement and a data protection clause and calls for a temporary restraining order and damages. The case puts DeepJudge, a Swiss-based startup that uses proprietary large language model technology to aid legal professionals in document search, in direct competition with Litera's Illinois parent company, Freedom Solutions Group. The complaint also suggests Samman forwarded confidential data to his personal email before resigning. A spokesperson for Litera expressed disappointment in the necessity of legal action, citing failure to find a mutual solution. DeepJudge and Samman have yet to comment.
The inaugural 2023 Midsize Law Firm Priorities Report by Actionstep provides targeted insight into business priorities and trends for midsize firms, filling a gap in the currently available data. Key findings include revenue growth, cost management, and talent recruitment and retention as top business priorities. A significant 72% of respondents reported experiencing stress and burnout in the past year, with understaffing being the greatest stress factor. Administrative roles experienced more stress from team or culture issues, while legal staff were more stressed by understaffing and client demands. A major conclusion is the critical role of technology: 91% agreed that great technology is imperative for client satisfaction, and 97% believe that additional online workflow and collaboration capabilities would be beneficial. The report emphasizes the need for efficient tech ecosystems and the automation of workflows for increased productivity and stress reduction.
All stories
Derek Miller, the former president, and CEO of inData Corporation, has been appointed as the chief growth officer at Lit Software, a company known for creating TrialPad, the first legal-specific app for iPad. Miller's role will be to help the company expand its reach to larger firms, corporations, and insurance companies. His appointment is seen as a link between traditional trial software and a new generation of mobile-first products. Lit Software offers all its apps in a single subscription through its Lit Suite.
Tangibly, a cloud-based platform for managing trade secrets, has secured $6.5m in an oversubscribed seed funding round. The funds will be used to enhance its AI tool, Patent X-Ray, which helps companies identify undocumented trade secrets in their patents. Led by Madrona Venture Group, the round saw participation from WS Investment Company and DLA Piper, among others. Tangibly's primary goal is to assist companies in safeguarding their intellectual property, especially trade secrets, and converting them into protected assets.
The article highlights the need for corporate legal departments to become more data-driven in the digital age. It suggests four steps: assessing data readiness and refining department goals, improving efficiency, creating data maps, and forming specialized in-house data teams. The article underlines the significance of data understanding and management, utilization of legal software solutions, staff training in technology and data literacy, and upholding ethical data management standards.
Optimizing Client Intake: 9 Essential Steps for Law Firms (Law Technology Today)
The article emphasizes the significance of lawyers building robust relationships with their clients from the beginning. It recommends standardizing client intake procedures, pre-screening, active listening, transparent fee discussions, use of practice management software, tracking potential clients, and automation of engagement agreements and intake process. It also promotes the use of software tools like Clio Grow and Lawyaw to automate and simplify the intake process.
Robert van Loon has been named the new Chief Operating Officer (COO) of TIQ, a prominent provider of time capture solutions for legal professionals. His responsibilities will include overseeing sales, business development, partner management, marketing, and delivery strategies. Van Loon's past roles include positions at Legal Intelligence, Effacts, and Wolters Kluwer. The appointment comes as TIQ experiences expansion in the European market, boasting over 15,000 users across 15 countries.
Mastercard hires Micron GC as new chief legal officer (Legal Dive - Latest News)
Mastercard has named Rob Beard as its Chief Legal Officer, General Counsel, and Head of Global Policy. Beard will manage the company's global legal, public policy, regulatory affairs, and litigation teams, reporting to Chief Administrative Officer Tim Murphy. He brings with him significant international transaction experience from his previous role as General Counsel and Corporate Secretary at Micron Technology.
Microsoft antitrust win a possible spur to FTC action against OpenAI (Legal Dive - Latest News)
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is probing OpenAI's data practices after a court dismissed its request to halt Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard. OpenAI, known for using substantial data for its AI tools, has been asked to provide extensive information to the FTC. The investigation is speculated to be a reaction to the FTC's court loss, as per former FCC commissioner Harold Furchtgott-Roth.
OSHA electronic recordkeeping rule to take effect in 2024 (Legal Dive - Latest News)
OSHA has issued a new rule, effective from January 2024, requiring employers with 100+ employees in certain sectors to submit electronic records annually. Employers with 20-249 employees in designated industries must submit Form 300A electronically yearly. The anonymized data will be posted publicly. The rule now includes six additional industries. Critics express concerns about the potential misuse of data by competitors and doubt its effectiveness in reducing workplace injuries.
Getting Real About Generative AI + The Law (Artificial Lawyer)
A webinar discussed the impact of generative AI on the legal sector, featuring Richard Tromans of Artificial Lawyer and Daniel Lewis of LegalOn. They discussed the contrast between raw AI output and legal tech tools with guardrails, the improbability of law firms banning AI, and the potential obsolescence of exams in current education. They also highlighted AI's potential to automate tasks such as contract review and case research.
Enhancing Trial Presentations with Audiovisual Evidence (Attorney at Work)
The importance of audiovisual (AV) evidence in litigation is growing due to its emotional impact and capacity for information retention. AV evidence, including remote depositions, video testimonies, and site inspections, necessitates expertise and specialized tools often supplied by litigation support providers. As AV technology evolves, its use in court is anticipated to become more efficient and widespread. Therefore, it's vital for litigators to formulate an AV strategy from the discovery phase, ensuring alignment with other evidence and compliance with court rules on evidence sources and reliability.
Ongoing AI Education Strategies And Resources For Lawyers (Technology Archives - Above the Law)
The article highlights the necessity for legal professionals to continually learn about artificial intelligence (AI). It recommends focusing on specific AI use cases, encouraging cross-departmental collaboration, and investing in ongoing AI education and training. Resources such as MIT Technology Review, Harvard Business Review, TechTarget, and free online courses from IBM, Google, Microsoft, and LinkedIn are suggested. It also stresses the importance of staying updated with AI and privacy regulations and the potential of AI to enhance legal careers.
How To Get The Most Out Of Your Law Firm Financial Systems (Technology Archives - Above the Law)
The article emphasizes the necessity for lawyers to comprehend their firm's financials and utilize software for time, billing, and accounting management. Legal accounting expert, Peggy Gruenke, advocates for the integration of law practice management software with accounting programs such as Quickbooks or Xero. She also underscores the importance of using reporting tools in financial management software, managing expenses, and seeking expert assistance when required. Lawyers are encouraged to enhance their financial understanding to make informed business decisions.
Is Biglaw Asleep At The Cybersecurity Wheel? (Technology Archives - Above the Law)
The article highlights the increasing cybersecurity threats law firms are battling with, emphasizing the need for efficient detection and response strategies. It calls for readers to participate in a survey to share their experiences and tactics in managing these issues, aiming to gauge industry standards. Participants stand a chance to win a $250 gift card.
How to Leverage Audiovisual Evidence in Litigation (Law Technology Today)
The article examines the growing use of advanced video technology in legal proceedings, including 360-degree cameras for remote sessions, video annotation tools, and site visits. It also explores the potential of virtual reality for site visits and the necessity for deepfake detection. The article underscores the effectiveness of synchronizing video with transcript text for trial video clips. The evolution of audiovisual evidence use in the legal field is anticipated to continue with technological advancements.
