May has started with a big bang - here’s what happened this week…
*Friendship – the legal innovation and tech community is one of the most generous, welcoming ,and inspiring I have ever worked in. It’s all about the relationships you make and how you pay it forward. I got to hang out with friends old and new in two countries this week and, it was joyful!
*The Legal Innovation and Tech Fest in Sydney – more than 60 sessions, 4 tracks and 2 days of content, conversations, and demos. ChatGPT and generative AI (GAI) was the buzz. I walked from this excellent event grateful that the Centre for Legal Innovation (CLI) was a supporter (thank you Anna Turner and Adam Beer). One thing was VERY clear at the event, that the legal ecosystem has now turned the corner in its transformation journey. Our clients are invested in GAI, they are increasingly embracing and experimenting with it, they can no longer afford to wait for their legal services/product providers and advisors to catch up, particularly when there are sooooo many others wanting to support and assist them. GAI is our opportunity – we need to have the courage to seize it!
*UK Lawtech Delegation – wonderful for CLI to be connected with this and super grateful to our Advisory Board Co-chair Caryn Sandler for hosting a roundtable discussion with Aussie legaltech gurus with the Delegation members too. Such a delight to finally meet Rudi Kesic, Ardi Melikian, and Giles Thompson IRL. Thank you Steven Walker and Elisa Henderson for inviting us to be a part of this visit.
* ABA Centre for Innovation – I spend the best part of a day with these amazing humans in Chicago – huge shout out to Joseph "Joey" Gartner and Elise Meintanis for hosting me and Centre Governing Council members and colleagues who met with me – thank you: Teresa Schmid, Chase Hertel, Frank Valadez, Joe Bruno, Patrick Palace, Zach DeMeola, and Natalie Knowlton for the wonderful conversation. I was struck by how much we had in common and how many opportunities we will have to collaborate in the future – I can’t wait!
* Justice Entrepreneurs Project from the Chicago Bar Foundation - if you don't know about this project, you can find info here: https://bit.ly/44CsWn9. Really enjoyed meeting Samoane Williams, the Director of the Project, learning how the it started and the amazing things it is achieving – it’s “an incubator empowering lawyers to lead socially conscious law firms and innovative businesses that offer valuable, cost-effective legal services and products to consumers of all incomes”- WOW!
And now, on to Canada – woohoo!
Have a fantastic weekend everyone!
Terri Mottershead, Executive Director, CLI