The 2024 Legalweek Leaders in Tech Law Awards Winners Are Here!

Authorized Business Lifetime Achievement Award Winners

Winner: Tess Blair, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP

Like many younger litigation associates digging via bins of discovery within the early 2000s, Tess Blair thought, ‘there must be a greater approach.’ Not like many, although, she determined to do one thing about it. In 2004, she based Morgan Lewis’s eData observe that we simply heard about a little bit bit in the past, and she or he led it for 19 years, till stepping down very not too long ago. Whereas she was constructing and rising the eData Follow, Blair  continued to run her personal observe as nation discovery counsel to among the world’s largest organizations.

Winner: Marla Crawford, Cimplifi

Marla Crawford might at the moment be in-house, however early in her profession she was one of many business’s first e-discovery legal professionals, having labored on the Enron litigation at Jones Day on behalf of Lehman Brothers. After 22 years as a discovery lawyer and early authorized know-how adopter at Jones Day, she went on to construct and handle the e-discovery program at Goldman Sachs, earlier than taking her present function as Normal Counsel of Cimplifi. Many in e-discovery confer with Marla by first identify solely, like Oprah or Madonna, and she or he’s formally gained awards for being “the lifetime of the occasion.”

Winner: Wendell Jisa, Reveal

Wendell Jisa began on the floor degree of the authorized business, delivering bins to regulation companies throughout Chicago. From there, he launched into a private mission to disrupt an antiquated authorized market with know-how. Almost 15 years after founding his first firm, Reveal, in his hometown, he has grown it into a significant world enterprise.

Winner: Barry Solomon, Litera

Barry Solomon first realized the potential of know-how to enhance the effectivity of each the observe and enterprise of regulation whereas practising regulation at Sidley Austin within the late 80s and early 90s, and was the primary lawyer to request and be issued a pc there. Earlier than assuming his present function at Litera, Solomon was the co-founder and chief of two completely different authorized tech firms—InterAction and Basis.

Winner: Carla Swansburg, ClearyX

Carla Swansburg has been a trailblazer in authorized know-how for over three a long time. In 2021, she took on the function of CEO of a brand new, wholly owned subsidiary of Cleary Gottlieb, tasked with constructing and scaling a totally distant, tech-forward staff centered on reimagining how authorized companies could be delivered by legal professionals positioned throughout the globe to purchasers additionally positioned throughout the globe.

In-Home Classes – Finalists

Greatest Use of Synthetic Intelligence: Ford Motor Firm

Ford Motor Firm has efficiently produced important productiveness positive aspects whereas constructing the authorized ops operate on the fly from the bottom up, whereas persevering with to foster machine-learning functions, pioneering the usage of gen AI in-house, establishing authorized expenditure dashboards, and creating superior predictive analytics platforms. The ensuing metrics point out important time and price financial savings and supply beneficial info to tell future success.

E-Discovery and Litigation Expertise: Uber Applied sciences, Inc.

With a lean, four-person in-house e-discovery staff, Uber applied sciences has developed customized information processing instruments in addition to proprietary options for the gathering, manufacturing, and safety of delicate information from quite a few sources.

Innovator of the Yr (Particular person): Darth Okay. Vaughn, Ford Motor Firm, Workplace of the Normal Counsel

With a background as a profitable trial lawyer and a enterprise know-how guide, Darth Vaughn brings a novel perspective and abilities to his present in-house function in authorized ops and litigation. Prior to now 12 months, he has acquired continuous approval from management to broaden his staff and be an early mover on implementing generative AI to ascertain finest authorized practices and create a strategic imaginative and prescient for the corporate.

Finalsists:

• Jay Choi and the Patent Authorized Group, Uber Applied sciences, Inc.
• Mohammad Totonchian, Altus Group

Most Modern Authorized Division of the Yr: Uber Applied sciences, Inc.

From negotiating strategic partnerships with key business gamers to counseling product, engineering and regulatory groups, Uber Applied sciences has needed to navigate novel pathways and, in some circumstances, develop new ones prior to now 12 months. The end result was the profitable launch of autonomous automobiles to the general public, which concerned making use of refined ML and AI to make real-time selections and establishing business requirements for shopper security with radically new know-how.

Finalist:

Most Modern Authorized Operations Group of the Yr: Ford Motor Firm

When Ford Motor Firm’s present Normal Counsel took the reins in 2021, he introduced an much more formidable imaginative and prescient to an already revolutionary authorized ops observe. Prior to now 12 months, Ford has been pioneering the usage of generative AI in-house. One 12 months into generative AI, the division has carried out 25 GenAI use circumstances, leading to early productiveness positive aspects of over 30% throughout varied observe areas.

Finalist:

Regulation Agency Classes – Finalists

Greatest Use of Synthetic Intelligence: DLA Piper

In March 2023, DLA Piper considerably expanded its Synthetic Intelligence and Information Analytics observe, and now has 14 information scientists and greater than 100 legal professionals, coverage consultants, and technologists globally who advise on AI adoption, testing purchasers’ AI for bias and compliance, create AI authorized and compliance tech for purchasers, and extra.

Finalists:

• Cleary Gottlieb
• Goodwin
• Reed Smith
• Troutman Pepper Hamilton Sanders LLP

Greatest Use of Rising Expertise (Non-AI): Munger, Tolles and Olson — Reanna Martinez

At Munger, Tolles and Olson, Reanna Martinez undertook a groundbreaking challenge centered on leveraging Microsoft Dynamics 365, the Energy Platform, and Azure Information Lake to create an information hub that effectively feeds info to downstream techniques and permits customers to leverage consumer, matter, and other people information successfully and develop tailor-made options and instruments to carry out higher authorized work.

Finalists:

• Latham & Watkins – Decentralization Matrix
• Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
• SixFifty, Powered by Wilson Sonsini

E-Discovery Expertise and Innovation: Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP

 The eData observe at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius helped its legal professionals with time-consuming e-discovery duties by creating an eData Tech Stack made up of three instruments aimed toward fixing discrete issues: a Search Time period Validator; a Microsoft Groups Chat Sorter; and a Coaching and Abilities-Evaluation Platform that gives custom-made e-discovery coaching for agency staff.

Finalists:

• Arnold & Porter
• King & Spalding – Rose J. Hunter Jones
• Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison
• Reed Smith

Enabling Begin-Up Success: NEXT powered by Shulman Rogers

NEXT launched an initiative to help entrepreneurs with a brand new, holistic method to facilitating entry to seed to Sequence A capital through a wide range of occasions and instruments, together with investor readiness options, pitch prep workshops, investor connections, investor showcase occasions and extra.

Finalists:

• Goodwin
• Latham & Watkins – Pre-Incorporation Questionnaire

ESG Enablement By Expertise: Ropes & Grey

Ropes & Grey has been specializing in the world of ESG for 3 years and not too long ago developed a novel on-line interactive software that allows asset managers to successfully and effectively navigate the complicated net of state and federal ESG legal guidelines particular to their business, enhancing compliance outcomes and lowering attendant prices.

Finalist:

Improvements in Range and Inclusion: Baker McKenzie

For 3 years working, Baker McKenzie has hosted an eight-week Summer season Internship Program for undergraduate college students interested by enterprise improvement, advertising and marketing or authorized careers and who search to create a extra inclusive authorized occupation. This 12 months’s internship program added a nonprofit aspect via a partnership with The Middle on Gender Justice & Alternative at Georgetown Regulation.

Finalists:

• Chiesa Shahinian & Giantomasi PC (“CSG Regulation”) – George Spadoro
• Eversheds Sutherland

Improvements in Hybrid/Distant Work: Akin

Akin’s inner Staffing Hub program developed a role-based dashboard that gives visibility into the agency’s data-driven staffing course of aimed toward making certain equitable work allocation and optimum alignment of human capital to fulfill consumer wants. 

Improvements in Information Administration: Fisher Phillips

The KM staff at Fisher Phillips was instrumental within the early rollout of generative AI in authorized, helping Casetext develop and take a look at their Co-Counsel AI authorized assistant, after which changing into the primary agency on this planet to deploy it worldwide. Afterward they continued to evangelize for authorized gen AI and the way regulation companies can use it responsibly for KM and thrive.

Finalists:

• Fragomen
• Morgan Lewis – ML Shopper Intel
• Morgan Lewis – VizBridge
• Paul Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton, & Garrison

Improvements in Professional Bono: Reed Smith LLP

Reed Smith undertook an formidable initiative to supply girls refugees who’re at excessive danger of additional harm with end-to-end safety throughout profitable resettlement. Along with the Canadian authorities, the Lamp Lifeboat Ladder program is offering a protected pathway to relocation in Canada for not less than 90 refugee households.

Finalists:

• Baker McKenzie – Justice in Motion
• Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP
• SixFifty, Powered by Wilson Sonsini
• Troutman Pepper Hamilton Sanders LLP

Innovators of the Yr – Regulation Agency (Particular person): Danielle Benecke – Baker McKenzie

Danielle Benecke based the Machine Studying observe at Baker McKenzie years earlier than generative AI turned well-liked. Underneath her management, the agency turned the primary mover in capitalizing on AI and machine studying to revolutionize workflows and higher serve the agency’s purchasers. One in every of our judging panel merely stated, “She’s a famous person!”

Finalists:

• Jeremy Burdge – Hogan Lovells
• Carmen Brun – Eversheds Sutherland
• Rachelle Dubow – Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
• William Gaus – Troutman Pepper Hamilton Sanders LLP
• Ghaith Mahmood – Latham & Watkins

Regulatory, Governance and Compliance Expertise: Hogan Lovells

 Hogan Lovells created a holistic info governance resolution to deal with the challenges offered by exponential information development that securely shops vital information in categorized and accessible kind, places automated triggers in place to purge information, and permits for information tagging.

Finalists:

• Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld
• Eversheds Sutherland
• Fragomen – Nomadic
• Reed Smith – Gender-Affirming Care Tracker
• Polsinelli On-line Options for House Care (POSH) – Angelo Spinola
• Spencer Fane – Allen Darrah, CIO

Tech-Enabled Transactional Follow of the Yr: Orrick

Orrick reengineered the M&A transaction by launching a brand new course of and platform that options 14 interconnected tech instruments, new authorized roles, workflows and course of modifications to assist M&A groups execute extra effectively, prioritize strategic points and arrange a profitable post-acquisition integration.

Finalists:

• Kirkland & Ellis
• Thompson Hine LLP

Supplier Classes – Finalists

Greatest Use of Synthetic Intelligence – E-Discovery & Litigation: Casetext

Casetext led the cost in making use of LLMs to substantive authorized work within the type of an AI assistant known as CoCounsel that replicated attorneys’ finest workflows in a dependable, scalable, safe and hallucination-free approach, due to early entry to OpenAI’s most superior fashions. One in every of our exterior judges famous that the breadth & scale of what Casetext achieved with a good deadline is spectacular

Finalists:

• Altumatim
• Clearbrief
• Everlaw
• Lex Machina
• LexisNexis
• Paxton AI
• Relativity
• Reveal

Greatest Use of Synthetic Intelligence – Contract, Doc & Challenge Administration: NetDocuments

NetDocuments approached the event of AI capabilities not as a single resolution or product, however a know-how that must be used to complement all the doc lifecycle and each single authorized workflow. The end result was a collaboration with Microsoft and Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service to create an answer that may extract intelligence from a corporation’s complete corpus of paperwork.

Finalists:

Greatest Rising Expertise (Non-AI): CloudNine

CloudNine created a platform for managing trendy information like textual content messages, chat, geolocation, social media, monetary transactions and each logged exercise on a tool, net utility or pc, ingesting all kinds of information and displaying it as one would see it on a cell gadget.

Finalists:

• BARBRI, Inc.
• Fulcrum GT – RAPIDx
• UniCourt
• Western Alliance Financial institution Digital Disbursements

Championing Range in Tech (Particular person): Catherine Krow, BigHand

After founding a ground-breaking cost-analytics firm, Catherine Krow now oversees DEI success at her present employer, implementing the information & price analytics platform they designed to assist regulation companies rework authorized billing information into DEI success and discover extra equitable work allocation.

Finalist:

• Johnathan Hill, Relativity

Information Privateness & Cybersecurity: HaystackID

HaystackID created an AI-enabled platform to determine greater than 140 numerous, internationally delicate information varieties as a way to assist their globally dispersed purchasers classify and deal with their delicate information extra successfully throughout a whole lot of engagements. Known as Defend Analytics AI for Relativity, the answer presents a delicate information density rating to instantly concentrate on probably the most delicate paperwork inside a dataset.

E-Discovery Expertise: Relativity

To deal with complicated challenges posed by the exponential development of quick message information, Relativity took a two-pronged method that concerned creating a totally new, platform-agnostic quick message file format, together with an accompanying quick message resolution to carry quick message information into an e-discovery platform.

Finalists:

• FTI Expertise
• HaystackID
• Web page Vault
• UnitedLex

Enabling Entry to Justice: Relativity

In 2020, Relativity launched a program devoted to supporting organizations doing authorized work on behalf of worldwide marginalized communities by providing their product without cost and pairing them with regulation companies or different companions that present information internet hosting, challenge administration, help, and coaching. The initiative is known as Justice for Change, and it continues to broaden to assist extra individuals across the globe.

Finalists:

• Casetext
• Clearbrief and Elder Regulation & Incapacity Rights Middle
• descrybe.ai
• Reveal

Enabling Hybrid/Distant Work: Maptician

Maptician developed an automatic and proprietary web protocol-based integration that delivers visibility into attorneys’ in-office presence to different staff, together with location information on particular seat areas on a given day, permitting agency staff to maximise interplay on the times they’re within the workplace, and companies to higher perceive workplace wants

Finalist:

Innovating Information Administration: eDiscovery Assistant

eDiscovery Assistant included generative AI to fulfill a long-time request of its customers: creating summaries of all 32,000+ selections in its case regulation database to give customers higher, sooner perception into circumstances as a way to assist meet quick briefing deadlines on key discovery points. 

Finalists:

Innovation in Hiring, Staffing & Recruitment: Baretz+Brunelle – Expertise Intelligence & Analytics

Baretz + Brunelle  created an alternate method to the lateral hiring course of that provides regulation companies entry to stories primarily based on open-source and human intelligence on a candidate’s true market fame, in addition to an outlined metric that higher permits companies to make apples-to-apples comparisons of lateral candidates.

Finalists:

• Lateral Hub / Summer season Affiliate Hub
• TRU Staffing Companions, Inc.

Improvements in Contract Expertise: Luminance

Luminance labored with a California-based IT service administration firm to implement its AI-powered contract drafting and negotiation software for over 50 legal professionals unfold world wide, rising productiveness and effectivity throughout the corporate.

Finalists:

• Evisort
• LexisNexis
• LinkSquares
• Summize

Innovators of the Yr (Particular person): Jake Heller & Pablo Arredondo, Casetext

Bringing each authorized and technical abilities to the corporate they based greater than a decade in the past, Jake Heller and Pablo Arredondo got down to implement neural nets and LLMs in a approach that might have an precise impression on authorized work, biding their time earlier than leaping on the “AI hype prepare.” They’ve been known as a ten-year in a single day success story, and Heller has summarized the key to their success with a quote from Jay-Z: “The genius factor we did was, we didn’t quit.”

Finalists:

• Tim Parilla, LinkSquares
• Vishal Rajpara, Casepoint
• Basha Rubin & Mirra Levitt, Priori

Authorized Operations: Priori

This 12 months, Priori acknowledged that the authorized operations operate is extra necessary than ever to the authorized division. That’s why they opened up their world community of legal professionals, regulation companies and ALSPs to authorized operations professionals for the primary time. Through the use of and increasing the infrastructure of their market, Priori efficiently piloted the power to supply authorized operations tasks on their platform earlier than making it a stay characteristic for all customers

Finalists:

• Epiq
• Fulcrum GT – RAPIDx
• LexisNexis® CounselLink®
• Thomson Reuters

Litigation Expertise Finalists: UnitedLex

UnitedLex included pattern-attribution know-how in a brand new digital litigation software that leverages information and insights throughout a consumer’s litigation portfolio, permitting them to seize, consolidate, and reuse reality units and work product throughout litigation portfolios, figuring out patterns and insights from earlier selections to develop data-driven authorized methods.

Finalists:

• Benchly
• LexisNexis Lexis+® Pinpoint
• Lighthouse
• Trellis

M&A and Transaction Innovation: Lexis+ Settlement Evaluation

In September 2023, LexisNexis launched an analytics software that transforms the M&A timeline by leveraging proprietary AI know-how to cut back the handbook duties inherent in analyzing, composing, and negotiating authorized agreements, focusing first on inventory buy, asset buy and merger agreements.

Finalist:

New Regulation Firm of the Yr: New Period ADR

New Period ADR got down to repair a dispute decision system that was unnecessarily time-consuming and costly by constructing a platform that may lower common dispute decision instances from a whole lot of days for small claims, or a number of years for multimillion-dollar litigation, to fewer than 100 days.

Finalists:

• Lateral Hub / Summer season Affiliate Hub
• Paxton AI
• Priori

Follow Administration Innovation: UniCourt

In March 2023, UniCourt launched an API-first suite to automate the seize and supply of state and federal courtroom information for enterprise improvement, litigation technique, expertise administration, docket administration, and different data-centric capabilities to have interaction new purchasers, develop present engagements, and ship higher litigation outcomes.

Finalists:

• Fulcrum GT
• Lawmatics Battle Checking
• Society Tech: INform
• ZenCase

Regulatory, Governance and Compliance Expertise: Winnow

Winnow developed a platform for monetary companies professionals to trace fast-moving state and federal compliance. Prior to now 12 months, they enhanced their protection to incorporate federal and banking protection, in addition to offering re-designed surveys and notifications.

Finalist:

• Wolters Kluwer Authorized & Regulatory U.S. – VitalLaw®