LawNext

Populus Radio, Robert Ambrogi

LawNext is a weekly podcast hosted by Bob Ambrogi, who is internationally known for his writing and speaking on legal technology and innovation. Each week, Bob interviews the innovators and entrepreneurs who are driving what's next in the legal industry. From legal technology startups to new law firm business models to enhancing access to justice, Bob and his guests explore the future of law and legal practice.

  1. 4 days ago

    'The Hardest Thing I've Ever Done': Noah Waisberg on Why Selling a Business Hurts, and How Zuva Aims to Fix It

    Five years ago, Noah Waisberg sold Kira Systems, the pioneering AI contract-analysis company he co-founded, to Litera. Even though the deal itself went well, the experience of going through the sale was hard, Waisberg now says. But that experience provided the fuel that turned into his next business. As part of the sale, he kept a copy of the underlying Kira technology and about 30 of the company's roughly 180 employees, and used them to launch Zuva. Zuva started as an API-only company, but it has since turned its focus to the sell side of M&A. After interviewing some 200 dealmakers about the most painful parts of selling a business, Zuva built software to help sellers manage the flood of bidder questions. It also launched a tech-enabled diligence service that pairs Kira's AI with experienced former Big Law associates. Zuva says the service delivers work product comparable to Big Law at a fraction of the cost. Waisberg was last on LawNext in 2021, marking the 10th anniversary of Kira and the release of his book, AI for Lawyers. In today's episode, he and host Bob Ambrogi discuss Zuva's new direction and what the recent expiration of his post-sale restrictions means for the company. They recorded this conversation on the day Harvey announced its latest mega-funding round, so they also talk about the prospects for Harvey and Legora against the frontier labs, and why Waisberg recently remarked that we've hit "peak legal tech." He also covers the limitations of today's AI that he thinks the market underestimates, and why the billable hour remains the biggest obstacle to efficiency tech.   Thank You To Our Sponsors This episode of LawNext is generously made possible by our sponsors. We appreciate their support and hope you will check them out. Paradigm, home to the practice management platforms PracticePanther, Bill4Time, MerusCase and LollyLaw; the e-payments platform Headnote; and the legal accounting software TrustBooks. Briefpoint, eliminating routine discovery response and request drafting tasks so you can focus on drafting what matters (or just make it home for dinner). CosmoLex, helping law firms manage their entire practice in one platform, from intake to payment. Try it free. Ajax, the AI timekeeper lawyers want to use.   If you enjoy listening to LawNext, please leave us a review wherever you listen to podcasts.   Chapters: (00:00) Introduction (03:16) From Kira to Zuva (09:49) Why Selling a Business Is Hard (17:00) Zuva's Sell-Side Strategy (35:27) The Legal AI Market (51:52) AI's Limits and the Billable Hour (58:25) The Case for Selling Your Business

  2. 4 days ago ·  Bonus

    You Might Also Like: The Oprah Podcast

    Introducing The Optimism We All Need Right Now with Simon Sinek from The Oprah Podcast. Follow the show: The Oprah Podcast BUY THE BOOK! Start with Why by Simon Sinek  https://amzn.to/4xQ0ETD Simon Sinek’s landmark New York Times bestseller Start with Why transformed how leaders, entrepreneurs and employees think - inspiring them to shift their focus from what they do to why they do it. Simon brought this revolutionary concept to life with his Ted Talk, "How Great Leaders Inspire Action" which instantly went viral - and now ranks as the fourth most-watched Ted talk of all time with more than 90 million views.  In this conversation, Oprah and Simon talk about how to feel more energized, optimistic and engaged in your work and life - especially at times of high anxiety and uncertainty. Simon answers questions from several viewers including a woman who is considering leaving her 9-5 job to become an entrepreneur, one who is still looking for her dream job at age 49 and another who is terrified about losing her identity as she faces retirement. This conversation is a must-listen for anyone who may be feeling a little lost and looking for clarity, direction and optimism.  00:00:00 - Welcome Simon Sinek, author of “Start with Why”  00:05:15 - The golden circle  00:09:15 - Asking for help 00:10:30 - Why vs. intention  00:13:30 - The thread of your life  00:17:40 - The age of the Influencer  00:20:10 - Optimism meaning 00:27:10 - Introverts and extroverts 00:28:40 - Blocking out doubt when chasing your why 00:32:30 - Jobs are not safe 00:34:50 - Find your guiding question 00:41:40 - Is a "dream job" a goal? 00:48:39 - The friend test  00:54:00 - The importance of relationships  00:55:20 - The key to finding your why 00:57:00 - A well-lived life Follow Oprah Winfrey on Social: https://www.instagram.com/oprahpodcast/ https://www.facebook.com/oprahwinfrey/ DISCLAIMER: Please note, this is an independent podcast episode not affiliated with, endorsed by, or produced in conjunction with the host podcast feed or any of its media entities. The views and opinions expressed in this episode are solely those of the creators and guests. For any concerns, please reach out to team@podroll.fm.

    You Might Also Like: The Oprah Podcast
  3. 21 Sept

    An Offer She Could Not Turn Down — Bridget McCormack on Joining Clio to Transform Technology for Judges

    Legal tech company Clio has long said that its mission is to transform the legal experience for all. Until now, that "all" has largely focused on law firms and their clients, but recently Clio announced a major initiative to develop technology for the judiciary. As part of that initiative, it hired Pablo Arredondo, the former cofounder of Casetext and developer of CoCounsel, one of the first AI legal assistants, to lead product development. Arredondo was on this show on Sept. 1 to discuss his new role. Now, Clio has made another major hire to help lead this project: Bridget Mary McCormack, the innovative former chief justice of the Michigan Supreme Court and current president and CEO of the American Arbitration Association, who will join Clio in October as general manager, judiciary, to lead the market and commercial strategy for the judiciary business. On the day her hiring was announced, McCormack sat down with host Bob Ambrogi to discuss why she considered this an offer she could not turn down and how she believes she, Arredondo, and Clio can transform the legal experience for the judiciary.   Thank You To Our Sponsors This episode of LawNext is generously made possible by our sponsors. We appreciate their support and hope you will check them out.   Paradigm, home to the practice management platforms PracticePanther, Bill4Time, MerusCase and LollyLaw; the e-payments platform Headnote; and the legal accounting software TrustBooks. Briefpoint, eliminating routine discovery response and request drafting tasks so you can focus on drafting what matters (or just make it home for dinner). CosmoLex, helping law firms manage their entire practice in one platform, from intake to payment. Try it free. Ajax, the AI timekeeper lawyers want to use.   Chapters: (00:00) Introductions (02:49) Bridget McCormick's New Role at Clio (08:44) Co-Designing Technology with Judges (11:11) Building Tech for the Judiciary vs. Law Firms (15:35) Addressing Court Challenges with Technology (20:28) Bottlenecks in the Court System (23:30) Improving Existing Court Technologies (25:20) Integrating Technology in Courts (28:00) The Role of AI in Judicial Processes (32:02) Addressing Self-Represented Litigants (35:50) Balancing Tradition and Innovation in Courts (40:20) Setting Goals for the Future of Court Technology If you enjoy listening to LawNext, please leave us a review wherever you listen to podcasts.

  4. 16 Sept

    As Alex Su Is Named President of Latitude Legal, We Talk about Why AI Is Driving Demand for Flex Talent

    Call it Alex Su, redux. We do not usually have the same guest on LawNext twice in the same year, but there is good reason to have Alex back, as he has just been named president of Latitude Legal, the flexible legal staffing company.  Last February, Alex and host Bob Ambrogi recorded a live episode of this podcast over lunch in a Cambodian restaurant in Alex's hometown of Alameda, Calif., as part of our LawNext on Location series. They talked about his winding career, from Sullivan & Cromwell associate to federal clerkship to legal tech startups and finally to chief revenue officer at Latitude.  In that interview, Bob asked Alex what was coming next. His answer was that as AI got better, the demand for lawyers with real judgment — to direct it, check it, and own the work — would only grow. Seven months later, that prediction is proving prescient. In just the first half of this year, Latitude says it has seen a 52 percent jump in new law firm and corporate clients.  So with Latitude's promotion of Su to president, he returns to LawNext to discuss why he thinks AI is driving more demand for experienced lawyers, not less. He also talks about how Latitude's client-service model relies on former law firm partners and senior in-house counsel, why he pushes back on labeling flex talent as "contract attorneys" or calling Latitude an ALSP, and why he expects the market for flexible legal talent to keep expanding as law firms and legal departments sort out what AI can and cannot handle.   Thank You To Our Sponsors This episode of LawNext is generously made possible by our sponsors. We appreciate their support and hope you will check them out. Paradigm, home to the practice management platforms PracticePanther, Bill4Time, MerusCase and LollyLaw; the e-payments platform Headnote; and the legal accounting software TrustBooks. Briefpoint, eliminating routine discovery response and request drafting tasks so you can focus on drafting what matters (or just make it home for dinner). CosmoLex, helping law firms manage their entire practice in one platform, from intake to payment. Try it free. Ajax, the AI timekeeper lawyers want to use.   If you enjoy listening to LawNext, please leave us a review wherever you listen to podcasts.

  5. 8 Sept

    Casefleet Founder Jeff Kerr on Fact Management in the Age of AI

    Chronologies have become one of legal tech's hottest categories, with a wave of AI startups promising to turn a messy evidentiary record into a structured timeline in minutes. Jeff Kerr and his company Casefleet were more than a decade ahead of the pack. Kerr finished law school in 2010 and made what he calls the crazy decision to start a law firm as his first job after graduating. Running an employment practice, he found that winning cases came down to knowing the chronology cold. But the only tools for building one were a Word document and a lot of patience. So he taught himself to code, left practice in 2015, and founded Casefleet.   On this episode of LawNext, Kerr joins host Bob Ambrogi to discuss what a decade of building fact-management software looks like now that AI has arrived. Last month, Casefleet launched Casey, a conversational AI agent that proposes facts, links them to legal issues, and drafts documents — with a citation engine that rejects any citation not matching the exact text of the underlying document.   Kerr deliberately draws a hard line on what he will let his AI do. Casefleet's agent is fully agentic in the sense of researching and iterating on its own, he says, but it stays read-only – it will not send emails, make calls, or file anything.   Among the other topics they cover:   Why Casefleet's pre-AI data model turned out to be the right foundation for AI, and why classic Casefleet still runs alongside Casey. The company's move back toward e-discovery, including newly added document production, and why Kerr isn't chasing terabyte-scale cases. What happens to specialized litigation tools if the frontier AI labs push further into legal. Why Casefleet, profitable since 2018 and largely bootstrapped, may raise outside capital in the coming year.   Thank You To Our Sponsors This episode of LawNext is generously made possible by our sponsors. We appreciate their support and hope you will check them out. Paradigm, home to the practice management platforms PracticePanther, Bill4Time, MerusCase and LollyLaw; the e-payments platform Headnote; and the legal accounting software TrustBooks. Briefpoint, eliminating routine discovery response and request drafting tasks so you can focus on drafting what matters (or just make it home for dinner). CosmoLex, helping law firms manage their entire practice in one platform, from intake to payment. Try it free. Ajax, the AI timekeeper lawyers want to use.   If you enjoy listening to LawNext, please leave us a review wherever you listen to podcasts.

  6. 1 Sept

    Why Legal AI Pioneer Pablo Arredondo Is Joining Clio to Build Technology for the Courts

    Pablo Arredondo, the Casetext cofounder who helped build some of the earliest and most influential applications of AI in legal practice, is joining Clio as senior vice president, judiciary, where he will lead the company's strategy for extending its technology into the courts. In this episode, recorded just ahead of the announcement, Arredondo tells host Bob Ambrogi why he is turning his attention to the judiciary — and why he believes the challenge starts with the sheer torrent of material flooding into the courts. "On Monday, somewhere on the order of three billion tokens are going to hit court dockets," he says. Arredondo cofounded Casetext in 2013 and helped develop CARA, the first brief analyzer, and CoCounsel, the product that brought generative AI into everyday legal workflows. After Thomson Reuters acquired Casetext for $650 million in 2023, he joined that company, leaving at the end of last year. In this conversation, he traces how his interest shifted toward the courts — from watching judges organically adopt Casetext's Parallel Search to a recent project at Cornell's Legal Information Institute using LLMs to annotate the U.S. Code of Conduct for Judges with centuries of judicial ethics thinking from rabbinic, Islamic and Roman Catholic traditions. Arredondo also explains why courts need "judiciary grade" technology rather than tools built for lawyers, how AI is driving a surge in pro se filings, whether AI could ever replace judges (his short answer: "absolutely not"), and where he plans to start when he officially begins the role Aug. 31. This is Arredondo's second appearance on LawNext this year, following a February conversation at his home in Tiburon, Calif., about his career and what would come next. Now we know.   Thank You To Our Sponsors This episode of LawNext is generously made possible by our sponsors. We appreciate their support and hope you will check them out. Paradigm, home to the practice management platforms PracticePanther, Bill4Time, MerusCase and LollyLaw; the e-payments platform Headnote; and the legal accounting software TrustBooks. Briefpoint, eliminating routine discovery response and request drafting tasks so you can focus on drafting what matters (or just make it home for dinner). CosmoLex, helping law firms manage their entire practice in one platform, from intake to payment. Try it free. Ajax, the AI timekeeper lawyers want to use.   If you enjoy listening to LawNext, please leave us a review wherever you listen to podcasts.

  7. 11 Aug

    LexisNexis CTO Greg Dickason On Building Legal AI In Real Time with Customers in Its New Innovation Lab

    This week, LexisNexis announced the opening of its Customer Innovation Lab in New York City — a physical space where legal professionals, LexisNexis engineers, and AI companies such as OpenAI and Amazon Web Services sit in the same room and build legal AI together, in real time.   The company is calling it a new model for how legal AI gets built and shipped: Instead of developing products internally and asking customers to validate them afterward, customers bring their pain points into the lab, engineers code against them on the spot, and prototypes that pass muster can move into Lexis+ with Protégé in a matter of weeks.   Our guest today is the person leading that effort: Greg Dickason, chief technology officer of LexisNexis Legal & Professional. Dickason joined LexisNexis in 2019 and previously ran the company's Asia-Pacific business, where he launched Lexis+ AI in that region. Before LexisNexis, he was chief technology officer at CoreLogic.   In a conversation with host Bob Ambrogi recorded just ahead of the launch, Dickason explains what actually happens inside the lab as engineers code live alongside customers, and how this differs from the customer input LexisNexis has always said drives its product development. They also discuss what has already come out of the lab, including a multimedia Protégé Vault that lets a lawyer query a video deposition; why legal drafting is the lab's first priority; and how Dickason sees agents reshaping legal work.    Thank You To Our Sponsors This episode of LawNext is generously made possible by our sponsors. We appreciate their support and hope you will check them out. Paradigm, home to the practice management platforms PracticePanther, Bill4Time, MerusCase and LollyLaw; the e-payments platform Headnote; and the legal accounting software TrustBooks. Briefpoint, eliminating routine discovery response and request drafting tasks so you can focus on drafting what matters (or just make it home for dinner). CosmoLex, helping law firms manage their entire practice in one platform, from intake to payment. Try it free. Ajax, the AI timekeeper lawyers want to use.   If you enjoy listening to LawNext, please leave us a review wherever you listen to podcasts.

  8. 5 Aug

    SurePoint's New CEO Jeff Steinberg on the Mandate for Change

    SurePoint Technologies, a company that provides practice-management, finance and growth technology products for mid-sized law firms, named Jeff Steinberg its chief executive officer on July 23, elevating Eric Thurston, who had led the company since 2023, to executive chairman. Two weeks into the job, Steinberg joins LawNext to speak with host Bob Ambrogi about what his appointment means for the company's customers. His answer to that question is direct: This is a mandate for change, not business as usual. Steinberg is candid that SurePoint still has integration work ahead of it after acquiring four companies in four years — Coyote Analytics and ContactEase in 2022, Leopard Solutions in 2024, and ZenCase in 2025 — and he says the company will keep looking at acquisitions while it does that work. Steinberg is no stranger to legal technology. He founded Redwood Analytics in 2000, an early innovator in helping law firms use their own data to understand their profitability, and sold the company to LexisNexis in 2008 (which then sold it to Aderant in 2014). He spent the years since in medical records retrieval for litigation and in other sectors, and served as a senior advisor to Aquiline Capital Partners, the private equity firm backing SurePoint. He arrives at a company whose roots go back to 1982. Among the topics Jeff discusses: Why he distinguishes between machine learning and generative AI when it comes to developing systems firms need to trust completely. What he is hearing in his early conversations with customers about AI adoption. How SurePoint decides whether to build, buy, or partner.  Why he thinks the mid-sized firm market has proven more resilient than many had predicted.   The three priorities he has set for his first year. For an interview with outgoing CEO Thurston, see: On LawNext: SurePoint CEO Eric Thurston on Acquiring ZenCase and His Vision for Mid-Market Practice Management.    Thank You To Our Sponsors This episode of LawNext is generously made possible by our sponsors. We appreciate their support and hope you will check them out.   Paradigm, home to the practice management platforms PracticePanther, Bill4Time, MerusCase and LollyLaw; the e-payments platform Headnote; and the legal accounting software TrustBooks. Briefpoint, eliminating routine discovery response and request drafting tasks so you can focus on drafting what matters (or just make it home for dinner). CosmoLex, helping law firms manage their entire practice in one platform, from intake to payment. Try it free. Ajax, the AI timekeeper lawyers want to use.   If you enjoy listening to LawNext, please leave us a review wherever you listen to podcasts.

About

LawNext is a weekly podcast hosted by Bob Ambrogi, who is internationally known for his writing and speaking on legal technology and innovation. Each week, Bob interviews the innovators and entrepreneurs who are driving what's next in the legal industry. From legal technology startups to new law firm business models to enhancing access to justice, Bob and his guests explore the future of law and legal practice.

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