Daily Matters: The changing face of the legal industry

Early into her legal career, Nicole Bradick realized that she could have a greater impact as a technologist rather than a litigator and founded Theory and Principle, a company with the mission to improve the legal experience for all with thoughtfully designed digital products.

In this episode, Nicole and Jack discuss:

• Projects Theory and Principle are undertaking to improve access to justice
• How good design benefits the legal industry
• The problems and pitfalls with ‘design thinking’
• Measuring the impact of technology on the justice system
• How can firms start preemptively addressing coming legal needs

Nicole Bradick is the Founder and CEO at Theory and Principle, a legal and justice technology product design and development firm. Theory and Principle’s team of designers, engineers, project managers, product managers, and strategists works with global law firms, foundations, legal aid organizations, and legal technology companies to design and build innovative web and mobile apps related to law and justice. Their mission is to improve the legal experience for all through thoughtfully designed digital products.

Nicole is a former litigator turned three-time legal technology entrepreneur, and the leading industry expert in legal technology product design and development. You can often find her doing talks on this topic on stages around the world, and she has been the driving force behind some of the most ambitious digital products in the legal industry.

You can follow Nicole and Theory and Principle on Twitter at @NicoleBradick and @theoryprinciple.

Ivy B. Grey took a roundabout route to becoming a lawyer and legal tech entrepreneur. Now, as Vice President of Strategy and Business Development for WordRake—an editing add-in for Microsoft Word that tightens, tones, and clarifies your writing—Ivy is helping move the profession forward to a more innovative, accessible place.

In this episode, Ivy talks with Clio CEO Jack Newton about:

• Her unique career path, and why she gravitated towards WordRake
• How she’s become a better writer using technology
• Why working in legal tech opened her eyes to things lawyers can do better
• How the adoption of technology can improve Access to Justice
• The importance of email communication to lawyers’ careers
• Why we need more women of color in legal and in tech

Learn more with these additional resources:

• Choose Your Own Adventure: Decisions, Pivots, and Possibilities
• How Email Defines Your Writing Reputation
• Build a Better Team to Solve the Right Problems
• Four Tips for Engaging with Diverse Legal Tech Entrepreneurs 

Lawyer and legal tech entrepreneur Ivy B. Grey is the Vice President of Strategy and Business Development for WordRake. WordRake is an editing add-in for MS Word that tightens, tones, and clarifies your writing. Ivy is responsible for business strategy, competitive analysis and positioning, product development, marketing, and branding. She uses her multidisciplinary background to accelerate WordRake’s growth and further develop the software.

As creator of “American Legal Style” for the PerfectIt proofreading tool, Ivy has earned the respect and admiration of the legal tech world through her work on technology competence, ethics, and innovation. She is one of the most popular bloggers on “Above the Law” because of her unique ability to synthesize technical, business, and legal information into practical advice and actionable plans for her following. In 2018, she was recognized as a Fastcase 50 Honoree and a part of the Women of Legal Tech by the ABA Legal Technology Resource Center. Prior to joining WordRake, Ivy practiced corporate bankruptcy law for ten years, and was named a Rising Star in the New York Metro Area for five consecutive years. This year, Ivy was named to the 2020 ILTA Influential Women in Legal Tech list.

Follow Ivy on Twitter @IvyBGrey or connect with her on LinkedIn.

Today’s guest is Bill Henderson, who in the past five years has been named one of the 100 Most Influential Lawyers in America by the National Law Journal, the Most Influential Person in Legal Education by National Jurist Magazine, and a member of the inaugural group of “Legal Rebels” profiled by the ABA Journal.

In this episode, Bill and Jack Newton engage in a thought-provoking discussion about:

• The impact COVID-19 has had on change and innovation in legal
• Key strategies that differentiate highly successful law firms
• How to solve the legal profession’s Diversity and Inclusion problems
• What it’s like being a legal educator during the pandemic
• Lawyers’ obligations to promote the social good during times of crisis

Additionally, here are some articles and resources Bill mentions during the episode, which you can explore further:

• The Five Strategies of Highly Successful Firms
• Solving the Legal Profession’s Diversity Problem
• The Institute for the Future of Law Practice (IFLP)

Bio
Bill Henderson joined the Indiana University Maurer School of Law faculty in 2003 following a visiting appointment at Chicago-Kent College of Law and a judicial clerkship for Judge Richard Cudahy of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.  

Drawing upon more than a decade of research, Bill is a sought-after commentator on the changing legal marketplace. His observations and research have been frequently quoted in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, the Atlantic Monthly, the Washington Monthly, The Economist, and National Public Radio. Bill’s essays and studies also frequently appear in the National Law Journal, The American Lawyer, and The ABA Journal.

In 2010, Bill co-founded Lawyer Metrics, an applied research company focused on the legal industry. Access Group acquired the company in 2015.

You can follow Bill on Twitter at @wihender

Bryan Parker is the Co-founder and CEO of Legal Innovators, an innovative alternative legal service provider (ALSP) that is helping law firms train young lawyers more effectively, embrace better business models, and enhance Diversity and Inclusion efforts.

In this wide-ranging discussion with Jack Newton, Bryan talks about:

• Why he co-founded Legal Innovators, and how the company helps law firms and lawyers
• How data and metrics can help firms make better decisions
• How to foster more successful Diversity and Inclusion initiatives in law firms and law schools 
• Why lawyers should think more like business owners
• What the future of the profession could and should look like

You can read Bryan’s recent article in The American Lawyer, “What the Death of George Floyd Should Teach the Legal Industry,” here. And check out Legal Innovators’ framework for improving Diversity and Inclusion in legal here.

Bryan Parker is the Co-founder and CEO of Legal Innovators, an innovative alternative legal service provider (ALSP). As CEO, Bryan runs Legal Innovators’ day-to-day operations. Not only is he trained in the law, he is also a leader in business; Bryan served as the CEO and COO of venture- and private equity-backed businesses including DaVita and Affinity Media, and he also has a background in investment banking.

One of Bryan’s passions is helping clients find innovative solutions to their hiring, pricing, and Diversity and Inclusion challenges in an efficient and cost-effective manner. He can relate to the pressure today’s businesses face to reduce costs, while preserving quality. Bryan leads Legal Innovators’ team with this dual focus in mind.

You can follow Bryan on Twitter at @RBRYANPARKER

Before they started their law firm in 2012, Kelly Hayes and Betsy Stotler were “two lawyer-moms who wanted to work at an innovative distributed law firm that balanced work, life, and clients”——and since this type of firm didn’t exist in their area, they created it. Now, they have a thriving practice with over 50 full-time employees, including 28 attorneys practicing in over 33 states.

In this episode, Kelly and Betsy talk to Clio CEO Jack Newton about:

• Why they started their firm, and how it grew over time
• Key things for attorneys who are considering starting their own firms to think about
• The advantages of running a distributed law firm using cloud-based technology
• How to foster and maintain a law firm’s culture and values, even with employees working remotely
• Traits to look for when hiring employees who can thrive in a Work-From-Home environment

Kelly Hayes and Elizabeth “Betsy” Stotler are Owners and Managing Attorneys at Stotler Hayes Group, LLC.

Kelly’s 15-year legal career has included working on behalf of hundreds of long-term care facilities and individuals appealing denials of Medicaid benefits, health insurance coverage, short- and long-term disability claims, and Social Security Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income Applications. Her passion for provider-sided representation is second only to her enthusiasm for efficient process management and strategic thinking. Together she employs these skills to the global management of the firm, the oversight of its cases, and most enjoyably, to its client relationships.

Betsy has practiced law for more than a decade, focusing on civil litigation and the resolution of complex problems faced by health care facilities. This practice involves various types of matters, including general collection, Medicaid eligibility, guardianships, and estates. Betsy offers a thoughtful, zealous and tailored approach to each case, and she provides consulting services to clients to assist in finding the most cost-effective solutions to existing problems and alleviating future issues.

Civil rights lawyer, teacher, writer, and activist Dan Canon is best known as lead counsel for the Kentucky plaintiffs in the landmark Supreme Court case of Obergefell v. Hodges, which brought marriage equality to all 50 U.S. states. He has also sued President Trump, run for Congress, and taught the next generation of lawyers at the Louis D. Brandeis School of Law at Louisville.

In this episode, Dan and Jack Newton discuss:

• Dan’s unique career path from high school dropout to law professor
• Dan’s involvement with the historic Obergefell v. Hodges case
• Criminal justice reform, and what it will take to achieve actual justice
• What Dan learned from his run for Congress
• How the COVID-19 crisis could drive more law students to small law firm work
• The problems inherent in plea bargaining

Daniel J. Canon is a civil rights lawyer, teacher, writer, speaker, consultant, and activist based primarily in Indiana and Kentucky. Dan is consistently voted one of the region's top lawyers in the area of individual/constitutional rights. He has argued before the 6th and 7th Circuit Courts of Appeals, the Kentucky Court of Appeals, and the Kentucky Supreme Court, and he is counsel of record on several published cases from those courts. 

Dan is best known as lead counsel for the Kentucky plaintiffs in the landmark Supreme Court case of Obergefell v. Hodges, counsel for the plaintiffs in the pioneering Kentucky and Indiana marriage equality cases of Bourke v. Beshear, Love v. Beshear, and Love v. Pence, counsel for Miller v. Davis, the highly-publicized case in which plaintiffs were refused marriage licenses in Rowan County, Kentucky, and counsel for the protesters in Nwanguma v. Trump. He is also counsel in a number of high-profile civil and constitutional rights cases involving wrongful convictions, inmates' rights, abuse and overreach by law enforcement, and academic freedom.

This week on the show, we’ve been taking a look back at some of the key themes, topics, and moments from our first 70 episodes. In the final episode of this look-back series … we’ll start looking ahead to the future of the legal profession—and all the ways that legal may never be the same in a post-pandemic world.

This episode includes segments from our interviews with:

• Bob Ambrogi, Founder of LawSites
• Ed Walters, Founder and CEO of Fastcase
• Richard Susskind, Author of The Future of the Professions
• Mark Britton, Founder of Avvo
• Cynthia Morgan-Reed, Founder and CEO of Vanst Law
• Kim Bennett, Founder of K Bennett Law LLC

This week on the show, we’ve been taking a look back at some of the key themes, topics, and moments from our first 70 episodes. Each episode focuses on a different topic playing a central role in the future of the profession, and today’s show is a meaningful one: In it, we will revisit the series of interviews we conducted in the wake of the death of George Floyd and the subsequent protests that shined a spotlight on systemic racism, police misconduct, and the need for lasting reform.

This episode features valuable insights from:

• C. Raphael Davis-Williams, Director of Equity and Inclusion at ACLU of Ohio
• André Robert Lee, Director, Producer, Professor, and Keynote Speaker at Point Made Learning
• Tiffany Graves, Pro Bono Counsel at Bradley
• I. Stephanie Boyce, Deputy Vice President of The Law Society of England & Wales
• Andrea Alexander, NYC Attorney and Social Change Advocate
• Geneviéve Jones-Wright, Executive Director at Community Advocates for Just and Moral Governance (MoGo)

Note: Tiffany Graves and C. Raphael Davis-Williams will be joining Clio’s Innovate Legal Online e-Meetup, How to be an Advocate for Access to Justice and Legal Reform, on Wednesday, July 22, 2020. You can learn more about this virtual event and register here. 

This week on the show, we’re taking a look back at some of the key themes, topics, and moments from our first 70 episodes. Each episode focuses on a different topic playing a central role in the future of the profession; today, we’re examining a variety of perspectives on mental wellness in legal, which has become even more important as a result of the pandemic. From dealing with stress, anxiety, or substance abuse to managing yourself better and practicing mindfulness, there are lots of ways to protect your overall wellbeing during this time.

This episode features valuable insights from:

• Natalie Archibald, Interim VP of People at Clio
• Jeena Cho, Mindfulness Educator at The Resilient Lawyer
• Brian Cuban, Author and Speaker
• Paula Davis-Laack, Founder and CEO of The Stress & Resilience Institute
• Allison Wolf, Lawyer Coach at ShiftWorks
• Terry DeMeo, Master Certified Coach

This week on Daily Matters, we are taking a look back at some of the key themes, ideas, and moments from our first 70 episodes. Each episode focuses on a different topic playing a central role in the future of the profession; today, we’re revisiting some powerful discussions we’ve had regarding Access to Justice—and how we can create a better system for all.

This episode features valuable insights from:

• Hank Greenberg, Former President of the New York State Bar Association (NYSBA)
• Leslie Ginzel, Chief of Holistic Services, Harris County Public Defender’s Office
• Mike Semanchik, Managing Attorney of the California Innocence Project
• Kristen Sonday, Co-founder and COO of Paladin
• Katherine Katcher (Founder and Executive Director) and Carmen Garcia (Deputy Director of Operations) at Root and Rebound
• Mark O’Brien, Co-founder and Executive Director of Pro Bono Net
• Shaka Senghor, NYT Bestselling Author and President of Shaka Senghor Inc.