Daily Matters: The changing face of the legal industry

“Our systems are certainly setting people up to fail,” says Katherine Katcher, Founder and Executive Director of Root and Rebound—an organization working to restore power and resources to the families and communities most harmed by mass incarceration through legal advocacy, public education, policy reform, and litigation. 

In this episode, Katherine and Carmen Garcia—Root and Rebound’s Deputy Director of Operations and a formerly incarcerated woman—speak about: 

• The ways in which racism persists in the criminal justice system
• Root and Rebound’s three-pronged approach for making an impact
• Common misperceptions people may have about incarcerated people
• How legal professionals can get involved

To learn how Root and Rebound uses Clio to do its important work more effectively, read the case study here.

Katherine Katcher and Carmen Garcia work for Root and Rebound, which restores power and resources to the families and communities most harmed by mass incarceration through legal advocacy, public education, policy reform, and litigation—a model rooted in the needs and expertise of people who are directly impacted.

Katherine is an attorney and the Founder and Executive Director of Root & Rebound. Since founding the organization in 2013, Katherine has facilitated R&R’s growth into an organization that is national in scope: with four California offices working in five regions of the state, an office in South Carolina, and national education and policy programs. Katherine has 16 years of work in the nonprofit sector, with a broad range of roles and experiences, including teaching adult education, working with survivors of trauma and violence, and advocating in the criminal justice sector. In her time at Berkeley Law, Katherine worked at the Texas Defender Service, the Berkeley Law Death Penalty Clinic, the Prison Law Office, Legal Services for Prisoners with Children, and UnCommon Law.

Carmen is the Deputy Director of Operations at Root & Rebound. As a formerly incarcerated woman, Carmen realizes the importance of education in the prison system, as well as post-incarceration. At Root & Rebound, Carmen works closely with the Executive Director to create a sustainable annual budget & multi-year plan while also preparing for steady growth as Root & Rebound scales up to new locations. Carmen is a Psychology major from City College of San Francisco and San Francisco State University. While at SFSU, Carmen worked at City College of San Francisco as a Teacher’s Assistant to Dr. Terry Day in the Psychology Department. Carmen also interned at City College of San Francisco’s Second Chance Program, which helps previously incarcerated students achieve their full academic potential.

When COVID-19 made it harder for law firms to accept cash and check payments from clients, the industry shifted almost overnight to a model where online payments are far more prevalent. At the center of this shift was LawPay, and in this episode the company’s CEO, Tom West, talks about the rise of electronic payments in legal.

Specifically, Tom and Clio CEO Jack Newton talk about:

• What LawPay is, and how it helps firms accept payments online
• How legal technology has changed over time, specifically regarding payment options
• Why accepting online payments is a win-win for firms
• The risks of failing to offer online payments to clients
• What the future of law firm payment collection might look like

Tom West is CEO of LawPay, which helps law firms accept online payments. Tom is a career growth business leader, having led multiple businesses as CEO and President. As CEO at LawPay, he is responsible for guiding all channels and working across all teams and departments to take growth at LawPay to the next level.

You can follow LawPay on Twitter, or visit www.lawpay.com for more information.

When COVID-19 hit, Microsoft Teams suddenly became an even more important tool for all kinds of organizations—including law firms. Steven Abrahams works on Partnerships for Microsoft Teams (which now integrates with Clio), and on today’s podcast he talks about the software and the role it has played since the pandemic began.

Steven’s interview touches on:

• What Microsoft Teams is, how it helps organizations, and how it differs from email
• Why Teams is such a useful tool for law firms, especially in the post-COVID world
• How COVID-19 shifted companies’ working models and fueled Teams’ rapid growth
• How Microsoft Teams integrates with other software platforms, such as Clio

Steven Abrahams works on Partnerships for Microsoft Teams, a communication and collaboration platform which integrates with Microsoft Office 365.

Estates Litigator Ian Hu is passionate about legal innovation, Diversity & Inclusion, social media, and how lawyers can become more financially independent. In this interview, Ian and Jack touch on a wide range of topics relevant to the changing legal landscape, including:

• The experience of being a Person of Color in legal
• How law firms, legal organizations, and legal professionals can start creating a more diverse and inclusive culture
• Why legal technology and innovation are so important, and why the industry is slow to adapt
• What achieving financial independence allows lawyers to do
• Ian’s perspective on increasing one’s social media presence

Ian Hu is an Estates Litigator at Carroll Heyd Chown LLP. A lawyer, philosopher, legal innovation evangelist, and lover of equity, diversity, and inclusion, Ian has spoken at 200+ events, taken leadership positions in the legal profession, and mentored lawyers. 

Ian held the first racially-diverse Chair of the Sole, Small Firm & General Practice Section (2017-2018) of the Ontario Bar Association, which was founded in 1896. He has also served as Vice President of the Federation of Asian Canadian Lawyers, is on the 2020 ABA TECHSHOW Board, and sits on the ABA LP Division's Nominating Committee. He runs the Facebook group Canadian Lawyers Personal Finance, for lawyers helping lawyers on their way to financial independence.

Any discussion of the technological tools that legal professionals and clients are increasingly using—especially during the coronavirus crisis—starts with Zoom. The video conferencing app has become almost ubiquitous since the pandemic began, and many lawyers naturally have concerns about privacy and security risks for new technologies like it. In this episode, John Grant and Simon Boehme answer questions about Zoom and tech tools in legal.

John, “The Agile” Attorney, helps lawyers streamline their practices with technology, and Simon, a tech entrepreneur, is helping to modernize the field of dispute resolution and mediation. Today, they talk to Jack Newton about:

• The primary concerns legal professionals have about Zoom
• How Zoom has addressed those concerns
• Why Zoom is safe if used correctly—and best practices for doing so
• The importance of technological competence for law firms
• How law firms should go about evaluating new technological tools

To learn more from John and Simon on this topic, join us for an Innovate Legal Online virtual meetup on June 24, 2020, titled “Embracing Technology for Long-Term Success. Register for the meetup here.

Additionally, you can check out these resources from John and Simon:

• Zoom is Safe for Lawyers (If You Use It Right)
• How to Use Zoom in ADR Practices

Simon Boehme is a technology entrepreneur specializing in dispute resolution. He is currently Head of Operations and Chief of Staff, Trust & Safety at Lime, and he is a Board Member at NeuCourt. Simon was also appointed to serve on the State Bar of California’s Access Through Innovation of Legal Services (ATILS) Task Force. 

Simon was previously Co-Founder and COO at Disputly (formerly LegalWin), which was selected as a Duke Law Tech Lab and LexisNexis Legal Tech Company. Simon was appointed by the Obama Administration to serve on the U.S. Department of Education's National Advisory Committee for Institutional Quality and Integrity (NACIQI), and he served on NACIQI from 2013 to 2019. He is a Truman Scholar, Coca-Cola Scholar, and Bezos Scholar. 

John Grant, a.k.a. “The Agile Attorney,” is an Agile Coach to legal professionals and their teams. With his Agile Attorney Network, he helps legal professionals harness the tools of modern entrepreneurship to build practices that are scalable, sustainable, and profitable for themselves and their communities. John does this through:

• Leadership and executive coaching
• On-site workshops and training
• Group classes and seminars
• Speaking and other outreach

A fourth generation lawyer, he spent a decade in the technology industry before going to law school. His legal career has taken him from in-house counsel to partner in a boutique IP practice, Legal Ops professional for an AmLaw-ranked firm, and consultant for a Fortune 100 legal department.

In his work with Pro Bono Net, Co-founder and Executive Director Mark O’Brien heads a national nonprofit that increases access to justice for the poor and other vulnerable populations through innovative uses of technology, collaboration, and volunteer mobilization. In today’s rapidly-changing world, this work is vital to under-represented communities across the United States.

In this episode, Mark and Jack Newton talk about a range of topics, including:

• How Pro Bono Net leverages multiple approaches holistically to accomplish its objectives
• How legal professionals can get more involved in pro bono and access to justice work
• What “grade” Mark would give to the justice system at present, and why 
• Why the need for access to justice is so great in poor and marginalized communities

Mark O'Brien is the Co-founder and Executive Director of Pro Bono Net, a national nonprofit that increases access to justice for the poor and other vulnerable populations through innovative uses of technology, collaboration, and volunteer mobilization. Founded in 1998, Pro Bono Net builds web platforms to support public interest lawyers, build broad-based justice partnerships, and empower people in need to solve their legal problems. 

Prior to starting Pro Bono Net, Mark spent eight years building a nationally recognized pro bono program at Davis Polk. He has served on the advisory boards of the University of Pennsylvania Law School Public Service Program and the Public Interest Law Alliance (Ireland), is a member of the Pro Bono and Legal Services Committee of the New York City Bar, and of Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman's Committee on Non-Lawyers and the Justice Gap. He is currently an Adjunct Professor of Law at Georgetown University Law Center, where he co-teaches the Technology, Innovation, and Law Practice Practicum. Mark was named a 2012 "FastCase 50" honoree for his contributions to the legal technology field.

A New York City-based attorney, Andrea Alexander has personally experienced many of the ways in which racial inequality affects people in the professional and academic worlds. Andrea defines herself as a legal advocate by day and an advocate for social change by night, and today she joins Daily Matters to speak openly about the changes that need to happen in society.

In this episode, Andrea and Jack Newton discuss:

• Her experiences as a New Yorker and new mother during this turbulent time
• The challenges facing black Americans in the workforce
• Why Andrea is optimistic—but also cautious—about the potential for change
• What law firms, companies, and individuals need to start doing to initiate true progress

Andrea Alexander is a New York City-based attorney who defines herself as a “legal advocate by day, advocate for social change by night.” 

An experienced lawyer with a demonstrated history of working in both the public and private sectors, Andrea is skilled in government procurement, financial crimes, the USA PATRIOT Act, and the Bank Secrecy Act. 

André Robert Lee has devoted his life’s work to fighting injustice. A film director, producer, professor, and speaker with the Diversity & Inclusion company Point Made Learning, André has worked with hundreds of organizations, educational institutions, and community groups on issues of race and bias—and he has valuable insights to share.

In this episode, André and Jack Newton discuss:

• André’s life story, and the films he’s directed and produced with Point Made Learning
• Methods Point Made Learning uses to educate corporations and groups to help dismantle systemic racism and foster inclusion
• Ways that law firms, legal associations, and firm leaders can create positive change
• What it’s been like living in New York City during the time of COVID-19 and the George Floyd protests
• Why André has hope for the future

André Robert Lee is the director and producer of the film The Prep School Negro and the producer of the film I’m Not Racist… Am I? He is also the Executive Director of Business Development and Strategic Partnerships for Point Made Learning, an organization which brings innovative content and programming to institutions and organizations that are serious about inclusion.

André has facilitated difficult discussions about race and racism for the past 15 years in schools, community centers, companies, churches, and conferences in every region of the country, for people of all ages. He has led hundreds of discussions about how institutions can move beyond diversity initiatives and create a sense of belonging for underrepresented people. He has been certified as a facilitator for difficult conversations and travels around the U.S. facilitating post-screening discussions with audiences of all sizes, conducting workshops, and leading professional development seminars. André also guides groups on civil rights tours in the deep South, answering questions, interviewing activists who were a part of history, and helping people learn how they can be a part of change.

As Pro Bono Counsel at a large southern law firm and the former Executive Director of the Mississippi Access to Justice Commission, Tiffany Graves sees how systemic inequities affect minority groups on a daily basis. “Firms have to do more,” she says, to counteract institutional racism and bring much-needed reforms to America’s legal and justice systems.

In this episode, Tiffany and Clio CEO Jack Newton examine:

• How the protests following George Floyd’s death have affected the American South
• Whether or not we’ve reached a turning point in the fight to end systemic racism
• How pro bono services and access to justice efforts can make a difference
• How law firms and the legal industry must change in order to fix longstanding issues
• How white Americans can become better allies and advocates for progress

Tiffany M. Graves serves as Pro Bono Counsel at Bradley, a 500-attorney law firm with offices across the southern United States. In her role, Tiffany oversees the development and administration of the firm’s pro bono programs.

Prior to joining Bradley, Tiffany was the executive director of the Mississippi Access to Justice Commission, where she led a 21-member commission created by the Mississippi Supreme Court and promoted its initiatives to improve and expand access to civil justice to the nearly 700,000 Mississippians living in poverty. In addition, Tiffany previously served as interim director and adjunct professor for the Pro Bono Initiative at the University of Mississippi School of Law, and as executive director and general counsel for the Mississippi Volunteer Lawyers Project.

In today’s moving and important episode, ACLU of Ohio Director of Equity and Inclusion C. Raphael Davis-Williams speaks powerfully about systemic racism, police misconduct, and “the uniqueness of being black in America.” Raphael’s interview provides incredible insight into issues of race, justice, and progress. We’re humbled and proud to share it with you.

C. Raphael Davis-Williams is the Director of Equity and Inclusion at the ACLU of Ohio—the first person to hold this position. A graduate of Ohio State’s Moritz College of Law, Raphael has been a civil rights attorney in Columbus, Ohio, for nearly a decade, focusing on employment law, fair housing, and police misconduct. A former television news reporter in Texas, Alabama, and Florida, he is also a former board president of the Kaleidoscope Youth Center in Columbus and a cooperating attorney with the Central Ohio Fair Housing Association.