Reinventing Professionals

I spoke with Dr. Eric Cole, the founder of Secure Anchor Consulting, a provider of cybersecurity solutions and services. We discussed the most significant cybersecurity issues that law firms and law department leaders should be aware of in 2021, how the pandemic has changed the way organizations manage their cybersecurity, and the potential threats that professionals could face in the coming year.

I spoke with Martin Coen, the CEO, and Graham Smith-Bernal, the founder and executive chairman, of Opus2, a software and services company that supports lawyers around the world. We discussed Opus 2’s growth strategy in the current market, how courts will balance virtual and hybrid proceedings moving forward, and the evolution of how lawyers use technology.

I spoke with Michael Potters, the co-founder and CEO of the Glenmont Group, a leading recruiting firm in the legal industry. We discussed how recruiting has evolved over the past two decades, the positions that are in highest demand today, how the Glenmont Group pivoted in the pandemic, the qualities and types of experience on which employers are focused, advice for candidates, and tips for employers interested in securing the best talent in 2021.

I spoke with Jennifer Bantelman the Senior Director of Solutions Engineering at Zapproved, a cloud-based software company that builds e-discovery tools for corporate legal, from legal holds through processing and review. We discussed the E-Discovery Hero Awards, its mission, the honorees, and reimagining the event for a virtual world.

I spoke with Roman Zelichenko, an attorney and the founder of both GMI Rocket, a marketing firm for immigration lawyers, and LaborLess, a cloud-based software platform for H-1B visa compliance. We discussed the genesis of both companies, the value of digitizing traditionally paper-based processes, the unique nature of marketing for immigration lawyers, how the pandemic has impacted the way lawyers market, ways that marketing will change in 2021.

I spoke with Andy Wishart, the Chief Product Officer at Agiloft, a provider of software for contract and commerce lifecycle management. We discussed his new role at the company, how remote working and the pandemic have impacted CLM solutions, and where the sector is headed.

I spoke with Justin Hectus, the chief information officer of Keesal Young & Logan and of the firm’s technology spin-off, KP Labs. We discussed the 2020 BTI Client Services All-Stars 2020 list, to which he was named and the only allied professional among the 475 winners to receive that acknowledgment, what distinguishes his approach to client service, what makes a law firm CIO indispensable, and how law firms are approaching new technology in 2021.

I spoke with Tracy LaLonde, the founder of the professional development consultancy Xaphes and the author of The Joychiever Journey: Evade Burnout, Surpass Your Goals and Out-Happy Everyone (James House Media, November 30, 2020). We discussed her inspiration for writing The Joychiever Journey, whether legal professionals are happy, best practices for finding joy in your work, and the link between joy and innovation.

I spoke with Tom Obermaier, the CEO of SurePoint Technologies, a provider of financial and practice management software to law firms nationwide. We discussed how the increased adoption of artificial intelligence and predictive analytics is changing the work of legal professionals, the best practices that law firms should implement before they incorporate A.I. processes into their workflows, and whether the billable hour inhibits a firm’s ability to fully deploy technology.

I spoke with Eimear McCann, a former practicing lawyer and the head of strategy at Summize, a contract automation platform. We discussed her move from practice to legal tech, how Summize supplements the technology that legal teams already use, how professionals can ensure that legal tech solutions solve practical problems, the trajectory of the contract automation sector.