ILTA Just-in-Time: When Data Becomes More Valuable Than Downtime, Law Firms Become a Prime Target
Ransomware attacks have shifted focus from merely disrupting operations to stealing and monetizing sensitive data, making downtime less valuable than the information compromised. Law firms, with their troves of confidential client and case files, have become prime targets for these financially motivated threat actors. The article highlights how attackers now leverage data exfiltration to pressure victims into paying larger ransoms, and it underscores the need for real‑time data protection strategies. Organizations are urged to adopt just‑in‑time security measures to mitigate exposure.
Jordan Furlong’s TECHSHOW Keynote: The Lawyers Who Will Thrive In The New World Order Will Be Entrepreneurs — And Humans
Jordan Furlong’s ABA TechShow keynote warned that AI will commoditize legal knowledge, automate routine tasks, and reshape law‑firm economics. He argued that future success will depend less on depth of expertise and more on being a trusted partner in crises....
Empowering Women in the Legal Profession: Reflections From Katie Twardak, President of the Women’s Bar Association of Illinois
The Women’s Bar Association of Illinois (WBAI), founded in 1914, celebrated Women’s History Month with insights from President Katherine A. Twardak. Twardak highlighted the association’s role in mentorship, CLE programming, and legislative advocacy through its Political Action Committee. She cited...
Seyfarth Shaw Partner: Law Firms Should Invest in AI Training in Law Schools or Via Associate Programs
Seyfarth Shaw labor‑and‑employment partner David Baffa urges law firms to fund AI curricula in law schools and launch associate‑level training programs. He argues that current business barriers—budget constraints, legacy systems, and cultural resistance—stifle innovation. By embedding AI skills early, firms...
Meta's AGC: &Lsquo;Legal Tech Is Fundamentally Shifting the Outsourcing Paradigm'
Meta’s associate general counsel Jen Fryhling highlighted that emerging legal technology, especially AI, is fundamentally reshaping the outsourcing model for law services. She argued that client‑firm relationships will evolve from transactional engagements to strategic partnerships, driven by custom AI tools...
Aderant Achieves SOC 2 Type 2 for Onyx
Aderant announced on March 30 that its outside‑counsel guideline platform, Onyx, successfully completed a SOC 2 Type 2 audit. The examination, conducted by Schellman & Company, assessed controls for security, availability, and confidentiality over the period Nov 1 2025 through Jan 31 2026. Achieving Type...
FOLIO Launches New AI-Powered Tools for Categorizing and Tagging Legal Information
FOLIO introduced an AI‑driven suite that automatically categorizes and tags legal documents using a shared ontology. The tools integrate via APIs with existing case‑management systems, requiring no code changes. Pricing starts at $199 per month, with enterprise options for on‑premise...
Legaltech Rundown: Thomson Reuters Announces AI Advisory Board, Docusign Launches AI Contract Review Assistant, and More
Thomson Reuters unveiled an AI Advisory Board composed of leading technologists and legal scholars to steer its next generation of AI‑driven research and workflow tools. At the same time, DocuSign introduced an AI Contract Review Assistant that automatically extracts, analyzes,...
The First 15 Minutes: Why Early Case Research Changes Everything
The article stresses that the first 15 minutes after a new case lands are critical for attorneys. During this brief window, rapid, focused research can uncover pivotal facts, identify jurisdictional issues, and shape an initial strategy before formal assignment. Firms...
Cleveland & Co CTO: &Lsquo;AI Strengthens the Client Firm Partnership by Creating Shared Intelligence.'
Grant Cleveland, CTO of Cleveland & Co, says AI is deepening client‑firm partnerships by creating shared intelligence across platforms. The firm recently earned the Legalweek Leaders in Tech Law Award for Most Innovative Law Firm/Client Tech Collaboration, underscoring its pioneering...
Troutman Pepper Locke Chief KM & Innovation Officer: AI Will Accelerate &Lsquo;Trend Toward Self-Service Intelligence Tools'
Troutman Pepper Locke’s chief knowledge management and innovation officer, William Gaus, says artificial intelligence will speed the shift toward self‑service intelligence tools in legal departments. The firm recently earned the Legalweek Leaders in Tech Law Award for Innovations in Knowledge...
How AI Is Turning the Legal Inbox Into a Productivity Engine
Law firms rely heavily on email for client instructions, draft circulation, and negotiation, creating a hidden productivity bottleneck. Emerging AI tools now scan inboxes, automatically classify messages, extract action items, and summarize long threads. These capabilities link directly to document...
What Does the White House AI Framework Mean for Free Speech?
The White House unveiled a new AI framework aimed at guiding the development and deployment of artificial intelligence while safeguarding democratic values. Among its provisions are requirements for transparent labeling of AI‑generated content and mechanisms to curb deepfake misinformation. The...
Demand for Legal Engineers Skyrockets in the AI Age
The legal‑tech market is witnessing a rapid surge in demand for legal engineers as generative AI reshapes contract analysis, compliance automation, and litigation support. Job postings for legal engineers grew 48% year‑over‑year in the first quarter of 2026, with median...
Press Release | ILTA Announces a Reimagined ILTACON Europe: New Location, Expanded Education, and an Enhanced Multi-Day Experience
The International Legal Technology Association (ILTA) announced a revamped ILTACON Europe, moving to a new European host city and adding an extra day to the program. The conference will feature an expanded education track covering emerging topics such as artificial...
Court Reporting Services Provider Steno Amasses $49M in Series C Funding
Steno, a cloud‑based court reporting provider, closed a $49 million Series C round led by The Legal Tech Fund. The capital will fuel a U.S. market expansion, accelerate development of its AI‑driven transcription engine, and support the launch of new workflow tools...
Morgan Lewis's Chief AI Officer: Firm &Lsquo;Staffing Models Will Evolve to Reflect Hybrid Skill Sets'
Chief AI and Knowledge Management Officer Colleen F. Nihill says Morgan Lewis will redesign staffing models to blend legal expertise with AI and data skills. She emphasizes that AI will foster deeper collaboration between clients and firms but will not...
Head of Weil Dealvision360: Innovation Should Be &Lsquo;Key Emphasis in Law Firm Culture'
Arnie Fridhandler, private‑equity partner and head of Weil Dealvision360, argues that innovation must become a core cultural priority for law firms. He stresses that clear communication, a compelling business case, and senior‑leadership buy‑in are essential to embed technology into everyday...
First Draft, Final Say: Why In-House Litigation Begins Inside
In‑house legal departments are increasingly drafting the first version of litigation documents rather than relying on external partners. Advanced AI and legal‑ops platforms enable faster, more strategic creation of complaints, motions and discovery plans. This shift gives corporations tighter control...
Thompson Hine Launches SmartPaTH Plus, Integrating AI in Over 100 Workflows
Thompson Hine unveiled SmartPaTH Plus, a generative‑AI upgrade to its legal service platform that now automates over 100 workflows. The enhancement adds AI‑driven contract analysis, predictive cost modeling, and real‑time compliance alerts, aiming to boost predictability and transparency for corporate...
Meta Is Pulling Back From the Metaverse: Is This the End for Virtual Law Offices?
Meta announced a major pullback from its metaverse ambitions, slashing the Horizon Worlds budget and postponing the launch of next‑generation VR headsets. The decision follows stagnant user growth, rising development costs, and a strategic shift toward artificial intelligence and its...
TECHSHOW 2026: Where The Legal Tech Family Gathers
The ABA TechShow 2026 launches Wednesday in Chicago, positioning itself as the premier gathering for legal‑tech professionals. The event features two high‑profile keynotes from Jordan Furlong and Nilay Patel, a Saturday rule‑of‑law session with three ABA presidents, and 47 educational...
Flo Recruit Launches Performance Management Software Offering, Rebrands as Flo
Flo Recruit has rebranded as Flo and introduced a new performance management solution called Flo Performance Review. The software enables law firms to collect, analyze, and act on employee feedback within a single platform. By extending its recruiting technology into...
ELTEMATE CEO: Legal Departments &Lsquo;Leading the Way' With AI Adoption
ELTEMate co‑CEO Dr. Sebastian Lach says corporate legal departments are outpacing other functions in adopting generative AI. He argues that true success will depend on a holistic approach that blends technology, policy, and talent. The commentary follows Hogan Lovells' recent...
Legal Support Startup Soxton Announces Acquisition of Cipher Technologies
Soxton, an AI-native law firm startup, announced the acquisition of Cipher Technologies. The purchase is intended to sharpen the accuracy of Soxton's AI agents and embed a dedicated security layer for its users. By integrating Cipher's technology, Soxton aims to...
Epiq Acquires AI Communication Monitoring Platform LitLingo
Epiq announced the acquisition of LitLingo, an AI‑powered communication monitoring platform that uses machine learning to scan internal employee messages for security threats. LitLingo, previously backed by investors from legal tech firm DISCO, brings automated risk detection capabilities to Epiq’s...
DeepJudge Launches SuperSearch
DeepJudge announced SuperSearch, a next‑generation, intent‑based search platform for law firms. The tool surfaces granular, actionable insights across a firm’s internal data, enabling cross‑matter intelligence without manual tagging. Built on DeepJudge’s existing AI engine, SuperSearch creates a unified intelligence layer...
With Recent Acquisitions, Harvey Homes in on Integrations, In-House Market
Harvey, a legal‑tech platform, has acquired two companies since January 2026, aiming to deepen its integration capabilities and expand its partnership ecosystem. The acquisitions target firms specializing in workflow automation and data analytics, bolstering Harvey’s product suite for in‑house legal...
Legal's Gen AI Adoption Is Rising Fast, but Trust and Confidence Lag Far Behind
Factor’s 2026 GenAI in Legal Benchmarking Report shows rapid adoption of generative AI across law firms, with nearly 70% planning new AI procurements this year. However, confidence in these tools remains low, as only about a fifth of respondents trust...
Billables AI Co-Founder: &Lsquo;Behavioral Inertia' Biggest Barrier to Legal Innovation
Billables AI co‑founder Nancy Jeng argues that behavioral inertia, not technology, is the primary obstacle to legal innovation. She notes that mounting financial pressure on law firms is compelling them to seek AI‑driven efficiency, yet entrenched habits slow adoption. Billables...
Tonkean's General Manager of LegalWorks: Legal Tech Buyers Demand More Interoperability, Autonomy and Easy Adoption
Tonkean’s General Manager of LegalWorks, Aaron Bromagem, says legal‑tech buyers are shifting from isolated point solutions to integrated platforms that support end‑to‑end workflows. Buyers now prioritize interoperability, autonomy, and rapid adoption to streamline operations. Tonkean recently earned the Legalweek Leaders...
SurePoint Technologies Chief Market Strategy Officer: Cultural Resistance, Lack of Integration Hindering Legal Innovation
SurePoint Technologies' chief brand and market strategy officer, Olivia Mockel, highlighted that cultural resistance and poor system integration are major obstacles to legal innovation. Despite winning the Legalweek Leaders in Tech Law Award for Innovation in Hiring, Staffing & Recruitment,...
Press Release | ILTA Announces 2026 Influential Women in Legal Tech Honorees
The International Legal Technology Association (ILTA) unveiled its 2026 Influential Women in Legal Tech honorees, highlighting five leaders who are reshaping the global legal‑technology landscape. The annual award, launched in 2020, coincides with Women’s History Month and celebrates individuals whose...
Webinar Replay: Why, and How, Your Data Will Make or Break AI Success in 2026
Law firms recognize AI’s potential, but fragmented data and siloed systems limit tool performance. In a Legal IT Insider webinar, NetDocuments AI director Brandon Nelson highlighted the need for clean, organized data, consistent metadata, and a standardized taxonomy before scaling...
Legaltech Rundown: Troutman Pepper Locke Adds Deep Research to AI Agent, Relativity Launches aiR for Case Strategy for Government Customers,...
Troutman Pepper Locke announced that its proprietary AI legal assistant now incorporates a deep‑research engine, allowing the bot to pull from internal databases and extensive case law repositories. Relativity unveiled aiR, a new AI‑driven case‑strategy platform designed specifically for government...
OpenAI Goes Before Another Appeals Court to Fight Copyright Info Removal Allegations
OpenAI appeared before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit to contest allegations that it removed or altered copyrighted information in its AI outputs. The court focused on whether media organizations have standing to sue under the Digital...
KYA: Why Your AI Agent Needs a Digital ID to Spend Your Money with Chandler Fang
Agentic AI is moving beyond recommendation to autonomous financial actions, but existing payment systems lack mechanisms to verify software entities. A trust gap emerges as consumers are hesitant to let AI execute purchases, and security professionals worry about rogue agents....
Syllo CEO: Firms Will Become &Lsquo;More Selective and Discerning' In Adopting AI Tools
Law firm AI adoption is becoming more selective, according to Jeffrey Chivers, CEO of Syllo. While competitive pressures push firms to integrate AI, the technology also threatens traditional billable‑hour models, prompting careful evaluation of tools. Syllo, a recent Legalweek Leaders...
Sixth Circuit Slaps Steep Sanctions on Two Lawyers for Fake Citations and Misrepresentations in Appellate Briefs
The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals imposed steep sanctions on Tennessee lawyers Van R. Irion and Russ Egli after discovering more than two dozen fabricated or misrepresented case citations in their appellate briefs. The court ordered each attorney to...
Lawyers and Cybersecurity: Talk to An Experts. Before It’s Too Late
At Legalweek, Michel Sahyoun of NopalCyber warned that law firms are dangerously complacent about cybersecurity in the era of generative AI. Breaches are exploited in an average of 29 minutes, and AI tools can scan for vulnerabilities at scale. The...
Exterro Director of Product Marketing: Focus Will Shift From AI Strategies to Data Strategies
Exterro’s director of product marketing, Fahad Diwan, announced that the company will shift its strategic emphasis from artificial intelligence initiatives to comprehensive data strategies. He emphasized data minimization and governance as critical in an era of expanding AI use, tightening...
IManage EVP of Product Management: Legal Tech Buyers Moving Toward Strategic Selectivity”
iManage’s EVP of product management Shawn Misquitta told Legal Tech Monitor that the wave of short‑term AI pilots is waning as legal departments shift toward strategic, selective procurement. Buyers now prioritize platforms that deliver measurable ROI, seamless integration, and strong...
Factor's Chief Strategy Officer: Industry Shifting From AI Access to AI Fluency
Factor’s chief strategy officer, Chris DeConti, says legal‑tech buyers are moving beyond simple AI access toward true AI fluency. The shift reflects a maturation in procurement, with firms seeking integrated, strategy‑driven deployments rather than isolated pilots. Factor’s award‑winning training program,...
Harvey Announces Heavyweight Inaugural In-House Advisory Board
Harvey, a legal‑AI startup, announced its inaugural in‑house customer advisory board on March 16. The board brings together senior legal leaders from HSBC, MongoDB, Dentsu, NBCUniversal, Koch and Bridgewater. Harvey already supports more than 500 corporate legal teams worldwide and...
Professionalism Spotlight: Amrith Kaur Aakre, U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
Amrith Kaur Aakre serves as the Chief Civil Rights Enforcer for the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission covering Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota. Previously she led the Sikh Coalition as National Legal Director and worked as...
How Lawyers Can Turn High Conflict Into Healthy Conflict
Lawyers routinely encounter high‑conflict situations that trigger stress responses and impede effective advocacy. The article distinguishes high conflict—self‑perpetuating, adversarial, and draining—from healthy conflict, which channels tension into curiosity and constructive outcomes. It draws on Amanda Ripley’s research and Bill Eddy’s...
Legalweek 2026 Post-Show News Rundown: Avvoka Closes $18.5M Funding Round, FTI Consulting Launches IQ.AI Studio and More
Avvoka announced an $18.5 million Series B round at Legalweek 2026, aimed at accelerating its contract‑automation platform and expanding global sales teams. The round was led by existing backers alongside new venture capital partners. In parallel, FTI Consulting unveiled IQ.AI Studio, an...
Overheard at Legalweek 2026: Moving Past &Lsquo;Yes or No?' To AI
Legalweek 2026 highlighted a pivotal shift in legal AI from simple yes‑or‑no outputs toward nuanced, context‑aware reasoning. Panels and keynotes emphasized that firms are demanding tools that can interpret complex statutes, weigh competing interests, and provide risk‑adjusted recommendations. Vendors showcased...
BLTF 2026 Video – “What’s the Hardest Truth About AI ROI that Firms Aren’t Ready to Hear Yet?”
At the British Legal Technology Forum on March 11, Legal IT Insider asked leading legal‑tech vendors what the toughest truth about AI return on investment is. Representatives from Jylo, Wavenet, Novaplex, NetDocuments, Jigsaw, Trakti and Elite all highlighted that firms...
Legalweek 2026 Day 4: The Importance of Training Is Clear, Even as Forms Are in Flux
Legalweek 2026 underscored that AI is now central to law‑firm training programs, reshaping how content is assigned and delivered. Speakers highlighted that AI‑driven modules accelerate skill acquisition, cut onboarding time, and improve client outcomes. At the same time, the rapid...
