In the rapidly evolving landscape of innovation in legal, I am asked (a lot) where people can get started to learn about what is happening in the field of legal innovation — from generative AI to alternative services to data analytics.
It is true — figuring out where to start in this space is daunting. It also is good news that I have so many people asking me this question — it means that mainstream lawyers are increasingly (dare I say almost ubiquitously?) aware of, and interested in, what is happening in legal tech.
I lazily used to tell these folks to go follow me on Twitter, and then follow everyone else that I follow on Twitter, to start learning the field. But alas, Twitter turned to X, I somehow lost my account, and I haven’t been on since.
To write an article that adequately covers every thought leader in this space would literally mean replicating my f/k/a Twitter account, which I cannot do. So I have provided here a high-level summary of the areas of thought leadership in legal innovation, and an introduction to some of those in this space who are trusted, smart, and generally known as experts in their space.
From BigLaw attorneys to law school professors, here’s a who’s who of legal tech influencers.
Legal technology and innovation leaders to follow: BigLaw, data, and pricing
Jae Um: Founder & Executive Director at Six Parsecs and Lumio
I have admired Jae from afar for years. She is the cool and super-smart woman with purple hair who I’ve always wanted to be my friend.
To begin with, Jae is all about data in law firms — what kind of data firms have, what kind of data firms need, and what kind of picture law firm leaders can start to see from data once they have it in place.
The story data tells is profound. Whether you want to understand profitability trends in BigLaw or the client benefits in generative AI, Googling Jae’s name and seeing what she’s up to (or following her on X) will lead law leaders down an enlightened path.
Recently Jae formed a company with Jason Marty (former BigLaw COO) and Ed Sohn of Factor. Their company is called Lumio, with a mission to leverage AI in law firms’ professional services to create more opportunities for data-driven decision-making, more informed pricing, and selling AI-enabled legal services.
Topics: BigLaw, research, analytics, strategy, pricing, innovation
My favorite resources:
Sense and Sensibility: White paper outlining methods for corporate lawyers to incorporate AI into their work, providing guiding principles to effectively make good sense of generative AI.
Lawyering at Scale: CLE-eligible video course exploring the intersection of law and technology and how lawyers should think about their professional development in light of technological advancements.
Casey Flaherty: Co-Founder & Chief Strategy Officer at LexFusion (now Baretz & Brunelle)
Casey is one of the legal innovation evangelists, and he’s serious about it. When you talk to him, innovation isn’t squishy, it is defined. And he isn’t unrealistic about it – he tells you exactly what you need to do to turn your law firm or legal function's 2010-era relic into a modern and optimized unit that is set up for updated data insights, efficiencies, and scaled innovation.
And that, by the way, doesn’t mean to just slap tech onto an undefined problem. It means being thoughtful about your leadership, your processes, and your change management. Just Google his name and take a read of some of his content, and you’ll immediately see the way in which Casey just thinks differently.
Topics: BigLaw, innovation, people, processes, project management, data, pricing
My favorite resources:
Technically Legal: Podcast on how to avoid tech failures when improving legal workflows and processes, where Casey discusses his thesis that organizations often turn to technology to avoid addressing problems around process and culture.
Your Gen AI Legal Roadmap: Webinar with Factor covering how organizations can take immediate actions to prepare themselves for successful generative AI adoption, plus practical approaches to piloting and experimenting with these tools.
3 Geeks and a Law Blog
This blog and their accompanying podcast, “The Geek in Review,” is staffed primarily by Toby Brown, Casey Flaherty, Marlene Gebauer, Greg Lambert, Ryan McLead, and Lisa Salazar (let’s refer to them as “The Geeks”), but also has guest speakers and authors that you will want to listen to.
You now know one of the Geeks, Casey, but the rest of them are leaders in legal innovation in their own right — they are a combination of law firm pricing, legal tech, and BigLaw Knowledge and innovation experts, and their content is accessible and relevant.
Topics: BigLaw, law firm administration, legal tech, innovation, and pricing
Platforms: Blog, Spotify, Apple Music
My favorite resources:
Fast, Smart, and Empathetic: DISCO VP of Product Strategy Kristin Zmrhal discusses how DISCO’s culture of rapid experimentation, quick decision-making, and collaboration drives legal tech innovation.
Exploring Legal Tech Innovations at ILTA Evolve 2025 with Josh Smith and Ken Jones: The Geeks are joined by Legal Tech and Security industry experts to discuss real-world AI use cases and practical applications of AI and cybersecurity.
Legal technology and innovation leaders to follow: Knowledge management, innovation, and education
Nick Pryor: Director of Knowledge Management & Innovation at Freeths LLP
You want to follow Nick’s LinkedIn and X profiles. He is always on top of legal innovation developments, especially from the British perspective.
One of my British compatriots aptly described him as “cheekily astute” – one of those humans who can seamlessly blend charm, humor, and smart insight. If you ever have an opportunity to hear him speak, take advantage of it.
Topics: Knowledge management, innovation, strategy
My favorite resources:
Data in Legal: Report by seven legal experts with a focus on how law firms can set up their data to maximize performance and unlock new business opportunities.
Changing the Conversation Around Legal Tech: As part of DISCO’s Just Hearsay podcast series, Nick discusses what it’s like to be a knowledge attorney and how these legal professionals can change the conversation around legal technology within their firms.
Nicola Shaver: CEO and Co-Founder at Legal Tech Hub
Nikki draws from both her decade of experience as a lawyer and her knowledge as the CEO of a major player in the legal tech landscape to generate insights into current market trends, and to advise law firms and corporate legal departments on AI and legal innovation strategy.
Nikki is a delightful, knowledgeable, and energetic person, for starters, and she produces some of the most authentic short content on social media. Nikki has also just been named one of ILTA’s 2025 Influential Women in Legal Tech!
Topics: Strategy, innovation, education
My favorite resources:
The Future of Contract Management: Blog on the AI revolution in contract management, covering notable shifts in legal technology, AI use cases, and Nikki’s technology trends and tips.
The Great AI Debate: Two personalities of legal innovation go head-to-head in this podcast to discuss the hype vs. reality of generative AI, and to weigh in on the build-or-buy debate.
Daniel Martin Katz: Professor of Law at Illinois Tech, Chicago Kent College of Law
Daniel Katz has been around a while and has been one of the pioneers studying and anticipating how AI will influence the modern practice of law. Uniquely, he is a scientist and instructor who uses a multidisciplinary approach to legal education, integrating STEM principles to prepare students for the challenges of the modern legal landscape.
It is always useful to keep tabs on what Dan is doing and the areas he is focusing on, as they tend to be a harbinger of what we’ll all be talking about next.
Topics: Science, education, entrepreneurship, innovation
My favorite resources:
Can GPT Pass the Bar Exam? We Find Out: Podcast putting ChatGPT 3.5 up to the anxiety-inducing task of taking the bar exam. Katz discusses GPT’s results on the test and what it all means for the future of law.
GPT-4 passes the bar exam: A research article documenting Katz’ research on GPT-4’s performance on the bar exam compared to earlier models, demonstrating the rapid and remarkable advance of large language models generally.
Legal technology and innovation leaders to follow: News and current events
Caroline Hill: Editor-in-Chief at Legal IT Insider
Caroline became a legal journalist in 2004 after an earlier career as a criminal advocate and a city solicitor at Norton Rose. She is the reporter who will likely first hear and report on major developments in legal tech. She knows the industry, and is recognized internationally for her no-nonsense coverage of all things legal technology.
Topics: News and current events, legal information technology
My favorite resources:
Navigating the Future of Legal Tech: Geek in Review podcast episode discussing how law firms can rely on their vendors and business partners to amplify their AI capabilities.
LegalTech Insights – Gen AI Differentiators, Cloud Parallels, and Regulatory Guidance: Clio CEO shares his vision of how generative AI will be a differentiator for legal professionals, plus lessons learned from the adoption of cloud technology.
Bob Ambrogi: Lawyer, Media and Technology Professional
As a lawyer, journalist, and media consultant, Bob is known for sharing his expertise in legal technology, practice, and ethics through the ABA Journal and LawNext podcast.
Bob has true depth in this space, and connects opportunities and insights in a way that makes him differentiated in legal tech journalism. Earlier in his career, he was editor-in-chief of The National Law Journal.
Topics: Legal ethics, journalism, media
My favorite resources:
Should Courts Use ChatGPT? In This Appellate Opinion, Both The Majority and Dissenting Opinions Did: Ambrogi covers a recent ruling by the DC Court of Appeals, which stands out for its explicit use of ChatGPT in judicial deliberations.
ABA Tech Survey Finds Growing Adoption of AI in Legal Practice, with Efficiency Gains as Primary Driver: Ambrogi delves into the 2024 edition of the American Bar Association’s Legal Technology Survey Report, exploring the growing adoption of AI and the tangible benefits it’s delivering to legal organizations.
Stephen Poor: Partner at Seyfarth Shaw LLP
As Chair Emeritus at Seyfarth, Steve is another godfather of legal innovation and has advised Seyfarth through many novel and innovative initiatives over the years. His focus is on law firm management, change leadership, and evolving trends in corporate legal procurement.
Recently, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award from ALM’s Legalweek Leaders in Tech Law Awards, recognizing his lasting impact on the legal industry. Additionally, he hosts the Pioneers and Pathfinders podcast, where he highlights the individuals shaping the future of law.
Topics: Legal services, innovation, client-facing technology
My favorite resources:
Pioneers and Pathfinders: Fourth Anniversary: Poor reflects on the past four years of his podcast, sharing key insights from esteemed guests—including Chief Justices, CEOs, and industry leaders.
Board Leadership in the Era of Artificial Intelligence: Steve is joined by industry experts to discuss the implications AI has for company strategy and planning, answering questions like “What should boards be expecting management to be doing right now, or have already done, related to generative AI?”
Legal technology and innovation leaders to follow: DISCO’s Own AI Leaders
Dr. Robert Harrington: Senior Director, Machine Learning and AI at DISCO
With a PhD in physics and past roles at CERN (the European Center for Particle Physics Research) and the U.S. Navy, Dr. Robert Harrington offers profound insights into the rapidly evolving fields of machine learning and AI.
His deep expertise and analytical approach enable him to bridge the gap between theoretical science and applications of this cutting-edge technology.
Topics: Large language models, future of AI, engineering
Platforms: LinkedIn
My favorite resources:
From Hype to Mastery: The Path to AI Maturity: Dr. Harrington sat down with AI Business to discuss the key areas organizations should focus on when building out their AI infrastructure.
Humans Behind the AI: The Physicist: From being part of the discovery of the Higgs boson particle to driving a naval carrier, learn how Robert’s background impacts his views on AI today.
James Park: AI Consulting Director at DISCO
A former attorney himself, James collaborates daily with legal practitioners to help them harness the power of technology and analytics. James understands both the technical and strategic implications of emerging technologies, ensuring that legal professionals stay ahead in an increasingly digital world.
Topics: Document review, AI implementation, technology frameworks
Platforms: LinkedIn
My favorite resources:
Webinar: Using GenAI for Doc Review: Watch on-demand to learn how document review using GenAI differs from human-only review, best practices for writing prompts to achieve the best results, and tips for quality control.
How to Use Generative AI for Fact Analysis and Investigation: James breaks down what it looks like to use generative AI for fact analysis and investigation – including benefits, risks, examples, and how to get started.
Arnaldo Pereira: Principle Machine Learning Scientist at DISCO
With a law degree and a Master’s in Computational and Applied Mathematics, Arnaldo brings a unique blend of expertise in both the legal and tech spaces.
Arnaldo approaches emerging technologies from the dual perspective of a developer and an end user, and is an expert at engineering prompts to get the best results out of generative AI.
Topics: GenAI benefits, document review, prompt engineering
My favorite resources:
Generative AI Is Here to Stay. Here’s What You and Your Clients Should Know: Arnaldo illuminates some of the benefits of GenAI, addresses common questions, and proposes a sample ethical framework for your organization to follow.
How to Use Generative AI for Document Review: A guide to legal practitioners wondering what the introduction of GenAI into document review means for them, and how they can leverage the skills they already have in a new context.
To hear more from our DISCO thought leaders, follow us on LinkedIn and X (formerly Twitter) to be the first to see our insights and industry news.
Empowered by the learnings from these thought leaders and ready to take the next step?
From our easy-to-use ediscovery platform to our innovative Cecilia AI suite of generative AI solutions, DISCO automates the tedious parts of your legal workflows so you can focus on actually practicing law -- and clock out on the weekend. Request a demo.
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