While at SXSW I heard the results of a survey of rural residents by Mother. The data and research reveal interesting factors driving those living in rural areas. The sense of community, the values, the nature of creativity, and their aspirations all need to be taken into account in trying to solve the legal
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SXSW’s Panel Educates Even When It Misses the Mark
There’s a concept in public speaking called the informed audicence. It means your audience should inform how you convey your message. In giving presentations to lawyers about Gen AI, presenters should focus on not only on the risks but on the benefits. And give practical demonstrations. A SXSW presentation drove these points home. Here’s my
SXSW and the Power of Storytelling in Persuasion
Here’s my post for Above the Law on lessons for litigators from SXSW panels on live theatre and marketing: start with the story and not with the technology, help you audicence experiance the story, don’t just tell them use data and AI to learn more about how to tailor arguments to individual decision makers, establish
The Emerging Trends Report at SXSW: The Stone in Legal’s Shoe and the What-If Questions We Need to Ask
Here is my post for Above the Law about the Emerging Trends Report presented by Amy Webb of Future Today Strategy Group at SXSW last week. The so what for legal? Don’t fixate on obstacles but anticipate the changes that will be occurring. And ask the right “what if” questions.
SXSW Privacy Discussion: The Rising Risks Lawyers Can’t Ignore
Meredith Whittaker, CEO of Signal, presented a chilling picture of the modern privacy landscape at a SXSW session. Data proliferation and AI tools are combining to seriously threaten everyone’s privacy. But the awareness level among lawyers and legal professionals may not be where it should be. Legal professionals need to be aware of
MIT Reveal 2025 Breakthrough Tech at SXSW: What It Means for Legal
Here’s my post for Above the Law on the key takeaways from the MIT Study for legal presented at SXSW: small language models can and will do a lot for law firms and legal departments, legal needs to take a problem first approach to legal tech and its applications and AI agents are still a
SXSW Opening Keynote Stresses Social Health In The Workplace And Beyond: The Missing Link In Law Firm Culture
Here is my article for Above the Law on the opening SXSW Keynote last Friday by social health expert Kasley Killiam on the mental and physical benefits of and need for greater social connections But that’s not why most law firms are demanding a return to the office by younger lawyers. If firms want to
A Fresh Take on Legal Conferences: AffiniPay’s Virtual Legal Seminar 2025
Next week, I’m participating as a presenter in a unique legal conference. The conference is being put on by AffiniPay’s legal brands (AffiniPay is the parent company of LawPay, MyCase,Docketwise and CASEpeer). It’s been billed as a live webinar. Unlike traditional conferences, this one blends in-person and virtual elements: the presenters
Practical AI for Litigators: Vincent is Closing Knowledge Gaps
As reported elsewhere, vLex, a legal research and database provider, recently announced significant enhancements to its AI tool, Vincent. These upgrades are designed to provide lawyers and legal professionals with enhanced practical solutions, address knowledge gaps, and offer valuable insights.
With the release, vLex is offering significant new workflows. The new features will be
AI-Powered Arbitration: Is Arbitrus.ai the Future of Dispute Resolution?
In his 2019 book Online Courts and the Future of Justice, Richard Susskind explored the potential for AI to revolutionize dispute resolution. He posed an interesting question: Do litigants always want judicial decisions, or do they simply want their problems resolved swiftly, efficiently, and fairly? Susskind suggested that automated systems could, in the future,