Debates about diversity, robot fights and AI featured at Legal Week 2018. Plus has the quality of swag gone down? Here are the top 10 Tweets from #Legalweek18
1. Fight!
Two AI-driven case analysis systems in New York squared up. CaseText’s CARA went head-to-head against the newly-launched Ross Intelligence, offering, EVA. Casetext CEO Jacob Heller challenged his competitors at Ross Intelligence to a #robotfight. The blow-by- blow fight here.
#RobotFight is on! CARA v. EVA. 1:30 at Bridges Bar at Hilton.
Theatrics aside, it will be a great way for all to learn about the differences between the two technologies.#Legalweek18 #LTNY18
— Jake Heller (@Jacob_Heller) January 30, 2018
2. Time for a drink?
Try a Smoking Gun or a Litigation Supporter via Above The Law columnist Zach Abramowitz.
https://twitter.com/ZachAbramowitz/status/958099182434377729
3. Pulp Fiction director or Top Tennis player?
AI was definitely a hot topic again this year at Legalweek. Thomas Hamilton, VP, Strategy & Operations at ROSS Intelligence provided a new benchmark for competent AI.
Fifteen minutes into #Legalweek18 and I've already found a contender for best slide of the week! pic.twitter.com/kLUsbQabXK
— Thomas Hamilton (@tjhammy) January 29, 2018
4. Lack of Diversity in LegalTech (part I)
The lack of female panelists was a running theme at the session, here voiced by Alex Smith, law firm, Reed Smith’s first innovation manager.
The future of legal AI tech is looking very male at present … #legalweek2018 https://t.co/cPbYSs2Bfx
— Alex GPT Smith (@alexgsmith) January 29, 2018
5. Lack of Diversity in LegalTech (part 2)
Laura Safdie, Chief Operating Officer & General Counsel at Casetext however, gives credit to the wide array of “fabulous women leaders and women-led companies to follow” in the world of LegalTech. Names include Chief Innovation Officer at Integreon, Basha Rubin CEO at PrioriLegal, Monica Bay, legal writer, Jean O’ Grady, lawyer and blogger, Carolyn Elefant, lawyer and blogger at MyShingle, Nicole Black, legal technology evangelist from MyCase.
Not good if #LegalWeek18 panels don't reflect diversity of #legaltech. But no fear, there are many fabulous women leaders & women-led companies to follow! @AlmaAsay @ @AllegoryLaw, @basharubin @ @PrioriLegal, @JoinPaladin, @MonicaBay @jogdc @carolynelefant @nikiblack & @casetext https://t.co/rs13HrpE9s
— Laura Safdie (@LSafdie) January 29, 2018
6. Lack of Diversity in LegalTech (part 3)
David Colarusso, Director of Suffolk University Law School’s Legal Innovation and Technology Lab, says LegalTech gender bias begins in the naming of solutions.
https://twitter.com/Colarusso/status/958055364108410881
7. Getting your awesome startup featured in top legal press
John Malpas, Publishing director, Legal Week, at ALM tweets a session where top legal journalists talk about he secrets of getting their attention. The tips included to send journalists two sentences ( max) with your story, make it practical, why you are different and why it matters.
A panel of top ALM editors moderated by @RACaruso and including @_greg_mitchell_ are explaining how to make the best PR pitches: good quotes and no footnotes. Be available to be interviewed immediately, not tomorrow afternoon. #Legalweek18 pic.twitter.com/ZN92dGX4MM
— John Malpas (@JohnMalpas) January 31, 2018
8. The pen is mightier than the swag
Andrea Cannavina, director of the Virtual Bar Association, and CEO of Legal Typist bemoans the lack of good swag.
Quick tour of the Expo Hall. Pens, pens pens. I miss the days of real swag!! #LTNY18 #Legalweek18
— Andrea Cannavina (@AndreaCan) January 30, 2018
FYI, LawGeex 2018 edition robots all went!
9. Law still stuck in the past?
Abraham Lincoln joined proceedings. We are not really sure why either.
To clarify, the real Abraham Lincoln is the one in the hat, the guy to the left is our Product Manager who just happens to look like him. #Legalweek18 pic.twitter.com/Q7bO0G75Xm
— Workshare (@Workshare) January 31, 2018
10. Is Legal week in good shape?
With 9000+ attendees there was a lot to get in and several tweet takeaways. Lucy Bassli formerly associate GC at Microsoft (launching an exciting new consultancy InnoLegal Services at the event) tweeted her conclusions from her first Legalweek. This included “Robots getting sh*t done @lawgeex” (thanks!); Legal service delivery lapping the practice of law; #Smartcontracts getting smarter (help the dumb contracts!); Law firm profitability vs law firm revenues and “Process before tools. ” LexBlog Editor Kevin O’ Keefe claimed that online demos and social media is increasingly taking a bite out of even top conferences. “Attendance and sessions feel reasonably strong at @ALMMedia’s @LegalweekShow, but booths/exhibitors look down” he tweeted. Meanwhile there was this advice from Ansel Halliburton, Fullstack Legal Engineer at Airbus.
I've been in law + AI sessions for 4 days straight at #Legalweek18.
Lawyers explaining law: 😀
Technologists explaining technology: 😀
Lawyers explaining technology: 😬Conference organizers, put more technologists on your law + technology panels.
— Ansel Halliburton (@anseljh) February 1, 2018
Until the next conference!
