7 Trends Heard [So Far] at LegalTech New York 2016

by Contributing Writer | Feb 3, 2016

LegalTech New York 2016 is off to a rousing start, with huge crowds filling the hallways, conference sessions and hotel lounges. There are seven key topics of conversation driving the discussions so far:

1. FRCP Rule Changes. The long-discussed changes to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure have now gone into effect. In the February 2^nd keynote panel discussion (“How Is Technology Used in Today’s Courtrooms and Cases”), judges recommended that lawyers find the right balance in their eDiscovery requests, using the new proportionality standard as a guiding principle.

2. Cybersecurity. Every major law firm and corporate legal department lives daily under the looming threat of an imminent cybersecurity crisis. Eric O’Neill – inspiration for the hit movie Breach – delivered the keynote on February 3^rd and described how he solved a string of cyber-crimes, revealing for lawyers how they can deploy careful diligence, counter-espionage techniques and restraint in social media to help minimize cyber-threats.

3. Early Case Assessment. A debate appears to be taking shape about the future of the linear review model that has shaped the eDiscovery business in recent years. Some industry players are advocating for a greater focus on early case assessment and the use of software tools that provide earlier insights into the landscape of a case in order to inform litigation strategy.

4. Private Servers. Most of us have become acquainted with the public relations risks associated with the use of private email servers by senior government officials, but there is ambiguity regarding the legal risks. In the February 4^th keynote panel discussion (“Private Network Servers, Deleted Emails & Texts and Other Controversies in the News”), the experts will review what we know and what they would have advised to avoid this entire issue.

5. Academic Collaborations. A number of academic and other educational organizations are driving conversations at LegalTech New York 2016. The show organizers have collaborated with universities with strong cyber curriculum and there will be a live “hackathon” competition between eight colleges on the exhibit floor. This year’s event also features an expansion of the CodeX Pavilion, showcasing the work of CodeX: The Stanford Center for Legal Informatics.

6. Data Analytics. It seems clear that the promise of data analytics in legal software development has arrived. There’s a buzz at this year’s show regarding the arrival of new tools, from new eDiscovery platforms with advanced visual analytics embedded into the workflow to CRM solutions that use analytics to optimize attorney engagement for better client outcomes.

7. Client Service. In an increasingly competitive market for legal services, those law firms that are able to excel in client service are able to have a leg up on their competitors. The International Legal Technology Association (ILTA) sponsored a popular session on the opening day of the show, showcasing how ILTA’s 2015 Innovative Law Firm of the Year, Davis Wright Tremaine LLP (DWT), and finalist, Littler Mendelson P.C., are reimagining legal services.

LegalTech New York 2016 is being held at The New York Hilton, February 2-4, 2016.

Your turn! Feel free to share your trendspotting assessments in the comments.

Note: This is a guest post from Daryn Teague, who provides support to the litigation software product line based in the LexisNexis Raleigh Technology Center.

See our additional news and coverage stemming from LegalTech 2016:

7 Trends Heard [So Far] at LegalTech New York 2016

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