Episodes
Published 03/22/24
A trusted depth of data helps genAI infuse into the legal world more effectively and accurately, but not all genAI is up to scratch. Dennis and Tom talk with Emily Colbert about current AI uses in legal, with particular focus on the integration of AI into the Practical Law tool from Thomson Reuters. Emily discusses the importance of human experts and trusted content in developing genAI and what industry leaders are doing to drive efficiency and find new integrations for AI that support...
Published 03/22/24
Creative thinking and design elements can help you elevate your legal practice and develop more meaningful solutions for clients. Dennis and Tom welcome Tessa Manuello to discuss her insights on legal technology with a particular focus on creative design adaptations for lawyers. Tessa discusses the tech learning process for attorneys and explains how a more creative approach for both learning and implementing tech can help lawyers make better use of current tools, AI included.  As always,...
Published 03/08/24
The core of what Quinten Steenhuis does at Suffolk University’s Legal Innovation and Technology Lab is find new ways to help poor people gain access to legal help to work toward closing the justice gap. Dennis and Tom talk with Quinten about his work in this space to learn more about legal tech’s uses and potential for solving large-scale problems in the justice system. Quinten explains specific tech developed at the Lab, talks about tech competence and education amongst attorneys and law...
Published 02/23/24
Temptation to immediately buy all the new, shiny, ever-evolving technology can be very difficult to overcome. If you struggle with restraint in your tech purchases, Dennis and Tom are here to help. The guys talk through how to assess your true needs, allocate your tech budget, and make smarter technology purchases.  Later, the guys answer the question: What under-used tech could bring more productivity to your legal practice? It’s not rocket science—Dennis and Tom point out the tools you...
Published 02/09/24
Reducing the risk of legal malpractice is important to every attorney, and Carmin Ballou is an expert on the subject, along with a broad knowledge of the latest tools and innovations in legal technology. Dennis and Tom welcome Carmin to their Fresh Voices series to learn about tech that can help attorneys reduce risk in their law firms. They discuss data governance, cybersecurity and privacy practices, artificial intelligence, and more.  As always, stay tuned for the parting shots, that one...
Published 01/26/24
Anyone can and will make predictions about the coming year, but Dennis and Tom tend to shy away from the crystal ball in favor of resolutions and goal setting. The guys discuss last year’s resolutions and their success or lack thereof on each one. Then, they jump into the now and share what they hope to accomplish in 2024. Spoiler alert: AI is front and center.  Speaking of AI, in their second segment, ChatGPT asks a question! How can artificial intelligence be used to predict legal outcomes...
Published 01/12/24
The year-end tradition returns! Dennis and Tom welcome Debbie Foster for their annual Pardon the Interruption episode. This year, the trio play “Toss-Up”––debating opposing sides on legal tech issues, “What’s the word?”––a fill-in-the-blank for trending tech topics, and “Hot or not?”––categorizing the coolness of 2023’s legal tech trends. As yet undefeated in this yearly battle, will Tom retain his champion status for another year? Listen in to find out.  As always, stay tuned for the parting...
Published 12/29/23
What does it really take to make document automation work well? Many firms are intimidated by the initial heavy lifting in document automation, but it’s worth the effort! Catherine Bamford is an absolute expert on the subject, along with other legal practice automations that bring huge time savings to modern law firms. Catherine joins Dennis and Tom to share her expertise on current trends in automation, knowledge management, collaboration, and more.  As always, stay tuned for the parting...
Published 12/15/23
Another fresh voice! If we don’t have diverse groups in the legal world, we may miss the mark on many issues facing the profession. Flo Nicholas of DEI Directive joins Dennis and Tom to offer her perspectives on legal technology and how diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices benefit the legal community. Flo offers up her expertise in these areas and explains the current trends in plain language to help listeners gain a clearer understanding of the scope and positive impacts of...
Published 12/01/23
The AI hype cycle is pretty much all Dennis and Tom (and everybody else) hears about these days, so what happened to the other “hot” tech we were excited about barely a year ago? After a little digging, the guys find out that other tech does, in fact, still exist! They talk through current happenings in crypto, blockchain, NFTs, the metaverse, and more. And, since AI is still a pretty big deal, they also offer up resources to help listeners keep up with the rapidly changing AI...
Published 11/17/23
Note-taking is typically a significant part of a lawyer’s life—in meetings, research, client conversations, and more. There are numerous ways to approach this simple task, but is there a *best* way? Dennis and Tom examine several note-taking methods to unearth the most advantageous techniques for your practice.  Later, the guys address a listener question on sketchy links and unsubscribe options in emails. Dennis and Tom love answering your queries! To submit your own technology question,...
Published 11/03/23
Apple, Microsoft, Google, and Amazon are busily announcing their latest products, and Dennis and Tom are a little underwhelmed. But, rather than ignoring the new stuff altogether, the guys lean into their tech-infused ennui and ponder the reasons behind their “meh” responses. They discuss the latest products from Big Tech, talk about product improvements, and give thoughts on how AI is continuing to influence just about everything in tech these days.  Later, Dennis and Tom examine several...
Published 10/20/23
Dennis and Tom’s second brains are still evolving, and the guys have updates to share on both their current progress and future goals. Listen in for their latest thoughts on tools for this project and new uses for AI.  Later on, listen in for a round of “Thumbs Up or Thumbs Down,” focused on whether the world needs an AI version of Dennis. Thoughts?  As always, stay tuned for the parting shots, that one tip, website, or observation that you can use the second the podcast ends. Have a...
Published 10/06/23
Technology adeptness doesn’t have to look exactly the same from law firm to law firm. Kristin Hodgins joins Dennis and Tom to share her thoughts on the latest trends in legal technology and effective approaches to tech competence. She also discusses her career path, the distinction between access to justice and access to legal services, ChatGPT, and much more.  As always, stay tuned for the parting shots, that one tip, website, or observation that you can use the second the podcast ends. Have...
Published 09/22/23
Is our current approach to legal tech education helping or hurting lawyers? Dennis and Tom think through this question out loud, pondering whether lawyers can truly learn what they need to know through the typical legal tech conference session or CLE class. The guys might not agree, but they hash out their thoughts on learning opportunities, tech engagement, new approaches to tech-ed resources, and more.  Later, time for another round of Thumbs Up/Thumbs Down! Dennis reveals his latest scheme...
Published 09/08/23
Nick Rishwain joins the guys as another fresh voice on the current happenings in legal technology. Nick shares his approach to helping attorneys understand and make the most of legal tech and discusses areas where competence still has a long way to go. Later, Dennis & Tom pick his brain on AI, blockchain, collaboration, exciting new startups, social media, and much more.  As always, stay tuned for the parting shots, that one tip, website, or observation that you can use the second the...
Published 08/25/23
A new Kennedy-Mighell Report game has begun. The premise? Dennis has a whole lot of ideas, and Tom just loves pointing out their flaws. The guys introduce a new segment called “Thumbs Up or Thumbs Down?” Dennis, in his ever-springing optimism, shares his latest notions, and Tom uses his practical, skeptical reasoning to determine whether they have merit or need to be thrown out the window. And, there’s no time like summertime to return to Dennis and Tom’s “Hot or Not?” segment. So, should you...
Published 08/11/23
What makes it so difficult for some lawyers to embrace technology? Fear, confusion, and that feeling that they just can’t ever catch up create a wall that many attorneys can’t seem to break down. Dennis and Tom bring on Amani Smathers, another “fresh voice,” to learn how she encourages technology adoption among legal professionals. She also covers the AI hype, her favorite collaboration tools, her unique niche in legal tech, and more! As always, stay tuned for the parting shots, that one tip,...
Published 07/28/23
Despite Tom’s attempted prohibition of ChatGTP on this podcast, it’s weaseled its way in once again. The guys take a hard look at where ChatGPT is really at right now, discussing both its capabilities and its limitations as of yet. Dennis shares insights from the hundreds of experiments he’s tried with ChatGPT and explains where this tech still falls short in its results. They also discuss generative AI in the legal profession and whether its current uses are cause for concern or...
Published 07/14/23
We hate to say it again, but tech competence in the legal profession is still significantly lacking. Dennis and Tom talk with Ivy Grey about her unique approach to helping lawyers understand and use technology. Ivy connects tech with substance to help the less-than-tech-savvy lawyer embrace necessary tools and fulfill their ethical responsibilities. Ivy also shares her optimistic take on the latest happenings in legal tech, with a particular focus on leveraging AI in legal writing.  As...
Published 06/30/23
Legal technology is essential to the fight for access to justice, opening up a multitude of new possibilities for addressing legal needs. Dennis and Tom continue their “Fresh Voices” series by talking with Tiffany Graves about her knowledge of the pro bono space and how tech-powered solutions are helping expand access to legal services. Tiffany discusses the current landscape of pro bono tech, the importance of collaboration, and what emerging technologies could have in store for future pro...
Published 06/16/23
Whether you’ve got a summer trip planned or not, it’s always a good time to start a really great book. Dennis and Tom talk through their personal summer reading goals and how they approach the curation of book lists that hit business and pleasure in equal measures.   Later, what the heck is the Fediverse? Twitter’s slow death has us all a bit annoyed and increasingly disengaged, but social media is still a big part of how we humans interact, so what’s next? Dennis and Tom explain “federated...
Published 06/02/23
Actually, Tom’s gonna blast the idea of “spring” tech cleaning right out of the water. In reality, your technology pieces most likely need more than once-a-year maintenance to stay in top condition, so the guys lay out their tips and favorite products for both the physical and digital aspects of tidying up your tech.  Later, Copilot is slated to bring even more AI functionality to Microsoft 365 and it’s all looking pretty promising. Dennis and Tom chat about what excites them most about this...
Published 05/19/23
In light of the recent Internet Archive lawsuit, Dennis has some serious questions about what it and other recent happenings may mean for the future of online content. Will we see an increase in lost access to data or permanently deleted content? Tom doesn’t necessarily think so, but the guys dig deeper into this topic to hash out their thoughts on freedom of information, paywalls, and whether we ought to be concerned about the fate of internet content. Later, time for a checkup on Dennis and...
Published 05/05/23