The Filevine Person Convention occurred September 29th via October 2nd in Salt Lake Metropolis. I used to be within the convention partly as a result of Filevine not too long ago acquired a $400 million infusion and I wished to see what the ambiance was as in comparison with final yr’s convention, additionally in Salt Lake.
Final yr, Filevine kind of threw down the gauntlet on extravagant vendor conferences. It featured a keynote with the actor Jake Gyllenhaal and a live performance by well-known rap artist, Nelly. There was a variety of pleasure and main bulletins.
Like final yr, this yr’s convention featured a well known actor, Bob Odenkirk (Higher Name Saul), and a live performance apparently by a well known nation music group, the Turnpike Troubadours. (I’m not a rustic fan so it was a bit of misplaced on me.) The vitality and keenness appeared the identical, as exemplified by its CEO Ryan Anderson. I get pleasure from speaking to the Filevine people and, like final yr, discovered them fascinating and educated.
And maybe in step with an organization simply getting a $400 million infusion, Filevine gave each attendee $200 in coupons to spend within the Filevine Professional Store (extra on that later).
Key Take Aways
After being there for the three days, three tendencies are apparent. First, like another distributors, Filevine sees the worth in offering one singular AI and tech supply for all its prospects. It’s increasing what its varied AI instruments can achieve this that prospects keep within the Filevine campground for as many duties as potential.
All nicely and good however if you happen to observe Cory Doctorow’s enshitification theme (the place an organization gives a terrific product at a terrific worth however because it grows it gives much less service at a better worth), it ties up prospects and makes it troublesome for them to modify if Filevine decides sooner or later to lift the charges and supply much less service. It’s good for purchasers within the brief run. How good in the long term stays to be seen.
Secondly, a lot of Filevine’s instruments cut back the period of time wanted by attorneys and authorized professionals to spend doing case and matter actions. As I’ve mentioned earlier than, this implies, for instance, that plaintiffs’ attorneys who take circumstances on a contingency foundation could possibly profitably deal with circumstances that they beforehand couldn’t. These are circumstances with decrease publicity. With out AI and automation instruments, the period of time wanted to deal with the case would exceed what might doubtless be recovered. Not coincidentally, a lot of Filevine’s prospects are private harm attorneys.
Lastly, like another suppliers, Filevine appears to be like laborious on the observe ache factors and sees the worth in offering AI instruments that work and handle these factors.
The Opening Keynote
Like final yr, the opening Keynote was given by the CEO and founder, Ryan Anderson. He’s a type of tech entrepreneurs who bounds on the stage filled with vitality and keenness, a lot of quick speaking (that means he talked quick, not essentially that he was filled with BS, though I’m positive there was a few of that). His Keynote units the stage for what’s to return.
Curiously, Anderson opened his Keynote by speaking about the potential of tech corporations changing into opponents of legislation corporations as a substitute of suppliers of merchandise to them. I say fascinating as a result of not too long ago I posed the identical query in reference to the acquisition by the tech firm Lawhive of a UK legislation agency.
As is perhaps anticipated, Anderson provided a stirring protection of legislation corporations and expressed the concept there are issues human attorneys can and at all times will do higher. Like persuasion, empathy, and authorized technique. I say anticipated since Filevine is an enormous vendor of tech to legislation corporations (not less than for now).
Anderson’s massive information by way of merchandise was the notion of an idea he known as LOIS (Authorized Working Intelligence Resolution). The concept is that LOIS would be the hub to unify all Filevine’s AI instruments and case administration software program. Anderson stated the platform might be a linked setting for these instruments to work collectively in an orchestrated trend.
After the Keynote, I talked with Keegan Chapman, Filevine’s Chief Advertising and marketing Officer, about LOIS. I acquired the sense that LOIS is extra of an idea and mind-set than an precise product. I additionally acquired the concept it’s a strategy to discuss with the slew of various merchandise Filevine gives in a unified means. Says Chapman, “All these merchandise scattered all through Filevine felt very disjointed. We realized that the true energy is just not when you have got one however when you have got AI in every step of your course of. And that’s what we began naming LOIS for.”
Good thought. I’ve written earlier than in regards to the confusion that arises when a authorized tech vendor gives a bunch of merchandise with completely different names that do barely various things.
Past LOIS, there have been a lot of person periods, usually devoted to make use of by plaintiffs’ and smaller legislation corporations who appear to represent the majority of Filevine’s buyer base and the precise use of the varied instruments.
New Merchandise and Enhancements
On the conclusion of the primary full day, Filevine’s Chief Product Officer, Michael Anderson, together with a number of others took the stage to debate Filevine’s new merchandise and enhancements. As with most distributors nowadays, most of those aren’t launched but and might be in beta beginning later this yr.
The 2 necessary have been the enhancements to the deposition device and the entry of Filevine within the authorized analysis discipline which I beforehand addressed.
Listed here are a few of the different bulletins.
1. Filevine’s main flagship AI device, Chat with Your Case, now appears to be like extra like a full AI-powered case evaluation and drafting assistant. Key enhancements embody:
- The sidebar chat has been redesigned with a full-screen mode and a historical past map.
- The precise phrases and pages the AI depends on are displayed.
- A brand new AI classifier now routes queries to the proper agent, distinguishing between fact-finding, procedural, and generative duties.
Key upcoming options will add the flexibility to robotically produce slide decks or PDFs summarizing case strengths and weaknesses and the flexibility for customers to have the ability to select which datasets the AI attracts from.
2. Draft AI is a brand new embedded drafting assistant built-in into Filevine’s doc meeting system. Options embody:
- A hybrid drafting enginethat combines conventional templates with generative AI for distinctive sections like recitals and factual backgrounds.
- Direct Filevine knowledge entry that pulls instantly from the case file resulting in accuracy and formatting consistency.
- The flexibility to talk with the doc itself to edit, question, or insert sections.
3. Filevine’s Well timed product, an AI-driven deadline calculation device, has been fully rebuilt utilizing AI. The enhancements embody:
- Protection of circumstances in all 50 state and federal jurisdictions.
- An AI-enhanced native rule detection characteristic.
- Synced deadlines that seem robotically in Filevine tasks, Outlook, and Google calendars.
4. Filevine’s Medical Chronology device is a medical file summarization system that now robotically updates as new medical information are uploaded. It could additionally now be narrowed for particular varieties of information. Sooner or later, the device will embody computerized deduplication, and the flexibility to mix medical information and payments right into a unified view, cross-comparison of payments and information to search out lacking paperwork, and the flexibility for the person to approve or exclude paperwork earlier than inclusion.
The Proverbial Vibe
Along with content material and bulletins, each convention needs to be assessed on its vibe, vitality, and really feel. On this level, I give Filevine a B+ for the explanations beneath. Plenty of pleasure and keenness. Plenty of discuss AI and what I might do. The Filevine individuals went out of their strategy to be useful and courteous. The periods have been good and informative. The keynotes have been strong. The exhibit corridor was energized.
However…
Regardless of all this, on some issues Filevine was, nicely, a bit of tone deaf.
Take LOIS. Conceptually appears like a good suggestion. However why introduce it with a video exhibiting two engaging ladies who presumably gave a glance and voice to LOIS. And for that matter, why identify it for a girl in any respect? Whether or not intentional or not, the selection to anthropomorphize an AI assistant as feminine and have it represented by engaging ladies in promotional supplies reinforces outdated stereotypes about whose work issues much less.
Minor level? Possibly. And by itself it may not have been noticeable. However a few different issues prompt a bro ambiance. All through the venue there have been all types of references to sports activities, primarily golf. Photos of well-known male golfers. Trophies exhibited to counsel a rustic membership ambiance. References to membership membership. Even the swag was provided in a “Professional Store.” Most of it had “Member” displayed on it. Sure, ladies play golf; however I didn’t see any footage of girls golfers anyplace.
Nothing incorrect with golf references per se, however when the whole aesthetic skews closely towards one demographic’s leisure actions, it sends a message about who the “default” buyer is imagined to be.
Then there was the opening evening occasion. The theme was Kentucky Derby, replete with mint juleps, cigar rolling, and simulated betting. Now I’m pleased my state’s largest occasion acquired some discover, nevertheless it appeared jarring to have a Derby occasion in late September in Salt Lake Metropolis. Past the odd timing, it could possibly be seen as doubling down on the unique nation and boys membership picture.
Placing all this collectively, it gave an impression that could possibly be off placing and detract, relatively than improve, the objective of the convention: showcase merchandise whereas letting everybody have enjoyable and really feel snug. In a male-dominated business recognized for the alternative sort of ambiance, it was a distraction.
However At Least No Girl in a Champagne Glass
However that shouldn’t take something away from the truth that total, the convention was actually good. And in contrast to one other well-known authorized tech convention this yr, not less than there was no scantily clad lady in a big champagne glass on the most important occasion.
Stephen Embry is a lawyer, speaker, blogger, and author. He publishes TechLaw Crossroads, a weblog dedicated to the examination of the stress between know-how, the legislation, and the observe of legislation.
