The Kennedy-Mighell Report

The all-too-common deterioration of internet platforms seems to lead users through a bait and switch that leaves them with little more than a bunch of crap. Why do platforms tend to start off with appealing, engaging features that eventually disappear? Dennis and Tom talk about a recently coined term, which, for the purposes of this podcast, they call “encrappification”, and what, if anything, can...

When Jackie Schafer started learning about AI in 2020, she had an intuitive feeling that it was going to bring big changes to the legal profession. Since then, she has worked with AI to improve legal writing technology for greater efficiency and accuracy. Dennis and Tom talk with Jackie about her perspectives on broader legal technology, competency, collaboration, and more. She also gives insights...

Is there a need for the legal tech community together for more informal chats about the latest happenings in the industry? Dennis envisions chat sessions, group Zooms, unconferences, and more, but Tom isn’t so sure those types of get-togethers would be appealing to him. They hash out their thoughts on encouraging conversations and idea sharing in the legal tech community and which collaboration ap...

To gain a new perspective on technology from outside the US, Dennis and Tom welcome UK-based legal business consultant Jack Shepherd. Jack offers his thoughts on how European tech approaches may differ from that in US law firms and talks about competence, tech learning, collaboration, AI trends, and more.  As always, stay tuned for the parting shots, that one tip, website, or observation that you...

Blogs were a colorful, dynamic part of the internet in their heyday, but how do they fit into our world today? Dennis and Tom take a hard look at the latest trends in legal blogs and whether this form of social media/information sharing is still successfully maintaining its corner of internetland. They discuss their own blogging habits, or lack thereof, and offer their thoughts on common trends in...

There’s a new iPad on the market… Do lawyers need it? New, shiny tech is always a temptation for Dennis and Tom, and right now they’re mulling over this latest Apple offering and whether its potential uses for attorneys make it worth the investment. They discuss reviews, new upgrades, uses in legal practice, laptop/phone/tablet comparisons, and more.  In their second segment, Chat GPT asks the guy...

For tech trends from an in-house perspective, Dennis and Tom welcome Dennis Garcia of Microsoft to their Fresh Voices series. In-house teams are riding the new wave of AI technologies along with the rest of us, but there are unique aspects to their roles in the legal world. Dennis Garcia discusses his team’s approach to AI and other emerging tools, ethical responsibilities for tech competence, col...

What if, instead of tech competence being this scary, overwhelming thing, we showed lawyers how to engage with technology in a more lighthearted, even playful, way? The reality is—tech competency doesn’t have an endpoint, but the process of continuous learning shouldn’t be dull and confusing. Sarah Glassmeyer joins Dennis and Tom to talk about her perspectives on technology education for attorneys...

The second brain is a source of carefully curated information, but what’s the best way to access and interact with that wealth of content day to day? Dennis and Tom unpack the concept of “The Daily Me”—customized daily news—and whether it could be a solution for keeping up with content stored in a second brain.  In their next segment, the guys prompt ChatGPT to ask them a question. This time, this...

Dennis has been ever the optimist about all things GenAI, and Tom was perhaps a bit more skeptical, but have they both changed their tunes? The guys hash out their current perspectives and share how they are applying GenAI in both their work and personal lives. They also caution lawyers to really learn the ins and outs of GenAI tech so they can use it ethically and effectively in legal practice. ...

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 in...

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...

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 t...

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 product...

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 pract...

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 seg...

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 hi...

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 auto...

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 l...

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, th...

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 i...

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...

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, th...

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 partin...

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, an...