Thoughts on Legal Tech and COVID

Senior Investment Manager and Head of Omni Bridgeway’s offices in New York, Jim Batson, recently hosted Omni’s Beyond Hourly podcast. Batson is a former commercial litigator and law firm partner. The podcast features Ariana Tadler, founder of Tadler Law.

Omni Bridgeway’s Beyond Hourly podcast shares insights about gender in law, being a consumer advocate, and the ways in which COVID continues to impact the pursuit of justice. Tadler describes an early case she worked as plaintiff’s coordinating counsel for an IPO Securities Litigation. The case began in 2000 and was related to more than 300 different class actions that were coordinated together, dealing with more than 50 investment banks as defendants.

This led to discussion of an amendment to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, which was needed to update laws to include modern technology like the internet. Tadler herself was instrumental in the amendments process, eventually being appointed by Chief Justice Roberts to the Federal Civil Rules Advisory Committee.

Talk of technology led to a discussion of COVID, and how the legal world simultaneously came to appreciate the value of high-speed internet. The need for remote working conditions, teleconferencing, and virtual document sharing has led to upgrades in tech across the industry. Tadler expresses that she’s confident in the tech choices she made for her firm, acknowledging that such decisions are easier in a smaller firm.

When asked if she had advice to share with anyone contemplating founding a firm of their own, Tadler’s answer was unsurprising. She recommends tapping into existing network connections and then branching out into new ones. Never underestimate the value of a good Listserv and a diverse workforce. Seeing other firms and products as networking opportunities rather than as competition elevates everyone involved, while providing a framework to recommend and share information that ultimately helps legal teams and clients alike.