Fast-Tracked: Emergent Issues in the Legal Profession

In the final episode of Fast-Tracked Season Two, Jae Um (Co-Founder, Chief Growth Officer & Head of Knowledge at Lumio) discusses the last five volatile years in the legal industry, focusing on major emerging trends like sector specialization, AI integration, and evolving business models. She also shares thoughts on how law firms can adapt to rapid changes and use strategic and technological shifts to develop new lawyers.

Jackie Schafer, founder and CEO of ClearBrief.ai, explores the integration of technology and law, focusing on topics such as access to justice and the role of technology in legal practice, including the rise of AI tools and its potential uses and challenges in both corporate and public interest law. Schafer shares insights from her diverse legal career, emphasizes the importance of human-centered design, and offers predictions for the future of legal tech.

Whitney Stefko, Director and Senior Counsel of Policy and Legal Operations at Ford Motor Company, discusses insights on AI implementation in legal operations, the need for adaptability in a rapidly evolving tech landscape, and strategies for maintaining physical and mental health amidst constant professional changes. She also explores the changing relationship between law firms and in-house counsel regarding technology use and the future skills required for lawyers.

Nina Blackshear, a certified executive coach and practicing corporate attorney, shares her unconventional career journey from law school to various roles in other areas before returning to the legal field, including her advice on career transitions. She discusses the importance of self-awareness, authentic leadership, the challenges of intergenerational workplaces, and the value of stepping outside the legal profession to gain diverse perspectives.

Lucy Lopez, Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary at Spencer Stuart, shares her experiences managing a global legal team amidst economic uncertainty and mounting legal and business complexities. Lucy describes her approach to supporting the professional development of her legal team in a rapidly shaping world, and offers her personal techniques for maintaining balance and leadership efficiency, highlighting the importance of continuous learning and reflection. Please note: CLE is not offered for listening to this podcast, and the views and opinions expressed within represent those of the speakers and not necessarily those of PLI. PLI’s Fast-Tracked: Emergent Issues in the Legal Profession podcast, brings you conversations with thought leaders, delving into the most dynamic trends shaping the legal world.  PLI is proud to keep you ever current with timely programs, publications, and podcasts. Visit pli.edu/ftpod for more episodes.

Arbitrator and mediator Stacy Guillon, co-founder of Decisioncraft, discusses how AI is transforming alternative dispute resolution (ADR) through streamlining processes and enhancing efficiency, while emphasizing that human empathy and judgment remain essential in binding decision-making. She predicts the emergence of AI arbitrators in low-stakes cases, while maintaining that human arbitrators must evolve to demonstrate their unique value. Please note: CLE is not offered for listening to this podcast, and the views and opinions expressed within represent those of the speakers and not necessarily those of PLI. PLI’s Fast-Tracked: Emergent Issues in the Legal Profession podcast, brings you conversations with thought leaders, delving into the most dynamic trends shaping the legal world.  PLI is proud to keep you ever current with timely programs, publications, and podcasts.  Visit pli.edu/ftpod for more episodes.

Adam Unikowsky, a partner in the appellate litigation practice at Jenner & Block, draws from his background in physics, engineering, and law to explore the potential impact of AI in the legal field. He discusses how lawyers might leverage AI and how AI can have a role in improving access to justice, and shares a bold prediction about how AI will reshape the industry. PLI’s Fast-Tracked: Emergent Issues in the Legal Profession podcast, brings you conversations with thought leaders, delving into the most dynamic trends shaping the legal world.  PLI is proud to keep you ever current with timely programs, publications, and podcasts. Visit pli.edu/ftpod for more episodes.  Please note: CLE is not offered for listening to this podcast, and the views and opinions expressed within represent those of the speakers and host, and not necessarily those of PLI.

Jess Sargus, former litigator and founder of The Legal Athlete, discusses the intersection of elite athletic performance and trial law. She shares how applying the performance, resilience, and wellness strategies she learned as a professional mixed martial artist and coach can help trial lawyers manage stress and avoid burnout. Sargus also introduces the concept of “glimmers” — small moments of joy that rewire the brain for positivity. PLI’s Fast-Tracked: Emergent Issues in the Legal Profession podcast, brings you conversations with thought leaders, delving into the most dynamic trends shaping the legal world.  PLI is proud to keep you ever current with timely programs, publications, and podcasts. Visit pli.edu/ftpod for more episodes.  Please note: CLE is not offered for listening to this podcast, and the views and opinions expressed within represent those of the speakers and host, and not necessarily those of PLI.

Professor Richard Jolly of Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management explores evolving challenges in the legal profession, particularly within law firms, including structural and psychological barriers to change such as the traditional partnership model, short-term profit focus, and resistance to innovation. The conversation touches on generational shifts and the need for law firms to adapt to successfully navigate the future. PLI’s Fast-Tracked: Emergent Issues in the Legal Profession podcast, brings you conversations with thought leaders, delving into the most dynamic trends shaping the legal world.  PLI is proud to keep you ever current with timely programs, publications, and podcasts. Visit pli.edu/ftpod for more episodes.  Please note: CLE is not offered for listening to this podcast, and the views and opinions expressed within represent those of the speakers and host, and not necessarily those of PLI.

Judge Scott Schlegel, a technology-forward judge from Louisiana’s Fifth Circuit Court of Appeal, discusses the role of AI and digital tools in modernizing the justice system. He offers simple tech solutions that benefit legal professionals, covers the risks presented by AI-generated evidence and deepfakes to fairness in court proceedings, and presents his predictions for coming industry trends. PLI’s Fast-Tracked: Emergent Issues in the Legal Profession podcast, brings you conversations with thought leaders, delving into the most dynamic trends shaping the legal world.  PLI is proud to keep you ever current with timely programs, publications, and podcasts. Visit pli.edu/ftpod for more episodes.  Please note: CLE is not offered for listening to this podcast, and the views and opinions expressed within represent those of the speakers and host, and not necessarily those of PLI.

Structural barriers to change may represent the biggest enemy to innovation, access to justice, and a coherent system of lawyer formation. From regulations that define what constitutes the unauthorized practice of law to the often-undervalued role state supreme courts play in reimagining the future of lawyer licensure, our guests Jordan Furlong of Law21 and James J. Sandman of Penn Carey Law have been at the forefront of these discussions, and share their insightful and inspiring vision for the future. Hear from these experts about how to better align legal education with lawyer regulation, how other countries’ approaches to legal services offer inspiration for the American legal services industry, and why they are optimistic about the future of law. Related CLE Content: Visit PLI’s hub for law school students to learn more about our engaging and informative programs in a variety of formats to supplement the law school experience and prepare students for healthy and rewarding legal careers. PLI’s Fast-Tracked: Emergent Issues in the Legal Profession podcast, brings you conversations with thought leaders, delving into the most dynamic trends shaping the legal world. PLI is proud to keep you ever current with timely programs, publications, and podcasts.  Visit pli.edu/ftpod for more episodes.  Please note: CLE is not offered for listening to this podcast, and the views and opinions expressed within represent those of the speakers and host, and not necessarily those of PLI.

The history of lawyer formation has given rise to an educational structure that intentionally separates learning from practice, making it challenging to adapt to the modern pace of changing conditions. The arrival of next-generation technologies begs the question: How do we rapidly reimagine the future of associate development to ensure that legal educators and legal employers co-design a scaffolded and coherent approach to setting new lawyers up to succeed while delivering value to clients? Our guests, Alice Armitage of UC Law SF and Heidi K. Brown of New York Law School, have spent their careers infusing law school curricula with the mindsets and skills a rapidly changing world requires and law students and new lawyers deserve, and are uniquely skilled in matters ranging from design thinking to prompt engineering. Related CLE Content: Visit PLI’s hub for law school students to learn more about our engaging and informative programs in a variety of formats to supplement the law school experience and prepare students for healthy and rewarding legal careers. PLI’s Fast-Tracked: Emergent Issues in the Legal Profession podcast, brings you conversations with thought leaders, delving into the most dynamic trends shaping the legal world, from AI to DEI – and everything in between. PLI is proud to keep you ever current with timely programs, publications, and podcasts. Visit pli.edu/ftpod for more episodes.  Please note: CLE is not offered for listening to this podcast, and the views and opinions expressed within represent those of the speakers and host, and not necessarily those of PLI.

The capabilities of generative artificial intelligence — reading, summarizing, analyzing, organizing, and producing draft documents —-- align with the very tasks law students and junior lawyers learn in the early years of practice. So how can we reimagine lawyer formation to harness AI’s efficiencies while also ensuring the full development of a lawyer's mind? Guests Ben Barton of the University of Tennessee College of Law and Cat Moon of Vanderbilt University Law School share their thoughts and offer examples of innovative practices that they are developing in their work. Related CLE Program: Artificial Intelligence in 2024 - This program provides you with guidance on the legal risks associated with these technologies and services, best practices, and tips on how to anticipate and mitigate relevant risks. PLI’s Fast-Tracked: Emergent Issues in the Legal Profession podcast, brings you conversations with thought leaders, delving into the most dynamic trends shaping the legal world, from AI to DEI – and everything in between. PLI is proud to keep you ever current with timely programs, publications, and podcasts. Visit pli.edu/ftpod for more episodes.  Please note: CLE is not offered for listening to this podcast, and the views and opinions expressed within represent those of the speakers and host, and not necessarily those of PLI.

The last few years have marked a sea change in the way the profession thinks about mental health and attorney well-being. Paula Davis of the Stress & Resilience Institute and Shailini George of Suffolk University Law School join us to discuss the science underlying team well-being and how to support lawyers in elevating their health, beginning in the early days of law school. Related CLE Program: Taking Control of Your Well-Being: Mental Health and Wellness for Attorneys -  This program offers resources, strategies, and techniques to improve your well-being and maintain your competence as an attorney.  PLI’s Fast-Tracked: Emergent Issues in the Legal Profession podcast, brings you conversations with thought leaders, delving into the most dynamic trends shaping the legal world, from AI to DEI – and everything in between. PLI is proud to keep you ever current with timely programs, publications, and podcasts. Visit pli.edu/ftpod for more episodes.  Please note: CLE is not offered for listening to this podcast, and the views and opinions expressed within represent those of the speakers and host, and not necessarily those of PLI.

How in the world can today's legal leaders tackle the complexity of creating a vision to guide four different generations simultaneously? Join our guest experts Diana Cortes of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP and Jessie Spressart of Optia Consulting as we explore frameworks for organizing intergenerational conversations, describe the experience of leading large legal teams during the chaotic days of the last few years, consider what it means to "pay your dues" and how each generation can learn from the contributions of others, and how the future of this volatile world of life and practice will continue to challenge and create untold opportunities for living healthier lives while serving clients at the highest level. Related CLE Program: Embracing Generational Diversity – This One-Hour Briefing discusses a framework for understanding generational perspectives, clarifying the distinctions between actual and perceptional differences, and when it makes sense to talk about these differences and when it doesn’t. PLI’s Fast-Tracked: Emergent Issues in the Legal Profession podcast, brings you conversations with thought leaders, delving into the most dynamic trends shaping the legal world. PLI is proud to keep you ever current with timely programs, publications, and podcasts.  Visit pli.edu/ftpod for more episodes. Please note: CLE is not offered for listening to this podcast, and the views and opinions expressed within represent those of the speakers and host, and not necessarily those of PLI.

In this episode, guest experts David Curran of Paul, Weiss and Lisa Fairfax of The Institute for Law & Economics at Penn Carey Law discuss ESG initiatives in the legal sector: What does ESG mean; how are corporations aligning governance to ensure the fulfillment of public commitments on social and environmental issues; how are law firms developing practices that support these efforts; and what does ESG mean in the legal profession? Related CLE Program: ESG 2024: What It Means for Boards, Management, and Counsel - This program, a must-attend for board members, company management, and in-house and outside counsel, will address the relationship of ESG to long-term value creation, the duties of directors with respect to ESG initiatives, the drivers of corporate adoption of ESG measures, ESG frameworks and standards, and best practices for ESG governance. PLI’s Fast-Tracked: Emergent Issues in the Legal Profession podcast, brings you conversations with thought leaders, delving into the most dynamic trends shaping the legal world. PLI is proud to keep you ever current with timely programs, publications, and podcasts. Visit pli.edu/ftpod for more episodes.  Please note: CLE is not offered for listening to this podcast, and the views and opinions expressed within represent those of the speakers and host, and not necessarily those of PLI.

Dive into this fast-paced conversation with Ilona Logvinova, formerly of McKinsey & Co., and Darth Vaughn of Ford Motor Co., about how generative AI is poised to impact the relationship between corporate counsel and law firms. Learn about how corporate legal departments are leading the way in leveraging technology so lawyers can focus on the most strategic elements of legal counseling and how law firms can serve as critical thought partners in designing the future of corporate legal services.  Related CLE Program: Artificial Intelligence in 2024 - This program provides you with guidance on the legal risks associated with these technologies and services, best practices, and tips on how to anticipate and mitigate relevant risks. PLI’s Fast-Tracked: Emergent Issues in the Legal Profession podcast, brings you conversations with thought leaders, delving into the most dynamic trends shaping the legal world. PLI is proud to keep you ever current with timely programs, publications, and podcasts. Visit pli.edu/ftpod for more episodes.  Please note: CLE is not offered for listening to this podcast, and the views and opinions expressed within represent those of the speakers and host, and not necessarily those of PLI.

Drawing on the combined expertise of two knowledgeable industry analysts, ALM’s Patrick Fuller and Heather Nevitt, this session explores the evolving relationship between corporate counsel and the law firms that serve them. With an emphasis on client expectations, revenue trends, and the role of emerging technologies, this episode's guest experts highlight the most important trends impacting the corporate legal services sector. Related CLE Content: Visit PLI’s Corporate Counsel Center, providing legal, leadership, and industry content to in-house legal teams. PLI’s Fast-Tracked: Emergent Issues in the Legal Profession podcast, brings you conversations with thought leaders, delving into the most dynamic trends shaping the legal world. PLI is proud to keep you ever current with timely programs, publications, and podcasts. Visit pli.edu/ftpod for more episodes.  Please note: CLE is not offered for listening to this podcast, and the views and opinions expressed within represent those of the speakers and host, and not necessarily those of PLI.

The Hon. Bridget Mary McCormack, President and CEO of the American Arbitration Association-International Centre for Dispute Resolution, and Andrew Perlman, Dean of Suffolk University Law School, explore the intersection of generative AI and access to justice with two trailblazers in the legal profession. With their perspectives from the helm of a law school leading in innovative approaches to legal education and the top role of the world's largest provider of alternative dispute resolution, these experts discuss how both traditional AI and generative AI have the potential to combat the U.S. civil justice crisis. Related CLE Program: Artificial Intelligence in 2024 - This program provides you with guidance on the legal risks associated with these technologies and services, best practices, and tips on how to anticipate and mitigate relevant risks. PLI’s Fast-Tracked: Emergent Issues in the Legal Profession podcast, brings you conversations with thought leaders, delving into the most dynamic trends shaping the legal world, from AI to DEI – and everything in between. PLI is proud to keep you ever current with timely programs, publications, and podcasts. Visit pli.edu/ftpod for more episodes.  Please note: CLE is not offered for listening to this podcast, and the views and opinions expressed within represent those of the speakers and host, and not necessarily those of PLI.

Buckle up as we hit the gas with Fast Tracked: Emergent Issues in the Legal Profession, a PLI podcast hosted by legal innovator and thought leader Jen Leonard.  The legal profession has seen unprecedented changes over the past few years, with no signs of slowing down. Fast Tracked brings you in‑depth discussions with leading experts on how cutting‑edge trends can — and will — influence your practice.