Setfords co-CEO Chris Setford joined techUK and the Law Society on 6 October to discuss the opportunities and challenges of procuring and building technology in the legal sector.
Drawing on Setfords’ experience of buying, integrating and ultimately building its own technology, Chris argued that the biggest gains for most law firms will come from getting the fundamentals right. Those fundamentals are control of their data, a modern operating platform, and selecting tools that fit the way lawyers actually work.
For Setfords, that meant building Halo, its in-house legal intelligence platform now used by all 650 of its consultant lawyers, providing case, accounts and practice management. It also involved bringing the firm’s data together into Helix it’s data foundation. Only with those in place could the firm begin embedding AI and machine-learning tools directly into lawyers’ workflows.
Co-CEO of Setfords, Chris Setford said: “There’s an awful lot of hype around AI, and that’s causing a lot of fear of missing out. AI has its place, but we’re in the wisdom and judgment business. Technology should solve real problems for lawyers and clients and deliver measurable value, not just add another subscription to the desktop. That’s why you have to get the fundamentals right before you start trying to plug AI into your business.”
The session also featured Dr Kerry Beynon and Akber Datoo, co-chairs of the Law Society’s Technology and Law Committee, and Adrian Leer, Managing Director of Triad Group. A recording is available on the techUK website.
