When Mary Juetten and Jules Miller founded Evolve Law in late 2014, it was conceived as the “catalyst for change” where legal technologists could join forces to learn from each other, collaborate, and spread the dogma that it was time for the legal profession to finally take notice — adopt or perish. The practice of law is a business like any other and law firms that fail to leverage technology to increase efficiency and measure performance will become obsolete, like stenographers and carbon paper.
I know. In a former life, as part of my short-lived consultancy, Today’s Practice, I was at the table with Mary, Jules, Allen Rodriguez from One400, and some of the other founding members of EL at one of the first events at Cardozo Law School in 2015.
Like so many of us, I’ve had a circuitous path in this profession. I started out in “biggish” law, at a firm in Boston, back in the dark ages, when I was one of the first associates who demanded that I have my own computer and was admonished by a senior partner saying, “Honey, if you insist on typing your own work, you will never be thought of as anything but a secretary.” Yeah, that happened, and I’m not that old…
Fast forward a few (ahem) years, and I’ve practiced with a smaller firm and solo in New Jersey, did stints with a legal recruiting firm, a legal consultancy in the IP space, and most recently as the VP of Strategic Planning at Zola Media, the team behind Evolve member Zola Suite. In my travels, I’ve spoken with countless numbers of attorneys, innovators, techies, practice management advisors, legal consultants, and thought leaders about this space — the intersection of law, business, and technology.
This is why I’m thrilled to take on this new challenge as Director of Special Projects at Above the Law, where one of my primary objectives will be to make Evolve the Law the go-to source for lawyers, legal technologists, law schools, and everyone who is invested in the future of the profession. By leveraging the 1.7 million readers of ATL, we are in a unique position to start, inform, and direct the conversation. You can reach me at dtesser@breakingmedia.com, and I’ll also be at the ATL cocktail reception at the Paris Hotel in Las Vegas on April 22. I’ll be the one giving out the kickass socks. Join us.
