A new round of awards will be given out later this summer to honor companies and individuals who are making a difference in law through technology innovation.
Called the American Legal Technology Awards, the organizers say their goal is to honor exceptional achievement in a variety of categories.
The deadline for nominations is June 30. Awards will be presented during an online event in August.
The awards are the creation of three individuals who want to shine a light on the innovators who are moving the needle in law: Tom Martin, founder of LawDroid; Patrick Palace, founder of Palace Law in Tacoma, Wash.; and Caitlin Moon, director of innovation design for the Program on Law and Innovation at Vanderbilt Law School.
Awards will be presented in eight categories:
- Access to Justice – an organization or individual who has made a difference by helping the underserved access the legal system through the use of technology.
- Startup – a legal technology startup that has created a product or service that shows significant promise in providing outsized benefits to its users.
- Enterprise – an established legal technology company that has successfully grown a product or service that demonstrates a unique and positive impact on its users.
- Technology – a technology applied in a new or novel way in the legal industry that achieves a significant benefit.
- Law firm – a law firm that uses technology to exceed client expectations in a significant, measurable way.
- Individual – an individual who has demonstrated success throughout their career in making a positive difference in the world as it related to legal technology.
- Court – a court that displays outstanding use of technology that achieves a significant benefit to the public.
- Law department – a law department that uses an innovative approach to create significant efficiencies or a positive human impact.
Awards will be judged by a panel that includes: Phil Brown, professional development and competence counsel to the Law Society of Ontario; Jean Clauson, director of network relations, ARAG Legal Insurance; Gabriela Cubiero, cofounder and CEO, CASEpeer Legal Software; Carolyn Elefant, attorney and blogger; and Lori Gonzalez, founder and CEO of The RayNa Corporation.
Also serving as judges will be Dennis Kennedy, president of Dennis Kennedy Advisory Services; Kevin O’Keefe, founder and CEO of LexBlog; Nick Rishwain, vice president of business development at Experts.com; Shannon Salter, chair of the Civil Resolution Tribunal; and Miguel Willis, presidential innovation fellow, Law School Admission Council.
