It was announced earlier this week, so it's a little late, but the International Legal Technology Association has named five women as the 2024 Women of Influence in Legal Tech in honor of Women's History Month.
This list recognizes outstanding women leaders in the global legal technology community based on their leadership experience and level of influence.
The five are among more than 120 nominations and more than 80 applications, said Jeanne Martinez, ILTA's Director of Membership and Volunteer Operations and head of the 2024 Women of Influence in Legal Tech Awards. It is said that it was chosen from.
Women “are the movers and shakers of the legal profession, and we have all benefited from hearing what they speak at conferences, the publications they write, and the programs they develop.” said Martinez. “We salute them for advancing the conversation around the intersection of law and technology and helping us strive to contribute at the highest level possible.”
Below are the five award winners and ILTA's comments on each.
Alma Asay, Chief Innovation and Value Officer, Crowell & Moring LLP
Alma is an established leader in legal innovation with a unique, multifaceted perspective on what it takes to create impactful, long-lasting change. She is passionate about closing the gaps that prevent innovation from succeeding, and proudly prioritizes real-world adoption over “bells and whistles.” In her role as Crowell's first Chief Innovation and Value Officer, Alma led the company's innovation and value efforts, particularly in customer value, cross-functional data and analytics, knowledge management, practice innovation, and other areas. oversees a wide range of initiatives related to. Generation AI. She also oversees the services department, where she researches and aligns traditional law firm tools and capabilities with modern approaches to management and value-driven services.
Related: In 2017, Asay's pioneering work as a female entrepreneur inspired the article I wrote, 2017: The Year of Women in Legal Tech.
Throughout her legal career, Alma has earned numerous recognitions for her innovative efforts. In 2016 she was named to LTRC's second annual list of “Women in Legal Tech” and named “the brightest and bravest innovators, technologists and visionary leaders in the legal world.” He was an early member of Fast Case 50. The ABA also awarded Mr. Alma the prestigious title of “Legal Rebel,” honoring those who are “reshaping the legal profession.” . . These are pioneers who are changing the way law is practiced and setting standards that will guide the profession in the future. ” Most recently, Alma was honored as her AI Visionary, which recognizes “individuals who have explored, promoted, or experimented with their AI in novel ways in legal applications.”
Alma began her career as a successful attorney at the Am Law 10 firm. She loved the work of lawyers, but she believed that improvements in processes and technology would help lawyers grow by allowing her to focus on what they do best. In 2012, Alma founded her own Legal Her Technology company. In founding the firm, she gained first-hand experience of what it's like to run a firm and work with law firms from the client side. Prior to joining Crowell, she sold her business in 2017 and held extensive roles in legal innovation with alternative legal services and technology providers. She received her J.D. from New York University School of Law and her BA from Pennsylvania State University.
Alma regularly speaks at industry conferences and leads client presentations on a variety of innovation topics. Her 2023 initiatives include “Spark Talks: Data-Driven Success Stories” at ILTACON, “Beyond the Price of Services Provided: Defining Partnerships and Added Value in Customer Relationships” at LVNx; and “gaining buy-in for process automation and legal tech implementation.” She is in charge of legal affairs at KM&I. She also writes a monthly “Women of Legal Tech” column in Legaltech News, raising the profile of other women working across the industry.
Arya Mani, Head: Weber Wenzel Fusion, Weber Wenzel
Arya is a lawyer, legal engineer, entrepreneur, and mother of two children. She currently heads up her NewLaw and legal technology division, Webber Wentzel Fusion, at Africa's leading law firm, Webber Wentzel. Since Arya began her career, she has pushed the boundaries of her law and technology with a passion for making a unique impact on the African context.
While serving as a partner in intellectual property and technology law at the firm, she spearheaded lobbying efforts for regulatory reform and founded a legal incubator for high-growth technology companies. This began a chapter of intense growth and learning for her as COO of a technology startup, where she honed her operational skills, commercial acumen, and resilience. She now finds herself back “home,” where she and her team are leveraging her AI, legal technology, and technology to significantly enhance her firm and its clients and create new revenue streams. and focuses on designing and delivering alternative legal solutions.
Terry Mottershead, Executive Director, Legal Innovation Center, School of Law
Terry Mottershead is Executive Director of the Faculty of Law's Center for Legal Innovation (Australia, New Zealand and Asia Pacific) (CLI). Terry works internationally with leaders in the legal business to provide legal services/products/solutions that exceed client expectations and to foster a workplace that attracts, empowers, and retains multidisciplinary talent. Supporting practice change.
She leads CLI's global efforts, including the Generative AI Initiative, Legalpreneurs Lab, and its podcast series The Legalpreneurs Sandbox. Ms Terry's work with Legal GenAI was recently recognized with her being appointed the inaugural Chair of the Queensland Law Society's Generative AI in Legal Practice Collaborative Working Group. Prior to joining CLI, Terry practiced as a lawyer, founded start-ups on three different continents, and managed talent for global companies and associations in Asia and the US such as Rex Mundi, Pacific Bar Association, DLA, and Piper. Founded or led a department. LLP (USA).
Caryn Sandler, Gilbert + Tobin Partner and Chief Knowledge Innovation Officer
Caryn leads the Gilbert + Tobin Legal Service Innovation team and G+T Innovate. These teams provide specialized services to support Gilbert + Tobin's legal service delivery and innovate to provide new tools and services that benefit Gilbert + Tobin's practice and clients. Caryn's role includes responsibility for her more than 70 attorneys and business professionals involved in transformation, legal informatics and data, legal project management, and knowledge management.
Caryn was named 'Most Innovative Changemaker' at the Financial Times Innovative Lawyers Awards Asia-Pacific 2022, 'Innovator of the Year' at the Australian Law Awards 2022 and 'Innovator of the Year' at the Partner of the Year Awards 2021. I did. For its leadership, Gilbert + Tobin won the 2023 Australian Law Awards for 'Outstanding Technology and Innovation' for her third consecutive year and the 2019 Financial Times Innovative Lawyers Awards Asia Pacific for 'Most Selected as an “Innovative Law Firm” He is co-chair of the Center for Legal Innovation's advisory board and serves on the boards of various nonprofit organizations. Caryn is passionate about expanding the focus and content of legal education to help lawyers succeed and grow in a changing legal environment.
Ginebra Thaler, National Director of Innovation and Knowledge, Gowling WLG LLP
Ginebra Saylor is the National Director of Innovation and Knowledge Programs at Gowling WLG LLP, a global law firm, where she leads the firm's innovation, knowledge management, client and practice solutions, legal project management, and process He leads reengineering strategies and initiatives. In her role, she drives innovation and excellence across the company and identifies and implements programs, processes and tools that enhance service delivery to her clients.
Ginevra has over 20 years of experience building and delivering strategies for innovation, knowledge management, client solutions, technology implementation, and process improvement. In previous KM leadership roles at two leading companies, Ginebra developed strategies and initiatives for innovation, knowledge management, learning and development, client solutions, technology implementation, and process improvement, and developed company knowledge management. We designed new projects and practice tools to leverage and build on the base. A member of the Ontario and Pennsylvania Bar Associations, she has extensive and diverse experience as a practicing litigator and educator.
Prior to assuming the role of President, Mr. Ginebra served as President of the International Legal Technology Association (ILTA) Board of Directors for two years and as Executive Vice President and Secretary for four years each. She is also a Fellow of the College of Law Practice Management (COLMP). Ms. Ginebra and her team for her Gowling project won the 2021 Precedent Innovation Award for the development of the contest Her Rules application. Ginebra received the ILTA 2016 Publications Shining Star Award and her 2016 Global Knowledge Management Congress Knowledge Management Leadership Award. She frequently writes and lectures internationally on legal practice, innovation, legal technology, knowledge management, and related topics.
Ginebra has lived and worked in Canada, the United States, Greece, and Vietnam. She currently lives in Toronto, Canada with her family.
Congratulations everyone.
