LawTechMatch - Introduction and Q&A with VIC Disrupting Law National Finalists
Introducing the VIC Disrupting Law National Finalists, LawTechMatch! Yes voting is still open!
LawTechMatch Solution Summary
LawTechMatch.com is a platform that helps small law firms and sole practitioners identify their unique business needs and key problem areas in their practice. It provides tailored recommendations, in a user-friendly format, for technology solutions that address these needs.
Customers simply complete a 5-minute questionnaire and LawTechMatch will use the information provided to suggest technology solutions that can help increase efficiency in their business.
Recognising that some lawyers do not have expertise in technology, LawTechMatch includes concise and easily understandable explanations of the recommended technology solutions so that lawyers can identify and compare their options with confidence
We’d love to know a bit about you- what are your names, and what are your ‘superpowers’?
Sara Wong: My superpower is Excel shortcuts.
Alyssa Kim: My superpower is adaptability.
Laura Woodbridge: My superpower is writing my way through problems.
Rachel Shaw: Speaking confidently when I have no idea what I’m talking about.
Julian Siedle: My superpower is thinking outside the box.
Molly Scott: My superpower is hackathons
Is there a famous quote that you think best describes your team?
“No problem can withstand the assault of sustained thinking.” - Voltaire
Give us the elevator pitch - what is your pitch in one sentence?
An online tool which connects small law firms and sole practitioners to technology solutions which are tailored to their needs, helping to overcome the technology gap between large and small firms.
What is the problem that your team chose to solve? How did you land on it?
Our team spent a lot of time identifying an important, current issue in the legal sector that also had a simple solution that could be implemented in a short period of time. We brainstormed many ideas with these parameters in mind. We started by creating a list of about 20 ideas and whittled them down through discussion and voting. Ultimately, we chose to solve the problem of implementing new technology in the legal sector. This is a relevant, contemporary issue particularly for small law firms or solo practitioners. There are many software and tech options available to lawyers and selecting the best option is often daunting and time-consuming. Our solution aims to do much of the leg work for the busy lawyer to facilitate choosing the right tech solution. This would allow for easier implementation of tech into the lawyer’s practice, enhance the functionality of their practice, and free up time for practitioners to spend with their clients.
Tell us about your favourite mentor during the Disrupting Law weekend. What organisation are they from, and how did they help you?
This is a difficult question, given that we had so many fantastic mentors from a variety of organisations. Beini Wu from Hall and Wilcox was especially enthusiastic at all stages of the project. She is passionate about technological innovation and was always excited to share this with the team. Joni Pirovich, who was also with Hall and Wilcox, was also one of our favorite mentors. She is dynamic, smart, organized and a born leader and was instrumental in our team’s success. During our brainstorming sessions, she helped us narrow down our ideas and develop them, which helped us either keep or discard the ideas. She was always objective and gave us guidance to develop our own thoughts and strategies and when we were working on our presentation that weekend, she kept us on track and helped us to integrate everyone’s contributions into our final pitch.
What was a tricky question that you got during your pitch, and how did you tackle it?
Our business model relies on third party vendors paying for leads. The judges questioned how we would provide reliable recommendations with vested interests. We explained that the affiliate fees are the same across vendors so LTM has no interest in recommending one vendor over another.
When did you finally land on your solution during the weekend (towards the beginning of the comp? In the middle? Towards the end?), and were there other problems or solutions that you had considered?
Our team stayed until late on the first night of the competition brainstorming ideas and continued with this the next morning. We explored a wide range of problems from domestic violence and the law, to self-represented litigants. Right in the middle of the competition, we finally chose our idea and began working on our pitch!
What tips do you have for people interested in competing in Disrupting Law this year?
Don’t settle on an idea in the early stages of the hackathon without interrogating your idea. Try to get a lot of people from different backgrounds and industries to give you their thoughts and criticisms on your idea as early as possible. An idea may sound great at the start, but it may not be the best idea to try to execute for a hackathon or may not fit the themes or aims of the hackathon. Also, do research early on. Find statistics that validate that there is a real problem you are trying to solve. Quantitative data is powerful!
Do you think events like Disrupting Law are important for students to get involved in, and, if so, why?
Absolutely. Hackathons help students learn how to effectively collaborate in a time-bound situation with people who may be complete strangers. It is really great practice for your future career where you will likely have to interact and work with all types of people to achieve a common goal in what may be a high pressure situation. It is also important for students to practice thinking creatively. Hackathons help to equip students to tackle the many problems in our world and society that are complicated and are not easily solved with a textbook answer.
What is the no. 1 reason that our readers should vote for you?
Our solution solves one of the legal industry’s largest barriers to change. LawTechMatch will allow the industry as a whole to modernise, ensuring that small practitioners are not left behind.