Gabriela Isturiz is an early-stage investor, advisor, and general partner of Everywhere Ventures, and also invests via The Fund XX. She’s also one of our many great speakers at the Legal Innovators California conference in San Francisco on June 4 and 5. Artificial Lawyer caught up with her ahead of the conference to hear her views on a range of issues related to investing in legal tech in this era of GenAI.
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With the arrival of GenAI, it feels like we are at a truly transformative moment for the legal sector. Does it seem that way to you?
Certainly! The arrival of generative AI marks a transformative era for the legal sector, significantly enhancing efficiency and accessibility.
After talking with MP, ED, CFOs , and CIOs at law firms and also GCs at legal departments, it is evident there is an opportunity to optimize most of the current processes and workflows, and GenAI is the tool that can make that happen quickly. It enables faster document processing and broader public access to legal resources.
However, its adoption faces challenges, including ensuring the accuracy of AI outputs and overcoming regulatory hurdles. These barriers must be addressed to fully leverage AI’s potential in legal practices.
Investment in legal tech has had a rollercoaster ride over the last 5 years….but now there seems to be an uptick once more in 2024. Why is it so volatile, and do you see a long-term increase in investment in legal tech now?
Traditionally, legal tech has been seen as conservative and slow to adopt new technologies. However, several factors are now propelling rapid technological transformation and innovation within the sector.
These include the integration of AI, increasing demands from legal departments for operational efficiencies and cost reductions, and a generational shift in law firm leadership towards digital natives. This confluence of factors is not only increasing demand for robust tech solutions but also presenting significant long-term investment opportunities.
Aside from GenAI, as an investor what else excites you? Or….perhaps GenAI really dominates?
What excites me the most is the emergence of a new generation of founders and innovators who are identifying opportunities to revolutionize the legal industry. These visionaries are not only targeting B2B clients, but also B2C customers. There has never been a better time to become a founder and create a startup, as there are a plethora of resources, advisors, and technologies, such as AI, available to expedite the transformation.
When looking at a startup, what matters to you most?
Three things: 1) the team 2) their understanding of the market and 3) what is their big vision.
Lastly, why are you excited to be a speaker at Legal Innovators California?
I’m thrilled to be speaking at Legal Innovators California because it’s a great opportunity to connect with and learn from some of the brightest minds in the industry. Sharing the stage with such innovative thinkers is truly exciting.
I look forward to making new connections and engaging in meaningful discussions. Legal Innovators provides the perfect platform for this, and I can’t wait to participate!
Thanks Gaby!
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Legal Innovators California conference, June 4 + 5 – San Francisco
The new wave of legal AI and how it will change our sector will be central to the Legal Innovators California conference, Jun 4 + 5.
The event will take place in San Francisco with Day One focused on law firms, and Day Two on inhouse and legal ops. We have many great speakers attending the event, along with a group of pioneering legal tech companies and service providers – you can see some more about our speakers here.
For ticket information, please see here. Don’t miss out on what will be a great event in the heart of America’s tech world.
