NextLaw Labs, the innovation arm of the law firm Dentons, just announced that Casey Flaherty has joined company’s advisory board. Flaherty will help guide NextLaw Labs “in its mission to fundamentally change the practice of law around the world by developing, deploying and investing in new technologies, companies, products and services, while collaborating with established enterprises for the benefit of clients.”
Flaherty is the founder of Procertas, a legal technology consultancy. He is the creator and pioneer of the Legal Technology Assessment (LTA), which tests and trains legal timekeepers and staff on the use of basic technology, such as word processing and spreadsheets, to complete commonly encountered legal tasks. The LTA was originally developed in conjunction with Suffolk University Law School’s Institute on Law Practice Technology & Innovation. Flaherty began his career as an associate at Holland & Knight LLP and later served in the general counsel’s office at Kia Motors America.
Flaherty joins the advisory board following the recent announcement that NextLaw Labs joined with IBM to create a technology platform enabling startups to create and deploy legal applications more quickly using IBM Cloud. NextLaw Labs also recently signed a deal with its first portfolio company, ROSS Intelligence Inc, a startup organization developing a legal advisor app powered by IBM Watson.
“NextLaw Labs is not only a resource for developing legal technology, but one of the few with a truly global outlook and ability to vet products and services worldwide,” Flaherty said. “The seismic shifts taking place in the legal marketplace right now are creating new opportunities for efficiency and NextLaw and Dentons are on the front end of a massive transition among global law firms.”