The summer of 2016 saw the rise of the legal engineer in software ecosystems. From my own work at Monax Industries on distributed ecosystems solutions using blockchain smart contracts to the continued calls for innovation in law practice through technology, the pace of change in the legal world is accelerating. Lawyers who understand blockchains face less of a challenge convincing developers that legal tools are necessary for useful systems, and lawyers are coming around too.
I spoke at a few fab events this summer, including the Janders-Dean legal innovation symposium in Chicago and the Legal Hackers World Summit in Brooklyn. At MIT, lawyers and engineers are collaborating to build innovative solutions that merge the collective power of tools and know-how.
For me, the fun continues. I’ll be participating in the startup pitch at Allthingsopen on October 26-27, 2016 in Raleigh, NC.
Next month I’ll be in Chicago at the fin(legal)tech conference at Chicago-Kent Law School on November 4. They launched an innovation lab this year, check it out. The conference is free.
I’ve organized a continuing legal education seminar in conjunction with the North Carolina Bar Association – 3 hour webinar on November 8 entitled “What Lawyers Should Know About Blockchains Today.” I promise to make it more fun than waiting for election returns.