CBA Record May-June 2026

The tool offers case insights, analysis, drafting assistance and learns more about how you work as it goes. l LegalBridge is an AI-powered plat form for immigration law firms. It can help with intake, research, and drafting, and can export files ready for upload to the government. l Sonar Legal provides consistent doc ument formatting in Word. For an extra fee it can be trained with your firm’s style as opposed to a common format. l Immediator is an AI-powered settle ment platform for personal injury cases. It uses data analytics to indi cate when settlement negotiations are most likely to succeed. l Bradwell is an AI-based drafting platform for solo and small firms. I liked its ability to work within Microsoft Word. l Litmas is an AI platform designed by litigators for litigators. It manages evidence, legal research, and motion drafting. Outside of Startup Alley, I was intrigued by Venn, a secure solution for remote workers who are on personal devices without using virtual desktops. The company has been around for a few years in the corporate space but is only recently entering the legal market. It is cross-platform, so it works on PCs and Macs. It creates a secure enclave locally on the device; when connecting to work resources, they appear with a blue border. The employer cannot look outside of the enclave, allowing the rest of the device to remain private. Overall, my visit to TECHSHOW recharged me with enthusiasm for prac tice management topics. Good conver sations were had with old friends, and new acquaintances spurred fresh inspi ration—yet more reasons why TECH SHOW is a welcome harbinger of spring in Chicago.

LPMT BITS & BYTES BY KEVIN THOMPSON A Tour of ABA TECHSHOW’S Startup Alley A sure sign of spring is ABA TECHSHOW, one of the premier legal technol ogy conferences focusing on small and mid-sized law firms. It’s always held in Chicago, which is a definite plus. I have made attending an annual tradition. I couldn’t attend the CLE sessions this year but still managed to visit the vendors in the exhibit hall. A few gems stood out. One corner of the hall, named Startup Alley, featured 15 legal tech developers that won the opportunity to engage in a three-minute pitch competition on the eve of TECHSHOW. Winners were selected by a vote from the live audience. This year’s first prize winner was CollBox, which dramatically speeds up law firm collection time. Per CollBox, attorneys say that following up on unpaid invoices is among the worst parts of running a practice. During the pitch, CollBox co-founder Matt Darner noted that the average law firm waits 97 days to get paid after completing client work. Although attorneys acknowledge that a dedicated process can generate significant improvements, having a lawyer do the collecting can lead to resentment, damage the attorney-client relationship, or take away time that can better be spent on other matters. With CollBox, firms can outsource this task for a fraction of the cost of dedicated staff time. CollBox combines AI-driven automation with a team of specialists who engage in thoughtful and professional communications with the client. CollBox represents itself as the law firm, not a third party, using the firm’s existing payment methods. They auto mate and manage accounts receivable using smart reminders, integrated workflows, and a human-first approach that reduces write-offs, shortens payment cycles, and improves cash flow while preserving client relationships. In the past year, CollBox reported that they have collected over $100M for law firms. Unlike a collection agency, which receives a percentage of the amount owed, CollBox charges a flat fee, and the firm always receives 100% of the amount collected. Pricing starts with a one-time cleanup of past due invoices, and monthly options are available. Other Startup Alley notables in the pitch competition offered innovations in email, claims assessments, immigration, personal injury settlements, drafting, and litigation, including: l Second-place winner Candle AI, an AI powered email assistant for lawyers. l Third-place winner Lawdify, an AI agent that helps with disputes and claims assess ments. Lawdify’s Case Brain learns and evolves to help proactively and can suggest insights it discovers. l TwinCounsel creates a secure LLM that helps solos with their cases as a digital twin.

Kevin A. Thompson heads the intellectual property practice at Levin Ginsburg, where he is a partner; he also chairs the CBA’s Law Practice Management and Technology Committee and co-chairs the International and Foreign Law Committee. He receives no compensation by vendors for products mentioned in this column.

42 May/June 2026