Issue #3: If you didn't make it to ILTA, and custom LLMs for law firms

This issue is later than I'd like due to a busy few weeks on client projects (including financing prep, use-case development, and event strategy), and the rest of my time making improvements to Legal Event Hunter .

This week we'll cover:

• Some conferences to consider for your client development;
• Why every law firm should have a Copilot plug in; and
• A few tips and resources for your project.

Didn't make it to the ILTA conference?

Me, neither. But if you couldn't get to Florida, there are plenty of other places to find and interact with potential clients and partners for your project.

Here's a suggestion: Head to San Diego September 21-23 and experience the California Lawyers Association Annual Meeting (learn more in Event Hunter ). The ticket will set you back less than $800, which (if you do it right) buys you 20+ conversations with potential pilot customers or partner vendors (and it's good sized exhibit floor). Although bar association events aren't hyped like the big legal tech shows, they're always happening and can deliver high quality customer development close to home.

If you're in New York

Here are some events where you can meet hundreds of NY lawyers and firms for under $1,500 (including the price of the subway ride).

Every law firm should have its own Copilot plugin(s)

While the legal tech echo chamber gives a lot of attention to destination legal AI apps like Harvey and Co-counsel, I'm skeptical that this is the future UX for legal AI. Instead, those kinds of tools will be fully embedded into existing workflows along the lines of Microsoft's vision for Copilot -- AI that works inside Word, Outlook, Teams and the other applications lawyers use all day long. AI startups who are already building inside of Word , for example, have a much better chance of sustained adoption.

The beauty of Microsoft's vision is that any third-party tool can work inside Copilot as a plug-in, eliminating the need for a separate destination app and leveraging built-in access to an organization's core data, like documents and email messages.

So if you're a law firm looking to leverage your own documents and knowledge with your own guardrails and security framework, you should look at building your own plug-in for Copilot. Get in touch if you want to talk about what that could look like for your firm.

Speaking of law firm LLMs ...

Next week I'm collaborating with a client, TrueLaw, on a workshop focused on custom LLMs for law firms. We'll be taking apart a bunch of law firm use cases enabled by LLM customization, some of which might surprise you. We'll also be talking about how law firms can leverage Microsoft Copilot to bring custom LLM technology directly into an existing workspace.

More than 20 law firms have already signed up, but there's room for more. Learn more and register here .

Interested in other workshops? I need your input

I'm working on the workshop plan for the rest of 2023, and I need your help picking topics. After the August workshop, here are some candidates (let me know what you'd most like to see):

1. A workshop about workshops - Should live events be part of your go-to-market? What's really involved in designing and promoting events to reach customers?
2. Copilot plug-ins deep dive - Should law firms have their own plug-ins to extend the AI copilots that are soon to be available in Word, Outlook and the rest of the Office suite?
3. Messaging to lawyers - Lawyers are readers. Lawyers are skeptics. Lawyers are curious. Lawyers want to win. Law firms are a collection of fiefdoms. What does all of this mean for your startup's messaging?
4. Partnering - Partner-driven growth beats missionary sales every time. But how do you identify partners, get their attention and get them to yes?

DM me with your preferences for these (or other ideas), or let's talk .

This week's quick tip: A starting point for your law firm targeting

If you're compiling a list of law firms or corporate legal departments for your sales efforts, the shortlist for the Financial Times innovation awards could be a good starting point to find UK and EU firms leaning in to tech. See also the 2022 North American winners . (While you're at it, check out the Legal Event Hunter listing ; warning, it's pricey.)

Also, don't forget about other PartnerMotion resources for your builder journey: Our workshop replay library , full of practical advice on building and marketing your startup, and a collection of legal tech financing slides for inspiration as you build your own deck.