ABA Journal: Legal Rebels

Recent Episodes

1. Why some states are introducing pathway to bar that doesn't include bar exam

   Jul 8, 2026

   Deborah Jones Merritt, Professor Emerita at Ohio State University's Moritz College of Law, discusses the growing movement toward alternative pathways to bar admission that bypass the traditional bar exam. Merritt, co-principal investigator of the landmark 2020 'Building a Better Bar' report, explores how states including New Hampshire, Oregon, South Dakota, Arizona, and Nevada are developing skills-based licensing programs designed to produce practice-ready lawyers while addressing access-to-justice challenges. The conversation examines the advantages and portability concerns of these pathways and their potential to reshape legal education and licensing.

2. What is vibe coding, and how could it help lawyers?

   Jun 17, 2026

   Jamie Cho, founder of Legal Quants, discusses vibe coding—the practice of using AI tools to generate software through verbal prompts rather than manual coding. A former senior associate at Clifford Chance, Cho explains how lawyers can leverage vibe coding to build custom productivity tools like contract evaluation, redlining, and document generation applications. The conversation covers practical applications, IP concerns, data protection considerations, and Cho's vision for AI-native legal practices.

3. How AI has supercharged dispute resolution and arbitration

   May 13, 2026

   Colin Rule, President and CEO of ODR.com (a subsidiary of the American Arbitration Association), discusses how artificial intelligence and online dispute resolution technology are transforming arbitration and civil litigation. Drawing from his experience building dispute resolution systems at eBay and PayPal and co-founding Modria, Rule explores AI's role in automating case evaluation, streamlining arbitration, and enabling courts to resolve disputes more efficiently. The conversation covers the evolution from traditional litigation to ODR, the potential for algorithmic decision-making in courts, and the ethical frameworks needed to govern these emerging technologies.

4. Quantum Leap? Development of new tech gives lawyers plenty to think about

   Apr 8, 2026

   Paul Steimers, co-lead of the federal government affairs practice at Holland & Knight, discusses quantum computing technology and its emerging legal implications. The conversation covers quantum computing fundamentals, its potential to break current encryption standards, applications in optimization and drug discovery, and the resulting legal challenges in cybersecurity, intellectual property, federal contracting, and AI integration. Steimers emphasizes that while quantum computers are still in early hardware stages, lawyers should begin understanding the technology now to advise clients in affected industries.

5. Techshow Attendees Assemble: A preview of this year's show

   Mar 11, 2026

   Brett Burney (founder of Burney Consultants, e-discovery specialist) and Patrick Wright (managing partner of The Right Firm, family law practice) preview the 41st annual ABA Tech Show, scheduled for March 25-28, 2026 at McCormick Place in Chicago. The co-chairs discuss the show's evolution, expected 2,100-2,500 attendees, thematic tracks organized around a comic book motif coinciding with C2E2, keynote speakers Jordan Furlong and Nilay Patel, and content spanning AI integration, cybersecurity, core technology skills, and practice management tools.

6. Generative AI is now capable of grading law school exams; what's next?

   Feb 18, 2026

   Daniel Schwartz, professor at University of Minnesota Law School, discusses generative AI's rapidly advancing capabilities in legal education and practice. The episode focuses on his recent research showing that AI can grade law school exams with 80-93% accuracy compared to human graders, and explores implications for legal pedagogy, student learning, and the legal profession. Schwartz shares empirical findings on AI's impact on lawyer productivity, addresses malpractice insurance concerns, and outlines his vision for integrating AI into law school curricula.

7. What's on tap for 2026 when it comes to generative AI?

   Jan 14, 2026

   Oliver Roberts, co-director of the AI Collaborative at Washington University School of Law, returns to discuss AI predictions for 2026. Topics include continued generative AI adoption in legal practice, judicial experimentation with AI tools, the rise of agentic AI, federal regulatory preemption versus state-level regulation, and AI education gaps in law schools.

8. 2025 Year in Review: Generative AI, access to justice and law schools

   Dec 10, 2025

   Nikki Black, Principal Legal Insight Strategist at MyCase, discusses 2025's major trends in legal technology and practice, including widespread AI adoption (now over 50% of lawyers using generative AI within three years), billions in legal tech funding and acquisitions, and ongoing reforms to bar admissions and law school curricula. The conversation covers practical AI implementation for lawyers, the risks of over-tooling, agentic AI, the legal tech funding landscape, alternative business structures, and evolving bar exam requirements.

9. How in-house counsel are increasingly turning to generative AI

   Nov 12, 2025

   Jason Brown, newly appointed CEO of the Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC), discusses the rapid adoption of generative AI among in-house lawyers. According to ACC's recent survey, Gen AI usage has more than doubled in the past year, with over half of in-house counsel now actively using it—primarily for drafting, legal research, and workflow efficiency. Brown explores how this technology is reshaping the in-house-to-outside counsel relationship, the potential challenge to the billable hour model, responsible AI implementation, and the emerging opportunity of agentic AI systems.

10. Clio founder talks $1B acquisition of vLex and upcoming Clio Cloud Conference

    Oct 8, 2025

    Jack Newton, co-founder and CEO of Clio, discusses the company's $1 billion acquisition of vLex and its implications for the legal tech industry. Newton explores parallels between cloud computing adoption in 2008 and the rapid adoption of generative AI in law, highlighting how AI adoption is happening 10x faster. He details plans for integrating Clio and vLex's Vincent AI platform, discusses agentic AI as the next evolution, and previews the 2025 Clio Cloud Conference in Boston (October 16-17) featuring keynotes from Esther Perell and Richard Susskind.