Uber’s Chief Deputy GC: Legal Tech ‘Collaboration Must Replace Standardization’
Katie Waitzman, vice president and chief deputy general counsel at Uber Technologies, discusses the impact of AI agents on legal innovation
In a recent interview, Katie Waitzman, the vice president and chief deputy general counsel at Uber Technologies, shared insights on the importance of collaboration over standardization in the legal tech industry. Uber was honored with the Legalweek Leaders in Tech Law Award for Most Innovative Legal Department of the Year, recognizing their significant contributions to legal innovation.
Collaboration Over Standardization
Waitzman emphasized the need for legal tech providers and law firms to collaborate closely with corporate legal departments to drive innovation. She highlighted the importance of aligning technology solutions with business goals, co-creating tools, and delivering measurable value to enhance efficiency and results.
She suggested that legal tech providers should work hand in hand with in-house legal teams to understand their workflows, data needs, and pain points. By co-developing solutions and incorporating user feedback, technology can address real business challenges effectively.
Impact on Legal Departments
Waitzman also discussed how emerging AI technologies are reshaping legal departments’ outsourcing practices and relationships with outside counsel. As automation and AI tools mature, legal departments are reevaluating what tasks can be managed internally versus outsourced. This shift towards smarter insourcing and targeted outsourcing is expected to drive efficiency and strategic engagement with external partners.
Future of Legal Tech
Looking ahead, Waitzman predicted that generative AI (gen AI) will have the most significant impact on legal departments in the near future. She highlighted how AI orchestration and intelligent agents will redefine productivity and knowledge management, enabling seamless workflows and proactive decision-making.
She emphasized the importance of governance and change management in deploying AI responsibly, ensuring that legal departments establish clear policies and training programs to leverage technology effectively.
Overall, Waitzman’s insights shed light on the evolving landscape of legal tech and the critical role of collaboration, innovation, and AI in driving transformation within the legal industry.
For more information, you can visit the original source.
