The State of AI Keynote 2026

The Stoic Marketer

Search is changing faster than at any point in its history, and most lawyers are betting everything on the one channel that's shifting beneath them. In this episode of LawDroid Manifesto, Tom Martin sits down with Gyi Tsakalakis, Co-founder and President of AttorneySync, to unpack what AI overviews and AI mode really mean for law firm marketing. Gyi's counsel is refreshingly grounded: stop overrelying on Google, build a brand people recognize and trust, and stay skeptical of anyone selling certainty. It's a stoic's take on a hype-driven field. Explore more episodes and join the community at lawdroidmanifesto.com [http://lawdroidmanifesto.com]. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.lawdroidmanifesto.com/subscribe [https://www.lawdroidmanifesto.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

The AI Paralegal: Claire Robinson

Claire Robinson, Chief Product Officer at Upsolve, started her career as a paralegal—answering thousands of questions from low-income Americans navigating bankruptcy. That firsthand experience became the blueprint for Upsolve's AI Paralegal: a context-aware assistant embedded inside the app that guides users through one of the most stressful legal processes of their lives. The tool proved so effective that Upsolve had to pause new signups entirely when demand overwhelmed their team. Claire joins Tom Martin to discuss human-centered AI design, access to justice at scale, and what it means to build technology that truly serves people. Visit lawdroidmanifesto.com [http://lawdroidmanifesto.com] to learn more. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.lawdroidmanifesto.com/subscribe [https://www.lawdroidmanifesto.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

The Purposeful Disruptor: Beau Atkins

Beau Atkins, CEO of Evolve Family Law — Canada's first national family law firm — nearly left the legal profession before deciding to rebuild it from scratch. In this episode, Beau explains how lessons from construction work, behavioral economics, and a philosophy background led him to eliminate the billable hour, apply nudge theory to divorce proceedings, and build a firm designed from day one for access and scale. He also shares how AI tools are enabling his seven-person team to serve clients at a scale once unimaginable for a small firm. For more, visit lawdroidmanifesto.com [http://lawdroidmanifesto.com]. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.lawdroidmanifesto.com/subscribe [https://www.lawdroidmanifesto.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

The Grounded Scholar: Daniel Schwarcz

Does using AI make you a worse lawyer? Professor Daniel Schwarcz of the University of Minnesota ran the first randomized controlled trial to find out—and the results surprised even him. In this episode, Daniel breaks down his landmark empirical study of 100 law students, explains what his data actually says about AI and legal reasoning, and brings the rigorous grounding that the AI conversation desperately needs. If you want insight rooted in evidence rather than hype, this is the episode for you. Learn more and subscribe at lawdroidmanifesto.com [http://lawdroidmanifesto.com]. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.lawdroidmanifesto.com/subscribe [https://www.lawdroidmanifesto.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

Fireside Chat with Ron Flagg

Ron Flagg, President of the Legal Services Corporation, joins Tom Martin for a keynote and fireside chat recorded at the LawDroid AI Conference 2026. Ron makes the case that closing the justice gap — where 92% of the civil legal needs of people in poverty go unmet — requires more than funding or technology alone. It requires a community of innovators building together, intentionally. He shares how LSC's grantee network is embracing AI to expand capacity, discusses findings from LSC's landmark eviction report, and offers a candid update on LSC's funding outlook. A vital conversation for anyone committed to access to justice. Learn more at lawdroidmanifesto.com [http://lawdroidmanifesto.com]. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.lawdroidmanifesto.com/subscribe [https://www.lawdroidmanifesto.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]