2026 Legal Tech Trends: What's Happening Below the Surface

TrialKit and the End of Impossible Discovery

What happens when discovery becomes too large for any lawyer, or even any team, to meaningfully review? In Episode 21 of the AAAi Podcast, Bridget McCormack and Zach Abramowitz speak with Ariel Deshe, founder of TrialKit, about the criminal defense case that led him to build the platform and what it reveals about the future of legal AI. The conversation explores the sheer volume of modern discovery, wrongful convictions, and how AI is helping lawyers take on cases that were previously too costly or too complex. Bridget also connects these issues to the broader vision behind the AAA's AI Arbitrator: expanding resolution options for disputes that often go unresolved because traditional processes are too expensive or impractical. Ariel explains why criminal defense lawyers have been quick to embrace technology that can uncover critical evidence hidden within overwhelming volumes of data, in cases where the stakes are immediate and deeply human. Episode 21 highlights a version of legal AI that often gets overlooked, showing how it can help lawyers do work that is otherwise practically impossible under the weight of modern discovery and rising legal costs.

Governance Is the Key: How Legal Teams Are Learning to Move Fast Without Breaking Trust

In this episode of the AAAi Podcast, Bridget McCormack and Zach Abramowitz record live from Legalweek in New York to explore a clear shift in legal AI. The risk of not moving is now greater than the risk of moving. AI is no longer theoretical, and whether it works is no longer the question. The focus has shifted to how to deploy it in a way that builds trust and scales safely. That is where governance comes in. The conversation now centers on how organizations can move quickly while maintaining trust and managing risk effectively. For legal leaders and operators navigating AI implementation, this episode offers a practical look at what is working today and what comes next.

Why The AI Arbitrator is Capturing Attention

In Episode 19 of the AAAi Podcast, hosts Bridget McCormack and Zach Abramowitz discuss why the AI Arbitrator is gaining mainstream attention and why governance, not hype, is the real driver of AI adoption. They examine why technology is now the primary strategic focus for 38% of CLOs, unpack the "Walmart model" of intelligent application, and explain how the American Arbitration Association is using agentic systems to expand dispute resolution options. The episode also explores what responsible AI deployment looks like in 2026 and previews Bridget's upcoming Legalweek panel, "Trust Is the Product," featuring leaders from OpenAI, Moderna, and Freshfields.

2026 Legal Tech Trends: What's Happening Below the Surface

Legal tech is starting to shift from AI-enhanced tools that help lawyers work faster to AI-native systems that change how legal work gets done. In this episode of the AAAi Podcast, Bridget McCormack and Zach Abramowitz are joined by Bob Ambrogi, the founder of LawSites and host of the LawNext podcast, and Timo Karakashev, founder of Cosmonauts, to explore what this shift looks like heading into 2026. They discuss new platform models, emerging AI-native law firms, and the move toward AI as a decision-maker in courts and arbitration. At the heart of the conversation is where pressure is building within the legal system, and why some of the most important changes are happening below the surface.

How the AAA's AI Arbitrator is Transforming Dispute Resolution: Inside the Innovation with AAA COO and CRO Frank Rossi

The American Arbitration Association (AAA) launched its AI Arbitrator in November 2025, and AAAi Podcast hosts Bridget McCormack and Zach Abramowitz sit down with Frank Rossi, AAA COO and CRO, to take listeners inside the project. They explore how the AAA's legacy of trust, neutrality, and innovation shaped the development of the AI Arbitrator, and why the AAA was uniquely positioned to build the AI Arbitrator. Together they share a behind the scenes look at how the system was developed, the testing and safeguards built into it, and how Frank's skepticism shifted to conviction about the potential of AI to transform alternative dispute resolution.