January 3, 2025

LDI Architects Program: Applicants Chosen to Shape the Evolution of the Legal Data Intelligence Model

We’re thrilled to announce that our CEO, Lourdes M. Fuentes, has been named as one of the 33 industry leaders selected for the prestigious 2025 Legal Data Intelligence (LDI) Architects cohort.
Legal Data Intelligence is a groundbreaking initiative where top professionals from the world’s largest companies, law firms, and service providers collaborate to empower legal teams with data-driven strategies. This elite group is dedicated to helping organizations unlock greater value through the transformative power of data analysis.
As part of the Business of Law group, Lourdes will work alongside distinguished legal technologists and thought leaders to craft frameworks that address the evolving challenges and opportunities brought by AI in the legal profession. Her extensive expertise in legal operations, generative AI, and innovative legal strategies will contribute to shaping the future of how legal teams operate and deliver value.
Stay tuned for updates as her cohort drive meaningful change in our profession.

October 18, 2024

CHIPs Global Summit's Women Legal Tech Founders

Lourdes Fuentes, our CEO, had the privilege of being part of the Female Founders in Legal Tech panel alongside Cecilia Ziniti, Allyson Kapin, Stephanie Curcio, and their dynamic moderator, Allyson Kapin. Together, they shared candid insights about their journeys, the challenges they've faced as women founders, and how they are shaping the future of legal tech through innovation and AI.
Some of the highlights from the panel included:
✨ Career Shifts: What inspired them to leave traditional career paths and launch companies, reflecting on the good, the bad, and the lessons learned along the way.
✨ Fostering Innovation: As leaders, they talked about the importance of creating an innovation mindset within their teams and the legal tech industry.
✨ AI in Legal Tech: They explored how AI is reshaping the legal landscape and shared examples of how to integrate it into their services, while tackling the ethical and regulatory challenges it brings.
✨ Breaking the Funding Gap: They dove into the realities of fundraising as women founders in legal tech, offering practical advice to others looking to raise capital or invest in women-led startups.
✨ Building Support Networks: They emphasized the importance of community and mentorship, highlighting how women can advocate for and support each other in this rapidly evolving industry.
This conference was a celebration of powerful women shaping the legal world. From hearing the original tech trailblazer Kara Swisher interviewed by the amazing Mallun Yen to being in the presence of luminaries like Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, Kathi Vidal, Vaishali Udupa, and Deborah Lashley-Johnson, the energy in the room was unparalleled. A heartfelt thank you to Monica Phillips for including our very own Lourdes Fuentes in this powerhouse event!

October 9, 2024

Pioneers and Pathfinders Podcast Showcases Lourdes Fuentes

Lourdes Fuentes, founder and CEO of Karta Legal, was recently featured as a guest on the Pioneers and Pathfinders podcast, where she discussed the critical intersection of law, technology, and innovation. The podcast, hosted by the legendary legal visionary Steve Poor, Chair Emeritus of Seyfarth Shaw, LLC, highlights leaders in the legal industry that have demonstrated to be trailblazers in legal technology innovation and the forward-thinking approaches they take to modernize the industry.
In this episode, Lourdes dives into her journey from practicing lawyer to legal operations expert, and the challenges of encouraging legal professionals to embrace technology. She also touches on the ever-evolving world of generative AI and its potential in transforming legal services.
At Karta Legal, we believe it’s vital for today’s legal professionals to master skills rooted in process improvement, design thinking, change management, and project management methodologies. Lourdes emphasizes how these tools are key to driving efficiency and innovation within law firms and legal departments. For anyone interested in how to elevate legal service delivery or start a legal tech business, this conversation is an insightful exploration of what it takes to lead in this rapidly changing space.

September 26, 2024

Lessons from Legal Research’s Past for the GenAI-Powered Law Firm of Tomorrow

Unlock key insights into the future of legal tech with Lourdes M. Fuentes' latest article on ABA Law Technology Today. Titled Lessons from Legal Research’s Past for the GenAI-Powered Legal Technology of Tomorrow, this forward-thinking piece examines how the historical evolution of legal research parallels the rise of generative AI in law. Learn how emerging AI technologies are reshaping legal research, case management, and practice, while addressing crucial topics like data privacy, ethical challenges, and practical AI applications. A must-read for lawyers and legal professionals aiming to leverage AI-driven tools to boost efficiency, accuracy, and competitive edge.

October 18, 2024

Join Founders of Legal Tech at the CHIPs Global Summit 

Lourdes M. Fuentes, CEO of Karta Legal and a recognized expert in legal tech and innovation, will be speaking at the upcoming CHIPS Global Summit. This prestigious conference brings together leaders at the intersection of law, technology, and policy at a time when navigating rapid advancements in generative AI and emerging technologies is more important than ever.
Lourdes is particularly excited to join discussions on driving innovation, breaking barriers for women in tech and law, and shaping the regulatory frameworks necessary to support responsible AI development. With the many critical changes transforming the industry, her participation in these conversations is key to staying informed, building effective strategies, and empowering the next generation of legal and tech leaders.

September 12, 2024

Lourdes M. Fuentes presents on the State of GenAI and its implications to the National Appraisal Board. 

Lourdes Fuentes spoke to the Appraisal Standards Board on the ethical and legal challenges related to integrating AI into appraisal practices. Drawing from her expertise in AI governance within the legal profession, she emphasized the importance of transparency, accountability, and risk management when using AI. Lourdes shared insights on data privacy issues, the need for bias mitigation, and the role of human oversight. She also discussed recent regulations like the EU AI Act and U.S. state laws aimed at addressing algorithmic discrimination, underscoring the relevance of these frameworks to the appraisal industry.

September 9, 2024

Lourdes M. Fuentes Moderates a GenAI Legal Ethics Panel at the LexSummit Conference 

The session revolve around AI-Driven Transformation in Legal Services: Ethics, Privacy, and Innovation. We explored how AI is reshaping the legal industry and addressed the ethical and privacy challenges it brings. The discussion covered key regulatory frameworks, practical applications of generative AI in law, and strategies for balancing innovation with responsibility. It was an engaging and insightful conversation about the future of legal services in the AI era, offering valuable perspectives on navigating both the risks and opportunities. 
Image Courtesy of LexSummit: Nicole Tineo and Lourdes Fuentes 

September 6, 2024

Lourdes M. Fuentes Moderates a Privacy and AI Panel at the HNBA Convention

We discussed the follow topics and more!
⚖️ Understanding AI: Grasp the key concepts and trends that are transforming the legal profession.
📜 Legal & Ethical Issues With AI Use: Learn how to address the ethical challenges AI presents, from privacy concerns to bias.
🌐 AI Regulatory Landscape: Get ahead with insights into the regulatory frameworks that will impact how we use AI.
🚨 Responsible AI to Mitigate Risks: Discover strategies to integrate AI responsibly, protecting your clients and your practice.
💼 Career Opportunities Amidst the AI Storm: Explore new career paths and opportunities that are opening up as AI technology advances.

June 6, 2024

Lourdes M. Fuentes, Esq. Gets admitted to the SCOTUS Bar

Over 40 attorneys from the ABA Senior Lawyers Division were admitted to the bar of the Supreme Court of the United States during a special in-person ceremony. The event took place in the Supreme Court Chamber, where the inductees attended an opinion announcement session and took the oath in front of all nine Justices. This ceremony highlighted the diversity of perspectives within the legal profession and underscored the significant role lawyers play in upholding justice. The event was organized by the Senior Lawyers Division of the American Bar Association.

April 17, 2024

Lourdes M. Fuentes Delivers Guest Lecture at Setton Hall

Seton Hall University recently hosted an event featuring Lourdes M. Fuentes as the guest speaker. Invited by Kenneth Jones, Lourdes shared her insights on the intersection of business, technology, and personal development with the university's students. During her lecture, she emphasized the transformative power of storytelling and encouraged students to stay curious, maintain a positive outlook, and build resilience in pursuit of their goals. Highlighting the rapid advancements in technology, particularly the rise of GenAI, she urged students to embrace change, upskill, and become innovators in an evolving world. The event aimed to inspire and equip students for future challenges.

March 3-5, 2024

NAMWOLF CONFERENCE, MARCH 3-5, JW MARRIOTT, NEW ORLEANS

Join Lourdes Fuentes and Nicole Tineo, CEDS, RCA, when they present a session on “The Future is Now: AI-Driven Innovation for the forward-thinking law firm”
Gain insights into how Generative AI is reshaping legal workflows, enhancing client services, and fostering innovation. Don't miss out on practical applications, ethical considerations, and strategies for successful integration. 

 November 1, 2023

Outside Counsel Spend Management

An event hosted by Shai Mehani at In-house Connect will address the recent controversy in the Twitter fee case between XCorp and Wachtell Lipton, emphasizing the importance of transparency and ethical oversight in attorney-client billing. 
Featuring guest speakers Virginia (Gina) Griffith, JD, and Lourdes M. Fuentes, the discussion will explore ethical paradigms for managing and scrutinizing legal invoices, strategies for immediate cost reduction aligned with ethical principles, and ways to identify common inefficiencies to improve cost-effectiveness and ethical compliance. The event aims to help attendees navigate ethical challenges in managing outside counsel spending.

September 14, 2023

Twitter Case Offers Crash Course on Billing Ethics

One of the top 10 most read articles in 2023 by Law360. In this article, Lourdes delves into the ethics of legal billing, using the high-profile complaint against Wachtell Lipton by X Corp. as a case study. The complaint, which accuses Wachtell Lipton of unjust enrichment, breach of fiduciary duty, and ethical violations, serves as a backdrop for a broader discussion on the ethical standards and professional duties within the legal profession. The article encourages in-house and outside counsel to reassess billing guidelines, engagement practices, training protocols, and the process of legal bill review and approval, emphasizing that these are ethical imperatives, not mere formalities.

September 10- 13, 2023

NAMWOLF Annual Conference, Baltimore, MD

The upcoming National Association of Minority & Women Owned Law Firms (NAMWOLF) Conference will feature Lourdes M. Fuentes and Lee Shubert from Karta Legal LLC. Attendees are encouraged to visit Karta Legal's booth, where discussions will center on legal tech, innovation, and particularly the ethical and practical integration of Generative AI into law firm operations. Fuentes aims to explore the strategic advantages and operational efficiencies that this technology can offer, and she is eager to learn how others are leveraging Generative AI in their firms. The event promises to be a valuable opportunity for networking and knowledge sharing among legal professionals.

June 16, 2023

The Path Forward from Immigration Law

An upcoming event will explore how adopting technology and leveraging change management skills can transform legal practices for long-term success. The discussion will focus on the benefits of using a matter management system to improve efficiencies and the challenges law firms face in achieving successful adoption. Strategies to overcome these challenges will also be highlighted. The session will cover significant changes impacting immigration law in 2023 and beyond, with insights on adapting through technology. Panelists, including Lorena Rivas, Esq., Lourdes M. Fuentes, Emily Lippincott, and Dalia Phelps, Esq., will also introduce Filevine's latest immigration tool and its potential to support legal businesses

October 18-19, 2022

Winning the war for legal talent in today’s competitive worldManaging Partners Forum

The Fall Symposium of the Managing Partners Forum featured a panel discussion titled "Winning the war for legal talent." The event gathered managing partners and law firm leaders to discuss pressing issues such as work-life balance, mentoring, partnership structures, and the challenges of transitioning senior lawyers toward retirement. Key recommendations included upskilling teams, improving processes, and deploying the right technology. The discussion also highlighted the importance of NewLaw and New Era Law Firm C-Suite and legal operations teams in driving innovation within the legal industry.

July 2022

Lead-In Note for the University of Pennsylvania's Future of the Profession Initiative July Newsletter

In the Lead-In Note for the University of Pennsylvania's Future of the Profession Initiative July Newsletter, the importance of legal operations is discussed, emphasizing that it should not be an afterthought or secondary to traditional legal practice. The argument is made that legal operations should receive the same level of attention and investment as building a legal practice and offering top-tier legal advice. Elevating legal ops is crucial for law firms, legal departments, and even government entities, as it is integral to thriving in today's evolving legal landscape. Collaboration and collective effort are highlighted as key to driving better outcomes in the field of legal operations.

2022

Legal Week NYC 2022. Are All Professional Services Providers Held to the Same DEI Standards?

At Legalweek, a panel discussion titled "Are All Professional Services Providers Held to the Same DEI Standards?" will be moderated by Patrick Fuller, Vice President, and Heather Nevitt, Corporate Counsel Editor-in-Chief. The panel includes industry leaders such as Kathleen Olin, Alexis Robertson, Paula Davis, Lloyd M. Johnson, Jr., and Lourdes F. of Karta Legal LLC. The session will focus on the various DEI standards that law firms, professional services, and advisory firms are evaluated on, comparing law firm diversity statistics to those of corporate legal departments. Additionally, the discussion will address the mental health and wellness challenges that diverse attorneys face within these environments. This is a special 90-minute, data-driven session.