Two legal professionals, a law firm and a legal technology company were named yesterday as winners of the third annual The Changing Lawyer Awards, presented by the legal technology company Litera to recognize those in the legal industry who drive change through new technology, service models or behavior.

Winners were selected in four categories by a panel of five judges (of which I was one). They were announced during The Changing Lawyer Live virtual conference held yesterday.

This year’s winners are:

  • Legal Innovator of the Year: Evan J. Shenkman, senior director of knowledge management at Fisher Phillips. This award is presented to the individual who has driven the most significant change within a firm or legal department.
  • Law Firm of the Year: K&L Gates. This award is presented to the law firm that has most successfully reimagined the way it serves its clients.
  • Disruptor of the Year: Digitory Legal. This award is presented to the alternative legal service provider or legal tech supplier that has most successfully disrupted the broader legal profession.
  • Lifetime Achievement Award: John Alber. This award is independently nominated and judged by the panel and honors a visionary in legal technology.

“This year’s winners for The Changing Lawyer Awards demonstrate true innovation, entailing more than just new technology, but better processes and the effective involvement of their people in that process,” said Julian Morgan, chief marketing officer at Litera, in announcing the awards yesterday.

“We believe each of these winners has a great understanding of where the legal market is moving and are pursuing solutions to stay ahead of it.”

Judges for the awards were: Jeffrey Brandt, editor of PinHawk Legal Tech Digest; Caroline Hill, editor of Legal IT Insider; Joy Heath Rush, CEO of ILTA; Avaneesh Marwaha, CEO of Litera; and me.

Photo of Bob Ambrogi Bob Ambrogi

Bob is a lawyer, veteran legal journalist, and award-winning blogger and podcaster. In 2011, he was named to the inaugural Fastcase 50, honoring “the law’s smartest, most courageous innovators, techies, visionaries and leaders.” Earlier in his career, he was editor-in-chief of several legal publications, including The National Law Journal, and editorial director of ALM’s Litigation Services Division.