Recently, Silicon Valley-based Gunderson Dettmer, an international law firm of more than 400 lawyers that exclusively represents clients in the innovation economy, launched ChatGD, a generative AI chat app for its lawyers and legal professionals that the firm designed and built itself. The launch appeared to make the firm the first in the U.S. to develop a proprietary internal tool using generative AI technology and possibly also the first firm anywhere to launch such a tool.

On today’s episode of LawNext, the two people who spearheaded the development — Joe Green, the firm’s chief innovation officer and also of counsel, and John Scrudato, the firm’s legal engineering and data strategy manager, join host Bob Ambrogi to share the story behind ChatGD. They explain why the firm wanted to develop its own generative AI app, describe what it does and how legal professionals can use it, and share how it has been received so far by the lawyers who have used it. 

As you will hear, Green and Scrudato see the development of the app as somewhat of a learning exercise — for the firm and for its lawyers — in anticipation of the enormous impact generative AI is likely to have on both legal professionals and clients. “We view this whole stage as very experimental and learning oriented,” Green says in the interview. “This is about getting the tool in the hands of lawyers in a safe way that they can really start learning about how to get value out of it.”

Thank You To Our Sponsors

This episode of LawNext is generously made possible by our sponsors. We appreciate their support and hope you will check them out.

  • Nota, the online business banking platform designed specifically for solo and small law firms.
  • Paradigm, home to the practice management platforms PracticePanther, Bill4Time, MerusCase and LollyLaw; the e-payments platform Headnote; and the legal accounting software TrustBooks.
  • Universal Migrator, the easiest way to move your firm’s data and documents from one app to another.
  • Overture.Law, The first attorney-to-attorney referral platform that lets you easily generate referral fees for clients you can’t serve.

If you enjoy listening to LawNext, please leave us a review wherever you listen to podcasts.

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.