Robert Ambrogi Blog
The Masters Conference, an education and thought leadership forum focused on e-discovery, litigation, information governance, AI and related disciplines for legal professionals, has named legal industry veteran Kevin Vermeulen as its new chief executive officer.
Masters also announced that Mike Dalewitz, a veteran e-discovery entrepreneur and former advisor to The Masters Conference, is returning to the organization as its executive chairman.
In conjunction with these executive appointments, The Masters Conference revealed that it will rebrand in 2026 as Masters Legal AI, as part of its plan to launch a global learning ecosystem dedicated to AI in law. The new system will include worldwide events, certification programs, and programming for new verticals within the legal profession.
Bobby V. Perez, who has served as CEO and president of The Masters Conference since the death of its founder Robert Childress in 2021, will continue to serve on the organization’s advisory board, along with board members Richard Clark, VP of strategic partnerships at CloudNine; Kevin M. Clark, CEO, Right Discovery; Bruce Malter, eDiscovery and information governance solutions expert at Consilio; and Alex Lewis, owner and CSO at Converse Data.
New Leadership for a New Chapter
Vermeulen comes to The Masters Conference with more than three decades of experience in the legal market leading events, sales and marketing.
For 22 years, Vermeulen was at the legal publishing and events company ALM, where he oversaw sales, marketing and conferences, including LegalTech, now named Legalweek, which has long been among the world’s leading legal tech conferences.
In 2015, after leaving ALM, he became a partner in Good2bSocial, a digital marketing and consulting firm. When Best Lawyers acquired Good2bSocial in 2023, he joined that company as senior vice president for business development.
“The legal industry is at a pivotal moment, and AI is at the center of that transformation,” Vermeulen said in a statement provided by The Masters Conference. “We’re seizing the opportunity to fill a much needed void in education and the business of law.”
Dalewitz, who is returning to The Masters Conference with a strategic investment, is a serial legal tech entrepreneur who has had three successful exits, including as founder and CEO of the e-discovery company Inspired Review, which was acquired by HaystackID in 2018. He is also a law school professor and founder of ACEDS-NY.
“Great ideas become real progress when surrounded by the right leaders — and our Advisory Board embodies that truth every day,” Dalewitz said in a statement. “Their dedication, thought leadership, and unwavering support are lighting the path ahead. We are profoundly thankful for the role they play in moving us forward.”
A Central Hub for AI in Law
With its planned rebranding as Masters Legal AI, the organization said, it will aim to become a global conference and central gathering point for AI in law, bringing together legal professionals, technologists, regulators, academics and industry leaders to explore the opportunities, risks and ethical implications of AI across legal practice and operations.
The organization says it will also launch multi-level legal AI certification programs tailored to law students, attorneys, in-house counsel, legal operations leaders, e-discovery professionals and service providers.
“These programs will blend doctrinal understanding, technical literacy, and hands-on application to equip learners to use AI responsibly and effectively,” the announcement said.
The organization said that it will also integrate AI throughout its programming.
Rebuild and Expand
Along with its rebranding and greater focus on AI, the organization said its 2026 roadmap includes a fully redesigned website and a mobile app offering personalized agendas, on-demand learning, advanced networking, and continuous community engagement.
The organization further plans to expand its certification courses across a greater number of core legal technology and industry-support disciplines for both academic and professional audiences, it said.
It also plans to launch programming for new verticals that it has not previously served, beginning with Masters CYBER, which will focus on cybersecurity, data privacy and digital risk.
New Conference Models
Along with all of these changes, The Masters Conference said it will also seek to move beyond traditional panel-heavy conference formats in favor of “dynamic, experiential learning opportunities.”
These will include soft-skills tracks focused on leadership, communication, negotiation and change management; experiential workshops, simulations, labs, and live case studies; TEDx-style talks and short-form, high-impact content; and a year-round community supported by rebuilt digital platforms and ongoing programming, it said.
“This is a full-circle moment,” said board president Perez. “Our 2026 roadmap — Legal AI certifications, Masters CYBER, new verticals and disruptive formats — delivers on Robert Childress’s vision and ensures Masters remains ahead of the curve.”