Is the Billable Hour Really Dying? ft. Billables AI Founder Nancy Jeng | The Future of Law Is Today, Ep. 9
The Future of Law Is TodayShow Notes
Summary Nancy Jeng, co-founder of Billables AI, joins Ceschino to discuss the challenges of timekeeping in the legal profession and how her company aims to alleviate these pain points through innovative technology. She shares insights on the importance of user experience in billing software, the evolving landscape of billing models, and the role of AI in transforming time tracking. Nancy also emphasizes the need for transparency in client communications, and we even get to learn about the cultural preservation work she does through her personal projects.
The Future of Law Is Today is the official podcast of The Legal Tech Guide (thelegaltechguide.com).
Takeaways Billables AI emerged from a real pain point in timekeeping for legal teams.
Timekeeping is often viewed as an administrative burden by professionals.
AI can automate genuinely tedious tasks, allowing professionals to focus on core work.
User experience in billing software can significantly impact adoption.
The billable hour is not going away, but is evolving with technology.
Firms are exploring alternative billing models beyond hourly rates.
Understanding time allocation can help firms optimize operations, not just invoices.
Transparency in billing can reduce pushback from clients.
AI time tracking can change how legal teams think about not just billing, but legal operations.
Chapters 00:00 The Birth of Billables AI 03:42 The Pain of Timekeeping 06:06 User Experience in Legal Tech 09:49 The Future of Billable Hours 11:13 Alternative Billing Models 13:33 Billable Hours as Legal Operations Data 18:35 The Impact of AI on Legal Billing and Client Communication 21:36 Communicating Value in Legal Services 25:27 Transforming Legal Operations With Data 27:47 Understanding AI Time Tracking 31:47 Keeping It Human: Family Recipes, Cultural Preservation, and Noodle Art
Keywords Billables, billable hour, timekeeping, legal tech, AI, user experience, billing models, transparency, client communication, operations, cultural preservation
More from The Future of Law Is Today
Summary Ryan Anderson, co-founder and CEO of Filevine, joins Ceschino to discuss how AI is moving from a one-question-at-a-time tool to an always-on, matter-aware system for legal work. The conversation covers a broad range of topics including the advent of agentic AI, how AI can anticipate legal teams’ needs, simulation of judicial reasoning for litigation strategy, and why anti-hallucination tooling is becoming not just essential, but possible in legal practice.
Summary Benjamin shares his transformative journey from a successful career in law to becoming a depth coach for high-performing professionals. He discusses the concept of depth coaching, emphasizing the importance of understanding the unconscious and the ego's role in personal development. The dialogue explores themes of midlife transitions, the search for meaning beyond external success, and the necessity of embracing imperfection in creativity. Benjamin also highlights the significance of recognizing life's mysteries and the interplay between our inner and outer worlds.
Summary Mathieu Bouillon starts the conversation by discussing the adoption of legal AI in Europe compared to the US, highlighting the emergence of legal tech startups and diminishing language barriers. Mathieu also addresses the impact of AI on legal education, stressing the importance of critical thinking and a hybrid approach to learning that incorporates both AI tools and traditional methods. Mathieu and Ceschino discuss the evolving landscape of professional skills in the age of AI, exploring the necessity of continuous learning and unlearning, the impact of AI on professional expertise, and the challenges of maintaining skill levels without becoming overly reliant on technology. The discussion also touches on the future of junior hiring and the importance of mentorship and human connection in a technology-driven world.
Summary Travis Zollner joins Ceschino to discuss the frustration of navigating the legal AI world as a practicing lawyer looking for reliable solutions and clear information about what any given solution does and doesn’t do. Travis discusses the challenges and opportunities of integrating AI into legal workflows, emphasizing the importance of accuracy and the need for human oversight. The conversation explores the push for AI in legal settings and where it’s coming from, the risks associated with overrelying on AI without human oversight, and the necessity for transparency in AI solutions, marketing, and sales. Ultimately, the discussion highlights the balance between leveraging technology for efficiency while ensuring legal integrity.
Summary Kenneth Carter shares his journey from being a lawyer to founding Ozeki, a legal tech company focused on automating and enhancing negotiation processes. He discusses the limitations of generative AI in legal contexts and introduces the concept of “artificial discretion” as a more effective approach. The conversation explores the nuances of negotiation strategies, the role of trust in negotiation, and the evolving landscape of legal careers in the face of automation, emphasizing the need for a multidisciplinary skill set in the future of law.