Clio’s CEO and Founder Jack Newton kicked off the largest ClioCon to date, celebrating the immense growth of the legal technology company and outlining an ambitious future.
With over 5,000 attendees from 42 countries, including over 2,600 in Austin, Texas with the rest joining virtually, the conference marks a significant milestone for the company.
“This is the biggest and best ClioCon we’ve ever had,” Newton declared, adding that Austin’s vibrant atmosphere perfectly aligned with the event’s spirit of innovation. He shared anecdotes of running into music stars at Austin City Limits, underscoring the city’s lively energy. The conference will host its own “After Dark” version of ACL, celebrating music and community for attendees.
Twelve Years of ClioCon: A Journey of Exponential Growth
Newton highlighted ClioCon’s evolution from its modest beginnings in 2013 with 200 attendees to its current scale—more than twenty times the size. Clio’s customer base has similarly expanded to over 130 countries, demonstrating Clio’s growing influence in the legaltech market.
Reflecting on 16 years since Clio’s founding, Newton described the latest year as the company’s “most incredible,” emphasizing that word of mouth and referrals from existing customers remain the primary drivers of Clio’s success. Newton expressed gratitude to the company’s loyal customer base, noting their support “powers our flywheel of growth.”
The Flywheel of Legal Transformation
Newton introduced a powerful metaphor at the heart of this year’s theme, “Harness Your Momentum,” urging law firms to think in terms of building and maintaining momentum.
He cited Jim Collins’ concept of a “flywheel,” describing how firms could reduce friction and add energy to create sustained growth. Practical changes, such as automating tasks or improving client intake, were highlighted as ways firms could accelerate their own flywheel.
Newton referenced Clio’s Legal Trends Report, noting that although the time lawyers spend on productive client-facing work has improved, significant inefficiencies remain. “The real question is, how do we fix this?” he asked, inviting attendees to adopt a “momentum mindset” and embrace incremental improvements.
Expanding Product Suite: Building the Connected Law Firm
Newton recounted Clio’s transformation from a single product company to a comprehensive platform aimed at unifying law firm operations. Over the past five years, Clio has expanded its offerings, including Clio Grow for client intake, Clio Payments to streamline payment processes, and Clio Accounting to simplify financial management.
Clio’s expansion into e-filing and the addition of practice area-specific features, such as those for personal injury, demonstrated the company’s commitment to tackling legal pain points.
“The best companies focus on their people,” Newton said, celebrating Clio’s inclusion in the Forbes Cloud 100 and Deloitte’s Best Managed Companies. He proudly referenced Clio’s recent partnership and away jersey branding with the Vancouver Canucks, adding a touch of local pride to the event.
A New Frontier: AI in Legal Practice
Newton dedicated the latter part of his keynote to the impact of artificial intelligence on the legal profession, reiterating his prediction from last year: “Lawyers that leverage AI will replace those that don’t.” He highlighted the rapid rise in AI adoption among law firms, from 19% in 2023 to 79% this year, making the legal sector a leader in embracing the technology.
He emphasized the transformational power of AI, comparing it to self-driving cars: initially awe-inspiring, but quickly becoming an integral part of life.
Newton also addressed the ethical considerations of using AI, pointing out the challenges posed by unreliable AI responses and the necessity for vigilant oversight.
Clio Duo: The AI-Powered Partner for Law Firms
Newton unveiled Clio Duo, an AI-powered legal assistant embedded into Clio Manage. He demonstrated how Clio Duo could summarize documents, automate tasks, and provide intelligent insights, aiming to help law firms work smarter and faster. “This isn’t just an upgrade; it’s a complete transformation of how you work,” Newton said.
The keynote set an ambitious tone for the conference, focusing on embracing technology to reduce friction, boost efficiency, and redefine how legal services are delivered. With Clio Duo and other innovations, Clio is working to be at the forefront of transforming the legal experience for all.
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