In this episode of Studio A, Will Ayers talks with LawNext Legal Technology Directory Co-founder Bob Ambrogi about how the relationship between the legal industry and technology has developed over the past 30 years. This conversation covers the rise of AI, the importance of founder mindset, and why legal firms thrive on innovation. Bob talks about LawNext and how it serves as a trusted hub for independent legal tech coverage. And finally, reflecting on the traits that separate thoughtful product builders from the rest.

Learn why legal tech is now required and what it means to stay curious in a fast-moving environment.

Highlights:

• Agentic AI: How automation is evolving from task-based to workflow-based solutions
• LawNext Origins: Bob explains how his work as a journalist shaped the platform
• Founders Who Last: Successful legal tech leaders from the rest

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Introducing Bob Ambrogi
(01:28) Bob on blending journalism and law
(03:36) The rise of agentic AI in legal workflows
(05:10) What LawNext offers to the legal community
(06:20) Favorite interviews and stories from the podcast
(07:48) What makes great legal tech founders
(09:36) How law firms should approach new technology
(11:13) The role of podcasts in legal education
(12:54) What keeps Bob excited about legal tech

In this episode of Studio A, Will Ayers welcomes back Cody Walker, Vice President of Cloud Development at Aderant, for a conversation on how to approach AI adoption with clarity and efficiency.

Recorded at Momentum Global 2025 in Dallas, Cody outlines how solutions like Cloud AR, Cloud GL, and MADDI are integrated to simplify financial management, modernize back-office processes, and deliver end-to-end visibility. He explains how Stridyn and Aderant’s multi-agent AI framework creates new opportunities for law firms to align data, automate processes, and optimize the user experience.

Hear how Aderant unifies systems, streamlines operations, and prepares law firms in this new era of technology.

Highlights:

• AI Across the Suite: Learn how MADDI powers in-app help and real-time insights
• Financial Management in Focus: Explore how Cloud AR and Cloud GL support revenue capture
• The Stridyn Platform: See how data transparency enables stronger firm-wide decision making

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Introducing Cody Walker

(01:21) How Cloud AR and Cloud GL work

(02:26) MADDI as more than a chatbot

(03:32) Stridyn powering next-generation legal technology

(05:14) Connecting AI across third-party systems

(07:41) Why a common data plane matters

(11:55) What excites Cody most about MADDI

In this episode of Studio A, Will Ayers speaks with Andrew DeBratto, Chief Information and Security Officer at Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP, about how they are navigating cloud adoption, security demands, and the fast-paced world of gen-AI.

By shifting critical systems such as Aderant Sierra to the cloud and building internal safeguards around these tools, Andrew shares how his team balances innovation with operational stability. He also tells us about how client expectations are evolving, and why collaboration across finance, compliance, and IT is essential.

Hear Andrew’s perspective on modernizing legal technology while keeping a focus on trust and reliability.

Highlights:

• Cloud at Scale: Why Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP embraces a cloud-first approach
• Responsible AI: How training and guardrails prepare teams for new tools
• Client Value: New technology directly improves client service and transparency across the firm

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Introducing Andrew DeBratto

(02:13) Planning for innovation in a cloud-first world

(03:59) Opportunities for AI across legal and business teams

(05:44) Overcoming fears of cloud migration in law firms

(07:57) Why Aderant Sierra became a cloud-first priority

(09:48) Building compliance and vendor trust for data security

(13:14) Training teams for ethical use of generative A