Gravity Stack A new type of tech firm
Delivering collective intelligence in law
In 2018 we were approached to help launch a startup tech offering by the San Fransisco office of Reed Smith.
The legal landscape is changing rapidly, old ways are seen as old ways and all the major players are looking for a competetive advantage .
That means that the competition is broad and strong
Everyone is focused on cost cutting and efficiency driving
Everyone is wise to the big hot topics
Everyone has figured out that the winning combination is advanced tech + strategic thinking
Everyone is trying to reframe the problem around whatever they are strong in
Consequently, no one is saying anything new. There is no clear vision being expressed for the future.
No-one is selling the dream.
A discovery during the discovery
As part of our initial discovery period, we always request access not just to internal stakeholders, but also to existing or potential clients.
It was from conversations with CTOs and DOOs at AirBnB, Avis, Uber and the Bank of New York that it became clear that whilst everyone was trying to configure their tech offering around what they had to sell, no one was was delivering what the clients wanted to buy.
And as we worked through the project we realised that a strong brand promise, on its own, will not be enough to guarantee success in a competitive marketplace,
With clients sceptical as to the ability of legal tech firms to deliver what they we looking for, it became obvious that we needed to build in more evidence that the newco is the right partner to choose:
a different kind of structure
a different overall proposition
a unique kick-off process
Clients are more than aware of the data they possess. Often held in separate, siloed streams. Sitting there not doing anything.
And it turns out that they are more than aware of what it could be doing for them.
“I want someone to come in, look at the data we have, stitch it all together to help build more defensible positions in law.”
client CTO
They’re just waiting for someone to come and do it for them.
Talking about efficiency and effectiveness driving are table stakes.
The real opportunities lie in:
weaving together the capabilities of different technologies
breaking down data silos and seeing the overall picture
using data to build stronger defensible positions
And that was where the opportunity for the newco lay.
The existing model within legal tech firms.
A different kind of structure.
The newco will have to deal with widely varying levels of knowledge/understanding of technology and data, which is limited amongst legal partners and in-house client counsel.
But it is far more detailed and visionary amongst our tech/knowledge teams and in-house legal ops management and CTOs
The offer, and the promise, has to straddle both groups.
The opportunity is to create more than just a surface level construct, to whiteboard structure, culture, and financials.
The newco could feel as well as look different.
Open up more tech driven clients
Build legacy for our clients and ourselves.
The easy to fall into model that exists within legal tech firms, places the attorney at the heart of the business, with tech or data experts not seen as adding real value, other than as support to the lawyer.
Not recognising the potential contribution that tech and data can have to the outcome for the client.
Worse than that, not recognising that tech and data can help deliver the service that the clients are crying out for.
Not very smart.
So we proposed a new type of structure. One where the contributions of legal experts and tech and data experts were recognised as being of equal value.
And in a marketplace where the best tech and data brains didn’t see law firms as a good career choice, it’ll help attract and retain the best brains that were previously going elsewhere.
A breeding ground for the next generation of lawyers who either see no point or no future in joining firms like us.
This is not about devaluing lawyers, it’s about re-valuing everyone else.
A different overall proposition.
From out of one of the most illuminating discovery phases we’ve undertaken, came the answer.
Our worldview -
Tomorrow’s legal answers will be drawn from more places than ever before
Our vision -
To connect people, data and technology so well that they solve legal challenges more intelligently than any person, group or computer has ever done before
Our promise -
‘We harness the power of data and human expertise to deliver collective intelligence in law.’
We harness human intelligence
deep + broad market knowledge
asking the right questions, designing the right systems, interpreting automated intelligence
using a multidisciplinary team of top legal, legal tech, legals ops and user experience experts
We harness emotional intelligence
we understand that the human touch is as important as the processing power of a machine
our lawyers are renowned for their fairness, respect and thoroughly human approach to law
our user experience experts ensure we never forget the person using the technology
We harness data intelligence
smarter, simpler ways of holding, managing and protecting data
We harness artificial intelligence
smarter ways of squeezing every drop of value out of data, and making the whole greater than the sum of the parts
we’re neither blinkered nor overawed by ai, its one of the many tools we use to create the right solution
We harness outside intelligence
if it exists, we make it better
if it doesn't exist, we build it
if we cant build it, we find people who can
This is not a law firm as you know it
It is an tech enabled organisation structured to value legal intelligence from multiple sources at an equal level
A structure that supports collective thinking, one where intelligence of every kind is respected and rewarded
A new force in legal tech
Our new name and graphic identity flowed seamlessly from the concept of a strong force made up of the critical mass of collective intelligence within the firm, pulling together raw data elements into a robust, strong order. In tech language a stack.
The outcome for the client. More defensible positions.
GRAVITY STACK
Delivering collective intelligence in law