Posts by Monica Zent

Business Insider recently wrote, “For many lawyers, 2025 was the year when using AI became mandatory.” Following a year in which AI became a foregone conclusion for the industry, and in which AI-powered LegalTech became a VC and media darling, what’s next for LegalTech in 2026? This edition of Venture Legal examines five key trends…

I’m a firm believer that, in business and in life, before looking at the road ahead it is essential to look in the rear-view mirror, assessing the relevant landscape of challenges and opportunities. As we approach the time of year for predictions, resolutions and strategizing for the year ahead, for this edition of Venture Legal,…

Startling statistics from the Legal Services Corporation reveal the degree to which low-income Americans report not having received any or enough legal assistance for civil legal problems.  Specifically: Could AI-powered LegalTech innovation help address such needs? While the vast majority of VC funding and startup activity in LegalTech is focused on the enterprise sector, for…

Professional services, including legal, stand at an AI inflection point, with rapid changes ongoing and even greater transformations on the horizon ahead – and sometimes, in order to look forward, it helps to first also take a look back. For this edition of Venture Legal, I wanted to look back at the evolution of a…

As cloud computing and AI expert David Linthicum recently wrote, “AI is often described as a transformative technology, but transformation is anything but easy.” That’s why, as AI transforms the legal sector, it was imperative to convene a panel during SF Tech Week composed of legal industry leaders who’ve made AI work – Okta’s Russell…

In just the past two weeks, since publishing Venture Legal’s LegalTech Goes Global (Part 1):   As VC-funding startups rapidly scale globally, this week’s edition of Venture Legal is Part 2 of the LegalTech Goes Global series. This week I’m exploring:   Follow me on Substack and subscribe to read the featured story! Venture Legal,…

When Business Insider, reporting that LegalTech funding had crossed $1 billion so far this year, curated a select list of 10 LegalTech startups, two hailed from outside the U.S. – Sweden’s Legora, which had an $80M raise in May, and Britain’s Luminance, which had a $75M round in February.  This week’s edition of Venture Legal…

“A foundational shift is underway in the legal sector – driven by generative AI, rising cost pressures, and a new wave of founder-led innovation,” wrote Alumni Ventures’ Clare Brandfonbrener this summer. “But this won’t be a winner-take-all market,” she notes. Amid rapid AI-driven change, big startup funding rounds, and intense competition for market share, in…

As the AI boom continues, the numbers can be startling. CNBC reported that AI startups have minted dozens of new billionaires this year, and there are now 498 AI unicorns with valuations of $1 billion or more, with a combined value of $2.7 trillion. For companies operating in this space, maintaining regulatory compliance has become…

The Information’s headline summed up the mood: “AI Forces Silicon Valley to Confront a Moment of Ecstasy and Agony.” The subhead added: “The technology has sparked enormous excitement among CEOs, founders, and investors, and tremendous fear that they could very quickly get left behind in an upended landscape.” For founders building in the AI space,…