Inside the LegalTech Buying Journey @ SF Tech Week 2026
“Jeans that fit perfectly. The ideal Netflix show for a Tuesday night. Your one and only soulmate. Modern life promises that with enough options, you will happily find the best of everything,” wrote the Associated Press this summer.
“But behavioral scientists say the increasing flood of choices — whether it comes to shopping, social lives or relationships — is doing the opposite,” the AP stated, citing research from Barry Schwartz, an emeritus psychology professor at Swarthmore University and author of “The Paradox of Choice,” which found that having more options can make people paradoxically less satisfied with what they choose.
The overwhelming number of choices aren’t limited to shopping and streaming platforms; an abundance of options has hit LegalTech, too.
Monica Zent is a LegalTech pioneer, entrepreneur, investor, and founder of ZentLaw, one of the first Alternative Legal Service Providers (ALSPs) in the United States. She writes about LegalTech, artificial intelligence, legal operations, venture capital, enterprise innovation, and the future of legal services. Through her thought leadership, speaking engagements, and advisory work, Monica helps organizations and investors navigate emerging technologies and the evolving legal landscape. Learn more about Monica, her work, and her latest insights at MonicaZent.com.
-
Record Highs, Record Lows: Tracking the Shifting VC landscape
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,…
-
LegalTech, Venture Capital & AI for Good
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…
-
Alternative Legal Services Providers (ALSPs): A Look Back, and What’s Ahead
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…
