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.
-
VC as an Asset Class
“As Figma goes public, a turning point in the long-awaited IPO market recovery takes shape,” read Fortune’s headline. The IPO came after a planned merger with Adobe fell apart in 2023, with the design software unicorn’s offering valued at nearly $20 billion. This milestone reflected broader trends in legal tech investments, where venture-backed companies are…
-
How Federal Regulatory Changes are Impacting the Venture Capital Landscape
It was week of “cryptocurrency drama” on the House floor, with the House set to vote on crypto-related bills during the Capitol’s “Crypto Week.” As investors waited to see if crypto regulatory frameworks would pass, the July 4th passage of The One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) Act introduced changes for startups and VCs, highlighting the…
-
The Founder Paradox
Jason Shuman, General Partner at Primary Venture Partners, wrote that “It’s never been easier to start a company, and never harder to build a durable one.” That observation resonates strongly in today’s AI and legal tech startup ecosystem. Deals in the billions are becoming regular headlines. AI startup Thinking Machines Lab reportedly secured a $2…