Eric Friedman: Leading the Future of Law and Tech
April 23, 2026
In a time of unprecedented change for the legal profession, how do the world’s most influential law firms stay ahead of the curve?, In this episode of Between the Briefs, hosts Joe Stephens and Adrian Cea sit down with Eric Friedman, former Chairman and CEO of Skadden, to discuss his transition from leading a global legal giant to advising the next generation of legal tech pioneers., Eric offers a rare look at the "ferocious" competitive dynamics and technological pressures currently reshaping the business and practice of law.
What does it take to lead one of the world's most prestigious law firms through a global financial crisis, a pandemic, and now, a generative AI revolution?
In this episode, Eric Friedman draws on his three decades of experience at Skadden to dissect the current "headwinds" impacting the legal landscape. Now an advisor to legal tech leaders like Litera and Ironclad, Eric explores why adoption remains the number one hurdle for innovation and how the "client voice" is finally forcing the hands of reluctant law firms. From the "crystal ball" question of the billable hour's future to the potential for AI to move the needle on access to justice, this conversation provides a strategic roadmap for the future of legal services.,,
What You’ll Learn:
- How tech, competitive dynamics, and geopolitics are creating a high-pressure environment.
- Why meeting lawyers "where they work" is the only way to overcome the static of new tools.
- Why value-based billing might finally gain traction as clients demand to share in tech-driven efficiency gains.
- Understanding the complex "Middle Earth" between the business and practice of law to successfully sell to law firms.,
- Why we are still in the "early innings" of tech innovation and why declaration of winners is premature.
Highlights:
00:01 – Introduction: Welcoming Eric Friedman, former CEO of Skadden.
01:04 – The Pivot: Transitioning from M&A lawyer to the "Business of Law."
00:01 – Introduction: Welcoming Eric Friedman, former CEO of Skadden.
01:04 – The Pivot: Transitioning from M&A lawyer to the "Business of Law."
02:27 – Under Pressure: Assessing the "ferocious" competitive and geopolitical landscape.,,
08:18 – The Adoption Challenge: Why "meeting them where they work" is the key to success.,
13:42 – The Billable Hour Crystal Ball: Will tech finally kill the predominant benchmark?,,
23:54 – The Founder’s Bane: Navigating the complex buyer persona in Big Law.,
38:29 – Access to Justice: Using tech to bridge the gap for the Legal Services Corporation (LSC).,
41:35 – Hottest Take: Why it’s still "early innings" for the legal tech battle.,
Quotes:
- “Law firms are under pressure from every direction... Tech, I'll start there... the emergence of this next wave of legal tech is definitely creating pressures on law firms. You also have a massive competitive dynamic... Law firms are ferociously competitive. That may always have been the case. It feels like it's notched up a bit.”,
- “Adoption is the number one challenge. You have to get through the static of which tools should we even pilot... Meet them where they're working and be accretive to what they're otherwise doing and you have to prove the value proposition in the real world for lawyers.”,
- “I do want to point out that at least since the mid 1980s, the legal media has been talking about the death of the billable hour. And so 40 years later, I would say it remains the predominant benchmark for legal service delivery.”
- “I don't think it's a bubble. I think we're still in the early innings of tech innovation and adoption... it’s way too early to be declaring winners in this space.”,
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