Tom Mighell

Tom Mighell

Host of Kennedy-Mighell Report

Tom Mighell has been at the front lines of technology development since joining Cowles & Thompson, P.C. in 1990. Mighell is a published author, noted legal technologist, and runs his own blog, Inter Alia. He is currently senior consultant for Contoural, Inc., working with corporations to improve their records management and e-discovery practice, and he has served as chair of the ABA Law Practice Management Section.

Recent Episodes
November 15, 2024

Fresh Voices on Legal Tech with Nicole Morris

For another perspective on tech—this time with a focus on law schools, students, and new lawyers—Dennis and Tom welcome Professor Nicole Morris of Emory University School of Law. With her strong connection...

November 1, 2024

AI and RAG: Hate the Name, Love the Application

As you may have discovered on your own, genAI tools are ready and enthusiastic with their outputs, but may be woefully ill-informed, in spite of the snappy replies they spew out with...

October 18, 2024

Fresh Voices on Legal Tech with Megan Ma

As genAI continues to edge into all facets of our lives, Dr. Megan Ma has been exploring integrations for this technology in legal, but, more importantly, how it can help lawyers and...

October 4, 2024

Fresh Voices on Legal Tech with Cat Moon

Lawyers have long been hesitant to adopt technology, but the rapid advancements in generative AI have sparked a new curiosity in many attorneys. Are we heading toward a mindset shift in the...

September 20, 2024

Fresh Voices on Legal Tech with Caitlin McCabe

Piquing curiosity in legal technology is the first step to helping lawyers engage with and acquire modern tech for their practice. Dennis and Tom welcome Caitlin McCabe to hear her perspectives on...

September 6, 2024

Fresh Voices on Legal Tech with Amy Conroy

Amy Conroy has found that communicating the “why” behind data science is critical to helping lawyers understand and appreciate what role it can play in legal practice. Dennis and Tom welcome Amy...

August 23, 2024

Fresh Voices on Legal Tech with Amanda Brown

How can technology help self-represented litigants have better outcomes in our legal systems? Amanda Brown considers exactly that on a daily basis in her role at the Lagniappe Law Lab, a justice...

August 9, 2024

Entering the Era of En****tification

The all-too-common deterioration of internet platforms seems to lead users through a bait and switch that leaves them with little more than a bunch of crap. Why do platforms tend to start...

July 26, 2024

Fresh Voices on Legal Tech with Jackie Schafer

When Jackie Schafer started learning about AI in 2020, she had an intuitive feeling that it was going to bring big changes to the legal profession. Since then, she has worked with...

July 12, 2024

Online Unconferences and Virtual Get-Togethers for Legal Tech

Is there a need for the legal tech community together for more informal chats about the latest happenings in the industry? Dennis envisions chat sessions, group Zooms, unconferences, and more, but Tom...

June 28, 2024

Fresh Voices on Legal Tech with Jack Shepherd

To gain a new perspective on technology from outside the US, Dennis and Tom welcome UK-based legal business consultant Jack Shepherd. Jack offers his thoughts on how European tech approaches may differ...

June 14, 2024

The Current State of Legal Blogging

Blogs were a colorful, dynamic part of the internet in their heyday, but how do they fit into our world today? Dennis and Tom take a hard look at the latest trends...

May 31, 2024

Is there a New iPad in your Legal Toolbox?

There’s a new iPad on the market… Do lawyers need it? New, shiny tech is always a temptation for Dennis and Tom, and right now they’re mulling over this latest Apple offering...

May 17, 2024

Fresh Voices on Legal Tech with Dennis Garcia

For tech trends from an in-house perspective, Dennis and Tom welcome Dennis Garcia of Microsoft to their Fresh Voices series. In-house teams are riding the new wave of AI technologies along with...

May 3, 2024

Fresh Voices on Legal Tech with Sarah Glassmeyer

What if, instead of tech competence being this scary, overwhelming thing, we showed lawyers how to engage with technology in a more lighthearted, even playful, way? The reality is—tech competency doesn’t have...

April 19, 2024

Second Brain Project: The Daily Me

The second brain is a source of carefully curated information, but what’s the best way to access and interact with that wealth of content day to day? Dennis and Tom unpack the...

April 5, 2024

Changing Directions on Generative AI?

Dennis has been ever the optimist about all things GenAI, and Tom was perhaps a bit more skeptical, but have they both changed their tunes? The guys hash out their current perspectives...

March 22, 2024

Fresh Voices on Legal Tech with Emily Colbert

A trusted depth of data helps genAI infuse into the legal world more effectively and accurately, but not all genAI is up to scratch. Dennis and Tom talk with Emily Colbert about...

March 8, 2024

Fresh Voices on Legal Tech with Tessa Manuello

Creative thinking and design elements can help you elevate your legal practice and develop more meaningful solutions for clients. Dennis and Tom welcome Tessa Manuello to discuss her insights on legal technology...

February 23, 2024

Fresh Voices on Legal Tech with Quinten Steenhuis

The core of what Quinten Steenhuis does at Suffolk University’s Legal Innovation and Technology Lab is find new ways to help poor people gain access to legal help to work toward closing...

February 9, 2024

Dealing with the Shiny Tech Object Syndrome

Temptation to immediately buy all the new, shiny, ever-evolving technology can be very difficult to overcome. If you struggle with restraint in your tech purchases, Dennis and Tom are here to help....

January 26, 2024

Fresh Voices on Legal Tech with Carmin Ballou

Reducing the risk of legal malpractice is important to every attorney, and Carmin Ballou is an expert on the subject, along with a broad knowledge of the latest tools and innovations in...

January 12, 2024

Dennis & Tom’s 2024 Tech Resolutions

Anyone can and will make predictions about the coming year, but Dennis and Tom tend to shy away from the crystal ball in favor of resolutions and goal setting. The guys discuss...

December 29, 2023

Pardon the Interruption: 2023 Edition

The year-end tradition returns! Dennis and Tom welcome Debbie Foster for their annual Pardon the Interruption episode. This year, the trio play “Toss-Up”––debating opposing sides on legal tech issues, “What’s the word?”––a...

December 15, 2023

Fresh Voices on Legal Tech with Catherine Bamford

What does it really take to make document automation work well? Many firms are intimidated by the initial heavy lifting in document automation, but it’s worth the effort! Catherine Bamford is an...

December 1, 2023

Fresh Voices on Legal Tech with Flo Nicholas

Another fresh voice! If we don’t have diverse groups in the legal world, we may miss the mark on many issues facing the profession. Flo Nicholas of DEI Directive joins Dennis and...

November 17, 2023

AI Takeover—Did Generative AI Kill Off Pre-Existing Technologies?

The AI hype cycle is pretty much all Dennis and Tom (and everybody else) hears about these days, so what happened to the other “hot” tech we were excited about barely a...

November 3, 2023

Notes, Notes Everywhere…and Not One Note to Use

Note-taking is typically a significant part of a lawyer’s life—in meetings, research, client conversations, and more. There are numerous ways to approach this simple task, but is there a *best* way? Dennis...

October 20, 2023

Nothing New Under the Sun—So What’s New in Tech?

Apple, Microsoft, Google, and Amazon are busily announcing their latest products, and Dennis and Tom are a little underwhelmed. But, rather than ignoring the new stuff altogether, the guys lean into their...

October 6, 2023

Revisiting the Second Brain Project

Dennis and Tom’s second brains are still evolving, and the guys have updates to share on both their current progress and future goals. Listen in for their latest thoughts on tools for...

September 22, 2023

Fresh Voices on Legal Tech with Kristin Hodgins

Technology adeptness doesn’t have to look exactly the same from law firm to law firm. Kristin Hodgins joins Dennis and Tom to share her thoughts on the latest trends in legal technology...

September 8, 2023

Learning Legal Technology—What Needs to Change?

Is our current approach to legal tech education helping or hurting lawyers? Dennis and Tom think through this question out loud, pondering whether lawyers can truly learn what they need to know...

August 25, 2023

Fresh Voices on Legal Tech with Nick Rishwain

Nick Rishwain joins the guys as another fresh voice on the current happenings in legal technology. Nick shares his approach to helping attorneys understand and make the most of legal tech and...

August 11, 2023

Dennis’ Latest Legal Tech Notions—Thumbs Up or Thumbs Down?

A new Kennedy-Mighell Report game has begun. The premise? Dennis has a whole lot of ideas, and Tom just loves pointing out their flaws. The guys introduce a new segment called “Thumbs...

July 28, 2023

Fresh Voices on Legal Tech with Amani Smathers

What makes it so difficult for some lawyers to embrace technology? Fear, confusion, and that feeling that they just can’t ever catch up create a wall that many attorneys can’t seem to...

July 14, 2023

The Current State of Generative AI in Legal

Despite Tom’s attempted prohibition of ChatGTP on this podcast, it’s weaseled its way in once again. The guys take a hard look at where ChatGPT is really at right now, discussing both...

June 30, 2023

Fresh Voices on Legal Tech with Ivy Grey

We hate to say it again, but tech competence in the legal profession is still significantly lacking. Dennis and Tom talk with Ivy Grey about her unique approach to helping lawyers understand...

June 16, 2023

Fresh Voices on Legal Tech with Tiffany Graves

Legal technology is essential to the fight for access to justice, opening up a multitude of new possibilities for addressing legal needs. Dennis and Tom continue their “Fresh Voices” series by talking...

June 2, 2023

Summer Reading Lists & Tips on the Fediverse

Whether you’ve got a summer trip planned or not, it’s always a good time to start a really great book. Dennis and Tom talk through their personal summer reading goals and how...

May 19, 2023

Technology Spring Cleaning

Actually, Tom’s gonna blast the idea of “spring” tech cleaning right out of the water. In reality, your technology pieces most likely need more than once-a-year maintenance to stay in top condition,...

May 5, 2023

Our Vanishing Internet: Disappearing Data, Paywalls, and Memory Holes

In light of the recent Internet Archive lawsuit, Dennis has some serious questions about what it and other recent happenings may mean for the future of online content. Will we see an increase...

April 21, 2023

Fresh Voices on Legal Tech with Natalie Knowlton

Technology has become the main driver for increasing access to justice, and there are huge opportunities for legal service providers to leverage both existing and emerging tech to reach new clients. Dennis...

April 7, 2023

Fresh Voices on Legal Tech with Chase Hertel

Continuing with their “Fresh Voices On Legal Tech” interview series, Dennis and Tom welcome Chase Hertel to hear his take on direction and trends in the legal tech space. Chase discusses his...

March 24, 2023

Takeaways from TECHSHOW 2023 with Allison Johs and Jen Lee

If you missed this year’s ABA TECHSHOW conference, tune in with Dennis and Tom! They guys talk with Allison Johs and Jen Lee about key takeaways from their sessions and the latest...

March 10, 2023

Fresh Voices on Legal Tech with Kristen Sonday

In a brand new interview series, Dennis and Tom welcome Kristen Sonday to hear her perspectives on the latest developments in the legal tech world. Kristen talks about her platform at Paladin...

February 24, 2023

ChatGPT: What Else is Left to Say?

With ChatGPT splashing across headlines pretty much everywhere, what’s left for us to know about this new and almost ridiculously hot tech? Dennis and Tom give their two cents on all the...

February 10, 2023

Information Governance: What All Lawyers Need to Know

Information governance, or IG, is the new term (and then some) for records management—now encompassing the entire life cycle of information from creation to disposition. Dennis and Tom talk lawyers through the...

January 27, 2023

How Will Your Outdated Technology Hurt You?

As Southwest Airlines learned the hard way, failing to replace your old technology can really come back to bite you in the butt. The guys discuss some of the myriad issues related...

January 13, 2023

Dennis & Tom’s 2023 Tech Resolutions

With 2023 underway, the guys take a minute to see how they did on last year’s tech resolutions and talk through goals for the new year. Tune in for their approach to...

December 30, 2022

Pardon the Interruption: 2022 Edition

If you know you know… will there be another Tom-a-riffic victory? Debbie Foster is back for Dennis and Tom’s legal technology year-in-review. The trio use their traditional “Pardon the Interruption”-inspired format to...