Let’s Get In Tune! Register today for Ignite in Austin, TX, Sept. 7–10 for 3-days of insights, innovation, and connection.
Let’s Get In Tune! Register today for Ignite in Austin, TX, Sept. 7–10 for 3-days of insights, innovation, and connection.
The SurePoint Managing Partner Lab is an exclusive, working forum for managing partners committed to scaling faster, innovating smarter, and driving firm-wide performance in a rapidly evolving legal landscape. This collaborative environment brings together strategic leaders to tackle today’s most pressing challenges head-on.
Join us September 7–8 in Austin, TX for the SurePoint Managing Partner Lab—a high-impact, working forum designed for managing partners focused on scaling faster, innovating smarter, and driving firm-wide performance. This is not just another conference, it’s a collaborative environment for tackling today’s toughest challenges and leaving with real strategies, actionable insights, and a network of peers committed to growth.
Seats are limited, register today.
University of Texas at Austin
AT&T Hotel & Conference Center
1900 University Avenue
Austin, TX 78705
September 7, 2025
6:00 PM - 9:00 PM
September 8, 2025
7:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Founder and General Manager of SurePoint’s Leopard Solutions, Laura Leopard leads the largest and most accurate law firm data platform serving the legal industry, with actionable intelligence and insights on over 4,200 law firms worldwide and 7,000 U.S. corporate legal departments. Under Laura’s leadership, Leopard Solutions has become a trusted resource for law firms, attorneys, legal recruiters, corporations, and law schools.
Olivia Mockel von dem Bussche is a seasoned legal technology executive with a proven track record of driving innovation, transformation, and growth across the legal industry. As Chief Operating Officer of SurePoint Technologies, she leads strategic initiatives that help mid-sized law firms modernize operations, improve profitability, and deliver greater client value. Her career includes leadership roles across leading legal tech companies, including CEO of PCLaw | Time Matters, President of ZenCase, and Vice President at LEAP Legal Software. Known for aligning technology with the real-world needs of law firms, Olivia combines legal insight with operational expertise to support meaningful, lasting change.
Principal of Corcoran Consulting Group, Tim Corcoran guides law firm and law department leaders through the profitable disruption of outdated business models. He works with those who are ready to embrace and drive change. He is a regular keynote speaker, a Fellow and former Trustee of the College of Law Practice Management, a member of the Legal Marketing Association Hall of Fame and its past president, an American Lawyer Research Fellow, a past Teaching Fellow at the Australia College of Law, and an author and speaker on the business of law.
Gwen Griggs, co-founder of ADVOS legal and ADVOS Pro, has a background in Big Law and C-suite roles. In ADVOS legal, she and her partner built a new model, that – instead of hours - measures what matters to the client, team, and owner. (Click here for more about Gwen's legal experience.) With ADVOS Pro’s training and systems, they help other firms break up with the outdated billable hour model and begin measuring their worth in expertise and results. Gwen's superpowers are big-picture vision and client experience. At ADVOS Pro, she is leveraging her powers to transform the legal industry, so it delivers an incredible, fulfilling experience for lawyers and their clients.
A Program Attorney at Lawline, Cali Franks-Field is a Texas-licensed attorney who transitioned from practicing civil litigation and insurance defense to focusing on legal education. She creates engaging Continuing Legal Education (CLE) content and is an advocate for lifelong learning within the legal profession.
Brad Blickstein is a nationally recognized legal futurist and CEO of Blickstein Group. He helps legal service providers understand and serve their clients, focusing on law departments and legal operations. A pioneer in legal ops, Brad launched the Annual Law Department Operations Survey—still the most comprehensive of its kind—well before such departments were common. He also initiated the Annual Legal Spend Survey, the Legal AI Efficacy Report, and the Legal Pricing & Project Management Survey, all of which bring evidence-based insights to evolving legal topics. Brad has been a regular contributor to Above the Law and Legaltech News and is a frequent speaker. Early in his career, he co-founded Corporate Legal Times (now Corporate Counsel) and later led a management buyout of its parent company, becoming its CEO. He is a fellow of the College of Law Practice Management and holds a B.A. from the University of Chicago.
Evan Shenkman is a nationally recognized leader in legal knowledge management and innovation. As CKIO at Fisher Phillips, he drives the firm’s strategic use of technology and data to enhance legal service delivery. Evan was named ILTA's Innovative Leader of the Year, and his team has earned top industry honors including Law.com’s 2024 Innovations in KM Award and the American Legal Tech Awards' Law Firm of the Year. He is a Litera Innovator of the Year, Fastcase 50 honoree, COLPM Fellow, and a member of Lawdragon’s AI 100.
Michelle Spencer is a respected technology strategist with deep expertise in helping legal professionals navigate innovation. At NetDocuments, she focuses on making legal work easier through intelligent document management, AI-enhanced workflows, and secure cloud solutions. A frequent speaker and advocate for practical legal tech adoption, Michelle brings a practitioner’s mindset and decades of experience to firms seeking smarter ways to work.
Patrick DiDomenico is a thought leader in legal innovation and knowledge management. Formerly the Chief Knowledge Officer at Ogletree Deakins and Chief Innovation Officer at Jackson Lewis, Patrick now advises firms through InspireKM and leads the premier KM&I for Legal Conference. He is the author of Knowledge Management for Lawyers and a keynote speaker at legal tech events worldwide. Patrick specializes in bridging legal expertise with strategic innovation, helping firms implement AI-powered knowledge systems, automation, and search technologies to drive growth and operational excellence.
Jacqueline Schafer is a legal tech pioneer and the founder of Clearbrief, a platform revolutionizing litigation writing with AI. A 2025 Legalweek Innovator of the Year and 2023 recipient of the Best Use of AI in Litigation, Jacqueline has earned widespread recognition for her work at the intersection of law and artificial intelligence. Under her leadership, Clearbrief was named Legalweek’s New Law Company of the Year and 2023 Litigation Product of the Year. She is a graduate of Columbia Law School and a champion of responsible, attorney-driven AI.
Julia Shapiro is the Founder of Hire an Esquire, in 2023 it was acquired by Major, Lindsey & Africa where she is now an Executive Director. A former practicing attorney, Julia launched Hire an Esquire—the first tech-enabled legal staffing platform— to connect law firms and in-house legal departments with on-demand attorneys and legal professionals. Hire an Esquire was also a pioneer in using research-based soft-skill testing and matching to help firms find the best fit and uncover undervalued talent.
She has been named one of LinkedIn’s Top 10 Legal Innovators Under 35and named to the Fastcase 50. Her writing has been featured in Bloomberg Law, Thomson Reuters, and Above the Law. The Clio Cloud Conference and NASDAQ’s Entrepreneurial Center are amongst the various legal industry and entrepreneurial conferences where she has been a featured speaker and panelist.
Aaron Boersma is a seasoned legal‑operations executive, and the current Spend Innovation Lead at Ford Motor Company, where he is tasked with overseeing outside‑counsel spend strategy to maximize ROI within Ford’s Policy team. This also includes the development and implementation of AI solutions targeted around spend management. Previously, Aaron led Google’s global legal–regulatory spend programs, managing one of the largest global legal spend portfolios both from within legal operations and corporate finance.
Aaron built his expertise while serving at Baker McKenzie and Butler Snow, focusing on go-to-market pricing and profitability. As a recognized thought leader, Aaron co‑chairs the Legal Value Network’s flagship LVNx conference and shares insights on AI, value, and legal spend across global stages.
Get ready for two powerful days of hands-on, high-impact sessions built exclusively for managing partners—designed to spark innovation, fast-track growth, and deliver the strategies that drive real results across your firm.
Includes meals and drinks.
Interior Courtyard
Connect with Ignite attendees at the cocktail hour before transitioning to the exclusive offsite Managing Partner dinner.
Join us for an exclusive offsite dinner, details to follow.
Room: Zlotnik Ballroom
Eric Thurston, CEO of SurePoint Technologies, welcomes you to SurePoint’s Ignite 2025 where our theme is “Let’s Get in Tune!” Network with peers, tune up your knowledge and skills, and set a new tone for the future.
Speaker: Eric Thurston
Room: Zlotnik Ballroom
As the legal market grows increasingly competitive and cost-sensitive, midsize law firms are uniquely positioned to thrive — but only if they embrace bold, strategic change. This opening sets the tone for the day by framing the “growth mandate” as both a challenge and an opportunity. With rising client expectations, technological disruption, and talent dynamics reshaping the landscape, midsize firms must move beyond survival thinking to adopt a forward-looking mindset that aligns innovation, investment, and leadership for sustainable growth.
Speaker: TBD
Room: Zlotnik Ballroom
In a profession racing toward speed and efficiency, it’s easy to forget: the future of law will be shaped by relationships, not just technology. In this keynote, cognitive scientist James Kane reveals a surprising truth: the same tools designed to connect us can just as easily distance us. The firms that thrive will be those that deliberately build relationships that make life safer, easier, and better for clients and colleagues, while staying curious and adaptable in a changing world.
Speaker: James Kane
Room: Zlotnik Ballroom
As the legal landscape becomes more data-driven, benchmarking insights are now critical to help midsize firms compete effectively. In this session, we explore how law firm leaders have used data to shape strategy and performance — from profitability per partner and attrition rates to DEI benchmarks and promotion rates. As technology has advanced and data has become more affordable and accessible, midsize firms can harness benchmarking not just to measure but to drive growth, control expenses, reduce inefficiencies and improve decision-making to enhance client outcomes.
For over 20 years, SurePoint’s Leopard Solutions has delivered trusted data and insights to help law firms—large and small—navigate an increasingly complex legal industry. Today, firms rely on SurePoint to make informed, strategic decisions.
Speaker: TBD
Room: 301
Room: 301
To remain competitive, lawyers must go beyond legal expertise to act as strategic advisors who understand financial dynamics, firm performance, and client priorities. This session unpacks how lawyers can develop a business-minded approach—from interpreting profitability data to integrating marketing and business development into daily practice. The goal is to build a new mindset: one that positions legal professionals not just as service providers but as indispensable business partners.
Tim Corcoran, a former CEO, advises law firm and legal department leaders on modernizing business models for profitability. Tim served as President of the 4,000+ member Legal Marketing Association and is a member of its Hall of Fame, he’s a Fellow and past Trustee of the College of Law Practice Management, an American Lawyer Research Fellow, a Teaching Fellow in the Master in Legal Business program at the Australian College of Law, and a sought-after speaker and writer on topics related to the changing business of law. He also authors Corcoran’s Business of Law blog.
Speaker: Tim Corcoran
Room: 301
Room: 301
Artificial intelligence is already transforming how legal work gets done — from research and drafting to client service and knowledge management. This session showcases real-world AI use cases within law firms and looks ahead to emerging opportunities. Speakers will explore how AI can enhance efficiency without sacrificing quality, and how midsize firms can adopt AI thoughtfully and strategically. SurePoint will also share its perspective on integrating AI in ways that deliver measurable client value.
Speakers: Evan Shenkman, Patrick DiDomenico, Jacqueline Schafer, Michelle Spencer, Olivia Mockel
Room: 301
Corporate clients are increasingly demanding pricing predictability and measurable value — pushing firms away from hourly billing and toward alternative fee arrangements (AFAs). This session examines how AFAs can be a strategic advantage for midsize firms, supporting innovation, deepening client trust, and improving profitability.
From fixed fees to success-based models, participants will learn how to implement new pricing strategies without compromising financial performance. Co-founder of ADVOS Legal and ADVOS Pro, Gwen draws on Big Law and C-suite experience to reimagine legal services.
Speaker: Gwen Griggs
Room: 301
Room: 301
Like Jay-Z and Dr. Dre as a managing partner your role has shifted from that of individual artist to a producer who finds, develops, and mixes talent to create their own unique sound. In this session, we’ll discuss how to scout and develop undervalued and undiscovered talent, as well as how to mix and retain talent to build your firm’s unique sound and style.
Speaker: Julia Shapiro
Room: 301
A session exploring what the new generation of lawyers wants and needs, with practical strategies for managing associates who value work-life balance and bridging generational divides in law firms, with insights from a Gen Z survey by Leopard Solutions. Join our sponsor for a presentation on:
– Understanding what the new generation of lawyers want and need
– Practical strategies for managing associates who prioritize work-life balance
– Moving from micromanagement to autonomy-based leadership
– Bridging the generational divide in law firms
– Gen Z survey by Leopard Solutions
A former litigator, Cali Franks-Field now leads CLE content development at Lawline, connecting law firms with impactful learning solutions.
Speaker: Cali Franks-Field
Room: 301
What do your clients expect from their outside counsel in 2024 and beyond? In this must-attend session, Brad Blickstein, founder of the Annual Law Department Operations Survey, will unveil key insights from the released 2024 report—the most comprehensive look into how corporate legal departments operate, spend, and manage their outside firms. Brad will be joined by Aaron Boersma. Spend Innovation Lead, Legal Ops+ at Ford Motor Company, who will share candid perspectives on what they need—and expect—from their law firm partners today.
For managing partners of mid-sized firms, this is a rare opportunity to hear the unfiltered voice of the client, understand emerging trends, and uncover new opportunities to better serve, retain, and grow client relationships. As CEO of Blickstein Group, Brad focuses on helping legal service providers better understand and serve their clients while providing information about law departments and legal operations.
Speaker: Brad Blickstein + Aaron Boersman
Panel: Aaron Boersman, Spend Innovation at FORD
Room: 301
Room: Zlotnik Ballroom
