ILTA has recognized five outstanding leaders in the global legal technology community as 2024 Women of Influence in Legal Tech based on their leadership experience and level of influence in the field.
“This really represents the intersection of technology and law,” she said. “Thank you to the award recipients for their valuable contributions to the advancement of the profession!”
Irta's 2024 Influential Women in Legal Tech are:
Alma Asay, Chief Innovation and Value Officer, Crowell & Moring LLP
Alma is an established leader in legal innovation with a unique, multifaceted perspective on what it takes to create impactful, long-lasting change. She is passionate about closing the gaps that prevent innovation from succeeding, and proudly prioritizes real-world adoption over “bells and whistles.”
In her role as Crowell's first Chief Innovation and Value Officer, Alma led the company's innovation and value efforts, particularly in customer value, cross-functional data and analytics, knowledge management, practice innovation, and other areas. oversees a wide range of initiatives related to. Generation AI. Research She also oversees the services department, aligning traditional law firm tools and capabilities with modern approaches to knowledge management and value-driven services.
Alma began her career as a successful attorney at the Am Law 10 firm. In 2012, Alma founded his own legal technology company.
Prior to joining Crowell, she sold her business in 2017 and held a wide range of roles in legal innovation with alternative legal services and technology providers. She received her J.D. from New York University School of Law and her bachelor's degree from Pennsylvania State University.
Alma regularly speaks at industry conferences and writes a monthly “Women of Legal Tech” column in Legaltech News, raising the profile of other women working across the industry.
Arya Mani, Head: Weber Wenzel Fusion, Weber Wenzel
Arya is a lawyer, legal engineer, entrepreneur, and mother of two children.
She currently leads NewLaw and Webber Wentzel Fusion, the legal technology division of Webber Wetzel, a leading law firm in Africa.
Since the beginning of her career, Arya has been pushing the boundaries of law and technology with a passion for making a unique impact on African contexts.
While serving as a partner in intellectual property and technology law at the firm, she spearheaded lobbying efforts for regulatory reform and founded a legal incubator for high-growth technology companies.
This began a chapter of intense growth and learning as COO of a technology startup, where she honed her operational skills, commercial acumen, and resilience.
She now finds herself back “home,” where she and her team are leveraging AI, legal technology, and alternative legal technology to significantly enhance the firm and its clients and create new revenue streams. We focus on designing and delivering solutions.
Terry Mottershead, Executive Director, Legal Innovation Center, School of Law
Terry Mottershead is Executive Director of the Faculty of Law's Center for Legal Innovation (Australia, New Zealand and Asia Pacific) (CLI).
Terry works internationally with leaders in the legal business to provide legal services/products/solutions that exceed client expectations and to foster a workplace that attracts, empowers, and retains multidisciplinary talent. Supporting practice change.
She leads CLI's global efforts, including the Generative AI Initiative, Legalpreneurs Lab, and its podcast series The Legalpreneurs Sandbox.
Terry's work with Legal GenAI was recently recognized by his appointment as the inaugural Chair of the Law Society of Queensland's Generative AI in Legal Practice Collaborative Working Group.
Prior to joining CLI, Terry practiced as a lawyer, founded start-ups on three different continents, and led talent management departments for global companies and associations in Asia and the US, including Lex Mundi, Pacific Bar Association, and DLA Piper. Founded or led. LLP (USA).
Caryn Sandler, Gilbert + Tobin Partner and Chief Knowledge Innovation Officer
Caryn leads the Gilbert + Tobin Legal Service Innovation team and G+T Innovate.
These teams provide specialized services to support Gilbert + Tobin's legal service delivery and innovate to provide new tools and services that benefit Gilbert + Tobin's practice and clients.
Caryn's role includes responsibility for over 70 lawyers and business professionals involved in transformation, legal informatics and data, legal project management, and knowledge management.
Under her leadership, Gilbert + Tobin also won the 'Excellence in Technology and Innovation Award' at the 2023 Australian Law Awards for the third consecutive year, and the 2019 Financial Times Innovative Lawyers Award for Asia Pacific. Named “Most Innovative Law Firm”
Caryn is co-chair of the Center for Legal Innovation's advisory board and serves on the boards of various nonprofit organizations.
Ginebra Thaler, National Director of Innovation and Knowledge, Gowling WLG LLP
Ginebra Saylor is the National Director of Innovation and Knowledge Programs at Gowling WLG LLP, a global law firm, where she leads the firm's innovation, knowledge management, client and practice solutions, legal project management, and process He leads reengineering strategies and initiatives.
In her role, she drives innovation and excellence across the firm and identifies and implements programs, processes, and tools that enhance client service delivery.
Ginevra has over 20 years of experience building and delivering strategies for innovation, knowledge management, client solutions, technology implementation, and process improvement.
In previous KM leadership roles at two leading companies, Ginebra developed strategies and initiatives for innovation, knowledge management, learning and development, client solutions, technology implementation, and process improvement, and developed company knowledge management. We designed new projects and practice tools to leverage and build on the base. A member of the Ontario and Pennsylvania Bar Associations, she has extensive and diverse experience as a practicing litigator and educator.
Ginebra served as President of the International Legal Technology Association (Irta) After serving on the Board of Directors for two years, serving as Executive Vice President and Secretary for four years each, he was appointed President. She is also a Fellow of the College of Law Practice Management (COLMP).
Ginebra and her Gowling project team won the 2021 Precedent Innovation Award for their development of a contest rules application. She frequently writes and lectures internationally on legal practice, innovation, legal technology, knowledge management, and related topics.
Ginebra has lived and worked in Canada, the United States, Greece, and Vietnam. She currently lives in Toronto, Canada with her family.
