Have you noticed that the legal industry has changed in the past couple of years? Chances are, you're not living under a rock—the way that companies, courts, firms and vendors alike approach the practice of law has been completely disrupted. In order to stay relevant, then, legal technology practitioners need to not only stay up-to-date on the latest innovations, but they need to stay ahead of the curve by utilizing the latest technologies and strategies available.

The Legaltech West Coast panel “Disruption: Five Forces Shaping the Legal Landscape” showed a standing room-only crowd the main ways to conquer the changing legal landscape. The panel, sponsored FTI Consulting and moderated by FTI Consulting's Sophie Ross, featured the Honorable John M. Facciola, United States Magistrate Judge, District of Columbia; David R. Cohen, practice group leader, Global Records & E-Discovery Group, Reed Smith; Christopher Mooney, corporate counsel, Samsung Semiconductor; and Christopher Sitter, e-discovery & digital forensics senior manager, Juniper Networks.

The first key disruption is e-discovery as a business process. Previously, law firms held exclusive sway over e-discovery. Now, however, the panelists say the lines are blurring. “The disruption is defining who exactly will do what,” Judge Facciola said, adding that the previous model, where law firms would send associates to go do work for corporations and partners, is going out of style.