Legal technology has gained a secure foothold in the legal industry and has now reached a critical tipping point. Lawyers can no longer be distracted by the bells and whistles, and instead must be focused on identifying and implementing meaningful tools that enable in-house legal leaders to be true catalysts for change across the business. Selling the Dream is a monthly series that separates what is hype from what is real and provides tips for using technology to elevate the status of the in-house legal function.

Things are not quite business as usual in the venture capital world these days (or in most industries, for that matter). Year-over-year global VC funding dropped 53 percent in the first quarter of 2023 from the same period last year. Entering this year, the venture investments were at very low levels, and the recent collapse of Silicon Valley Bank has stunted a potential rebound anytime soon. With uncertainty across the economic landscape, it's not just VCs who are executing caution; global mergers and acquisitions have also dropped compared to recent years.