{"podcast":{"title":"Careers and the Business of Law","slug":"careers-and-the-business-of-law-6403793","podcast_index_feed_id":6403793,"rss_url":"https://feeds.libsyn.com/465618/rss","website_url":"http://sites.libsyn.com/465618/website","image_url":"https://static.libsyn.com/p/assets/2/a/5/c/2a5cc799ec50e9a688c4a68c3ddbc4f2/CBL_art.jpg","author":"David Cowen","episode_count":142,"summary":"Welcome to Careers in The Business of Law with David Cowen, the podcast series designed to elevate and accelerate the careers of legal professionals. David aims to provide insightful and inspiring career stories from industry insiders, law firm leaders, corporate law department executives, and legal technology business leaders. This podcast will provide you with an inside look into the career journeys of some of the most successful and influential leaders in the legal field. You will gain actionable insights into their experiences, challenges, and triumphs through these discussions. Recognizing that the legal profession is constantly changing, David wants to ensure that you have the knowledge and tools necessary to navigate this evolving landscape. David's guests will provide insights on topics such as emerging technologies, legal operations, and leadership strategies, which will help you accelerate your career growth and success. David's goal is to create and inspire a community of legal professionals who are dedicated to learning, growing, and advancing their careers. Whether you are a law student, young professional, or seasoned veteran, this podcast series is for you. Join Dav…","last_synced_at":null,"page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/careers-and-the-business-of-law-6403793"},"episode":{"title":"From the Trunk to the Driver's Seat: How AI Is Leveling the Playing Field for Mid-Size Law Firms.","slug":"from-the-trunk-to-the-driver-s-seat-how-ai-is-leveling-the-playing-field-for-mid-size-law-firms","published_at":"2026-05-13T17:45:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/careers-and-the-business-of-law-6403793/from-the-trunk-to-the-driver-s-seat-how-ai-is-leveling-the-playing-field-for-mid-size-law-firms","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/careers-and-the-business-of-law-6403793","url":"https://48601e5c-fc2d-4099-9281-666ceaf381e8.libsyn.com/from-the-trunk-to-the-drivers-seat-how-ai-is-leveling-the-playing-field-for-mid-size-law-firms","audio_url":"https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/48601e5c-fc2d-4099-9281-666ceaf381e8/Chad_Ergun.mp3?dest-id=3934293","summary":"Legal tech used to live in the trunk - pulled out only when something broke. That era is over. David Cowen sits down with Chad Ergun , whose career has spanned Shearman & Sterling, White & Case, and Gibson Dunn before landing at Womble. Chad unpacks why mid-size firms are now competing with BigLaw, why his refusal to lock into a single AI vendor may be the smartest move in legal IT, and why simulation training is replacing the apprenticeship model. Key Topics Covered: Legal tech's promotion: From the trunk to the passenger seat to the driver's seat The roofing contractor problem: Why the billable hour cannot survive predictable outcomes, timelines, and costs Model hopping as strategy: Why Chad runs six different AI models and refuses vendor lock-in Simulation training for associates: Borrowing from pilots and surgeons to fix the mentorship gap AI doesn't judge you: Why associates ask AI the questions they were too afraid to ask their partners Enterprise data sovereignty: Why running AI on your own tenant is non-negotiable The end of the billable hour by 2027: Chad weighs in on Anthropic GC's bold prediction 🎧 Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. Share this episode and take your career from now to next! 💡To learn more about the future of legal innovation, visit https://solid.legal/podcasts/ Never eat alone!","meta_description":"Legal tech used to live in the trunk - pulled out only when something broke. That era is over. David Cowen sits down with Chad Ergun , whose career has sp…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":597,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/careers-and-the-business-of-law-6403793/episodes/from-the-trunk-to-the-driver-s-seat-how-ai-is-leveling-the-playing-field-for-mid-size-law-firms/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/careers-and-the-business-of-law-6403793/from-the-trunk-to-the-driver-s-seat-how-ai-is-leveling-the-playing-field-for-mid-size-law-firms.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}