Reflections on Relativity Fest 2025: Legal Data Intelligence Fuels Innovation and Community

Relativity Fest 2025, held October 7-9 at the Hyatt Regency Chicago, was a transformative gathering of over 2,000 legal tech professionals, delivering an unparalleled blend of education, innovation, and community. As Joe Bartolo, J.D., a Legal Data Architect, panelist, co-author of the white paper Data Protection: The Compliance Need and Strategic Value of the Legal Data Intelligence Model with Briordy Meyers, Privacy Director at Capital One, and Mike Kearney, Esq., Counsel at Redgrave, and contributor to David Cowen’s The Cowen Cafe podcast, I was immersed in the event’s dynamic energy.

I’m proud to be an LDI Architect and deeply grateful to my colleagues for their tireless dedication. Heartfelt thanks to Alison Duff, Brand Strategy Manager, Jacque Flaherty, Marketing Director, and Relativity’s logistics team for their exceptional support, ensuring a seamless, world-class experience. In addition, I extend thanks to the other member of LDI’s Data Protection and Compliance group, including the group’s dynamic co-leaders Briordy Meyers, Privacy Director at Capital One, and Sarah Bennington, Senior. Legal Counsel, Qualcomm.

The conference showcased generative AI’s pivotal role, with Relativity’s announcement that aiR for Review and aiR for Privilege are now standard in RelativityOne subscriptions, revolutionizing document review by enabling rapid insights and cost savings. Judicial panels, workshops, and vibrant networking events enriched the experience, but the Legal Data Intelligence (LDI) tracks were the cornerstone, redefining legal operations across AI governance, information governance, data protection, compliance, and the business of law.

The keynote speech led by CEO Phil Saunders, set an electrifying tone with his challenge: “It’s not enough.” Backed by a lively jazz band and dynamic dancers, Phil Saunders and Chief Strategy Officer Chris Brown demonstrated an AI agent, underscoring LDI’s role in driving innovation. Phil Saunders announced three pivotal moves: embedding aiR tools in RelativityOne to democratize AI access, shifting from early case assessment to early case intelligence for rapid insights, and launching Rel Labs, an innovation hub to accelerate legal tech advancements. While Phil Saunders’ refrain, “It’s not enough,” acknowledges technology’s imperfections, Relativity’s advancements position it as the closest to being enough among existing options. The aiR announcement signals a shift from the traditional “people, process, technology” framework to “technology, process, people,” prioritizing AI-driven tools to streamline workflows while empowering human expertise. I made a deepfake of CEO Phil Saunders taking a bow during the keynote, posting it in real time on social media (LinkedIn) and fortunately Phil has a good sense of humor.  The fact that deepfakes can be so readily made is an authentication concern that will provide yet another industry challenge.

Relativity Fest’s educational depth was unmatched, with over 100 sessions offering actionable insights. Tuesday’s “From e-Discovery to AI Governance: How Legal Data Intelligence Leaders Are Shaping the Next Transformation” featured Lourdes Fuentes, CEO of Karta Legal; Adam Rouse, Senior Counsel and Director of eDiscovery Operations at Walgreens; Brian Corbin, Global Head of Strategic Services at QuisLex; and Jason Kairalla, Lawyer in Residence at Prevail Legal, Inc. Adam Rouse’s “practical roadmap” for cross-functional AI adoption connected LDI to GDPR-era challenges, offering strategies for aligning legal and business goals.

On Tuesday I was fortunate enough to participate in David Cowen’s The Cowen Cafe podcast, along with my LDI colleagues, George Phillip of Morgan Lewis, and Ryan Costello, J.D. of Haystack, discussing the amplification of real-world LDI applications. The legal tech community’s inspiring individuals motivate me to be a greater resource, and I was pleased to participate in such a discussion.

Wednesday’s “Going MA(&)D: Surviving Mergers, Acquisitions, and Divestitures & Managing the Contracts That Come with Them” included LDI Architect Odette Claridge of ProSearch; Tara Lawler, Partner at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius; Virginia Ring, Principal at Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton; and Josh Kreamer, Founder/CEO of Seedless. Tara Lawler emphasized contracts’ “pivotal role,” noting how LDI analytics prevent oversights in due diligence, while Odette Claridge shared practical approaches for managing complex data volumes.

Throughout the conference there were spotlight interview sessions taking place, and attendees could wear headphones to listen to the speaker being interviewed. I overhead an interesting quote from Daniel Gold, Esq., Principal at BDO, in his spotlight interview: “In an age where knowledge is abundant, human intelligence is a premium.”  This quote further illustrates that people, process and technology may have already become…technology, process and people.

Thursday’s “Then vs. Now: How Legal Data Intelligence Could Have Changed the Case” featured Kevin Clark, Chief Executive Officer of Right Discovery LLC; Dr. Tristan Jenkinson, Head of Forensics and Investigations at Sky Discovery; and Danny Chan, Senior eDiscovery Case Manager at Miller Thomson. This interactive session reimagined a litigation case, with Kevin Clark’s remark, “Reactive strategies lead to missed opportunities,” highlighting LDI’s proactive power.

My panel session took place on Thursday, “Applying a Legal Data Intelligence Mindset: Strategic Innovations in Data Protection,” with Ryan Costello, Senior Managing Director of Advisory Services at Haystack, and George Phillips, Director of eData Development & Technology at Morgan Lewis, positioned LDI as a compliance advantage. We explored LDI’s “3 I’s”: Initiate; Implement; and investigate, as outlined on LDI’s website (legaldataintelligence.org). Initiate involves proactively identifying data risks; Implement focuses on deploying structured solutions; Investigate leverages analytics to uncover insights.

In furtherance of The LDI panel session, the Data Protection and Compliance group generated 18 real-life case studies, available on LDI’s website alongside our white paper (Bartolo, Meyers, & Kearney, 2025), demonstrating these principles in action. The white paper introduced LDI’s “3 C’s”: Cost; Control; and Confidence, which transform into Value, Productivity, Trust. Cost becomes Value by optimizing data strategies; Control becomes Productivity through streamlined workflows; Confidence becomes Trust by ensuring compliance and reliability. I emphasized, “Data is not just evidence, it is justice,” a lesson from the Fest underscoring LDI’s role in equitable outcomes.

LDI’s future is expansive, with plans to deepen its impact in AI governance, information governance, data protection, compliance, and the business of law. The 18 case studies illustrate LDI’s ability to streamline compliance and enhance decision-making, making it indispensable for future-proofing organizations. I am certain LDI will continue to expand, and I aspire to contribute to their efforts to create useful frameworks for legal technologists and break down silos through collaboration, fostering cross-functional synergy.

Relativity is certainly an organization that tries to give back to the community. Relativity’s charitable contributions shone brightly, particularly through the Justice for Change initiative, which has processed 19 million documents to support pro bono legal efforts, advancing access to justice and aligning with LDI’s equitable mission.

The Relativity Innovation Awards, a dazzling ceremony with spotlights and confetti, celebrated creative users. Congratulations to all nominees and winners for their groundbreaking contributions, inspiring the community to push boundaries.

Networking events fostered camaraderie, from the vibrant welcome reception to Thursday’s 70s Disco Ball at Union Station, an awe-inspiring venue with its iconic Grand Hall staircase, famously featured in The Untouchables movie. The event buzzed with energy, featuring a DJ spinning disco hits in the main room, professional dancers in glittering outfits dazzling the crowd, and a separate karaoke room where attendees belted out classics, creating a festive atmosphere that forged lasting bonds.

The contagious energy and spirit of my colleagues have a profound impact; I feed off their enthusiasm. I have a natural passion for innovation, and it is easy to express such feelings when interacting with legal tech colleagues. I feel blessed to collaborate with such brilliant, supportive professionals.

Relativity Fest was described as an “inflection point,” the Fest highlighted AI’s centrality, with sessions available on-demand until December 19 via the Attendee Hub. If you were a real-life attendee, or a virtual attendee, you have access to several useful and informative presentations available to you as a resource.

Thank you again to those who helped put together such a comprehensive and motivating conference event, your efforts are appreciated.

As a final note, sending congratulations to my LDI colleague Michael Sarlo, Chief Innovation Officer and President of Global Investigation and Cyber Incident Response at Haystack, who became a first-time parent just a few days prior to the conference, his baby daughter already showing a talent for our industry by beating a deadline enabling Michael to attend the conference.

What inspired you at Relativity Fest 2025?