By Pablo Yannone Sancho, Journalist at GLTH
Ezequiel's journey into the world of law began at a young age. Initially, he dreamt of becoming a writer, but his interest shifted to law after being influenced by John Grisham novels and films, as well as watching his older sister embark on her legal studies. This early exposure to law solidified his passion for the field, which has grown over time.
He has become a very experienced commercial lawyer who has worked with different types of enterprises, from big companies to SMEs. This cross-functional experience has provided him a very deep insight that inspired him to found, in 2020, Brevity, a SaaS platform.
He considers himself a very recent person in the legaltech world, so he is always looking forward to learning from other advisors. “Communities are pivotal to navigate new technologies, stay up to date, and meet kindred spirits”, he notes. So, just reach out to him and learn from each other´s spirit.
A little bit about Ezequiel´s background
Beyond his professional life, Ezequiel is guided by a mantra inspired by Winston Churchill's famous WWII speech: "Fight on the beaches." He has this phrase tattooed on his arm as a reminder to always persevere, no matter the challenges he faces.
An avid traveler, Ezequiel describes his trip to Northern Norway and Svalbard as one of the most memorable experiences of his life. Witnessing the magical Northern Lights with his wife left a lasting impression, and he fondly recalls the simplicity and friendliness of the Norwegian people.
When it comes to relaxation, Ezequiel enjoys rewatching the popular series Stranger Things, appreciating how it captures the essence of the 1980s and its endearing, quirky characters. As a child of the '80s, the show brings back a sense of nostalgia for him.
A self-described history enthusiast, Ezequiel is torn between traveling to the past or the future. While he would love to witness key historical events, his focus has shifted to preparing for the future, particularly for his two children. As he anticipates the challenges that the next 10 to 15 years might bring, Ezequiel is dedicated to equipping his family for the world ahead.
With a combination of curiosity, resilience, and a deep love for learning, Ezequiel continues to navigate the evolving landscape of law and life with passion and purpose.
Ezequiel's vision on legal tech
Ezequiel distincts two different categories of legaltech. The first and the most general is the “B2C legaltech”, which empowers individuals to address their legal problems without the need for lawyers. “This is a fascinating area,” Ezequiel notes, “because it opens up opportunities for people to access justice who might otherwise be excluded.”
Next, Ezequiel mentions B2B platforms, which focus on enhancing service delivery within legal firms or corporate environments. “In my case, I work with legal tech in companies, and it's exciting to see how these technologies help improve internal processes and client relations.” What kind of technologies does he work with?
The relevance of managing information in law firms, legal departments and societies
For Ezequiel, the most common ones are CLMs, as it takes a very “important part within companies”. They are “mainly present when I talk about legal departments”, he says. In the case of law firms, there are more specific applications, such as the “case tracking” and “time billing.”
As a technology provider for departments and firms, he is very aware that the technologies that both sides need are the same. However, it is different when it comes to talk about legal tech that they should have and still don't.
“I think legal departments should focus a lot on measuring where their resources are allocated”, says Ezequiel. Sometimes, this lack of information prevents them from deciding “whether to implement a CLM or an entity management or a practice management or any other software.” And there still a lack of “commitment” to having that information.
If managing information is such a challenge within law firms or legal departments, just imagine in the case of corporate entities, which is, indeed, the specialization of Ezequiel since he is a technology provider. He explains, “Managing entities basically allows you to see information and know what you need to know in terms of corporate data in two clicks.” This efficiency is crucial for organizations handling multiple companies, where quick access to legal information is essential.
“Before adopting these technologies, many companies relied on outdated methods, such as Excel spreadsheets or even unstructured documents. However, with the proper implementation of entity management software, legal teams can now access critical data, such as attorneys or powers of attorney, within seconds.”
One key to their success has been sharing this information beyond the legal department. Ezequiel highlights that “a very successful implementation is not only to use the software for your legal team, but, actually, share that information in a single portal very easily understood by other professionals in the organization.” This approach fosters better communication between the legal department and the rest of the organization, enhancing collaboration and efficiency.
Ezequiel shares that some of his clients in Latin America and beyond have embraced this technology so effectively that they no longer need to request routine information from their legal departments. “They don't ask their corporate departments for more powers of attorney, financial disclosures, or clauses in their amendments. They just go into Brevity and get the information.”
Looking to the future of legaltech, Ezequiel would like to see more cases of B2C legal companies being successful. He does not forget about the progress of B2B tools, too, which is proof that lawyers are not that “adverse innovation”, says Ezequiel. “Since I started 20 years ago my practice”, he follows, “practicing law was very different.” It does not mean that those who have not implement technology are outdated. Indeed, Ezequiel has two very good pieces of advice that blend everything he talked about: First, “It's not too late to get into legaltech, even if it seems you are far behind on technology understanding.” And, secondly, and maybe even more important, “Relax more and enjoy the present”.
Founder & CEO, Brevity
Comments