The ELM Amplify user conference kicked off this morning in Coronado, California with a welcome keynote from ELM Solutions General Manager Raja Sengupta. Legal operations professionals from across the country have gathered at this year’s event to explore the changing landscape of legal technology and devise strategies for future growth. Celebrating its 10th year, the conference features a theme of “Elevate Your Impact,” focusing on how legal departments can go beyond efficiency to influence and shape the future of their organizations.
As we reflect on a decade of progress and look ahead to the future, the message from Raja was clear: Corporate legal departments and legal operations specialists are no longer just reactive entities. They have the potential to drive business decisions, create strategic value, and proactively prepare for future challenges.
The Amplify conference evolves with corporate legal
The Amplify User Conference began in 2015 as a small gathering focused on ELM Solutions products, but it quickly grew into something much bigger. Over the years, it has become a vital platform for exchanging ideas about the future of legal ops, industry trends, and how legal technology can shape that future.
Attendees today don’t just come to learn about the latest software updates. They come to build networks, share best practices, and discuss the challenges facing the legal industry as a whole. As the legal landscape has evolved, so has Amplify, and the role of legal operations has expanded significantly.
Raja took a look back at 2015, when discussions centered around digital adoption and developing a technology roadmap. The challenge was getting buy-in from organizations and identifying key technologies that would form the foundation for future innovation.
As corporate legal’s role has grown since then, departments are increasingly seen as strategic partners within their organizations, with their voices heard at the highest levels. Almost a decade later, many of the ideas that were just emerging in 2015 have become reality, thanks to the dedication and innovation of legal teams across the industry.
What does it mean to “Elevate Your Impact”?
Looking ahead, the role of corporate legal will increasingly be about being proactive and predictive. Instead of merely reacting to issues as they arise, legal teams will use data and technology to foresee problems and opportunities and help guide decision-making across the business. They will use analytics, visualizations, and other technology to highlight patterns and trends, using data to tell a compelling story to business leaders. As a result, organizations will be able to address potential risks early, adapt to regulatory changes, and prioritize work based on the highest value to the business.
One of the key messages of the conference is that legal departments must continue to embrace technology to be best positioned for success as the pace of innovation accelerates. As legal technology matures, particularly in areas like legal intake, legal bill review, and legal holds, legal departments will have access to more stable, integrated solutions.
AI will also play a significant role in this transformation, with tools like ELM Solutions’ LegalVIEW® BillAnalyzer already using AI to improve legal operations. The key is not just adopting new technologies but understanding how to integrate them into your existing ecosystem to maximize their benefits.
Defining the future of corporate legal
The last 10 years were about securing a seat at the table for corporate legal. The next decade will be about what legal teams say at that table. By applying data-driven insights and proactively shaping the organization’s strategy, legal departments can continue to make a positive difference.
With the right mindset and continued commitment to innovation, corporate legal departments can grow beyond their historic contributions and drive meaningful change within their organizations. Amplify 2024 is just the beginning of a conversation about how we can shape that future together.
Thank you to everyone who is attending and contributing to making this conference a success. Let’s continue to elevate our impact so that 10 years from now, we can look back and see how the strides we’ve made have driven legal operations even further.
