Hire This Man: GenAI, eDiscovery, and What’s Next with John Thacher

This week on the pod, we sit down with e-discovery veteran John Thacher to get real about GenAI. We talk about what’s working, what’s failing, and what everyone needs to understand before jumping on the hype train. With over two decades in the trenches, John has seen it all, and he’s not shy about separating substance from noise.

We get into why so many GenAI roles are being created and eliminated in the same year, and how legal tech leaders can avoid that cycle. John walks us through what implementing GenAI actually looks like on the ground, including the practical challenges and real-world results from some of his most recent review projects. He also shares where GenAI still falls short, especially in legal workflows that demand nuance and precision.

If you're thinking about pivoting into this space, John has advice on what skills matter most, what’s becoming obsolete, and why this is both an exciting and risky time to make a move. He also gets candid about his next chapter and why now’s the time to hire him. (Seriously, someone hire this guy!) Whether you're GenAI-curious or already knee-deep in implementation, this episode is a must-listen for anyone trying to figure out what it really takes to make GenAI work in legal and eDiscovery.

John Thacher has over 24 years of experience in e-Discovery, where he's known for building high-performing teams and driving business growth through innovation. He currently leads BDO’s review program, which he helped launch and scale 5x in just three years. John has been instrumental in transitioning clients to Machine Learning as the default review method and recently completed a successful Gen AI-based workflow review for several global manufacturers in electronics, aviation, and automotive sectors. He’s a vocal advocate for using Gen AI to streamline reviews and reduce costs.

Before BDO, John spent eight years at Ricoh managing major review projects, including the MDL Opiates Committee review, which involved 565 attorneys across eight locations. Earlier in his career, he helped launch Orrick’s Global Operations Center while at De Novo Legal, expanding it from a small pilot team into a 200+ attorney review center. At Peak Discovery, he created fixed-price review products that led to a 12x business growth and eventual acquisition by Techlaw Solutions.

John earned a joint JD/MBA from Albany Law School and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, graduating in the top 10% of both programs. He also spent five years as an Assistant Professor of Management, teaching business law, strategy, and HR. With deep expertise across the entire e-discovery lifecycle—from document collection to privilege logs—John continues to develop long-term, AI-powered solutions for clients seeking smarter, more efficient review strategies.