Legalweek 2026 Was Different. Here’s Why. Laura and Kevin Breakdown Legalweek 2026

In this special Legalweek recap episode Laura and Kevin unpack everything that stood out at Legalweek 2026 in New York. This year’s conference felt different from the start. For the first time in decades, Legalweek moved from the Hilton to the Javits Center, giving the event a much larger, more energetic feel and bringing together thousands of lawyers, technologists, and legal operations professionals to talk about where legal tech is heading next.

A big theme throughout the week was the shift from AI hype to real-world use. Vendors and practitioners alike are moving past the early experimentation phase and focusing on how artificial intelligence actually fits into litigation workflows, document review, and investigations. Kevin and Laura share what they heard on the conference floor about the changing eDiscovery market, and how the growing complexity of legal matters is increasing the value of experienced teams alongside new technology. 

The episode features conversations with industry leaders including Joey Seeber of Level Legal and Bryant Gauthier of PLUSnxt, who share their perspectives on where AI is genuinely helping legal teams and where expectations still outpace reality. We also pulled aside Dan Bellopede from Mitratech for a quick chat on his thoughts on the conference. Along the way, we cover the lighter side of the conference: creative booth marketing, the surprisingly weak swag this year, the parties and the conversations that make Legalweek as much about relationships as technology.

If you couldn’t make it to Legalweek this year, this episode offers a candid look at what people were really talking about, what trends actually matter, and how the legal tech industry may be evolving heading into the next year.