By Ying Chen, Samantha Loren, & Daniel Torres
Day 4 – Thursday, March 28: Atrium
The MSL is similar to a startup in and of itself. Thus, it was a great privilege for the EnTP team to visit Atrium, the revolutionary legal firm that is shaking up Silicon Valley. Co-founded by the incredible Justin Kan, Atrium has positioned itself to be the next step in the evolution of law firms. A unique combination of a tech firm and law firm, it is poised to cater to the growing number of startups in the Bay Area, and in doing so, create a new standard for legal services.
Atrium LLP (the legal arm of Atrium) is comprised of bright and aspiring attorneys who provide the legal services for clients, while Atrium LTS is a technology service company which creates the tools that enhance the legal services provided and eases the implementation of these cutting-edge features. As MSL students, there is no better place to see the intersection of law and technology than at Atrium, a living and breathing example of what the future of law and technology will be.
Our opportunity to share conversations with different individuals in the revolutionary start-up provided us with a unique insight into the innovative minds behind the company. From the attorneys, to the engineers, to the operational analysts, it was an enlightening and informative experience. One of the highlights was the knowledge shared on how to integrate legal work with the advancement of technology. Atrium team members stressed efficiency at every corner, by making not only the client experience seamless, but also the attorney’s work streamlined. By decreasing the time spent on mundane and often mechanical legal work, Atrium is able to decrease costs while increasing the rate at which work is performed. This, however, does not mean there is a dip in quality of the work; in fact, it enhances the output, as the attorneys are able to focus on the aspects of legal work that require their greatest amounts of attention.
Our conversation continued with some of Atrium’s lead business operations managers, who are given the challenging task of bridging both arms of the company. They work tirelessly to create a seamless workflow between the engineering and legal teams in order to deliver the best service possible. What makes this task even more challenging is its first-of-its-kind nature. Everyday is a new challenge, which fosters interesting and innovative ways for interaction between both arms of the company, subsequently bridging the gap between them constantly.
Perhaps one of the most memorable aspects of the visit was the opportunity to hear directly from Justin Kan. In particular, his emphasis on personal betterment by intentionally putting oneself in positions where one is forced to grow. This proves to be one of the guiding principles behind his decision to start Atrium. By intentionally placing himself into this uncharted territory, he was forced to learn and develop the skills that are required in the legal field. In doing so, he not only created a unique company, but developed an environment where law, business, and technology intersect.
Atrium is the first of its kind. A novel startup in the traditional legal field, it is shaking up the established foundation and paving the way for the future of legal technology. By bringing together different individuals from seemingly different backgrounds, Atrium has created an environment where knowledge from multiple fields is given a channel for comprehensive communication, and with it, a product that delivers services in a unique way. It is at this intersection that the individuals at Atrium thrive, and the legal industry as a whole continues to expand.
