Throughout 2025 we will be interviewing people in the legal tech/ops space from around the world. In this fifth interview of the year, Marc May spoke with Valentin Feklistov and Alex Bitskov, Co-Founders of FutureLaw conference and LEGID, about their journey and impact as Founders, what it takes to create an international legal tech event, and what the legal tech scene looks like in the Baltics and Nordics.
Valentin and Alex, thanks for joining me. Could you let me know what you both do for work?
Valentin: Most of my work time is devoted to my ventures, LEGID and FutureLaw. Additionally, I continue to practice law for major companies across Europe in the financial and energy sectors. One could describe me as a fractional General Counsel.
Alex: Primarily I focus on the legal-tech field (LEGID, FutureLaw), as well as the Web3 field (ZenFrogs and W3N Conference). I additionally dedicate my time to working with young people and organising international youth exchanges.
How did you become legal tech founders?
Valentin: I have been in the legal industry for over 16 years, serving as an attorney, in-house lawyer, and partner in a major consulting network. My passion for improving the accessibility of legal services, coupled with the widespread lack of legal awareness, inspired me to create a solution that disrupts the traditional supply chain and redefines how legal services are delivered. This journey also led to the creation of both FutureLaw Conference, a pivotal event in our lives, and LEGID App. Our innovative platform empowers law firms of all sizes to establish a global presence and enables legal professionals to work, learn, and network from anywhere, providing an alternative avenue for networking, practicing law and promoting a healthier work-life balance.
Alex: I’ve been messing with tech as early as I can remember, graduated with a tech degree and started making apps while I was still in university. I founded my first startup around that time too, creating educational apps for children. Since then I’ve continued to work in the tech field in various capacities, moving from ed-tech to legal-tech and Web3.
“Our innovative platform empowers law firms of all sizes to establish a global presence”
Valentin Feklistov
What impact do you think your ventures have had since they were founded?
Since their inception, the LEGID App and FutureLaw Conference have significantly transformed the legal landscape throughout Europe and beyond.
Impact of LEGID App in the Baltics:
The LEGID App has revolutionized access to legal services in the Baltic region, breaking down traditional barriers in lawyer-client relationships. As the first marketplace for legal services active in all three Baltic states, LEGID has made legal consultations affordable and available on demand through a network of expert lawyers. This innovation has democratized access to legal services, empowering clients to connect with vetted lawyers in their language and across various legal expertise areas. For lawyers, LEGID has provided a source of new clients and reduced administrative overhead, allowing them to focus on their profession.
Impact of FutureLaw Conference in Europe and beyond:
FutureLaw Conference is a landmark event, drawing 400-500 attendees from 40 countries. The conference featured keynote speeches from eminent figures such as Damien Riehl, Dazza Greenwood, Olga V. Mack, Alex Hamilton, Aku Sorainen, Brian W Tang, Nicola Shaver, and others. The event is supported by prestigious organizations and legal experts, including TalTech Law School, Enterprise Estonia (EAS), the European Legal Tech Association (ELTA), Global LegalTech Hub (GLTH), and the Asia-Pacific Legal Innovation and Technology Association (ALITA). Additionally, it received backing from ECLA – European Company Lawyers Association, Copenhagen Legal Tech, and Legal Tech Verband Deutschland, as well as many prominent legal-tech vendors, such as LexisNexis, Legora (ex-Leya), Dokobit, Amberlo, ClauseBase, Xayn, Novaplex, simplexico, Henchman and others.
The conference showcases world-class speakers and legal professionals, including Brian Liu, Damien Riehl, Jeremy Small, Brian W Tang, Peteris Zilgalvis, Valérie M. Saintot, Dan Shefet, Tim Cummins, Sally Guyer, Karol Valencia, Helena Hallgarn, Stefan C. Schicker, Kaisa Kromhof, Alex Hamilton, and others. Attendees have the opportunity to engage in insightful discussions and gain practical solutions for integrating technology into their legal practices.
Together, the LEGID App and FutureLaw Conference have driven the legal industry towards greater integration with technology, enhancing efficiency and adaptability in a rapidly changing environment. Their combined efforts have not only improved the accessibility and quality of legal services but also paved the way for a more connected and forward-thinking legal community.
“FutureLaw Conference is a landmark event, drawing 400-500 attendees from 40 countries.”
You also run the FutureLaw event in Estonia – what does it take to create such an event and and how is it going?
Creating an impactful event starts with assembling a team—individuals whose skills, knowledge, and personalities you trust and understand. This principle extends to crafting the event agenda. Many events are built around the available speakers, resulting in vague, repetitive content that lacks thoughtful structure and practical applications. To avoid this, begin by conducting thorough research and crafting the foundational bases and synopses of the content you aim to present.
Building an event is akin to writing a book; a clear structure is essential. The content must follow a logical sequence, ensuring the audience can easily understand and derive value from it. Once the team is in place and the agenda is carefully prepared, you can maximize your resources and deliver the information that attendees truly want to hear, creating a cohesive and engaging experience.
Our speaker selection process is crucial to this effort. We meticulously curate industry experts to ensure that each speaker brings valuable insights and expertise to the table. Educational content takes the highest priority, with our team setting high-quality topics and maintaining rigorous standards. This ensures that the event not only meets but exceeds expectations, providing attendees with meaningful and impactful knowledge.
The story:
It was December 2022, and at LEGID, in collaboration with various experts and ELTA, we were deeply engrossed in hosting webinars on leveraging technology in law practice. I had just returned from the W3N Conference organized by my business partner Alex Bitskov, which delved into the fascinating world of Web3 technologies. At that time I thought: “why not make a legal innovation event in Estonia? We have yet to have a solid one that would be as great as Estonia’s digital landscape is.”. Shortly after, I received an invitation from Ebru Metin to join a panel on legal design at TalTech Law School, alongside esteemed experts like Helena Haapio, Anna Hurmerinta-Haanpää, and others. Despite the heavy snowfall (unusual for Estonia) threatening to cancel or move the panel online, Alex and I braved the elements and made it to the event.
On my way to the university, I received a call from Holger, a Board Member of ELTA. He proposed an audacious idea: why not organize a local legal tech conference within my legal-tech ambassadorship?
The seed has been planted.
Well, things quickly started falling into place. We spoke with prof. Tanel Kerikmäe from the director of TalTech Law School, who graciously proposed to host the event at their venue. The positive feedback from the speakers who had participated in the panel and webinars was encouraging—they expressed interest in being part of the conference if it came to fruition. This bolstered my confidence and motivation to push forward with the project.
Despite lingering doubts about the scale of the undertaking—finding top-tier speakers, securing sponsors, and capturing the legal community’s interest—I had an incredible team supporting me. Their persistence, persuasion, and unwavering support helped me overcome the challenges. We had an existing partnership with TalTech Law School, a leading Estonian institution known for its innovative and interdisciplinary education and research in law and technology. With the backing of ELTA ambassadors and the Board, and a dedicated team of four committed individuals me, Alex, Georgi, Maria, it became clear that we had a unique opportunity to create something significant for the legal profession.
This realization sparked the birth of the FutureLaw conference, an adventure that has brought immense meaning and impact to our field. And now, here we are, already gearing up for the next exciting chapter, this May 29-30! 🚀
“Despite the heavy snowfall (unusual for Estonia) threatening to cancel or move the panel online, Alex and I braved the elements and made it to the event.”
What does the legal tech/ops scene look like in Baltics and Nordics?
The legal tech and operations scene in the Baltics and Nordics is dynamic and rapidly evolving, driven by a strong focus on innovation and efficiency. Here are some of the most successful and prominent startups in the region:
Baltics
- LEGID: A legal services marketplace that connects clients with expert lawyers.
- ExtendLaw: Provides tools for the automation and management of legal processes.
- Avokaado: A contract lifecycle management platform helping businesses automate and manage their legal documents efficiently.
- Crespect: Specializes in legal tech solutions for compliance and risk management.
- Pactum AI: An AI-driven platform for contract negotiation and management.
- Dokobit: A digital signature and document management solution.
- Amberlo: Legal practice management software for law firms.
- Veriff: An identity verification platform ensuring compliance and security.
- ID.me: A trusted digital identity network.
- SmartLaws: Provides legal document automation and management solutions.
- Salv: A regulatory technology startup focused on anti-money laundering solutions.
- Juro: An all-in-one contract automation platform enabling legal and business teams to create, execute, and monitor contracts.
Nordics
- M-Files: A document management platform enhancing productivity and compliance.
- Qura: A legal tech company specializing in contract management and automation.
- Legora (ex-Leya): Provides legal document automation and management solutions.
- Edilex: Legal information and document management services.
- CSI Lawyer: A comprehensive law firm management software.
- ILVES: A legal tech platform for document automation.
- Juristic: Offers tools for contract lifecycle management and legal operations.
- Contractbook: A platform for creating, signing, and storing contracts digitally.
- Contractzen: An all-in-one governance hub for contract management and meeting management.
- Justify: A legal tech startup focusing on contract automation and management.
- Assently: Provides solutions for electronic signatures and digital identity verification.
- Lexolve: A legal service platform enabling businesses to manage legal tasks efficiently.
- Dealsign: A platform for digital contract negotiation and management.
- Signicat: A digital identity and signature solution provider.
- Pocketlaw: A digital in-house lawyer for businesses of any size, streamlining legal workflows.
Key Trends
- Operational Efficiency: Both regions are leveraging legal tech to streamline workflows, reduce manual tasks, and enhance overall efficiency. This includes the use of AI for contract analysis, document automation, and predictive analytics.
- Risk Mitigation: Legal tech solutions are being used to proactively identify and address potential legal risks, enhancing compliance monitoring and regulatory adherence.
- Cost Savings: Automation of routine tasks and optimization of resource allocation through legal tech are leading to substantial cost savings for legal departments.
- Strategic Decision-Making: Legal teams are equipped with tools to generate actionable insights, empowering them to make informed, strategic decisions that align with overall business goals.
FutureLaw Conference
The FutureLaw Conference has become a pivotal event in the Nordics, showcasing the latest advancements in legal tech and fostering collaboration among legal professionals. The 2024 conference, for example, attracted 400 attendees from 40 countries and featured keynote speeches from eminent figures such as Damien Riehl, Dazza Greenwood, Olga V. Mack, Alex Hamilton, Aku Sorainen, Brian W Tang, and Nicola Shaver. The event highlighted the importance of integrating AI, data management, and cybersecurity tools into daily legal practices to stay competitive and enhance professional capabilities.
Supported by organizations like TalTech Law School, Enterprise Estonia (EAS), the European Legal Tech Association (ELTA), Global LegalTech Hub (GLTH), and the Asia-Pacific Legal Innovation and Technology Association (ALITA), the conference has played a crucial role in advancing the legal tech scene in the region.
Overall, the legal tech and operations scene in the Baltics and Nordics is characterized by a strong commitment to innovation, efficiency, and collaboration, positioning these regions as leaders in the global legal tech landscape.
” the legal tech and operations scene in the Baltics and Nordics is characterized by a strong commitment to innovation, efficiency, and collaboration”
Valentin, you have quite a diverse career background that also includes being a lawyer too – of all your roles which bit of received advice has stuck with you the most?
Valentin: I think that there isn’t a single piece of advice that stands out, but rather several life lessons that have significantly influenced me. First, my family and childhood taught me resilience through experiencing pain. Secondly, my mother instilled in me the importance of self-belief. Thirdly, my diverse education as both a psychologist and a lawyer provided me with a broad perspective and valuable skills. Fourthly, my wife, who motivates me whenever I feel lazy, and my daughter, who keeps me grounded and focused, are my unwavering sources of inspiration.. Fifthly, as said earlier, I had worked in both law firms and in-house roles, and still do, whereas the most crucial turn in my career happened when I stepped into the role with Crowe, worldwide known consulting network, providing one-stop-shop service, which taught me to be a “one man orchestra”, a versatile lawyer, capable of handling complex, multiple areas focused, legal cases. Finally, my sports background taught me the importance of winning and completing every action I start, as well as accountability, tactics, strategy, and reasoning.
These experiences collectively made me aware of my strengths and emphasized that, regardless of the support system you have, life ultimately is a do-it-yourself project.
