How I’m Turning My Vision for Legal Technology into Reality: The Road Ahead

A few days ago, I shared some thoughts on Exterro’s acquisition of Zapproved. Reaching a major milestone like an acquisition is certainly worth celebrating, but it’s also an opportunity to reflect on the journey so far. In 15 years, Exterro has achieved a great deal—but as I often remind my team, this is just the beginning.

As an organization, Exterro has far more road ahead than behind. The acquisitions of Jordan Lawrence and AccessData helped establish a leading legal governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) platform, giving organizations visibility into increasingly complex data environments. Joining forces with Zapproved further strengthens our ability to deliver exceptional customer outcomes and support.

But where does this journey lead? While every step can’t be mapped out in advance, the direction is clear.

The promise of big data—arguably the defining force of 21st-century business—is similar to oil in the early 20th century. It has the power to transform industries almost overnight. At the same time, it introduces significant risks. Just as reliance on fossil fuels created environmental challenges, the growing dependence on data introduces risks across cybersecurity, privacy, and compliance.

Cybercrime continues to rise, affecting millions of individuals and costing businesses millions per breach. At the same time, consumers are becoming more aware of their data rights under regulations such as GDPR, CPRA, and others worldwide. Regulators are increasingly active, issuing substantial fines and enforcing compliance more aggressively.

Beyond regulatory risk, civil litigation continues to grow, adding further pressure on organizations. Companies are spending significant amounts on legal disputes, while trends in privacy regulation are influencing how e-discovery is conducted globally.

Despite these challenges, the risks associated with data are manageable—with the right approach.

The foundation of effective e-discovery, privacy operations, and cybersecurity response is simple in principle: organizations must know what data they have, where it resides, why it exists, and how long it should be retained. In short, they need an up-to-date, actionable, and intelligent data inventory.

Exterro provides this foundation.

There are strong similarities across key processes such as responding to litigation discovery requests, fulfilling DSARs, and managing data breach notifications. Each begins with identifying and preserving data, narrowing scope, reviewing large volumes efficiently, and ultimately producing or redacting relevant information.

A unified platform enables legal teams to manage all of these tasks securely and efficiently—from issuing legal holds to leveraging AI for document review and managing consent requirements.

These responsibilities increasingly fall under the oversight of Chief Legal Officers (CLOs) and General Counsel. Industry data shows that their top concerns include cybersecurity, regulatory compliance, and data privacy. At the same time, their roles are expanding to include oversight of compliance, risk, and cybersecurity functions.

These disciplines are converging, and the legal department is uniquely positioned to manage them. What they need is technology that brings everything together—a single, unified platform or “single pane of glass” for managing data risk.

Economic pressures are also driving organizations to bring more of these functions in-house rather than relying on external counsel. E-discovery has led the way in legal technology innovation, with privacy and digital forensics close behind.

A useful comparison is the evolution of workplace software. Previously, separate tools handled word processing, spreadsheets, and presentations. These were eventually unified into integrated platforms like Microsoft Office. Legal technology is following a similar path, moving away from disconnected point solutions toward unified systems that streamline workflows and reduce risk.

Legal departments are best equipped to lead this transformation. They have the expertise to assess risk, make informed decisions, and address critical business threats. They also have the attention of executive leadership and boards—and now, increasingly, the technology to support their expanded role.

While the journey is ongoing, the direction is clear. The acquisition of Zapproved represents another important step forward in building a unified approach to managing data risk.

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