In this week’s episode, Land and Kevin take you inside Legalweek 2025 for a no-holds-barred recap of the biggest legal tech event of the year. We break down the good—the insightful sessions, the exciting product launches, and the incredible people we met. We also cover the bad—from conference logistics to some less-than-stellar booth experiences. And of course, we get into the ugly—including the controversial decision to move Legalweek from its long-time home at the Hilton to the Javits Center in 2026, marking the end of an era.

We hit the exhibit hall, highlighting standout vendors, unforgettable swag (yes, we’re ranking the best and worst giveaways!), and key trends shaping the legal tech landscape.

Plus, we shit down with Josh Janow, CEO of SMI Aware, for a chat on what makes them unique in the world of social media discovery. Josh shares how SMI Aware’s proprietary technology and expert analysis help legal teams uncover and preserve critical open-source data, ensuring compliance and strategic insights in discovery, due diligence, and risk management.

If you missed Legalweek or just want the inside scoop, this episode has everything you need!

Josh Janow is the CEO of SMI Aware, a leader in social media and open-source data discovery. His company specializes in researching, collecting, and preserving publicly available information to support legal, HR, and compliance teams in discovery, due diligence, and risk management.

With a career dedicated to leveraging data for strategic decision-making, Josh has led SMI Aware in providing critical insights that shape client strategies. Previously, he served as General Counsel and later President of gategroup North America, overseeing a $1B operation with 10,000+ employees. His leadership during industry disruptions, including the COVID-19 pandemic, drove significant restructuring and growth. Josh began his career at Weil, Gotshal & Manges, developing expertise in legal and business strategy.

Today Kevin and Laura sit down with Kirk Hanson, a seasoned Sales Engineering leader with an impressive career spanning industry giants like SentinelOne, Splunk, BMC, and IBM. From kicking things off with a nostalgic nod to Hanson’s MMMBop to deep insights on the evolution of sales engineering, this conversation is packed with wisdom, humor, and career-defining moments.

Kirk shares how his journey into tech started with an unexpected edge—his fluency in Japanese—and how strong mentorship shaped his path. He goes into the balancing act of technical expertise and business acumen in sales engineering, how AI and automation are reshaping the field, and why human connection remains irreplaceable in building customer trust. We also explore trends in cybersecurity, cloud, and big data, including a candid discussion on false positives at SentinelOne. Kirk reflects on his time at Splunk, where he co-founded the Solution Architect team, and the impact of international experience on data privacy and cybersecurity strategies. Kirk offers advice for aspiring sales engineers, leadership lessons from his global career, and a glimpse into what’s next for him. Oh, and a friendly reminder: never miss your one-on-ones with your employees.

But it’s not all business—we make some fun detours into pop culture, from Office Space’s infamous “Jump to Conclusions” mat to Laura’s struggles with her futuristic WalkCar from Japan. Plus, Kirk shares his passion for supporting the Navy SEAL Foundation and his ongoing quest to collect challenge coins. Tune in for an engaging, insightful, and laugh-filled conversation with one of the best in the business!

Kirk Hanson is a highly experienced Sales Engineering Manager with over 20 years of expertise leading sales engineering teams at top software companies such as SentinelOne, Splunk, BMC, and IBM. Specializing in cybersecurity, cloud technologies, big data, and data analytics, Kirk is a strategic advocate for customers, leveraging value-based selling and consultative approaches to close complex sales. Throughout his career, he has built and led high-performing presales teams, created innovative sales tools, and consistently delivered strong results. Fluent in Japanese, he has conducted numerous presentations across Asia and led multiple executive panels for leadership networks. His notable achievements include co-creating the Solution Architect team at Splunk, earning multiple awards such as SE Manager of the Year (Americas), and receiving the Innovation Award for developing new demo platforms. He holds a BA in International Studies from the University of California, San Diego, and has pursued post-graduate work at Cal-State Hayward.

This week Kevin and Laura sit down with Damon Reissman, President of Celerity Discovery, to explore the complexities of multilingual litigation and how Celerity’s innovative Multilingual Litigation Support (MLLS) offering is reshaping the legal tech landscape. Damon brings over 20 years of experience in eDiscovery and litigation support, having led major engagements at Deloitte and PwC before spearheading Celerity’s data intelligence solutions across 30+ countries.

Damon shares insights into the development of Celerity’s MLLS platform, designed to address the unique challenges legal teams face in cross-border litigation—ranging from managing large volumes of multilingual data to ensuring defensibility and cost control. He discusses how traditional translation services often fall short in the legal context and how Celerity’s MLLS stands apart by leveraging AI and machine learning to accelerate document review, maintain accuracy, and reduce costs. With globalization increasing the demand for efficient multilingual litigation solutions, Damon offers his predictions on the future of MLLS and how technology will continue to evolve to meet the needs of law firms, corporations, and government agencies. He also shares his favorite type of client to work with and the services he enjoys showcasing most. Tune in to hear how Celerity is changing the game in legal tech and why Damon believes the future of litigation support is multilingual, intelligent, and cost-effective.

Damon Reissman is the President of Celerity Discovery, a leading data intelligence company specializing in eDiscovery and litigation support for over 20 years. With more than two decades of experience at Deloitte and PwC, Damon has advised clients on complex litigation, regulatory investigations, and data management strategies. He is an expert in electronic discovery, digital forensics, and legal operations, having led hundreds of cases across the Electronic Discovery Reference Model (EDRM) in 30+ countries.

Damon has worked extensively across industries such as Energy, Technology, Life Sciences, Financial Services, and Government. He is recognized for his ability to lead global teams, develop in-house eDiscovery solutions, and provide strategic guidance on litigation response, regulatory compliance, and data management best practices.