From Bates Stamps to GenAI

At ILTACON 2025, the Litigation Support Roundtable titled “From TAR to Generative AI” brought together a distinguished panel of legal technology leaders to reflect on the evolution of ediscovery and the transformative impact of generative AI. Moderated by David Horrigan, Discovery Counsel and Legal Education Director at Relativity, the session featured insights from Scott Milner (Morgan, Lewis & Bockius), Melissa Weberman (Arnold & Porter), Janis Cheston (Miller Thomson LLP), and Philip Weldon (Hecker Fink LLP).

“The legal disruptor is not the GenAI tools themselves, but the legal professionals who know how best to use [them], and most importantly, those who efficiently validate the GenAI tool outputs. It is an exciting time to be in legal; the new roles we are seeing and the fact that these new roles are happening in a law firm. Years ago, when interviewing data scientists, we were last on their list, and now the talent coming through rivals awesome tech companies. Maybe legal is cool again!” – Scott Milner, Partner, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP

“The AI hallucinations holdings in Mata, Versant Funding, ByoPlanet, and others make clear that there’s nothing inherently wrong with using generative AI in legal proceedings. It’s all about how it’s used, and when it comes to sanctions, the cover-up is often worse than the crime.” –David Horrigan, Discovery Counsel & Legal Education Director, Relativity

The conversation traced the arc of innovation in legal technology—from the days of mechanical Bates stamping to the current frontier of AI-driven document review. Panelists shared personal experiences navigating landmark shifts such as digitization, advanced search, and predictive coding, offering a rich historical context for today’s developments.

“Generative AI is the new frontier, and success is up for grabs.” -Janis Cheston, CEDS, Lead, eDiscovery Services – Operations, Miller Thomson LLP

Generative AI emerged as the focal point of the discussion, not just as a technological advancement, but as a catalyst for rethinking legal workflows and professional roles. Weldon captured the recursive power of language models with a memorable observation: “This is a tool where you can use the tool itself to teach you about the tool. Like, how wild is that?” This sentiment echoed throughout the session, highlighting AI’s potential to democratize access to knowledge and accelerate learning curves.

Scott Milner emphasized the importance of right-sizing solutions, cautioning against over-engineering: “Don’t offer a Cadillac when a bus token will do.” His remarks underscored the need for strategic deployment of AI tools, tailored to the complexity and scale of each matter. Melissa Weberman added a critical ethical dimension, reminding attendees that while generative AI is a game changer, “our obligations as lawyers do not change—it’s not the technology, it’s the way the technology is used.”

Janis Cheston offered a poetic framing of AI’s capabilities, noting that “Generative AI brings a whole new meaning to the old saying, ‘let the documents speak for themselves.’” David Horrigan reinforced this with the Latin phrase “Documenta ipsa loquentur,” suggesting that AI can surface the most relevant portions of documents with unprecedented precision. The session also addressed practical applications for legal professionals. Weldon urged firms to establish clear AI policies and ensure partner and client consent for every use of AI. Other actionable takeaways included bridging communication gaps between technologists and attorneys, prioritizing data security, and embracing continuous education.

Ultimately, the roundtable told a story of tradition meeting transformation. What began with the discovery of paper and manual processes has evolved into a landscape of intelligent systems and generative capabilities. As Horrigan noted, the legal disruptor isn’t the technology itself—it’s the professionals who know how to use it wisely.