Technology
has
redefined
how
we
think
about
building,
innovating,
and
delivering
legal
services.
In
Season
10,
Episode
6
of
“Notes
to
My
(Legal)
Self,”
Brittany
Hernandez,
head
of
legal
innovation
at
Gavel,
shared
her
unique
journey
from
military
service
to
law
school
and,
ultimately,
to
becoming
a
champion
of
no-code
platforms.
Her
story
is
a
testament
to
how
diverse
experiences
can
culminate
in
groundbreaking
legal
innovation.
Here’s
a
deep
dive
into
how
no-code
platforms
empower
lawyers
to
innovate,
transform,
and
expand
access
to
justice.
From
Alaska
To
Legal
Innovation
Brittany’s
path
to
law
and
legal
tech
began
with
an
unconventional
foundation:
serving
in
the
military.
Stationed
in
Puerto
Rico
and
Alaska,
she
learned
the
importance
of
adaptability,
perseverance,
and
achieving
goals
in
environments
where
she
didn’t
always
feel
she
fit.
These
lessons
prepared
her
to
navigate
the
high-pressure
world
of
law
and
later,
the
transformative
space
of
legal
technology.
Law
school
offered
its
own
challenges,
but
Brittany
credits
her
military
background
for
her
ability
to
compartmentalize
stress
and
maintain
perspective.
“Reading
cases
isn’t
life
or
death,”
she
joked,
“but
it’s
the
foundation
for
helping
people
protect
what
matters
to
them.”
What
Is
No-Code?
For
the
uninitiated,
no-code
platforms
enable
users
to
build
applications,
automations,
and
workflows
without
needing
to
write
code.
Brittany
describes
it
as
“software
democratization,”
allowing
anyone
with
a
vision
to
create
intuitive,
functional
tools.
Whether
it’s
automating
document
creation,
developing
client
portals,
or
launching
public-facing
products,
no-code
platforms
like
Gavel
empower
lawyers
to
innovate
without
technical
expertise.
How
Lawyers
Are
Using
No-Code
Tools
Brittany
shared
two
primary
ways
lawyers
are
leveraging
no-code
tools:
-
Internal
Automation.
Lawyers
can
create
workflows
to
automate
repetitive
tasks.
For
example,
an
estate
planning
attorney
might
design
a
system
to
generate
wills,
power
of
attorney
documents,
and
HIPAA
authorizations
with
just
a
few
clicks.
By
integrating
with
tools
like
Clio,
these
workflows
pull
existing
client
data,
reducing
manual
entry
and
streamlining
processes. -
Client-Facing
Products.
Lawyers
are
building
products
that
clients
can
access
directly,
such
as
DIY
solutions
for
divorce
or
estate
planning.
Platforms
like
HelloDivorce,
which
use
Gavel’s
infrastructure,
allow
clients
to
complete
forms
and
generate
court-ready
documents
independently,
all
while
maintaining
professional
oversight.
The
Power
Of
Client
Portals
Client
portals
represent
another
frontier
of
no-code
innovation.
By
allowing
clients
to
store,
update,
and
manage
their
data
securely,
lawyers
can
reduce
repetitive
work
and
create
a
more
seamless
client
experience.
These
portals
enable
data
persistence,
so
clients
don’t
have
to
re-enter
information
multiple
times,
saving
time
and
reducing
errors.
Practical
Steps
To
Start
Innovating
Brittany
offered
actionable
advice
for
lawyers
curious
about
no-code
tools:
-
Start
Small.
Many
platforms,
including
Gavel,
offer
free
trials
or
entry-level
options.
These
allow
lawyers
to
experiment
without
financial
commitment. -
Take
a
Guided
Approach.
Resources
like
Brittany’s
Chromium
Academy
provide
free
exercises
and
courses
to
help
users
build
their
first
automations.
These
hands-on
experiences
can
demystify
the
process
and
build
confidence.
“Start
with
something
simple,”
Brittany
advised.
“Pick
a
task
you
do
frequently
and
see
if
you
can
automate
it.
The
tools
are
here,
and
the
possibilities
are
endless.”
The
Broader
Impact
Of
No-Code
Innovation
Brittany
emphasized
that
no-code
platforms
aren’t
just
about
efficiency
—
they’re
about
expanding
access
to
justice.
Legal
innovation
can
democratize
services,
offering
affordable
solutions
to
individuals
and
businesses
who
might
otherwise
go
unserved.
Access
to
justice
isn’t
just
about
serving
the
indigent.
“Even
middle-class
families
and
small
businesses
often
struggle
to
afford
legal
help,”
Brittany
noted.
“No-code
tools
let
lawyers
reach
these
underserved
groups
while
maintaining
profitability.”
The
Future
Is
Now
Brittany
closed
with
a
powerful
reminder:
the
future
of
legal
tech
is
already
here.
Lawyers
who
embrace
no-code
platforms
today
will
be
at
the
forefront
of
transforming
the
profession.
“These
tools
give
lawyers
superpowers,”
she
said.
“They
make
it
possible
to
build
the
future
—
not
tomorrow,
but
right
now.”
For
more
insights
and
inspiration,
watch
the
full
episode
of
Notes
to
My
(Legal)
Self.
P.S.:
You
don’t
need
coding
skills
to
build
something
extraordinary—just
a
vision
and
the
courage
to
start.
Olga
V.
Mack
is
a
Fellow
at
CodeX,
The
Stanford
Center
for
Legal
Informatics,
and
a
Generative
AI
Editor
at
law.MIT.
Olga
embraces
legal
innovation
and
had
dedicated
her
career
to
improving
and
shaping
the
future
of
law.
She
is
convinced
that
the
legal
profession
will
emerge
even
stronger,
more
resilient,
and
more
inclusive
than
before
by
embracing
technology.
Olga
is
also
an
award-winning
general
counsel,
operations
professional,
startup
advisor,
public
speaker,
adjunct
professor,
and
entrepreneur.
She
authored Get
on
Board:
Earning
Your
Ticket
to
a
Corporate
Board
Seat, Fundamentals
of
Smart
Contract
Security,
and Blockchain
Value:
Transforming
Business
Models,
Society,
and
Communities. She
is
working
on
three
books:
Visual
IQ
for
Lawyers
(ABA
2024), The
Rise
of
Product
Lawyers:
An
Analytical
Framework
to
Systematically
Advise
Your
Clients
Throughout
the
Product
Lifecycle
(Globe
Law
and
Business
2024),
and
Legal
Operations
in
the
Age
of
AI
and
Data
(Globe
Law
and
Business
2024).
You
can
follow
Olga
on
LinkedIn
and
Twitter
@olgavmack.