Straight From the Horse's Mouth: How John Tredennick Showjumped His Way from Practicing Lawyer to Ediscovery Serial Entrepreneur
On September 26th at 12 p.m. CST, John Tredennick joined Level Legal CEO Joey Seeber and Director of Client Solutions Daniel Bonner as a guest on Level Table Live. In this episode, he discussed his journey from being a trial lawyer to becoming a serial ediscovery entrepreneur. Tune in for insights on overcoming industry obstacles, AI’s role in investigation and discovery workflows, and the future of ediscovery.
Watch the full recording above or skip to the highlights:
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- John’s Equestrian Passion (3:20)
- Journey into Practicing Law and Becoming One of The First Ediscovery Entrepreneurs (9:15)
- Pioneering the First Continuous Active Learning Algorithm in the Industry Called TAR 1 (15:20)
- The Birth of Merlin, 21st Century Magic (18:05)
- First Cloud Utility Pricing That Clients Can Turn On/Off (20:33)
- John’s Strategy for Overcoming Obstacles (22:25)
- The Attraction of AI and Its Power in the Legal Industry (24:34)
- The Future of EDRM in an AI Word and What Role Ediscovery Will Play (30:41)
- John’s Take on Overcoming AI Adoption Challenges in the Legal Industry (37:48)
- Exciting New Developments in Gen III (41:06)
- It’s year 2050, Will The Billable Hour Gone? (46:17)
- The Update on John’s Latest Book GenAI for Smart Legal Professionals (47:31)
- John’s Grand Performance as a Drummer (49:00)
The Speakers
Joey Seeber is the CEO of Level Legal, a Dallas-based ediscovery, managed review, and consulting company. With a diverse background, Joey has excelled as an experienced litigator, successful entrepreneur, and former mayor of Tyler, Texas.
During his time as a practicing attorney, Joey gained firsthand knowledge of the legal profession’s challenges, from managing complex litigation-related discovery to persuading juries on behalf of his clients. His entrepreneurial ventures taught him the transformative power of hospitality in turning problems into opportunities.
Drawing from his life experiences, Joey envisioned the idea for Level Legal. He recognized a gap in the legal industry for a service that could deliver exceptional outcomes to both employees and customers through a hospitable, client-focused approach. Joey’s vision is summarized in his company’s motto: “We are making legal human.”
Daniel Bonner is the Director of Client Solutions of Level Legal, a Dallas-based ediscovery, managed review, and consulting company. He is known for his innovative approach to legal challenges and his diverse skill set. As a lawyer with unconventional talents—including home construction, vehicle restoration, and precision shooting—Daniel brings a unique perspective to the legal industry.
His philosophy revolves around finding creative solutions rather than adhering to traditional methods simply because “that’s how it’s always been done.” Daniel’s attention to detail, coupled with his ability to communicate efficiently with Level Legal’s clients, has made him indispensable. Clients value Daniel for his commitment to delivering innovative, consistent solutions. His proactive approach, reliability, and problem-solving skills have earned him a reputation as the “MacGyver of Level Legal.”
John Tredennick (JT@Merlin.Tech) is the CEO and founder of Merlin Search Technologies, a software company leveraging generative AI and cloud technologies to make investigation and discovery workflow faster, easier, and less expensive. Prior to founding Merlin, Tredennick had a distinguished career as a trial lawyer and litigation partner at a national law firm.
With his expertise in legal technology, he founded Catalyst in 2000, an international ediscovery technology company that was acquired in 2019 by a large public company. Tredennick regularly speaks and writes on legal technology and AI topics, and has authored eight books and dozens of articles. He has also served as Chair of the ABA’s Law Practice Management Section.