Summary
In Episode 10 of the AAAi Podcast, Clearbrief Founder and CEO Jacqueline Schafer returns—not just as a guest, but as a strategic partner to the American Arbitration Association® (AAA®). What began as a conversation during Episode 3 evolved into a real-world collaboration that’s reshaping how arbitrators work. This episode offers a firsthand look at how ideas turn into impact and how innovation, when grounded in trust and utility, can transform an industry.
Key Takeaways
1. The Podcast Was the Pilot
One year ago, Jacqueline Schafer joined the AAAi Podcast to discuss Clearbrief’s vision. Today, Clearbrief is a strategic partner to the AAA. That evolution—from early-stage insight to essential infrastructure—reflects how the AAA uses this platform not just to highlight trends, but to explore and act on them. The AAAi Podcast serves to highlight new industry ideas and provide a window into the organization's commitment to real-time innovation.
2. From Skeptics to Superusers
Clearbrief didn’t expect immediate buy-in. Instead, the team designed with purpose—embedding directly within Word to align with how arbitrators already work. Clickable citations, hyperlinked pleadings, and a clean, intuitive interface made the difference. As Jacqueline put it, “The quality of the arbitration award that you write is what's going to build your reputation in this industry.”
The lesson: build tools that elevate professionals by meeting them where they are.
3. Redefining the Best
Today’s most in-demand arbitrators aren’t just experienced—they’re efficient, thoughtful, and tech-enabled. As Bridget McCormack noted, “If parties can select an arbitrator who uses Clearbrief to reduce drafting time and reallocate that time toward strategy and decision-making—why wouldn’t they?” In an environment where clarity and speed are increasingly valued, precision may matter more than pedigree.
Final Thought: A Podcast with Impact
This episode illustrates that legal innovation doesn’t have to be hypothetical. The partnership between Clearbrief and the AAA offers a model for how thoughtful tech adoption can empower professionals—and it all began with a single podcast conversation.
Transcript
Below is the full transcript of Episode 10 of the AAAi Podcast.
Bridget McCormack: Welcome to the AAAI Podcast. I'm Bridget McCormick, the CEO and President of the American Arbitration Association.
Zach Abramowitz: And I'm Zach Abramowitz, founder of Killer Whale Strategies and Investor in Disruptive Legal Startups. The AAAI Podcast tells the story of the American Arbitration Association's AI journey. We discuss emerging trends in artificial intelligence with movers and shakers inside AAA, as well as with key influencers in the broader legal AI ecosystem.
Zach Abramowitz: Been a year, we have one repeat guest from last year's Legal Week podcast. It's
Bridget McCormack: the best guest ever.
Zach Abramowitz: Best guest ever. But I think this is super exciting, looking back, over the course of a year, not just because, you know how much the AAA has done and how much Jackie has done...
Jaqueline Schafer: It's changing lives.
Zach Abramowitz: It's changing lives. That’s the mission of a podcast, the AAAI podcast. Changing lives. Yes. Love it.
Jaqueline Schafer: New slogan.
Zach Abramowitz: Jackie, it's been a year. Tell us about what's transpired since our last podcast and how you're working with the AAA.
Jaqueline Schafer: Yes. it has been an incredible year for Clearbrief and also yes, for really learning how to work with the most, sophisticated customers and law firms in the world...
Bridget McCormack: For us, the pilot is a great way to ease the stakeholders into the future...
Jaqueline Schafer: completely agree.
Bridget McCormack: So, the pilot really served a great purpose for us...
Bridget McCormack: So, it's right. And its real value add for the AAA, it's unbelievable.
Zach Abramowitz: and for the arbitrator, it also. Get the sense that the AAA cares about us.
Bridget McCormack: Oh yes. In other words. Yes. Yes. We want to give you the tools to make you know your practice better.
Zach Abramowitz: And to your point about being ready to partner with her...
Bridget McCormack: Are you saying you want to go?
Zach Abramowitz: So, my point being that I think that it's so critical when you're thinking about who to partner with...
Jaqueline Schafer: Yes. So, for my, my practice of my career mostly was in, appellate advocacy...
Bridget McCormack: And not only that, if you make a mistake and it's a mistake that causes a party to be able to challenge the award in court...
Jaqueline Schafer: and another thing that I think we learned from the work with courts is that they really want to see the case law automatically displayed...
Jaqueline Schafer: You have to warm people up with how about we just fix your citation mistakes?...
Jaqueline Schafer: So, it can be easily checked. It can be easily reviewed...
Zach Abramowitz: Yes, and it's you talked about Word, you talked about Lexis...
Jaqueline Schafer: I do a lot of listening and I still as the CEO and the product leader I am...
Zach Abramowitz: Generative AI isn't always great at the easy admin stuff.
Jaqueline Schafer: Exactly.
Zach Abramowitz: That's a total misnomer...
Jaqueline Schafer: Where you need consistency above all else, and accuracy so...
Jaqueline Schafer: Yes.
Bridget McCormack: What people wanted. Yes.
Zach Abramowitz: What you were talking before about the best arbitrators...
Bridget McCormack: we've seen that replicated over and over again in every study though...
Zach Abramowitz: I think not only that, but my point is even like a step further...
Bridget McCormack: Yes. If they're not able to if they don't understand,
Zach Abramowitz: if they don't have the AI,
Bridget McCormack: agree.
Zach Abramowitz: Yes. And that and that's where we're going is like the quote unquote. Best...
Jaqueline Schafer: I think so. Yes. I do think we're just seeing this period of transition...
Jaqueline Schafer: I think also for arbitrators. Yes...
Bridget McCormack: and for parties that are paying arbitrators by the hour the, if they can choose an arbitrator who can use Clearbrief...
Zach Abramowitz: absolutely. It’s like a
Bridget McCormack: no-brainer.
Zach Abramowitz: And the arbitrators that I've spoken to, they're not that point about I don't want to decrease my billable hours...
Bridget McCormack: they're doing it because it's like a critical part of the rule of law infrastructure...
Zach Abramowitz: but they don't care.
Zach Abramowitz: What I think they don't care about is I was able to go 10 hours on this...
Bridget McCormack: the work that a first year associate would've done for them at their firm.
Zach Abramowitz: Yes. They're happy not to have to do that...
Jaqueline Schafer: yes, I think it is interesting. As I've learned more about the business of arbitration...
Jaqueline Schafer: When they're an arbitrator, it's totally different...
Jaqueline Schafer: The AAA is the leader and the authority here...
Bridget McCormack: Do we have a badge, a Clearbrief Academy, AAA badge?
Jaqueline Schafer: We do. Okay, good...
Bridget McCormack: I think it's good gamification. Yes.
Jaqueline Schafer: And on that point, so signalling that you have the expertise...
Jaqueline Schafer: Yep. So, they get a chance to learn to use technology and there's an incentive...
Bridget McCormack: It's also, frankly, arbitration records, like litigation records have just gotten more and more massive over the years.
Bridget McCormack: And so, there's so many documents...
Jaqueline Schafer: it's intense.
Bridget McCormack: The use of your time, it's intense and not a good use of your time anymore...
Bridget McCormack: I met a guy at Howard D's event last week, who's an arbitrator in Hong Kong's
Zach Abramowitz: Howard Chao at Doon Insights
Bridget McCormack: Doon Insights. Sorry. I know,
Zach Abramowitz: but I've called him Howard Dunan before also.
Bridget McCormack: Sorry. Howard Chao at Doon Insights...
Zach Abramowitz: he doesn't have many more
Zach Abramowitz: he's left the firm. Yes. Yes.
Jaqueline Schafer: Okay. I have a kind of an interesting topic related to that...
Zach Abramowitz: It's that next level of being able to not just do the things that you've been doing up until now faster...
Jaqueline Schafer: Okay. That, so that was my question there. Sorry. Yes...
Bridget McCormack: it absolutely can. I don't see how it can't, yes.
Zach Abramowitz: And especially the concept of an arbitration...
Zach Abramowitz: What I wanted to we were talking about before about we've, the arbitrator's using it now...
Bridget McCormack: Operating system.
Zach Abramowitz: Operating system and the point of that talk was...
Bridget McCormack: If we can fix the potholes in the road then the lawyers can actually run? Yes. So, I love it. It's my idea. Yes. And you're helping me.
Jaqueline Schafer: Great analogy.
Bridget McCormack: Yes. Yes. Yes.
Zach Abramowitz: Jackie, I look forward to talking with you...
Bridget McCormack: and everything else you have done this year. Amazing year for you guys.
Jaqueline Schafer: Thank you. Thank you so much. It's been an incredible experience working with the AAA...
Bridget McCormack: I agree.