Ticker News: Data Transparency and the Future of Legal Tech

Denise Farmer, General Manager of Clio APAC, joined Mike Loder at Ticker News to unpack the findings of Clio’s latest report, The State of Legal Tech Data Insights, shedding light on the growing data lock-in crisis affecting Australian law firms.

Denise outlined how data withholding practices are impacting legal practices across the country and why transparency and best-practice standards in legal tech are now more critical than ever, noting that 71% of Australian law firms have had their data withheld or delayed by a software vendor.

She also drew attention to the significant financial burden created by vendor lock-in, pointing to the average $24,861 extraction fee many firms are charged and the $59 million in annual costs this equates to across the sector. These figures place unnecessary strain on firms and actively discourage them from moving to better, more modern systems.

Beyond the financial impact, the interview explored the broader consequences of restrictive data practices. Denise highlighted how data lock-in erodes trust, stifles innovation, and limits a firm’s ability to adopt emerging technologies like AI—technologies that are already reshaping how legal work is done.

Watch the full interview below.