Two Global Thought-leadership Powerhouses Join Forces!
Digital Leaders Exchange
[at] Liquid Legal Institute
Digital Legal Exchange (DLEx) to join Liquid Legal Institute (LLI)
LLI to Expand Scope with DLEx continuing as the Digital Leaders Exchange [at] LLI
LLI and DLEx, the world’s two leading legal transformation think tanks, are joining forces under the LLI name. Effective 1 April 2025, DLEx will operate within LLI as a curated legal executive forum, the Digital Leaders Exchange [at] Liquid Legal Institute (DLE [at] LLI), led by Chairman Bill Deckelman and Chairman Emeritus Mark A. Cohen.
This strategic union reflects LLI’s and DLEx’s common goals, methods, numerous corporate dual members, and past collaborations. Both focus on applied research, community building, and practical solutions. Each navigates challenges and seizes opportunities to enhance the legal function’s ability to drive business, end-user, and societal value. The decision recognizes the shared global challenges that LLI and DLEx address and the need for broader perspectives and member representation. Both leadership teams believe their objectives and members are best served by joining forces.
Member benefits will include expanded community, scholarship, and live and virtual events, drawing on each group’s world-class panel of experts. DLEx entity members can now engage more of their colleagues in a wide range of LLI transformation activities appropriate to their level and role. The combination has an incomparable substantive and geographic scope. The 1,500+ combined membership includes 140+ leading multi-national corporations, organizations, institutions, and agencies at an entity or individual level, representing all major economic sectors across 20+ countries. This deepens the partners’ research, initiatives, advocacy and publishing capabilities, boosts their convening power and creates a formidable content partner for conferences, symposia and corporate events.
DLE@LLI will continue to promote candid, robust exchanges on timely topics through DLEx’s signature Salons —invitation-only virtual events for GCs and senior innovation leaders. Michele DeStefano will continue as lead Faculty Advisor. Current DLEx members will automatically become LLI members through 2025. Entity members can participate in all LLI activities throughout their organizations. A dedicated DLE Executive Office, led by dual member Robert Dilworth, will ensure a smooth transition and support DLE activities.
Head of the Executive Forum
Bill Deckelman
Mark A. Cohen
LLI Board Sponsors
Dr. Dierk Schindler
Kai Jacob
Initial joint projects and events include:
- book publication [9 May] – Liquid Legal – Sustaining the Rule of Law, including contributions by numerous LLI and DLEx members
- featured content at Legal Tech Talk 2025 (London, 26 – 27 June) and Liquid Legal Summit 2025 (Düsseldorf, 7-8 July), a private GC meeting and dinner on the margin of these events
- publishing a collaborative, multi-chapter white paper on GenAI-era legal sector talent.
DLE Supporting Structure
Executive Office
Robert Dilworth
Carolynn Dilworth
Head Faculty Advisor
Michele DeStefano
LLI Office
Markus Englmeier
Note to media
For more information of interview with LLI and DLE executives, contact: r.dilworth@liquid-legal-institute.org
About Liquid Legal Institute (LLI):
LLI, founded in 2018, is an international think tank devoted to legal transformation. Members represent the entire legal sector and those touching it, from legal departments and law firms to legal tech companies, LPOs and other novel service providers in the legal market, as well as education, justice, government, and administration. “Liquid” evokes the fluid, adaptable approach that members want to bring to the legal system, 21st-century legal practice, the delivery of legal services and the administration of justice. LLI has published more than 20 whitepapers, many GitBooks and four bound editions published by Springer. The latest book, published [9 May] 2025, is Liquid Legal: Sustaining the Rule of Law – Artificial Intelligence, E-Justice and the Cloud.
About Digital Legal Exchange (DLEx):
DLEx, founded in 2018, is a global, non-profit, independent membership forum for general counsels, their business colleagues, senior innovation leaders, and select external counsels, consultants and academicians. They unite to accelerate the digital transformation of the corporate legal function. “Digital” evokes the digital core and mindset that business and legal professionals must have to achieve their goals and flourish in a world faced with tectonic shifts. Its foundation is an honest and open discussion between legal and business. Combining the two generates value for the legal function, the enterprise, and its customers. Members share common challenges, ideas, case studies, and best practices on digital transformation in a safe forum. Its events and Faculty of global experts provide members with unique insights.
About LLI + DLEx
Our 1,500+ members represent 140+ companies, organizations, institutions and agencies. We include all major industry sectors in 20+ countries across 5 continents. Members include leading North American, European and Asian public companies, prominent academicians, leading global and regional law firms, other legal sector service providers, private individuals and other stakeholders. They are multigenerational and interdisciplinary, spanning the talent lifecycle from students through entrepreneurs, consultants, innovation leaders, C-suite executives, law partners and general counsels. They are united by their commitment to transforming the legal services sector for an age of AI ubiquity and data-centricity.