Derek Southall, Founder and CEO of Hyperscale Group, is a leader in the legal technology, innovation, knowledge management, and digital marketplaces, and was recently described as the “doyen of legal IT and innovation.” Southall has spent nearly 25 years in a range of leading strategic roles for a top 50 global law firm. He spent most of this time serving as a Partner and Head of Strategic Development and subsequently as Head of Digital and Innovation. During this period, Southall helped drive growth from £27 million turnover to in excess of £425 million turnover as well as driving and supporting numerous mergers and international expansion to 18 offices in 10 countries.
Southall was ranked by the Financial Times as one of the top three most innovative lawyers in the U.K. in its first study into the legal market. He led the firm’s technology team, which was ranked by the Financial Times as the most innovative in Europe. The firm itself was named by the Financial Times as the second-most innovative firm in Europe, and has picked up a range of other awards.