The Negotiation Dojo: Deal-Making Martial Arts for the AI Era
In an era of AI disruption, negotiation fundamentals don't become obsolete. They become essential.
AI is changing everything, but here is what the disruption narrative misses: the art of deal-making — leverage, discipline, preparation, staying strategically calm and focused — has never been more important. The more sophisticated the nature of modern deal-making and legal work, the more fundamentals become your competitive advantage. A reality I have lived in my experiences as a practising technology lawyer and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu practitioner that inspired this session.
The Negotiation Dojo is a training session unlike any other — drawing on martial arts principles to help you build a repeatable system for negotiation success. On the martial arts mat and as at the negotiation table — fundamentals never lie.
Key Takeaways:
Master the negotiation fundamentals — staying calm under pressure, strategic use of silence and questions, 'mirroring' and using leverage to your advantage.
Navigate information asymmetry in AI / technology contracts — simplifying complex deal details into clear, compelling arguments.
Define and refine your negotiation style — leverage your strengths, control your weaknesses and own your approach. No one can negotiate like you. Let's give the opposing side on your next deal a reason to remember that.
This session is part of LegalTechTalk 2026, Europe’s Event for Legal Transformation. A dynamic, annual in-person festival bringing together 5,500+ attendees from 75+ countries and over 400 industry-leading speakers across two days, on 17-18 June 2026 at InterContinental London - The O2.