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Technology for the Litigator Committee

Mission

 

The Technology for the Litigator Committee is one of the 40 practice groups open to all members of the American Bar Association's Section of Litigation. Joining the committee entitles a member to a number of benefits (see list below). The committee's leadership of experienced litigators is dedicated to helping litigators benefit from technology in both their practices and their every day lives.

To accomplish this goal, the committee provides its members with these benefits:

• Regular email and webpage updates on new technologies, including what is available and how it can be used cost-effectively and legal issues affecting, or affected by, technology ranging from electronic discovery to evidentiary issues to courtroom techniques
• networking opportunities with leading practitioners

Whether you want to receive email updates, to learn from and network with top litigators, or to contribute to our programs and content production, or all of the above, join us. Section of Litigation members may join up to three committees at no charge.

To join, you must first be a member of the ABA and also a member of the ABA Section of Litigation.

Announcements

Upcoming Events

On January 31, 2012, the ABA Section of Science and Technology Law will offer the 1.5-hour webinar/teleconference “Hot Topics in E-Privacy: The Impact of the Facebook and Google FTC Settlement.”

On February 14, 2012, the ABA Section of Dispute Resolution will offer the webinar/teleconference “Should You Negotiate by E-Mail? Insights Learned from Behavioral Science [PDF].” The number of CLE hours has yet to be determined.

On February 27, 2012, the ABA CLE Premier Speaker Series will offer the 1.5-hour webinar/teleconference “General Counsel: Principled Advisor to Management and the Directors.”

For those in the Washington, D.C., area who want some insight into judicial policy, visit the National Conference of State Trial Judges at its meeting held May 3–6, 2012, at the National Harbor in Maryland. Not all meetings will be public.

On May 18, 2012, the ABA Section of Litigation will offer the live seminar “E-Discovery 2012” in New York, New York, for 7.5 hours of CLE.

Of course, do not forget the ABA Annual Meeting, held in Chicago, Illinois, August 2–7, 2012, where you will find a wealth of CLE programs and informational meetings that fit your practice.

Seeking Contributors

The Technology for the Litigator Committee is looking for authors for articles about technology and related cases. Contact one of the editors (see below) for more information.

Message from the Chairs

 

On behalf of the Technology for the Litigator committee, we would like to welcome you to our committee website.

We are excited to have started the year out strong with the addition of a new, third committee chair, John Hutchins, who joins our committee leadership after serving as chair of Intellectual Property Litigation for three years. It's great to have a third pair of eyes on the ball in what promises to be a year of growth and challenge for our committee.

The biggest news of the year so far is that our committee has been selected to participate in the AP (Advanced Planning) Leadership program. AP Leadership is an invitation-only program that chooses a few select committees every year in which to invest. The goal is to bring the AP Leadership's expertise to bear in helping committees achieve the "next level" of member benefits. It is the goal of every committee within the Section to provide a high level of member benefits and become a first stop for members who are seeking to grow their knowledge, increase the quality and size of their network, and develop professionally. Our committee is no exception. Although our focus is not limited to any particular substantive area, we realize that technology is an important part of every litigator's practice, and we want to grow into an invaluable resource for our members. AP Leadership will help us zero in on benefits we can add or improve to help us achieve our overall goals and implement the elements of our three-year plan.

We'll continue to publish high-quality newsletters throughout the year, and we are in the process of significantly improving the content available through this website. We will kick off a new "round tables" program in 2012 by sponsoring and organizing in-person gatherings in cities throughout the country where attorneys can discuss the latest in litigation technology and related services and also help our members expand their social network. We'll also be building our social media presence to make for easier communication to and among our members. We've also been selected to sponsor and present a program at the Section Annual Conference in Washington, D.C. in April.

Those are just a few highlights. There is a lot going on in our committee, and we want to encourage you to become an active member. Please reach out to any of us if you would like to increase your level of involvement, or if you have any great ideas about member benefits we could offer.

Thanks again for visiting our website.

Elizabeth Shirley (bshirley@burr.com)
John Hutchins (john.hutchins@troutmansanders.com)
Richard Stockton (rstockton@bannerwitcoff.com)

Chairs, Technology for the Litigator Committee

Subcommittees

 

Subcommittee Descriptions

 

Newsletter Subcommittee

The Newsletter Subcommittee is responsible for publishing Digital Matters, the official newsletter of the Technology for the Litigator committee. The Subcommittee publishes a themed issue of Digital Matters at least once annually, and sometimes more frequently depending on the amount of new content available that relates to the theme for a particular issue.

New Products Subcommittee

The New Products subcommittee seeks to assist members in identifying and using new technologies to improve their practice. This subcommittee also focuses upon legal and other issues relaing to new technologies in litigation.

Membership & Diversity Subcommittee

The Membership & Diversity Subcommittee serves an important role in maintaining the standards of membership for the Technology for the Litigator Committee and is responsible for identifying and recommending lawyers for invitation to membership.

Trial Practice/Courtroom Technology Subcommittee

The Trial Practice/Courtroom Technology subcommittee is focused on the uses of technology in the courtroom. The committee will be researching the best practices and uses of trial and case management software, presentation software, new and emerging technologies, and the legal issues affecting technology in a court environment.

Programs Subcommittee

The Programs Subcommittee does the following:

1. Provides or solicits at least two program proposals for the Litigation Section Annual Meeting and the ABA Annual Meeting.
2. Confirms that all submission dates for any selected programs are met.
3. Arranges the Breakfast meetings for the annual meetings.
4. Assists in marketing the Breakfast meetings at the Litigation Section Annual Meeting and the ABA Annual Meetings.

Website Subcommittee

The Website Subcommittee is responsible for the providing and updating the content of the Committee's website. The website content is developed by collecting and distributing articles and other submissions from the other subcommittees, as well as from other sources that would be of interest to the members of the committee.