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What’s The Big News at ABA TECHSHOW^® This Year?

Bruce Olson: We’re presenting something completely new called the TECHSHOW Training Institute. It will be held on Saturday afternoon, offering intensive hands-on training in many of the actual products attendees will see demonstrated during the first two days of the show. There are a total of 10 training sessions available, each running 90 minutes. We encourage attendees to bring their laptops. And they can purchase the software for the sessions at a special show discount, too. Vendors will provide experienced trainers, with assistance from show faculty, to help you immediately put into practice some of the things that tickle your fancy during the show.

Dennis Kennedy: Litigation technology is the hottest area in legal technology and lawyers may be surprised at the number of powerful options available. The impact of the power, speed and storage of today’s hardware has made realistic options out of what people still may think of as ideas or wishes. In other words, attendees may find themselves looking at something that would have an amazing impact on their practices.

Sharon Nelson: The expansion of wireless networks through the legal profession and the explosion of electronic discovery.

Dan Pinnington: While not formally keynote sessions, the 60 Tips in 90 Minutes and 60 Sites in 60 Minutes presentations are always among the best attended sessions for the simple reason that they are always full of excellent information and tips.

ABA TECHSHOW’s keynote speakers are always interesting. Who’s on the 2004 slate?

Olson: The presidents of LexisNexis North America and West—Lou Andreozzi and Michael Wilens, respectively—have agreed to a joint appearance as our keynote speakers on Thursday, the first day of TECHSHOW. They will share their respective visions of how technology will impact the practice of law over the next five years. It’s going to be a don’t-miss-it look into the future! The keynote will be a plenary session at the end of the day, followed immediately by a cocktail reception in the Exhibit Hall. The speakers have agreed to join us there to meet and greet our attendees.

What’s the hot buzz in law office technology at this year’s show?

Olson: It’s wireless technology from top to bottom. TECHSHOW 2004 will have a special emphasis on wireless, and we’re even offering wireless Internet access throughout the Sheraton ballrooms during the show. On Friday, an entire track is being devoted to a wide array of wireless issues.

Kennedy: Wireless, security, cheap storage, and integration of email and other data sources into document management. Also, keep an eye out for Tablet PCs and Microsoft OneNote.

Pinnington: I agree with Dennis. Security and privacy (or the lack thereof) are big. Everyone is excited about wireless, and those in the know are deathly afraid of its lack of security. All the litigators are trying to figure out electronic document discovery - and are a gaining an appreciation that understanding some basic technology can help with this task.

Nelson: I can't disagree: wireless networks are everywhere. I would add that anything USB is hot as well.

Anything else we ought to be looking forward to?

Olson: You bet! We’re really excited about the special joint track that we’ve developed with the ABA Section of Real Property, Probate and Trust Law (RPPT). The overall focus will be on the “Electronic Transaction from A-Z,” and RPPT has charted a day’s worth of excellent programming featuring speakers from their section. We’re hoping this partnering arrangement will serve as a model for future shows, offering different Sections of the ABA a chance to participate with us on a rotating basis. In addition, as ever, a wide variety of legal technology vendors will be there to show their latest and greatest developments.

Kennedy: Star power. We have quite a lineup of well-known and popular speakers. I’m looking forward to hearing and meeting the speakers we have. The TECHSHOW Training Institutes offer some great opportunities for attendees wanting hands-on training and personal attention. It’s also possible that in a few years we will look back at the Lexis/WestLaw joint keynote program as being a seminal event in 21st century legal technology.

What's the most essential law office technology is (and why):

Kennedy: Windows Update. Seriously, though, security concerns almost outweigh all other considerations these days and attendees will learn enough to be part of the security solution, not part of the security problem. Let me add that the laptop computer (or Tablet PC) is probably the most essential technology for practicing lawyers today.

Pinnington: Practice management software. There is no better tool for supercharging you and your practice. These products have matured into incredible full-featured tools that gather in one place all the information you need to handle your files and run your practice. They will make you more efficient and profitable, and can help you avoid malpractice claims.

Nelson: I hate to be so agreeable, but case management (to avoid the dreaded M word - Malpractice and to achieve efficiency) and proper security are absolutely essential.

What is the must-see sessions will be (and why):

Olson: An entire day of the Litigation Track is being devoted to e-discovery issues, and the second day of the track will have a hands-on focus on demonstrative evidence. Also, everyone will be glad to know that one of TECHSHOW’s most popular speakers will be back to give us his latest tips in the session “Craig Ball on PowerPoint.” And there will be two full days of practical sessions specifically for lawyers who practice solo or work in small firms. E-mail management, security strategies, technology-based marketing, and a number of sessions providing legal ethics credits will also be offered. There’s something for everyone. Even the deeply techie will want to watch the presentations on A.I. by members of the International Association for Artificial Intelligence.

Kennedy: There are too many to name—we have a who’s who list of speakers. The keynote is a must. I’m looking forward to Craig Ball sharing his PowerPoint secrets, John Alber talking about what Bryan Cave has done on extranets, Ernie the Attorney, Larry Bodine and Rick Klau on marketing, and Donna Payne on Microsoft Office 2003, among others. There’s a lot of content here.

Nelson: Craig Ball on PowerPoint (it is always magic), Electronic Evidence Toolkit (over 20 helpful forms are included in the toolkit), Zubulake and Beyond (because cost shifting in electronic discovery has undergone such major changes); The Lawyer's Guide to Adobe Acrobat (because most lawyers can barely scratch the surface of its abilities) and all the Wireless sessions (because wireless will be omnipresent in the near future)

Pinnington: The Practice Management Software Face-off session is a must see. This session will feature a live side-by-side demonstration of how Amicus Attorney and TimeMatters complete four common sets of file related tasks.

The most valuable thing I ever learned at ABA TECHSHOW was:

Kennedy: There really are many others who have the same passion and interest in legal technology as I have and that they are as helpful and accessible a group of people as you would ever hope to meet. TECHSHOW is at least as much a people event as it is a tech event. If you want to meet, say hello, or talk with me or any other speaker, look for the badges with the ribbon and introduce yourself.

Pinnington: The names and phone numbers of like-minded attendees who were struggling with many of the same legal technology issues I was. These people have become an invaluable resource for me.

Nelson: How to scrub metadata from documents so that it couldn't bite me in the rear later. How even excellent security can be breached by someone smart and determined enough, requiring constant vigilance against new vulnerabilities.

Please add any other useful comments you have:

Kennedy: Don’t be afraid to overdo it—take in as many sessions and events as you can – you can rest when you get back home.

Pinnington: The wealth of information in the TECHSHOW materials can't be overstated. You would pay technology consultants thousands of dollars to get the same content and information.

The Top Ten reasons you have to come to ABA TECHSHOW 2004:

1. Excellent speakers and great content with a specific focus on the needs of practicing attorneys.
2. Opportunity to see demos and ask specific questions about technology you are considering.
3. Ability to meet and talk with many of the experts whose articles and posting you have read over the years and finding that they are friendly, accessible and helpful.
4. Finding others with the same passion and interest about improving their practices through technology as you have.
5. Getting more useful information and ideas in a short time than you could ever imagine.
6. There is no better way to OD on legal technology.
7. To learn from the best of the best.
8. To learn from fellow speakers and attendees, how much more you still have to learn.
9. To have great accessibility to the speakers
10. To learn from a conference that is not vendor driven, where sessions are taught, not pitched.