ABA Techshow 2010

Techshow, the ABA Law Practice Management section's annual legal technology conference, is one of my favorite conferences to attend every year, and this year was no exception.

The Techshow experience started early this year, with Ignite Law, an event sponsored and hosted and produced by Matt Homann of LexThink and Joanna Forshee of Inside Legal. The event featured 16 speakers doing 6 minute presentations apiece on the future of law practice (although I think Tom Mighell's presentation was actually 10 minutes squeezed into 6 because he talks double-speed - perhaps that is because he's used to listening to podcasts on double speed).

Unfortunately, I was late for Ignite Law because my plane arrived shortly before the start time. Luckily, the entire event was recorded, and you can see each of the presentations in full on video at the Ignite Law site. If you want to learn more, check out the ABA Journal's coverage of Ignite Law, which also references additional links.

Although the whole event was great, some of my favorites from the Ignite Law evening were:

Larry Port (of Rocket Matter)'s presentation on the importance of project management for lawyers

Tom Mighell, who reminded us that law school doesn't prepare lawyers well for the practice and suggested a model more like medical school, along with actual education (and bar exam testing) on practice management skills/issues.

Carolyn Elefant's discussion of innovation and how small firms can compete with big firms.

Doug Sorocco discussing slaying the "beast" mentality - (although I wholeheartedly disagree that all consultants are useless).

Clio's Jack Newton, who told us that everything we need to know we can learn from Zappos and reminded us about having a service culture.

After Ignite Law, it was on to the conference itself, which will be covered in my next post.

Comments

[Lyla Burns]

My husband is a business owner and he loves to go to conferences every year like you do. The conferences are what helped him to use outsourced bookkeeping services. http://www.ignitespot.com/ It was one of the best thing he has done for his company.

[Allison C. Shields]

Of course lawyers need to work hard, focus on their clients' interests and conduct themselves with integrity and dignity. Those are non-negotiables that should be expected of every lawyer, in every law firm. But the Ignite Law event was not meant to be a discussion of the basics that all lawyers must follow - it was meant to be a discussion of the future of the practice, of innovation and technology.

While some in the audience (both the 'virtual' audience viewing only the online videos and the actual audience present at the event) may have been familiar with some of the concepts or practices discussed by the presenters, many of the concepts or practices presented are not widely accepted or implemented by lawyers, and bore repeating.

[Douglas Sorocco]

Thanks Allison! My consultant comment was a bit tongue in cheek for Homann's benefit. I know our firm has worked with some incredible folks - some like LindaHazelton have become very dear friends.

So - take it with a grain of salt - I was second to the last and my job was to play warmup (and wake everyone up) for Ernie - the main act.

Thanks again for the mention!

[Fergus O'Rourke]

Have you any reaction to Scott Greenfield's rather different "take" on the event at http://short.ie/huck ?

[Eric]

Zappos is the ne plus ultra for customer service. Great link.