InsideLegal

ABA TECHSHOW 2010: Practical Technologies for Transforming Your Practice

The ABA's Law Practice Management (LPM) section is moving full speed ahead with TECHSHOW 2010, the 25th edition, taking place in Chicago, March 25-27th, 2010. Earlier this fall, LPM launched a new and improved conference website chock full of valuable content and new information designed to fit the 2010 theme of 'practical technologies for transforming your practice'. In addition to an ABA TECHSHOW dedicated blog, the new site includes a series of 'hot pages' designed to help legal practitioners find the answers to their legal technology questions. Based on our review, the hottest of the hot is the 'best of ABA TECHSHOW' section featuring past legal technology presentations and keynotes. Speaking of, the 2010 keynote has also just been announced. Ari Kaplan, lawyer and experienced technology and marketing author, will speak on "The New Big Bang- The Convergence of Technology and Marketing",
so make sure to schedule your trip to the Windy City in March.
  
From an exhibitors perspective, TECHSHOW is second to none when it comes to appealing to leading technology users and influencers all of which rely on TECHSHOW as their trusted source of information on legal tech products and services. The 2010 TECHSHOW Planning Board, chaired by Debbie Foster, President of InTouch Legal, is preparing an education focused conference full of networking and business development opportunities for legal vendors. LPM does a fabulous job of mixing 'business with pleasure', so in addition to the many technology sessions, and time spent on the show floor interfacing with vendors, all attendees will be able to participate in after dark activities ranging from the annual opening reception to a series of 'dine with the experts' events. TECHSHOW is also the most effective way to interact with an impressive roster of legal technologists, state bar practice management advisors (PMAs), and reputable legal bloggers and social media experts. While the complete detailed agenda is still in the works, the faculty is already in place as is the current 2010 exhibitor list. Exhibitor registration details can be found here.

InsideLegal.com is a media sponsor for ABA TECHSHOW 2010 and in this capacity will be providing InsideLegal.com readers with speaker profiles, session highlights, show statistics, media relations tips and tricks, and other information designed to help you decide if TECHSHOW is right for you and ultimately help maximize your 2010 TECHSHOW experience and exposure.

Larry Smith Named Executive Director of ALA

The Association of Legal Administrators (ALA) announced earlier this week that Larry Smith has been named its new Executive Director. In January 2010, Smith will succeed John J. Michalik, who recently announced his retirement after 15 years with the Association.

ALA President Susan French Koran, Director of Administration at Oklahoma-based Fellers Snider Blankenship Bailey & Tippens, P.C., expressed her confidence in Smith's ability to lead the Association: "Larry's experience, knowledge and familiarity with the legal industry and legal management profession as well as his strong financial background make him a perfect match to ALA's needs," Koran said.

Working with ALA's Board of Directors, Smith will oversee all aspects of the organization's operations, including its headquarters staff and 100 chapters. With more than 25 years of applicable experience in finance, management consulting, law and association management, Smith brings a strong background to ALA. Most recently, he has served for seven years as Director of the American Bar Association Law Practice Management Section, where he developed and maintains strong relationships throughout the legal profession. Smith holds a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Tennessee and a J.D. from the University of Colorado School of Law.

The official press release can be read here.

ABA Technology Survey - Two Volumes Released

The first two volumes of the 2009 ABA Legal Technology Survey Report, Technology Basics (Vol. 1) and Law Office Technology (Vol. 2), are now available for purchase.  Each survey volume is priced at $350.00 for non-members / $300.00 for ABA Members.  Survey Highlights:

• Metadata removal software is available at nearly half of respondents’ firms (46%). Large firm respondents report the highest availability (86%), with solo respondents (27%) and respondents from firms of 2-9 attorneys (31%) reporting the least availability. The brands most commonly listed were Adobe Acrobat (46%), Workshare Protect (18%), and Payne’s Metadata Assistant (14%).
• The percentage of solo respondents reporting that laptops are their primary computers decreased to 26% this year from 38% in the 2008 survey, returning to the percentage in 2007 (26%).
• Seventy-seven percent of respondents report the availability of Smartphones/BlackBerrys at their firms. Of respondents that provided brand names, the BlackBerry/RIM (64%) was cited most often followed by the iPhone at 14% then the Palm Treo (13% in 2009, down from 21% in 2008). Despite increased iPhone interest, only four percent report Mac OS as the operating system on their primary computer, roughly equivalent with 3% in the 2008.
• Windows XP is still the most frequently reported operating system for respondents’ primary computers, with nearly three-fourths of respondents (74%) indicating its use. This slight decrease reflects a similar increase in reports of Vista as the operating system on respondents’ primary computers, up to 9% from 4% in 2008).
• Overall, forty-seven percent of respondents report that online storage is available at their firms, equal to 47% in the 2008 survey but for solo respondents online storage availability increased to 48% from 34% in the 2008 survey.
• Sixteen percent of respondents report having used a web-based software or service solution/Software as a Service (SaaS), compared with 13% who reported using an online service provider in the 2008 survey. The largest increase was seen amongst solos with twenty-two percent of solo respondents (up from 14% in the 2008 survey) reporting its use.

The findings of the six volume ABA Legal Technology Survey Report will be published serially; Technology Basics (formerly Baseline and Budgets) (May), Law Office Technology (May), Litigation and Courtroom Technology (June), Web and Communication Technology (June), Online Research (July) and Mobile Lawyers (July).

ABA TECHSHOW - Free Expo Pass

ABA TECHSHOW, the annual legal technology conference put on by the Law Practice Management Section of the ABA, is setting up to kick off tomorrow at the Hilton Chicago.  If you are in the area and would like to see what it's all about, here is a free pass that will get you into the exhibit hall.  If you are exhibiting at the show, don't forget to send out the pass to your clients/prospects and invite them to visit you there.

ABA TECHSHOW Hits the Road with Local Bar Road Shows

The Law Practice Management Section of the American Bar Association has teamed up with state bar associations to present ABA TECHSHOW Road Shows.  The ABA TECHSHOW Road Shows are local versions of the ABA TECHSHOW which is held annually in Chicago (coming up April 2-4), and showcases national presenters on the most current trends and tactics related to legal technology.

The first day-long program was hosted by the Massachusetts Bar Association on February 11 at the MBA's Boston office and covered informational sessions in two concurrent tracks with topics ranging from efficiencies gained from digital dictation and the benefits of using PowerPoint in the court room to archiving client and case information in Outlook and steps to a more profitable law firm.

“We are honored to take ABA TECHSHOW on the road for the first time...,” said Adriana Linares, chair of the ABA Law Practice Management Section’s Technology Core Group (and President of technology training and consulting firm LawTech Partners), who leads the events' coordination. 

Upcoming events will be hosted by the Mississippi Bar and the State Bar of New Mexico (information is below).  Please contact the bar associations directly for information on sponsoring.

ABA TechShow Road Show at The Mississippi Bar
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Gulfport, MS

ABA TechShow Road Show at State Bar of New Mexico Annual Meeting
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Santa Fe, NM