Overlap In August: ABA Annual Meeting And ILTACON
You're sure to meet terrific and passionate lawyers and other legal professionals at these events.
Two major conferences will overlap this summer: the American Bar Association in New York City (Aug. 8-15) and the International Legal Technology Association in Las Vegas (Aug. 13-17). But don’t expect a lot of crying, because the majority of the attendees at ILTACON are in the tech weeds, and it’s still a fair guess that many ABA lawyer attendees are not very tech-savvy.
The ABA annual meeting will be headquartered at the New York Hilton Midtown, (1335 Avenue of the Americas), but the event will consume most of the nearby hotels. (Surprisingly, there are still available rooms at the Hilton Midtown.)
The annual meeting will include 31 ABA “section” events, plus meetings of other groups, such as the ABA’s House of Delegates. If you need CLE you can choose from about a zillion options. (See here.) I assume there will be the usual mostly-tech Exhibit Hall, but I couldn’t find any info about it online.
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Note: Sadly, it’s too late for to join the GPSolo group to see the Boston Red Sox v. NY Yankees at Yankee Stadium, including food. It was first come, first served, and it’s sold out. : (
ILTACON
ILTACON (aka ILTA’s annual conference) may not require multiple hotels, but it is also a massive event for the tech teams throughout legal. It will be held at the Mandalay Bay complex in Vegas.
If you are new to ILTA, it describes itself as a “volunteer-led, staff-managed association with a focus on premiership.” [Hmmm…. Google says premiership is “the office or position of a prime minister or other head of government,” but that’s probably not how ILTA defines the word.] Anyway, to continue: “We aim to educate you and connect you with your peers to support your work in the legal sector,” says ILTA. “While we have a strong focus on technology, our offerings support professionals of every stripe in law firms and corporate/government legal operations.”
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As ILTA has grown over 40 years, it has adapted its agendas to address the ever-changing legal technology issues. ILTA serves just about every kind of legal shop.
“ILTA’s international membership comprises firms and law departments of all sizes and all areas of practice, each sharing a common need to have access to the latest information about products and support services that impact the legal profession worldwide. We are entity-based, so that any employee of a member organization can participate at no additional cost,” its leadership says.
But this year’s ILTACON will have a dramatic change this year: The ILTA leadership no longer is three women. Executive Director Randi Mayes, announced her retirement last year, and in April 2017, Dan Liutikas was selected as lead ILTA, with a new title: CEO. Liutikas is based in Chicago, and previously was Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary at CompTIA. Staying is other positions are Peggy Wechsler (Program Director) and TJ Johnson (Program Director, Conferences).
Q&A WITH TJ JOHNSON
MB: This is the 40th ILTACON. What is your overview?
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TJJ: We’ll look back on how ILTA anticipated the needs of members through the decades, providing valuable connections and education ahead of the changes. We will look forward with a new CEO and new plan, and details will be revealed at ILTACON.
MB: It’s back to Vegas, at the Mandalay Bay. What may surprise attendees?
TJJ: The Mandalay Bay will seem at first like a big hotel, but once you get to the “ILTA oasis” area, you’ll be “all ILTA, all the time.” The opening reception is at The Mandalay Bay Beach — we’ll feel the sand in our toes and enjoy the wave pool while we reconnect with people we haven’t seen for a year.
MB: How many panels will you have in 2017?
TJJ: We have more than 170 educational sessions with panels, workshops, case studies and experts.
MB: Any tips about the keynotes?
TJJ: Pablos Holman is not a futurist or educator; he’s a hacker. He will discuss breaking and building new technologies, to lead to solve world problems. He will help us to think of legal organization challenges and business issues differently.
MB: Top 4 topics this year?
TJJ: Here are some of this year’s hot topics:
• Call it AI or cognitive computing, we have sessions that cover key misconceptions and how these technologies are really being used in the business of law.
• Leadership: The biggest challenge facing our members in their organizations is how to lead through changes—and prepare for the ever-changing workforce.
• Innovation and business process improvement are all about helping move the business forward.
• Of course, cybersecurity is on everyone’s mind.
MB: What’s the theme for the Exhibit Hall?
TJJ: The Opening Reception theme is “ILTA’s Vendor Galaxy.” We expect to see booths decorated with the likes of Jetsons, Apollo 13, and Guardians of the Galaxy.
MB: How many sponsors? How may new sponsors?
TJJ: 206 exhibiting companies, 35 for the first time.
MG: Any new trends you see?
TJJ: Big changes in technology roles in law firms. I’ve seen 20 registrants (so far) with “innovation” in their title, most either Chief Innovation Partner or Directors of Practice and Innovation.
Other titles:
Director of Applications Development and Business Process.
Director of Business Development Technology.
Director of Client Technology.
Director of Customer Experience.
Director of Data Management.
Director of Knowledge Managment & Process Improvement.
CIO/Director of Information Systems & Strategy.
EAST OR WEST
Whether you attend either—or both—of the conferences, you are sure to meet terrific and passionate lawyers and other legal professionals, and you’ll probably see some fascinating new tech. And New York City and Vegas offer fun, too!
Monica Bay is a Fellow at CodeX: The Stanford Center for Legal Informatics and a freelance writer for Above The Law and other media. She co-hosts Law Technology Now (Legal Talk Network) and is a member of the California Bar. Monica can frequently be found at Yankee Stadium. Email: monicabay1@gmail.com. Twitter: @MonicaBay.
