This week’s ILTA conference in National Harbor presents a fascinating opportunity to see the the side of the business of law usually buried in the server racks. Law firm tech professionals, Biglaw partners tasked with technology purchasing, vendors, and more descended on the convention site to discuss the latest trends and products designed to advance the practice of law (and, regrettably, to dress up). It’s a great conference and puts on display how much thought and energy is going into solving the big obstacles facing every practice from litigation to M&A.
But there’s one technology they really didn’t welcome at ILTACON:
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Take that biggest game in the country! And I’ll tell you, this informal hunt got serious. I snapped a quick shot:
Look, I appreciate the sentiment that attendees should listen to speakers, but this is a legal technology conference so let’s face the realities of the last 20 years of advancement: no one is going offline to devote complete attention to an hour long presentation. There are emails to answer, spreadsheets to approve; Yammers and Slackers and Gerjigglies to improve! While I typed that sentence a new business communication app with a ridiculous name was probably invented.
Of course it’s a little more acceptable to lose attention to work issues than the Magikarp littering the Potomac. But what do they care? If I’m jamming my keypad to respond to an irate partner or swiping to catch something doesn’t really change the distraction level.
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Instead of calling out the poor trainers out there, let’s just all endeavor to not be disrespectful to the speakers regardless of why we’re tapping on our devices.
Joe Patrice is an editor at Above the Law and co-host of Thinking Like A Lawyer. Feel free to email any tips, questions, or comments. Follow him on Twitter if you’re interested in law, politics, and a healthy dose of college sports news.