The 2020 US Emerging Legal Technology Forum Accelerating Innovation Across the Profession

Much has been said about the practical and ethical motivations behind the duty of technology competence for lawyers. Now, more than ever, clients expect legal counsel to demonstrate proficiency across a wide swath of technologies capable of transforming legal practice and offering greater overall value to a matter. Yet, for all the talk of duty and expectations, less attention is paid to how law firms and corporates actually train their legal talent, whether at the associate or partner level. This opening session examines some of the most successful tech-focused professional development initiatives in law firms and corporate legal departments today. Our panel will explore what strategies have—or have not—proven successful while operating in a highly competitive market.

For an industry notoriously risk-averse, “failing” can be a bitter pill to swallow, even if losing the proverbial battle means finding a better way to win the war. This breakout consists of three dynamic presentations outlining significant projects that initially fell flat, but were ultimately deemed a success. Our presenters will share powerful insights into how failing fast (if not often) proved truly transformative for their business.

In a globalized business environment, law firms and their clients routinely leverage data spanning geographic or jurisdictional boundaries. Yet, thanks to ongoing geopolitical instability and increasingly marked shifts around (inter)national (de)regulation and technology, the ability of law firms and corporate law departments to effectively manage data has proven far more arduous than expected. This conversation provides a rigorous take on best practices in interdepartmental, transnational, or trans-jurisdictional data governance across the profession. Our veteran panel will share case studies and lessons learned throughout their distinguished careers.

How do you determine which technology vendor or technological investment is right for your business? For both law firm and in-house executives, understanding engagement costs, resource requirements, and organizational needs are critical steps toward defining a strong strategic plan. Leveraging best practices and lessons learned, this session delivers practical guidance for mastering the initial research, vetting and selection process for accelerating innovation across the enterprise.

Although many firms recognize the value of competitive intelligence (“CI”) from a business development and marketing standpoint, few succeed in fully realizing its intrinsic value to the enterprise. Indeed, when properly leveraged, competitive intelligence can fundamentally transform any number of business operations, including people and talent management, customer engagement, and legal spend. This session highlights the remarkable initiatives currently in place at leading corporate legal departments and law firms today. Participants will discover how these organizations came to invest in “next-level” CI capabilities, including where and when (unexpected) roadblocks may have impeded the road to success.

Once the decision has been made to invest in a given technology, understanding both the short- and long-term ramifications of product implementation can be daunting. Picking up where “Leading Change” left off, this tactical discussion offers robust insight into integrating disparate systems, establishing end-user expectations, and managing enterprise risk.

The ability of “smart” technology to connect devices holds fantastic connotations for legal services. Consider how, in the current market, many law firms and corporates leverage disparate technologies for routine matters in the business of law. In theory, such thinking is healthy and reflective of legal technology’s diverse, crescendoing wave. But in a climate where cost pressures continue to mount, could a more streamlined approach be in order? This discussion examines the growing imperative for centralizing enterprise technology within a single interoperable platform. What considerations should business executives prioritize when designing a formal strategy? How are concerns surrounding privacy, security or data governance being addressed throughout the transformation process?

Please join us for cocktails as we wrap up the day’s proceedings.