Reinventing Professionals

I spoke with Warwick Sharp, the Vice President of marketing and business development for Equivio, about being a predictive coding and analytics pioneer, and where that technology is headed in 2013. “The market’s relationship with predictive coding has evolved,” he said noting that concerns over defensibility have been dispelled over the last year. In fact, Sharp highlighted that users are less focused on defensibility and more interested in predictive coding education than ever before. “We see a massive catch up among professionals in the industry,” Sharp added. He predicts that the judiciary will take a more discerning approach to predictive coding and begin defining the appropriate processes, as well as project management techniques.

I spoke with Allison Walton, the e-discovery counsel for Symantec, the maker of Enterprise Vault, Clearwell, and other data loss prevention solutions. We discussed trends for 2013 and her expectations for Legal Tech New York. Walton predicts the emergence of a new level of information strategist that helps corporations understand how they are managing information. She also noted that defensible deletion will be a key focus because organizations are developing data control strategies. Walton and her team will be discussing “E-discovery in 3-D,” among other topics at Legal Tech New York.

I spoke with Mike Barry, the senior vice president of research and development for Aderant, one of the largest software providers in the legal industry. We discussed key challenges that he expects clients to face in 2013, including lingering pressure from the financial crisis, increasing interest in alternative fees, and the disruptive force of innovative technology. Barry predicts a rise in the use of time capture tools, business intelligence programs, mobility products, and legal project management leading to a cultural revolution in law firms.

I spoke with Steve Ashbacher, vice president of Concordance, which is part of the Litigation Solutions team at LexisNexis. We discussed the focus of the litigation solutions team this year, the issues that are driving these changes, and how his group is addressing them. Ashbacher noted those who understand data volumes and build better infrastructure will most effectively address the complexity, cost, and risk challenges of 2013.

I spoke with Megan Miller, the vice president of marketing for GGO, a legal services provider and the developer of Digital WarRoom about 2013 trends and ways that professionals can address them. She noted, among other items, that law firms want to enhance the quality of the counsel they are providing to their clients and are increasingly leveraging technology to build efficiency. This effort gives law firms and corporate counsel more control while aligning their interests.

I spoke with Sanjay Manocha, the Director of Discovery Analytics and Review for RVM, a provider of end-to-end legal technology consulting services. We discussed analytics and other key trends, the challenges that legal teams are likely to face in 2013, and his predictions for the use of predictive coding by practicing attorneys over the next twelve months. He noted that “This will be an exciting period for practitioners” and expects service providers to harmonize around key best practices.

I spoke with Deborah Baron, the vice president of legal and compliance solutions for Autonomy Inc., an HP Company, about cost containment and the evolution of e-discovery, which she described as “an old game with new rules.” She noted that law firms are smarter than ever and predicted the emergence of an IT sharpshooter because the volume, variety, and velocity of information is changing dramatically.

I spoke with Dave Terry, co-founder and chief operating officer for Chrome River Technologies, a provider of SAAS expense reporting and invoice automation solutions. We discussed the impact of the new tax laws on expense controls, as well as his predictions for 2013. He expects to see greater risk management and expanded use of mobile technology, among other developments.

I spoke with Dale Drury, founder of AlphaLit, a litigation support company with a long history in discovery document management. We discussed key challenges that clients are likely to face over the next 12 months and best practices they can use to overcome these hurdles. Drury noted that provider costs will continue to be a key issue and that fundamental practices like developing a privilege log will retain their importance. Despite all of the discussion about new tools and their impact on the legal industry, he predicts: “I can’t imagine pushing more technology into this industry.”

I spoke with Mark Herrmann, the Vice President, Chief Counsel – Litigation, and Global Chief Compliance Officer for Aon, about his fourth book, Inside Straight: Advice About Lawyering, In-House and Out, That Only the Internet Could Provide (ABA Publishing, 2012), which is a compilation of his columns for AbovetheLaw.com about life as an in-house lawyer. He balances his often-humorous guidance with selected comments from readers of his work. “Some of the things people write are unbelievably funny; some are strikingly smart … and collectively the commenters know an awful lot of stuff,” he said. The book highlights techniques for developing business, succeeding in the law, and navigating corporate politics, among other topics. He is also the author of the highly-acclaimed, The Curmudgeon’s Guide to Practicing Law by Mark Herrmann (ABA Publishing, 2006), which itself started as a series of articles. In fact, he noted: “In some ways, Inside Straight is a sequel to the Curmudgeon’s Guide.” Herrmann is also the c

I spoke with Ron Collins, the President and founder of Toronto-based Gavel & Gown Software, the developers of the popular practice management tool Amicus Attorney, about the company’s recent release of Amicus Cloud. We discussed Gavel & Gown’s motivation to introduce a cloud offering, how it differs from the desktop version, its unique features, and customer reactions, among other topics. Listen to Collins share his views on the adoption rate of cloud-based products in 2013.

I spoke with Brendan Ludwick and Claudio Dunkelman, the founders of LawZam, a free online video conference service which connects lawyers and consumers. Learn more about their service and listen to our interview during which we discuss the genesis of the company, what makes it unique, and how it facilitates more seamless communication.

I spoke with Alison Monahan, the founder of The Girl’s Guide to Law School, and the co-founder of the Bar Exam Toolbox and the Law School Toolbox. We discussed the genesis of the Girl’s Guide, advice on law school exam preparation, and ways that law students can balance academics with health and wellness, among other topics.

I spoke with Doug Stewart, Vice President of Technology and Innovation at Daegis, a provider of eDiscovery solutions, which has just updated its eDiscovery Platform with Acumen, its Technology Assisted Review tool. We discussed the genesis of Acumen, the adoption rate of similar tools, the challenges, and its impact on the big data trend.

I spoke with John Simpson, founder & CEO of One North Interactive, which recently announced the acquisition of the web assets of Thomson Reuters’ Hubbard One, about the mission of One North Interactive, the evolution of law firm websites, interactive marketing trends, and how social media is reinventing how lawyers and their firms connect with audiences.

I spoke with George Leloudis, the Executive Director of Woods Rogers PLC in Roanoke Virginia, who is also chairman of the event’s planning committee. We discussed, among other topics: (1) who should attend and why; (2) how the programming reflects the current state of the market; and, (3) key recommendations for maximizing the value of attendance.

I spoke with David Schnurman, the president and CEO of Lawline.com, a leading provider of online continuing legal education that is transforming the way professionals educate themselves on the web. In a discussion about the company’s new Lawline 2.0 initiative, which is making the site’s entire archive of over a thousand hours of programming free, Schnurman notes that “Lawline’s mission has always been to change the way people learn and since we are transitioning from a service-based economy to a knowledge-based economy, we are helping our audience make that change more seamlessly.” In addition to providing CLE accreditation services in 43 states (including for this course), Lawline.com also offers CFP programs for those in financial services, and CPE courses for those in accounting, among other fields. A self-described “lifelong learner,” Schnurman wanted to give others the opportunity to actively engage with technology to enhance the learning experience. Lawline 2.0 allows viewers to take “smart” notes th

I spoke with Kevin O’Keefe, the founder of LexBlog, one of the largest and most successful platforms for blogging and social media in the legal industry, at Avvo‘s recent Avvocating conference in Seattle. We discussed the evolution of how professionals are raising their profiles, techniques for leveraging technology to build a reputation, and proven methods for enhancing relationships. Among many other great points, he noted that “Content is not the most important thing; listening is the most important thing.”

I spoke with Dan Toombs, the founder of Grow Your Firm, an Australian web marketing company that assists professional services firms with enhancing their digital presence. We discussed the state of the Australian market and the benefits of leveraging Vizibility, among other topics.

I spoke with Mark Britton, the founder and CEO of Avvo. We discussed the genesis of the 2012 Avvocating conference and what attendees can expect.