Our Panelist: Jim Calloway (JC), Alexander Paykin (AP), Michele Carney (MC), Alan Kleven (AK), Michael Golder (MG), Michael DJ Eisenberg (MDJE), Brett Burney (BB), Catherine Sanders Reach (CSR), Reid Trautz (RT).
AP: Make sure you leave enough time to walk past ALL of the vendors at the Expo hall. You’ll be amazed at the products and services out there, and if you go past everyone, you’ll find at least a couple of things that you’ll wonder how you ever lived without!
AK: Meet people. Don’t be shy to speak with the presenters. Review the schedule and mark what presentations you want to see. Take advantage of the Expo Hall and speak with vendors. I’ve been going to TECHSHOW for 20 years, and not one vendor has scared me off yet. Go to the American Bar Association booth and speak with the LP staff and volunteers. They will likely provide answers to most, if not all, of your questions!
RT: This year will be my 23rd time attending TECHSHOW, and I still remember my first one. Stay in the conference hotel to meet and interact with other attendees. Learn about their firms and how they use technology. You’ll burn out if you try to attend every educational session every day, so pace yourself. Take time to visit the exhibit hall and learn about specific products–the exhibitors are very nice and very helpful. Stop and talk to any of the faculty. They love it and know that it is part of the honor of being selected to speak. Have a general idea in advance of what you want to accomplish or learn, but also be open to learning things that change your thinking. Above all, have fun.
MG: Be smart about scheduling the programs you want to attend. There is so much content being provided that it can be overwhelming if you try to take it all in. Be selective and try to get different content that can help the different aspects of your practice. Take advantage of the accessibility of vendors in the Exhibit Hall, as well as the dine-around where you can button-hole people in a more laid-back setting and get lots of good information and advice. Create a network of people you meet so that you can expand your resource net once you go home..
MDJE: Be open to change. You are going to see new technology and new methods of using tech in the practice of law. You may see an idea that is more of a one-size-fits-all but may inspire you to do something different with your own tech stack. Either way, fair warning: for some of the tech you see, you need to consider the “transition” period of moving from one product, e.g., an LPM, to another. This may require months of using (and paying for) two services at one time. Always ask about implementation time and transfer security and accuracy. Meanwhile, other products may be as simple as starting to use it on day one!
BB: Be comfortable with the overwhelm – there’s a LOT of information, advice, guidance, and networking at TECHSHOW and it’s important to focus on the high-level takeaways that you can bring home to your own practice. Wear comfy walking shoes and be willing to interact with folks you sit next to and vendors in the Expo Hall.
JC: I think it is most important to review the schedule in advance and pick your top two choices for each presentation hour. That way if it turns out the session isn’t meeting your expectations, you can quickly move to your second choice.
CSR: Do not forget to download the written materials. You can’t attend all the sessions, and the hardest decision you will have is figuring out which sessions to attend. The materials give you a chance to create your own practice management library. Even if you think you may never need a session on ESI or video creation, you will be prepared to face new and existing challenges with resources from some of the top minds in the field at your fingertips!
MC: Do your homework before attending the TECHSHOW. First, take a moment to review the schedule and mark the sessions you want to attend in order of priority. Sometimes, what I have found is that I start out in one session and then jump to another one that I am also interested in. Second, stretch your comfort zone - try and attend some sessions on topics that you know nothing about. You will be surprised at the new interests you develop. Third, take the time to meet and talk to exhibitors. Sometimes, there are founding members of a company, and it is a super cool experience to talk to them. Finally, take advantage of the organized dinners at night where you can mingle with colleagues and make new friends.
