{"id":3712,"date":"2021-09-27T04:51:01","date_gmt":"2021-09-27T12:51:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/be.unicourt.internal:9878\/site-blog\/?p=3712"},"modified":"2021-12-22T00:38:18","modified_gmt":"2021-12-22T08:38:18","slug":"iltacon-2021-takeaways","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/unicourt.com\/blog\/iltacon-2021-takeaways\/","title":{"rendered":"Takeaways from ILTACON 2021"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The global pandemic still ensuing around the world and here in the United States has changed the practice of law and the way we think about the technology and the data needed for the business of law. This year\u2019s 2021 ILTACON<\/a> held at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, NV was no exception. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

From the topics covered, to the hybrid, virtual and in-person model, and COVID health safety protocols, ILTACON adapted to cover the moment the legal industry as a whole finds itself in and the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

An Emphasis on Data Analytics, Knowledge Management, and Change Management<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Though there were a diverse range of educational sessions at ILTACON this year on topics ranging from cybersecurity to AI in eDiscovery, when looking at all of the sessions and the keynotes in total, three main topics emerged: data analytics, knowledge management, and change management.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s fascinating about the framing of most of the conversations on data analytics at ILTACON is that they all carried a similar undertone \u2014 there was no question at all as to whether analytics, and litigation analytics in particular, were something law firms should be doing. Instead, the conversations focused on the how. How should they be building analytics, how can they avoid the real landmines laying about, and how can they secure quick wins and iteratively expand their capabilities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the knowledge management front, a common theme that surfaced throughout the sessions we attended was the importance of breaking down information silos. This can take on many forms. More than just breaking down the age-old data silos separating practice groups within law firms, or functions like legal operations, case management, and business development, law firms also need to break down the barriers preventing them from accessing external data sources and leverage Legal Data APIs<\/a> to make that happen. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Knowledge management has a central role to play in breaking down these silos, and ensuring that while all functions and roles within a firm have the data they need, that they also are using common data standards, nomenclature, and classifications. By using a common language and data framework, law firms can move forward on developing better reporting and the data analytics they need to position their firm for the future while providing better value to their clients. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To bring about innovations in knowledge management and data analytics and bring lawyers, who are often notoriously resistant to anything new, along for the ride, law firms need change management professionals focused on end user engagement and adoption. Without true adoption at the end of the day, what good is a new innovation? If you don\u2019t have buy-in from stakeholders, or if you haven\u2019t correctly incentivized the use of new technologies and processes for support staff, having the largest innovation and technology budgets possible and the world\u2019s most renowned data scientists, machine learning experts, and design thinkers won\u2019t amount to much. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Placing change management at the forefront of this year\u2019s ILTACON provided attendees with a more practical look at how to move innovation forward. It was also nice to see most speakers abandon talking in glittering generalities and delve into how to really get in the trenches to make change happen within law firms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Takeaways from ILTACON Sessions and Keynotes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Of the many wonderful sessions at ILTACON this year, my favorite by far was the initial Collaboration Kick-off session on Technology Adoption \/ Change Management, led by Martha Breil, Legal Service Delivery Manager at Cooley LLP and the ILTACON 2021 Co-Chair. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Held on late Sunday afternoon before the conference was in full swing, the Collaboration Kick-off session on tech adoption and change management lived up to its name. Being able to have a real dialogue about tech adoption, and the issues that surround tech adoption, like talent acquisition and retention, stakeholder buy-in, and encouraging user adoption, was refreshing and something we were all clearly craving. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our group of about 15-20 leaders from AmLaw firms, regional law firms, and legal tech vendors had a lively and frank conversation about the issues we were facing, and it was a safe enough space (without the cameras on) where people asked for ideas and suggestions on how to solve the problems that they were facing. Here are some of the takeaways from our discussion:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. Don\u2019t try to turn the Titanic. Focus on the people on the ship.<\/li>
  2. Get the lawyers who complain the most to participate in new legal tech adoption and provide feedback.<\/li>
  3. Want to encourage attorneys to learn about tech? Let them bill time for hours spent discovering and investigating new tech, but don\u2019t call it training.<\/li>
  4. Develop cross department committees to discover talent that can be repurposed like high performing support staff who will leave without new walls and challenges to overcome.<\/li>
  5. Billing issues and getting lawyers to handle new requirements for billing is a huge, recurring pain point when it comes to change management.<\/li>
  6. Flexibility is key in realizing law firm change management.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    On Monday morning, the virtual and in-person attendees all got to hear from one of the most inspiring and impressive human beings who\u2019s walked this earth and seen our Pale Blue Dot from space, Dr. Mae Jemison \u2014 the first African American female to be admitted into NASA\u2019s astronaut training program, as well as the first African American female in space. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Dr. Jemison\u2019s keynote speech, \u201cPeak Tech: Arts, Sciences, and Humanity Required,\u201d was forward-thinking and futuristic, yet firmly grounded in the limitations of time and the need to focus on the problems we can solve now. As someone who is an astronaut and was also the first real-life astronaut to appear on Star Trek as Lieutenant Palmer in the episode “Second Chances,” it\u2019s not surprising in the least that Dr. Jemison is now solely focused on the challenge of making interstellar space travel a reality. Her keynote touched on how many of the problems we face with interstellar travel offer a window into the other obstacles we face as human beings, whether we\u2019re lawyers, technologists, data people, or managers.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Here are some of the great gems and pearls of wisdom from Dr. Jemison speech:<\/p>\n\n\n\n