Missing LegalTech

I missed Legal Tech this year.  For each of the past four years, I have made the trek to the zoo at the New York Hilton to see what was new in e-discovery, network, and, hopefully, meet someone that would like to hire me.  (That’s really why we all go, isn’t it?)  But, this year, I had to work.  And, you know what?  I really didn’t miss it all that much.  The crowds, the vendors on the floor vying for your attention, the dozens of iPad give-a-ways…well, okay, I did miss it some, but not as much as I thought I would.  You know what I really missed?  People.  Legal Tech has become an opportunity to see some folks in our industry that I’ve really come to care about, and I missed seeing them this year.

So, what’s the e-discovery connection?  People.  As I was mulling over what I missed about Legal Tech, it occurred to me how amazing it is that I’ve met so many incredibly talented and interesting people all as a result of the sudden emergence of the e-discovery industry – IT professionals and paralegals, records and information management experts, training professionals, lawyers with an unusual interest in all things technological, and the list goes on.  And that, friends, may well be the best thing that has happened since the revision of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure in 2006.

E-discovery has forced folks from different walks of corporate life to come together and work as a team.  Where formerly we had only uncomfortable, occasional interactions between IT and legal, we now have formal working groups, teams of professionals leveraging their respective skills and talents towards a common purpose: helping the company meet its legal obligation in as efficient and effective a manner as possible.  And that is a good thing.  I am increasingly impressed by the level of cooperation and collaboration that I see between corporate legal and IT departments (and, when you are really lucky, the Records and Risk Management departments as well).  This week, while I was missing Legal Tech, I was introduced to a new client.  This company manufacturers consumer products, and, since we live in the United States, it is subject to constant litigation.  Over the past decade, the company has developed and refined its discovery response capabilities to ensure that ESI potentially relevant to virtually any matter can be quickly identified, preserved and collected when required.  Any litigating attorney can tell you what a relief it is to feel confident about her client’s ability to respond appropriately and effectively to demands for ESI.  Few of us felt that way about most of our clients not so many years ago.  And what has made the difference is people.

So, with luck, I’ll be back at Legal Tech next year to see my friends, people who have effected such a remarkable change in the way we practice law over such a remarkably short amount of time.  In the meantime, maybe we can catch up between flights in Atlanta?

Dennis Kiker,
dennis.kiker@leclairryan.com

Background:

Missing LegalTech
Source: original article
Author: Dennis Kiker
Categories: Electronic discovery, e-discovery, ediscovery

This e-discovery news is syndicated from e-discovery websites and blogs that make their feed available via RSS. Contact us to have your RSS feed added or removed.

Related posts:

1. LegalTech Exhibit “Plus” Pass…..Free! – Electronic Discovery
2. LegalTech Session: Harnessing Search Technology Effectively – Electronic Discovery
3. EMC eDiscovery – Kazeon to Sponsor CLE Sessions at LegalTech 2012 – Electronic Discovery
4. Another Great LegalTech 2012 – Electronic Discovery
5. Tips and Tricks for LegalTech New York – Electronic Discovery
6. Live from LegalTech New York ’09: Kimberly Townsan – eDiscovery
7. What’s Going to Be Hot at LegalTech New York 2013? – Electronic Discovery
8. How to get the most out of eDiscovery Providers at LegalTech NY – Electronic Discovery