A lot of people are registering, attending some of their “Communities of Interest,” and now meeting for an orientation. It’s a fun-packed madhouse of energy!
Here’s a quick scan of some other blogs that are talking about ILTA ‘09:
You’re not alone if you’re curious about e-discovery.
There’s some excitement with Sunday’s meetings and afternoon events.
We’ll post more tomorrow.
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by Maureen Babcock
Today, we test drive one of our new networking offerings, developed in response to survey comments received last year from attendees at ILTA ‘08. Communities of Interest have been organized for people who want to meet and network with others who have similar job responsibilities or industry interests before the rush of conference begins.
I like this idea for several reasons, not the least of which is that if you are looking for attendees with specific things in common with you, it takes away the need to try to look at everybody’s conference id badge as they pass. I like it the most because it puts people in touch with other people in 3D. Retro? Yes. Effective? I believe so. For new attendees who may appreciate a little help in getting started, it provides a way to connect in a less overwhelming environment than doing so when conference is in full swing. And for anyone, you’ll get to talk about things important and specific to you. All with coffee and soda to keep you appropriately hyped. Such a deal!
Make sure that you pre-register to do this since there is limited space. If you haven’t already done so, you can check in with the registration desk when you arrive to see if space is still available.
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One of our conference co-chairs, Maureen Babcock, will be blogging about various parts of ILTA ‘09 each day. We are very pleased to present Comments from a Conference Co-Chair, Volume I.
I am quite curious to see how our push to expand social networking opportunities will fly during and after conference:
Although I blog for conference, I am still trying to decide for myself if the full court press of social networking can play any lasting role in my personal or professional life. I FaceBook yet am not at all sure I care that someone I know got 40,000 points playing Mafia Wars or that connecting to high school classmates will be chalked up in the plus column of my life’s experiences. I tweet intermittently but without the enthusiasm of a true songbird. I am LinkedIn. I am called, texted to and emailed to from both my personal and professional contacts at any time. I carry not one but two portable units that can access the internet. One of my own conference takeaway goals is to learn more about the practicalities of social networking. I feel like I need a personal testimony before I can imagine ways to suggest employing it to the advantage of my Firm…or maybe before I just shout “ENOUGH!!”
I look forward to seeing how social networking is used and received at conference. For some, it has the potential of a virtual epiphany – perhaps some of my peers will leave tweeting, blogging, linking in and facebooking in ways that they had never before understood or imagined? Others might leave having made the firm decision to avoid it like liver and onions or overly steamed cauliflower. My hope, however, is that whether each person embraces it or shuns it, they will at least know OF it. Whatever innovative value lies in social networking, it seems to me must be personally embraced before it can truly be understood in terms of other benefits.
I hope those who couldn’t get here this year due to “economic challenges” will benefit from tuning in to some of what is happening here. For the first time, they can know of the activities and information that was presented at conference as it occurs, reported through the virtual networking efforts of their peers in attendance.
I, for one, am looking forward to seeing what side of the fence I end up on!
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Our final pre-conference Profile in Leadership is of Cheryl Proctor, current Southeast Regional Vice President, the incoming Secretary on ILTA’s Board of Directors, and the Director of Client Services at Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC. Cheryl often seems to be a woman of limitless energy, which she directs towards many diverse activities, including growing the Southeast Region’s Volunteer City Rep program to astronomic proportions, cooking amazing food, and achieving countless professional goals. ILTA’s Board will be very fortunate to have her energy; she begins her first two-year term at ILTA ‘09.
What excites you the most about ILTA ‘09?
I have to admit that I’m very excited to attend a session that is not directly technology related but is related to CAKE!! Food is my passion, and I love to cook/bake. I watch countless hours of the FoodNetwork in my free time and spend a good bit of time trying and inventing new recipes.
Thursday Super Session – 8:00 a.m.
CakeLove: Find Your Passion, Follow Your Calling
Conference is a whirlwind of activity; can you share your strategy or any tips to making it through and getting the most out of it?
- Get PLENTY of sleep before you come to conference. There is so much to do and see and learn that you will need your strength, as nap time isn’t built into the schedule.
- Plan your itinerary before you go. This will help you to make sure you don’t miss anything important and allow you not to “over plan” your time. Allow some breaks where you can potentially take advantage of demos, meet with vendors or network with other ILTA members. You can plan your week online here http://conference.iltanet.org/RightMenu/Planyourweek.aspx
- Organize for later. I meet so many people at conference, that when I return it’s hard to remember who everyone was and what I promised to contact them about afterward. One way to help my memory is to write on the back of their business card when I meet them. I write one or two characteristics or info about where we were that will help me remember them (i.e. brown hair, tall, English accent, met for coffee, ate lunch together, etc.) and what I promised to email them or communicate with them about later. When I return, I go through the stack of cards and catch up with everyone. It’s how many of my ILTA friendships have come about over the years.
- Pace yourself eating. There will always be more food in another 2 hours.
- Take a break. After breakfast but before the sessions, on breaks, after lunch – take a few minutes to step outside and get some fresh air. Don’t talk on your cell or answer emails, but just take 5 minutes of quiet time to take a few deep breaths, refresh and take a break. With the constant hum of the crowds during meals and breaks, your PDA buzzing from calls and emails you’re mission while in sessions and all of the day’s activities, a break in silence will help you regroup and refresh and be ready for the rest of the day. You will thank me later for this one.
What volunteer roles have you held for ILTA?
- Volunteer City Rep (Nashville, TN)
- Various Task Forces
- Regional Vice President (Southeast Region)
- Board of Directors (Secretary – term beginning after conf ‘09)
What prompted you to get involved as a volunteer leader with ILTA?
At the time I helped start the local Nashville group, I found myself working for a law firm, which was a new industry for me, and in a city that I didn’t know very many people in. I didn’t even know any of my peers locally, much less on a national or international basis. I started with planning local events and really worked on getting people to know one another as a local group as well as forming a close bond with them. Some of them are very good friends of mine now. After several years of planning socials and informational meetings, I was lucky enough to get elected into my current role of SE RVP. I felt like that role would give me the chance to spread my wings and get to know even more ILTA (then LawNet) colleagues as well as help other cities to form strong local groups. I have really enjoyed my time in the past 6 years as an RVP. I’ve been lucky enough to have mentors who have helped me to grow not only in my role as RVP, but as a person and in my profession.
What led you in the direction of the Board of Directors?
ILTA is also one of my passions. I believe in the organization and the power behind it. Being on the BoD will allow me to continue to serve the membership. I feel it is the next step in my “ILTA career”.
What does leadership mean to you?
The chance to serve as a voice for the membership. It allows me to help make a difference and make an impact.
What makes you a leader?
I believe I am a leader because I enjoy gaining consensus in a group and making a decision that is beneficial to all involved. I am an initiative taker and someone who will step up and volunteer to get something done. My parents always told me growing up “If you don’t like something, get involved to help change it, instead of being bystander who complains with the crowd.” I also like for people to have fun working together so I will do whatever it takes to get people laughing and enjoying time they spend together for any reason.
How has ILTA helped you become the leader you are today?
In all of the time I’ve been involved in ILTA, I have met some of the most amazing people. I have reached out to so many of my fellow ILTA family members to ask questions and gain wisdom. In every instance people have gone above and beyond to provide information, instruct and share. The incredibly talented peers I have had the pleasure of working with in ILTA over the years have mentored and challenged me to grow personally and professionally.
Do you have a blog?
If so, what’s the URL? What’s your Twitter handle? Nope, no blog. I’m just starting with Twitter CherylProctor
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With its range of functionality and benefits, it’s no wonder that many of the top law firms are either planning to implement unified communications or are already deploying it across their firms. While some firms look to unified communications for its ability to increase productivity with features such as secure instant messaging, presence, file sharing and advanced call handling, others are energized about the robust collaboration and mobility features, as well as its ability to connect remote offices.
One feature that has been universally well-received is unified messaging—or the ability to receive voicemails in an associate’s email inbox. Imagine the productivity increases that can be attained just by connecting associates with the information or people they need in the instant that a message is received. In law firms where every hour is billable, these types of time-saving features can add up to significant cost advantages for your firm.
However, the two major impediments to implementing unified communications for most firms have been cost and complexity–traditional in-house solutions are expensive and difficult to deploy. The good news is that there is a better way to implement unified communications—one that will actually save your firm money: by going with a hosted delivery model. With no capital investment required and no need to hire and train additional IT staff to manage the solution, hosted unified communications can give your firm the technological edge it needs while actually reducing your firm’s telecom spend.
It may seem like we’re promising a lot, but major law firms across the country have validated the model time and again. There really is a way to get the advanced technology, spend less money, increase productivity at your firm and more (not to mention attract and retain top talent with all of the cool new technology).
So whether you’ve been considering unified communications for its productivity benefits or whether sharpening your competitive edge is high on your agenda, hosted unified communications could be the best way for your firm to get there.
Stay tuned at ILTA ’09 as Cypress Communications will be on-hand in booth #716 with one of the leading hosted unified communications solutions—C4 IP™. We’ll be demonstrating its capabilities and showing you how you can actually spend less while implementing this award-winning solution.
See you in August.
Frank Grillo, Executive Vice President of Marketing at Cypress Communications
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Will you be attending the ILTA Conference for the first time? Our records show that 20% of you will be first-time attendees, so you’ll be in good company! We’ve put together this list to help you get the most out of your first conference experience.
Check out the Conference Committeee interviews and our Profiles in Leadership for more priceless tips! You can use the links on the right to filter. See you soon!
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Today we’re profiling Eric Anderson, who is the current Mobile, Remote, and Wireless Peer Group Vice President, the incoming Board of Directors Conference Liaison and the Director of Technical Services for Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal LLP. When Eric admitted to me that he was struggling with the “what makes you a leader?” question below, I found it easy to answer. What makes him a good leader is his ability to balance. He knows when to have fun and when to be serious, when to be strategic and when to be tactical, and how to bring people along with him as he progresses towards his goals. ILTA will be fortunate indeed to have Eric as ILTA ‘10 & ‘11 Conference Liaison on the Board.
What excites you the most about ILTA ‘09?
A chance to network with my peers and the many educational opportunities. A chance to talk with others about the many challenges the industry is facing today.
Describe a highlight of one ILTA conference that made you a hero when you got back to your firm.
In 2003, I coordinated a session on Business Continuity planning in my Track. The session focused on what a very small number of firms were doing at that time with centralizing their data and deploying thin client as the normal method of application delivery in the office. While almost 6 years ago, this session helped build a foundation for discussion on the technology and strategy that is deployed today.
Conference is a whirlwind of activity; can you share your strategy or any tips to making it through and getting the most out of it?
- Plan ahead. Review the sessions prior to arrival and build your schedule. Learn where the session rooms are located. Don’t hesitate on changing your schedule as the week progresses.
- In addition to the sessions, take every opportunity to network with others; meet at least 10 new people, more is even better. These networking opportunities will prove as valuable, if not more valuable, than the sessions themselves.
- You should strongly consider getting involved in one way or another. While at conference, seek out others who are volunteering (i.e., City Rep, Steering Committee, PGVP, RVP, Board) and talk to them about the many different ways to get involved.
What volunteer roles have you held for ILTA?
Volunteer City Rep, Conference Track Chair, Conference VP/Co Chair, PGVP for Mobile, Remote & Wireless and Board of Director following conference.
What prompted you to get involved as a volunteer leader with ILTA? What led you in the direction of the Board of Directors?
After attending my first conference, I experienced the tremendous benefits that ILTA offered to its members. The annual conference not only provided numerous educational opportunities but also many networking opportunities. After experiencing the benefits of conference, I started to get more involved with monthly programming, and the eGroups (formerly ListServs). I found that I was receiving a great value in the organization and in turn I wanted to get involved and give back to the organization that provided so much for me and others. After many years of volunteering, I wanted to continue but at a level that provided even more ways for me to give back.
What does leadership mean to you?
Leadership is the act of empowering and inspiring others to achieve an objective, goal or purpose. A good leader has to believe in others and have integrity, energy, enthusiasm, innovation, insight, knowledge, competence and adaptability.
What makes you a leader?
The ability to lead by example and strive for success. To adapt to the style that is needed for the particular area/project/team.
How has ILTA helped you become the leader you are today?
ILTA has so many leaders who are members in the organization. Each interaction with this vast group provides yet another opportunity to learn.
What’s your Twitter handle?
I don’t Tweet, but I do subscribe. There are two areas on Twitter that I watch – ILTA09 and METRAUPW (which provides up to the minute announcements for my train schedule).
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There’s no question that many of the early case assessment tools (“ECA”) currently available can significantly reduce the amount of data that needs to be reviewed. Advanced searching, filtering and categorization are valuable techniques in the pursuit of effective data targeting, but the process wrapped around them is equally as important.
Is the way you use case assessment tools defensible?
The ad hoc nature of an ECA tool may appear effective, but often the tools don’t adequately track and measure search and validation efforts. If tools are being used to select what will or won’t be reviewed (as opposed to assessing contents of a corpus), then the specific use of the tool — and the process used to apply it — become much more relevant. Without a formal, measured process that includes automated functionality plus human validation (accompanied by an understanding of how a particular technology works) you may be putting yourself at risk. The process should include sampling and testing of search criteria in an iterative fashion looking at what hit and did not hit on the criteria.
Sedona refers to the combination of tools and human input as “The Intelligent Use of Tools”:
…merely adopting sophisticated automated search tools, alone, will not necessarily lead to successful results. Lawyers must recognize that, just as important as utilizing the automated tools, is tuning the process in and by which a legal team uses such tools, including a close involvement of lead counsel. This may require an iterative process which importantly utilizes feedback and learning as tools, and allows for measurement of results.
Judge Grimm in the Victor Stanley case states that “common sense” dictates that sampling of ESI search results is required to validate the criteria:
…Common sense suggests that even a properly designed and executed keyword search may prove to be over-inclusive or under-inclusive … [t]he only prudent way to test the reliability of the keyword search is to perform some appropriate sampling of the documents … in order to arrive at a comfort level that the categories are neither over-inclusive nor under-inclusive.
All in all, the best approach is to maximize the benefit of automated ECA tools by applying industry recognized best practices to the process. Ad hoc searches are useful, but a more measured, formalized search process that involves a closer analysis of the data and results is much more appropriate.
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You’ve already heard from a number of seasoned veterans on their tips and tricks for having the optimal experience at an ILTA conference. As with most things, the key is planning ahead. You might start with planning to attend the orientation session on Sunday at 6:00 p.m. in Maryland C (Conference Center). Whether you’re a first-time attendee or a veteran, you’ll learn the “insider” tips to make the most of the week ahead.
Plan Your Session Attendance
You’ve seen numerous messages in Randi’s news briefs about the various ways to map out your week. There are planning tools from the conference site, and we’ll be announcing a new digital program guide very soon. You should have a very good sense of those sessions that are most important to you before you arrive on property.
Plan Your Vendor Face Time
There are numerous opportunities for “casual” strolls through the exhibit hall, starting with Monday night’s social event, Tuesday morning’s “grand opening,” and many long breaks held there throughout the week. In planning ahead, make some appointments with key vendors, schedule time in their demo rooms or hospitality suites or set private appointments at your leisure.
Plan to Enjoy the Week
Without question, one of the greatest “take-aways” from an ILTA conference is the expansion of your peer network. Shake some hands – plan to reach out to folks you’ve never met before. Your name tag will identify your region, and you should be getting to know those peers who are in close proximity to you, as well as those who are “virtually” in your neighborhood. The networking events are many, and they’re great places to make some new life-long friends.
Plan to Take Care of Yourself
The week is jam-packed with learning and networking opportunities. It’s easy to be overwhelmed or be worn thin by the end of the week unless you take care of yourself. There is no shortage of good food during the week, and you should avail yourself of it. Try to work in some time to relax each day so that you can have energy to enjoy all activities.
Plan to Return a Star
Your newfound knowledge and peer connections will benefit you from day one upon your return to your office. Let your boss and your staff share a bit of what you experienced. There are ample ways to extend the value of ILTA ’09 long after you leave DC. Acquaint yourself with the various ways to obtain session recordings, session handouts, etc.
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Today’s Profile in Leadership is of Dick Jensen, recently appointed ILTA Secretary on the Board of Directors and Director, Technology at Goodmans LLP. Dick helps us put the “I” in ILTA, as he’s from Canada (which is, it turns out, a completely different country 
!). At ILTA ‘09, Dick will commence a two-year term on the BoD as ILTA Treasurer, which seems appropriate for the former Thomson Elite Peer Group Vice President. His “relentless desire to do better than yesterday” will serve ILTA well!
What excites you the most about ILTA ‘09?
The quality of the programming is the best ever and there is a great deal for all attendees to learn from.
Describe a highlight of one ILTA conference that made you a hero when you got back to your firm.
During one particular conference I spent a great deal of time systematically going through vendor hall. I found products from vendors that I was familiar with but had no idea they offered these other products. I left conference armed with some very useful applications that directly impacted how our lawyers practice.
Conference is a whirlwind of activity; can you share your strategy or any tips to making it through and getting the most out of it?
Plan your sessions including a backup for each time slot. If you get into a session and it is not what you thought it would be you have a backup ready to go without losing any time. Input all sessions that you want to attend into your calendar and also the backup sessions.
What volunteer roles have you held for ILTA?
Volunteer City Rep (Toronto), Peer Group Vice President (Thomson Elite).
What prompted you to get involved as a volunteer leader with ILTA? What led you in the direction of the Board of Directors?
I was getting so much value from being an ILTA member that I wanted get involved and help to keep ILTA growing
What does leadership mean to you?
To me, leadership equals inspiration, delegation, collaboration, influence, respect, knowledge, and continual learning
What makes you a leader?
I have a relentless desire to do better than yesterday.
How has ILTA helped you become the leader you are today?
I have met so many smart people through ILTA; I try to act like a sponge and try to soak up their knowledge!
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