practice management

Becoming a Testifying Expert

Learn about what it takes to become a testifying eDiscovery expert in your field of expertise from these testifying witnesses. The panel covers their own backgrounds, what certifications they have obtained, what education they acquired, and the steps that they took in order to become a testifying expert.
Moderator:@Lauren Doucette - Senior Practice Technology & eDiscovery Project Manager, Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP
Panelists: @Chris Haley - Director of Legal Technology, Troutman Pepper/eMerge@Kevin Cohen - Principal, Data Triage @Kelly Twigger - Principal, ESI Attorneys LLC
 
​Recorded on 01-26-2023

Data: The Next Great Lake

Every firm wants to leverage data for insights. But to accomplish this, there needs to be a true source of all data. The creation of data lakes have started. These are massive databases combing different firm data sources. This leads to the importance of data governance and master data management. What does it take to create and curate the data? How can such data be of use to firms?
Questions Tracey will ask Steven:1. What is a data lake?2. What are the advantages of using a data lake?3. How do data lakes differ from the tradition data warehouse?4. Why could a firm invest in a data lake?5. What would it take to build a data lake?6. What tools would need? Any best practices?Moderator:@Tracey Pardo - IS Improvement and Reporting Analyst, Cooley LLPSpeaker:@Steven Heathcock - Data Strategy Manager, Cooley LLP
Recorded on 01-06-2023​

Avoiding Burnout for Lit Support Professionals

In this podcast, we will address which practices and boundaries you should enforce and know how to manage pressured environments.
Questions to Tanya will ask Martin:· Is burnout a problem for litigation support professionals, and does it affect us disproportionately?· Can litigation support professionals effectively manage their workload to avoid burnout?· What are tips for working in high pressure environments?· How can we support ourselves and our colleagues?· What kind of support is out there for people who need it?
Moderator:@Tanya Pereira - Business Transformation Specialist, Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP
Speaker:@Martin Nikel - Associate Managing Director, Cyber Risk, Kroll
Recorded on 01-05-2023​​

The Hybrid Lit Support Model

This podcast panel is a follow-up to the successful ILTACON session “Three Approaches to Workplace Flexibility” but with a more litigation support focus. Each panelist discussed the challenges they have experienced with hybrid work and how they have overcome them.Questions Tanya asked the speakers:
What are the pros/cons/challenges of a lit support team?
What are some tips you have for a successful hybrid team, particularly when it comes to managing lawyer expectations who may be in the office?
What metrics are you using to determine success? Do they differ at all from in the office?
As we are seeing more in in-person events, how are you determining team engagement and the future of team engagement?
Moderator: @Tanya Pereira - Discovery Services and Litigation Support Coordinator, Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLPPanelists:@Gretel Best - Law Clerk, Manager of Litigation Support & eDiscovery, Gowling WLG@Levi Percy - Project Manager, Shook, Hardy & Bacon L.L.P.
 
Recorded on 11/3/2022

Improve Staffing with Technology: Case Study on Development of a Staffing Tool

This podcast consists of an interview with Melissa Prince on how Ballard created and implemented a staffing (“workforce allocation” or “availability projection”) tool. We also discussed the impetus for the creation of the platform, the obstacles Melissa faced, and how she has driven engagement with associates and partners.Questions Kristin asked Melissa:1. Can you provide a little background about your role at the firm and your practice management department? Who handles staffing?2. First, what did you identify as gaps in the staffing process that led to the development of your tool?3. At the outset, who were your champions and where were your obstacles?4. How did you decide to build something in-house as opposed to going to a third party vendor?5. What are the primary features of your tool and what aspects are you still looking to build out?6. Who references and utilizes the reports?7. How are you continuing to drive engagement with the tool? Any ongoing challenges?Moderator:@Kristin Rhodes - Senior Practice Manager, Paul Hastings LLP
Speaker:​@Melissa Prince - Chief Client Value and Innovation Officer, Ballard SpahrRecorded on 10-07-2022

Attorney Task Management: Beyond LPM

We've seen an increasing number of requests for help around task management that go beyond traditional legal project management tools. Associates wants to see everything assigned to them, and be able to manage it without partners seeing how they're doing so. Partners want to see tasks they’ve assigned across clients and matters. The problem seems like one that should be easily solved with technology, but when you dig into the issues, you realize that no one has a good solution. What is getting in the way of delivering a task management solution that works for attorneys?Questions Holly will be asking Floor:1. Firms have tried using a lot of different technologies to help associates manage their tasks and give partners insight into status, but most of these efforts haven’t been successful. Why is this so difficult to solve?2. Oftentimes, when we hear from attorneys on this topic, the conversation starts with them saying “I want this technology”, but we know that if a technology could solve the issue we wouldn’t be having this conversation. How can we have a more productive conversation with our attorneys, not just on this topic, but generally?3. The term ‘innovation’ gets used a lot, but again, it often seems to be used when discussing technological solutions. What would be a better way of having a conversation about innovation?
Moderator: @Holly Hanna - KM Firm Solutions Manager, Perkins CoieSpeaker:@Floor Blindenbach -Founder & CEO, Organizing4Innovation
Recorded on 09-23-2022
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Connecting the Dots - People, Process, Tech

In today’s world, purchasing technology is no longer a sure fire way to solve a business problem. In addition to the right technology you need to have the right people, following the right process and leveraging the right technology to solve the complex business problems law firms are facing. But how do you connect these three concepts within your organizations? Listen to this discussion with Rachel Shields Williams from Sidley Austin and Debbie Foster from Affinity Consulting Group.
Questions Rachel will ask Debbie:· What is the secret to connecting people, process and technology in today’s modern law firm.· Is there one part of the “People, Process, and Technology” that leaders should focus on more? Or do you see people focus one more than the other?· Common pit falls when trying to connect the dots?· What is one piece of advice that you would give to anyone trying to connect the dots?
Moderator:@Rachel Shields Williams - Director, Knowledge Management, Sidley Austin LLPSpeaker:@Debbie Foster - Partner, Affinity Consulting Group
Recorded on 09-19-2022

Data Hygiene and Upkeep: How Do We Know if We’re Doing it Right? How Can We Use ”Dark” Data to Drive Business Decisions?

In this podcast, the speakers discuss using data appropriately in the legal sphere, and thinking creatively about what various data sources within your firm or organization can tell you.Questions Harriet will ask the speakers:· Big picture: How do we make sure data is useable, accessible/findable, and consistent across departments?· On the topic of so-called “dark” data: what are some uses cases from other industries that we should think about applying to the legal industry? In other words, how can we mine data that’s already being collected and make better/new use of it?· What are some ways in which we can convince groups to share their data for the greater good? How can we get buy-in from the average partner/shareholder to share their data across the firm, to ultimately enable trend-spotting and proactive action, rather than simply using data to tell retrospective stories?Moderator:@Harriet Joubert-Vaklyes - Process Innovation Senior Specialist, Shearman & Sterling LLP
Speakers:@Lisa Gardner - Director of Data Analytics, Shearman & Sterling@Paul Giedraitis - Principal, Axiom Consulting Partners/Orgaimi
Recorded on 09-13-2022

The Differences and Benefits Between the Contemporary eDiscovery Platforms on the Market Today

In this podcast recording, a litigation support expert discusses different document review platforms on the market and their strengths and weaknesses.Questions Ryan will ask Josh: 1. Which platforms do you have experience with?2. What do you feel are the strengths of those platforms?3. What are the weaknesses?4. What are the biggest considerations an organization should make when choosing a platform?5. Of what you have used, which platforms are your favorites and why?Moderator:@Ryan Gerlach - Legal analyst, State of California Office of the Attorney General - DOJSpeaker:Josh Gilliland - Associate, Greenan, Peffer, Sallander & Lally LLP​Recorded on 09-06-2022
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Remote Working: What Does the Future Hold?

In this podcast session, we will discuss if continue to work remote, what needs to change? What do we stand to gain and what do we stand to lose?Questions Marlene will ask the speakers:1. What is the current state of remote work? Who is working remotely in law and are we seeing changes in who or how much in the last few months?2. A recent ALM survey on incoming summer associates reported that only 25% percent of the respondents felt concern about connecting with colleagues and getting adequate training in remote programs. This was down from 53% last year. Does that surprise you?3. Have you heard of any particularly creative methods organizations are using to keep communication going in remote teams?4. What is the economic and financial impact of remote work on organizations?5. If organizations are seeing remote work as a solution long term, what sort of skills and characteristics should they be looking for in their hiring and retention practices?
Moderator:@Marlene Gebauer - Co-Host of The Geek in Review PodcastSpeakers:Richard Hsu - Managing Director, Major, Lindsey & Africa@Sang Lee - CEO and Co-Founder, Thine

Incorporating Legal Technologies into Litigation Workflows

This interview will highlight the challenges and best approaches for training attorneys on new eDiscovery software.Questions Sachin will ask Speaker:1. What are the biggest impediments to getting attorneys to adopt and learn to new legal technologies and applications?2. What strategies have you found to be most effective when training attorneys and legal teams?3. What are some considerations when looking to adopt new litigation technologies and try new resources?4. How has the shift to remote work changed how you work with and consult with Attorneys on eDiscovery applications and legal technology?5. Do you have any final thoughts or comments that you would like to leave our listeners?
Moderator:@Sachin Gupta -  Knowledge Management Attorney – Data & Technology Transactions, Latham & Watkins LLPSpeaker:@Sara Miro - Knowledge Management Attorney – Litigation, Sullivan & Cromwell
​Recorded on 07-25-2022