ILTA Voices
Episodes
Thursday Nov 03, 2022
The Hybrid Lit Support Model
Thursday Nov 03, 2022
Thursday Nov 03, 2022
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
Friday Oct 07, 2022
Friday Oct 07, 2022
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
Friday Sep 23, 2022
Attorney Task Management: Beyond LPM
Friday Sep 23, 2022
Friday Sep 23, 2022
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
Monday Sep 19, 2022
Connecting the Dots - People, Process, Tech
Monday Sep 19, 2022
Monday Sep 19, 2022
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
Tuesday Sep 13, 2022
Tuesday Sep 13, 2022
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
Tuesday Sep 06, 2022
Tuesday Sep 06, 2022
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 LLPRecorded on 09-06-2022
Friday Jul 29, 2022
Remote Working: What Does the Future Hold?
Friday Jul 29, 2022
Friday Jul 29, 2022
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
Monday Jul 25, 2022
Incorporating Legal Technologies into Litigation Workflows
Monday Jul 25, 2022
Monday Jul 25, 2022
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
Tuesday Jun 28, 2022
Case Study: Making a Practicing Attorney Drive an Innovation Project
Tuesday Jun 28, 2022
Tuesday Jun 28, 2022
Most lawyers are enthusiastic about innovation projects, until they are put in charge. The toll it could take on their billable hours, the risk of attaching their reputation to an innovation project, and simply the work itself can all be overwhelming. For that reason, they usually prefer to let someone else to innovate for them.In this interview session, we will highlight how a practicing attorney was convinced to get involved in an innovation project, what support was provided to help her succeed, and what she did to solve her own problem – to the benefit of the entire firm – within the time span of 4 months.Questions Barbara will ask speakers:1) Tell us in short about your project and how was it different from the others that you did in the past.2) What made you say yes to this program?3) What were the biggest challenges and takeaways from going through this process?4) What do you think law firms can do to encourage more practicing attorneys to get involved in projects like this?5) What are the benefits of having practicing attorneys involved in innovation projects and why doesn’t it happen very often?
Moderator:@Barbara Gondim Da Rocha - Head of Knowledge Management and Innovation, RMS Advogados
Speakers:@Floor Blindenbach - Founder & CEO, Organizing4InnovationMayna Felix - Lawyer, RMS Advogados
Recorded on 06-28-2022
Friday Jun 24, 2022
Data and the Strategic Business Decision
Friday Jun 24, 2022
Friday Jun 24, 2022
More and more law firms are turning to analyzing their data to drive business decisions. What is the main driver behind this and what do firm leaders see data providing today that would help make decisions? In addition, we will discuss in this interview what types of data should they be looking at and what tools are or should they be using?Questions that Tracey will ask speakers:-What is the main driver behind more and more law firms turning to analyzing their data to drive business decisions?-What do firm leaders see data providing today that would help make decisions?-What types of data should they be looking at?-What tools are or should they be using?
Moderator:@Tracey Pardo - IS Improvement and Reporting Analyst, Cooley LLP
Speakers:@Royale Price - Director of Pricing and Matter Management, Greenberg TraurigKatie Styler - Principal, Axiom Consulting Partners
Recorded on 06-24-2022
Thursday Jun 23, 2022
Articulating the Adoption and Value of Legal Technology
Thursday Jun 23, 2022
Thursday Jun 23, 2022
We all know that new technology without adoption, isn’t useful to advancing our organizational goals nor does it highlight the value of the technology.But how do you articulate the value of the technology without adoption? It’s a bit of the chicken or the egg conversation that anyone deploying a new technology faces. Join us as we discuss how business sponsors can articulate the adoption and value of legal technology to drive sustainable change.Questions Rachel will ask Nikki:• Adoption is critical to the success to legal technology, during the planning process when should the conversation around adoption take place?• Do you think challenge to legal tech adoption is a US centric problem or is this a global industry problem?• Do you think lawyers are really change adverse or is the value not always articulated?• Who should decide if technology is successfully adopted? Who is responsible for articulating the value?• What skills do you think need to be applied to have successful adoption?
Moderator: @Rachel Shields Williams - Director, Knowledge Management, Sidley Austin LLP
Speaker:@Nicola Shaver - CEO, Co-Founder, LegalTechnology Hub
Recorded on 06-23-2022