ILTA Voices

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

InfoSec Risk Reduction 101 for Remote & Hybrid Document Review Operations

In this podcast interview session, the speakers discussed some challenges and solutions when implementing security in a hybrid/remote environment. In addition, they spoke about cybersecurity, regulatory issues, and ethical considerations when client data in discovery and internal investigations is accessed temporary contract attorneys working from home.Questions Jordan asked the speakers:
First, describe your roles at your respective organizations and specifically how you are involved in doc review projects
How have the information security elements of these projects, or your infosec concerns, changed over the last couple years?
What are the important items to consider when planning for a remote document review project?
Differences between “secure VPN”, SessionGuardian, other options?  What are different infosec and DLP approaches and technologies you see in the market?
What are some practical, tactical, day-to-day challenges found managing WFH doc review teams … and how does enhanced attention to infosec and careful application of good tools and protocols help?
Describe the roles, goals, and challenges of the law firm, the client, the hosting provider and the doc review staffing provider in today's remote doc review project
Moderator:@Jordan Ellington - Founder and CEO, SessionGuardian
Speakers:@Scott Bilbrey - CEO, Vigilant@Todd Mattson - Chief Practice Systems & Services, Covington & Burling LLP ​​
​Recorded on 10-04-2022

Leading Your Firms Through Today’s Legal Technology Challenges

Technology is vital to the practice of law in any modern law firm, but it can also be challenging to implement and keep updated. In this podcast, we’ll explore some of the greatest challenges to the modern law firm, explore why technology is so vital for the continued success of firms, and explore how they’re coping with technology challenges today. Listen for tips to lead your law firm through today’s legal technology challenges!Question John asked Jeff:1. What do you see as the greatest technology challenges facing law firms today?2. Why is technology so important to law firms and are they overall keeping up with technology or falling behind the curve?3. How can they improve?4. What are three key components to successfully navigating today’s legal technology challenges5. Are there non-technology challenges for technology impacting firms today, and can you give us some examples (e.g., senior management support, culture change, adoption, etc.) of the impact these challenges may be having?Moderator:@John Graves - Training Support Specialist, Winstead PC
​Speaker:@Jeffrey Brandt - Chief Information Officer, Jackson Kelly PLLC
Recorded on 09-30-2022​

Weird eDiscovery

In this podcast session, the speaker will discuss about a weird request/project/situation and what was the outcome. In addition, the speaker will provide tips or guidance on how to push back on these type of requests.Questions that Rachel will ask David:-What weird eDiscovery requests have you had to deal with?-Who do these requests come from?-How to you push back on bizarre requests, and when do you know its right to do so?
Moderator:@Rachel McAdams - Legal Technology and eDiscovery Senior Manager, A&L Goodbody LLPSpeaker:@David Greetham - Founder & Principal Investigator, PC Forensics
Recorded on 09-28-2022
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Protecting Your Custom Software-Security Scanning and Runtime

This podcast reviews the various categories of vulnerability tools that should be used against custom software web applications and describe a couple of the vendors in each space. The types of scanners that will be covered include Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST), Static Application Security Testing (SAST), Software Composition Analysis (SCA), Interactive Application Security Testing (IAST), and hiring a company to perform penetration testsQuestions that Corey will ask speaker:• What is the state of web application vulnerability testing tools today?• If you are on a tight budget, where would you consider using open source solutions over vendor offerings?• Is there a scanning category where you would not compromise, and absolutely would use a vendor solution? If so, why?• What are some of the limitations that people should be aware of when using various vendor scanning tools?• How has deploying web applications in a cloud infrastructure changed web application scanning?Moderator:@Corey Reitz - Distinguished Cyber Assurance Architect, Sandia National Laboratories
Speaker:Atahan Bozdag - Director of Information Security,MedeAnalytics Recorded on 09-23-2022

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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Information Governance Policies and Practices for Small Firms

Information Governance is coming to the forefront as privacy become stricter in more and more jurisdictions. Clients are also inquiring about how their records are kept and demanding that firms put protections in place. In this podcast we will review the differences between Records Management and IG. We then delve into IG frameworks and policies and why you would want to establish these, followed by a look at client expectations. We will conclude with an overview of where to start when developing an IG framework and policy and the steps to take to put this in place.
Questions Ann will ask speaker:1. What’s the difference between records management and information governance? 2. What is an IG framework and associated policies and why would you want to establish these? (i.e. risk management, costs, etc.)3. In terms of client expectations, what are clients concerned about and what do they want to see in terms of IG?4. If a firm or corporation wanted to establish an information governance framework and policy, where would they start and what steps would they go through to get this in place?
Moderator:Ann Halkett - Director, SOLVED eDiscovery Services, a division of AHBL MLP
Speaker:Andrew Cogan - IGP, Manager of Practice Services – Records, Allen Matkins 
Recorded on 09-22-2022

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

Document Automation and the Productization of Legal Services: Leveraging Your Technology Investment as a Source of Revenue

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

Has the Time Come for Passwords to Take a Back Seat to Security

The majority of breaches today no longer come through delivered malware as our systems have become very strong with detecting and blocking these resulting in more effort than value for the attacker. Instead, it’s easier, faster and more economical to just try and steal your password, or better yet have you provide it yourself. This podcast takes a look at the security risks that are actually derived from one of our more important security controls… passwords; and look at what we can do to minimize those risks moving forward.
Questions Dave will ask the speakers:
A recent study by Verizon found that more than 80 percent of breaches through hacking involve brute force or the use of lost or stolen credentials. Microsoft estimates that there are 921 password attacks per second. We’ve been educated for years by the security industry and our awareness programs that passwords are the most crucial component to protecting our environments and our information. How is it that this sacred key to our kingdom is actually resulting in opening so many doors for attackers?
NIST has taken steps to try and reduce the bleeding with their new Password guidelines and best practices which encourage passphrases of more characters, less complexity and less changes. Are these steps in the right direction to actually keeping us secure?
Many security tools are now providing artificial intelligence around login requests that look to see if the member is coming from a known device and location prior to providing access. Would implementing these types of risk based controls with MFA and a passphrase by the answer to our problems?
Biometrics for authentication always seemed to be the next logical step for passwords. We have our basic biometrics on devices however, those are all back supported by a password or PIN. Will we ever get to a place where we’re truly only using biometrics for all authentication?
I understand that Apple, Google and Microsoft are working on a solution together that will get rid of passwords. Instead, they will just leverage the biometrics on your phone as your access code to everything. With this in mind do we just need to sit tight and all our troubles will soon be fixed?
Moderator:@David Whale - Director Information Security, Fasken Martineau Dumoulin LLPSpeakers:Sohail Iqbal - CISO, VeracodeEldon Sprickerhoff - Founder and Chief Innovation Officer, eSentirePhillip Solakov - Director, Client Solutions, Optiv, Inc.Recorded on 09-09-2022​