SEPTEMBER 18, 2020
REGISTRATION CLOSED
Program Listing Seminar Descriptions Speakers Sponsors
Programs
AI, Legal, and the Changing Business of Law
Andrew Arruda
Mr. Arruda will explore the history of AI (as well as several misconceptions regarding its development), before providing a modern, up-to-date definition of what constitutes AI in 2020. From there, he will explore examples of AI in practice, through real world applications of the technology across multiple industries before examining the implications of AI for law and providing a live demonstration of their legal research technology. Finally, he will conclude the presentation with a discussion of where the legal industry is headed and what role AI will play in the future.
Are you Lawyering or Laboring? 7 Steps to Reduce Interruptions and Chores
Maddy Martin, Smith.ai
Participants will learn seven techniques for incorporating tools that promote professionalism and productivity into their operations with minimal investment of time, energy, and money:
- Route inbound phone & email communications
- Limit calls & emails with web chat & texting apps
- Automate lead capture & qualification
- Hand-off new client intake
- Streamline appointment scheduling & reminders
- Facilitate payments to increase realization
- Systematically refer "bad" leads and generate high-quality
Automation and Marketing Your Law Practice, From the Trenches
Ada Chan and Mark Rollins, Rollins and Chan Law Firm
Many small law firms have not changed with the times. There has been a revolution in the practice of law which requires lawyers to be efficient while increasing productivity. Small modern law practices need to focus on the cost of legal research, cloud computing, advertising costs, and the automation of the practice of law. This program will focus on developing and maintaining a small modern law practice to suit the modern-day client by using customer relations management software integrated with case management software.
Avoiding the Ethical Traps that Lurk in Your Files
Dan Schumack, Schumack Law Firm PLLC
Hope Todd and Erika Stillabower, D.C. Bar Legal Ethics Program
Credit: 1.0 Ethics Credit Hour
Course Level: Intermediate
This course explores ethical responsibilities and malpractice risks associated with the ways in which lawyers manage their files during and after the lawyer-client relationship. Topics will include maintaining confidentiality under Rule 1.6 for physical and cloud-based data; extra requirements for trust account records under Rule 1.15(a); obligations under Rule 1.16(d) for file transition to successor counsel; and Rule variances between the District, Maryland, and Virginia.
The Client-Centered Law Firm: How to Succeed in an Experience-Driven World
Jack Newton, Clio
(SPONSORED)
The legal industry has long been risk averse, but when it comes to adapting to the experience-driven world created by companies like Netflix, Uber, and Airbnb, adherence to the old status quo could be the death knell for today's law firms.
In The Client-Centered Law Firm, Clio co-founder Jack Newton offers a clear-eyed and timely look at how providing a client-centered experience and running an efficient, profitable law firm aren't opposing ideas -- with this approach, they drive each other. Covering the what, why, and how of running a client-centered practice, with examples from law firms leading this revolution, as well as practical strategies for implementation. The Client-Centered Law Firm is a rallying call to unlock the enormous latent demand in the legal market by providing client-centered experiences, improving internal processes, and raising the bottom line.
Contract, Of Counsel, Co-counsel, Oh My: The Ethics of Working with “Outside” Lawyers
Dan Schumack, Schumack Law Firm PLLC
Hope Todd and Erika Stillabower, D.C. Bar Legal Ethics Program
Credit: 1.0 Ethics Credit Hour
Course Level: Intermediate
This course will explore the myriad ethical issues and mandatory obligations that can arise when a lawyer works with another lawyer who is “outside” of the lawyer’s firm. Such relationships may be formed with contract lawyers, lawyers who are “of counsel” to a firm or in co-counsel relationships. Ethical issues include when and to what extent a lawyer must inform a client that another lawyer is working on the client’s matter (Rule 1.4), when conflicts of interest impute (Rule 1.10), how the firm or outside lawyer may hold themselves out to the public (Rules 7.1/7.5), fee agreements (1.5), referral fees (7.1) and more. Knowledgeable ethics lawyers will discuss how ethical duties vary depending on the nature and scope of the relationship and other practical considerations when forming such relationships.
Fireside Chat with Seth Price: Law Firm Growth Strategies for the Small Firm Lawyer
Seth Price, Price Benowitz LLP
Seth Price answers common questions on operations, management, and marketing strategies law firm owners face on a daily basis. Get the inside scoop on best practices for building a strong intake and support team; hiring, firing and cultivating a culture where A+ players want to work; and marketing strategies that fit your management style and business model in order to take your firm to the next level.
5 Reasons Lawyers Make Bad Business Owners and How Technology Can Help You Be Better
Erica Birstler, CosmoLex
Running a small law firm requires that you be more than just a good lawyer. You are also required to be a smart businessperson. This means that managing a successful law office often involves wearing the hats of many roles -- accountant, billing manager, client relations manager, and more -- all while providing your client with the best possible service. It can be a lot to handle, and there are many reasons that lawyers make bad business owners, but that does not have to be you! Learn how to leverage modern technology and efficient processes to run a more productive and profitable law firm.
How Stay at Home Solo Attorneys Build Thriving Firms with Technology and Freelance Lawyers
Kristin Tyler, LAWCLERK
Whether your goal is to build a lifestyle law firm or spend more time with your children, building a thriving practice is more attainable than ever before. Recent advancements in legal technology and regulatory changes regarding a new category of providers -- ‘paraprofessionals --, offer tremendous opportunities for growth. In this session, we will provide an overview of the fastest growing business model for solo attorneys, best practices, and resources to help get you started.
Innovating in the New Normal
Jack Newton, Clio; Ed Walters, Fastcase; Darrin Sorbin, District of Columbia Bar
(SPONSORED)
Join us for this live program where we will discuss:
- Legal Trends
- Marketing your firm in 2020
- Recovering more billable time
- Automating your practice
- The Cloud-based law firm
iPhone Forensics: An Update on Capabilities from the Trenches
Michael C. Maschke and Brandon Barnes, Sensei Enterprises
Year after year, Apple continues to release new hardware models and updates to its iOS operating system. Digital forensic capabilities have grown over time and now we are able to recover more data than ever that may be vital to your case. Come learn about some of the new types of information that forensics can uncover, along with updates on capabilities to recover communications and other important user generated data.
Increase Revenue Through Better Billing & Collections Practices, presented by
Geoff Gilbert, Coach for Executives
As lawyers, we habitually let clients get away with not paying their bills on time. Learn how to change this so that your bill becomes your client’s priority. This is an important way to immediately increase revenue and add to the value of your practice.
Malpractice and Cybersecurity Insurance: Practical Considerations
Mark LeFever, USI Affinity
(SPONSORED)
Selecting malpractice coverage is important for lawyers in a firm of any size. How much coverage is needed? How much should it cost? How does the cost of defense affect the premium and coverage? How can a fee dispute affect coverage? What happens if the lawyer changes providers? What is cyber coverage? This informative program will explore these topics and other issues such as: where malpractice claims originate; malpractice insurance policies; how to determine appropriate coverage; and selecting a carrier, policy, and broker.
Online Marketing: You’re Doing it All Wrong
Conrad Saam, Mockingbird Marketing
Lawyers typically work really hard…. on the wrong things. During this session, we reveal many ways in which lawyers waste time and money chasing the latest technical shiny object while ignoring tried and true (and often cheap) marketing tactics. This session is focused on the DIYer or the lawyer responsible for actively managing a firm.
The Path to a Paperless Practice Using PDF
Mike Bigelow, Foxit Software
(SPONSORED)
With 2020 forcing firms to acknowledge the need for and benefits of a paperless law office, many lawyers face a technological reckoning. Whether dealing with the headaches of reconciling a dozen different systems or feeling beleaguered by the investment of time and energy needed to learn new software, overwhelmed lawyers could use some quick wins to adapt to the “new normal.” This session will introduce ways to get more productivity out of one program: your PDF editing software. Already the standard format for courts around the world, you can do more with PDFs than just e-filing:
- Redacting information and metadata
- Compressing file sizes for archiving
- Commenting and collaborating on documents
- Creating bookmarked tables of contents
- Assembling cases and evidence for quick reference
- Bates numbering
- Creating presentations and exhibits that display the same across devices
- Intake and other interactive forms
- Electronic and digital signatures
- Document management integration
- Convert documents to searchable OCR
Practical Applications of Accounting and Statistics to Help You Manage Your Legal Practice Better
Paul Diver and Deepa Sundararaman, BRG
(SPONSORED)
Statistics and accounting can be intimidating for many people, but routinely play important roles in many legal settings. The jargon can seem overwhelming and make it difficult even for an interested learner to know where to start. BGR’s faculty of experienced practitioners will demystify several key concepts and provide you with a solid foundation to help you understand and converse in both disciplines including:
- Breaking down some commonly used accounting terminology
- Components of Financial Statements
- All about Costs
- The definition and use of Present Value
- Core summary statistics (mean, median mode, standard deviation)
- The definition and use of statistical significance and statistical hypothesis testing
- The definition and interpretation of statistical confidence intervals and margins of error
- The basics of regression analysis
- They will break down each concept with clear examples, address frequently asked questions, and address several key pitfalls and mistakes made even by some of the most experienced lawyers.
Red Flags, Guardrails and Hard Stops: Navigating Lawyer Ethics with Difficult Clients
Dan Schumack, Schumack Law Firm PLLC
Hope Todd and Erika Stillabower, D.C. Bar Legal Ethics Program
Credit: 1.0 Ethics Credit Hour
Course Level: Intermediate
This course will address the ethical issues that may arise when dealing with “difficult” clients. Such clients may include those who want to engage in “shady” ventures; possess alternative facts after the fact; want to be the lawyer; suddenly remember material facts; require the lawyer to remain silent about material facts; and/ or acquire evidence from questionable sources. This course will explore the tensions between duties owed to clients (diligence, zealousness, confidentiality) and duties owed the tribunal (candor; meritorious claims); third parties (truthfulness; respect for legal rights); the rule of law and the administration of justice. Knowledgeable faculty will use hypothetical scenarios to identify competing ethical duties and how the ethics rules guide and limit lawyers when their clients present ethically challenging behavior. The course will also discuss situations that require or permit lawyers to withdraw from representation pursuant to Rule 1.16 when a client goes off the rails.
Resilience Training: Performance Skills for a Better Practice and Better Life
Claude Ducloux, LawPay
(SPONSORED)
For too many attorneys the stress of practicing law has led to depression and problematic behaviors. But why can some lawyers handle the stress while others cannot? Using the practices and strategies found in the US Army’s Master Resilience training program, Mr. Ducloux will pass on techniques and illustrations of behaviors which can increase optimism, self-regulation, and strengths as a lawyer. You will learn the mental processes which allow you to endure the setbacks in life and practice and come back stronger than ever. We’ll discuss attitude, mental balance, emotional intelligence, and strategies to help you when you’re feeling overwhelmed. Using these skills may lead to a better work-life balance.
Running on Empty: Preventing Burnout in the Legal Profession
Niki Irish, D.C. Bar Lawyer Assistance Program
The World Health Organization defines burnout as a syndrome "resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed." The primary symptoms include persistent exhaustion, feeling negative towards one's career, and reduced productivity. Does this speak to you? If so, please join us for a discussion exploring the concept of burnout and its effects on the mind, body and relationships. This program will help you gain a better understanding of strategies used to prevent, respond to and recover from burnout.
The Top Law Firm Marketing Myths that are Holding Your Firm Back
Mark Homer, GNGF
(SPONSORED)
Like a horde of zombies, some law firm marketing myths just will not die. Learn the top law firm marketing myths that you have been led to believe, why you should ignore them, and what you should be doing to propel your law firm forward in 2020.
Virtual Law Firm Logistics: The Blueprint for Online Success
Nakia Gray, Gray Legal, P.C.
During this session, Ms. Gray will give you the blueprint for launching and growing a virtual law practice. She will discuss must-have technology and software, how to hire virtual staff to give you more freedom, and ways you can increase your profitability.
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