Techshow again a smashing success!

ABA TECHSHOW® 2007 — the world's premier legal technology conference and expo, held March 22-24 in Chicago — was even meatier than last year's event, with more than 2,000 registrants, almost 850 CLE attendees, 140 vendor booths at Expo Hall and 500 vendor representatives, and 700 people who took advantage of the Free Expo Hall pass.

The three-day conference included more than 60 legal technology programs, and one whole day was devoted to the needs of solo and small firm lawyers, featuring two parallel solo and small firm tracks offering eight CLE sessions on legal technology topics including client development, e-discovery, information management, going paperless, and billing.

Judge Shira A. Scheindlin

Conference highlights included a keynote address by Judge Shira A. Scheindlin of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. Renowned for her landmark decisions in Zubulake v. UBS Warburg, often referred to as the gold standard of electronic discovery, Judge Scheindlin shared her insights on e-discovery during her keynote presentation on March 22.

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Marketing on the Internet

A few short years ago, legal practitioners were asking themselves whether to have an online presence at all; now they simply ask which marketing tool will work best for their firm's needs. In "The Lawyer's Guide to Marketing on the Internet,” panelists Greg Siskind and Rick Klau helped to answer this question by providing tips on developing an Internet marketing plan, and explaining the differences in various online media formats.

Weblogs have been around for quite some time, but have become increasingly popular in the past few years. They are chronically oriented Web pages. As new items are posted, older items are moved to the bottom. Since each new posting has its own Web address, information is easily accessible. Keep in mind that blogs are public, so posted content should be client-friendly.

RSS feeds, or "really simple syndication" feeds, are the newest craze in a succession of online fads. The feeds allow users to get content sent directly to them from a variety of Web sites. They offer countless benefits for firms, including the ability to promote content across a family of sites, and they are relatively inexpensive. Feeds are also a great way to communicate with clients since they only go to those who've signed up for them.

Podcasts combine audio and RSS to provide the equivalent to a radio commentary. They are relatively inexpensive as well, and are simple enough for anyone to create. However, podcasts require more experience for production.

Other online marketing methods include developing targeted e-mail campaigns; creating webinars, or online seminars, that can be recorded and reviewed later; and posting files on SlideShare, which is considered a YouTube for PowerPoint presentations.

To survive and thrive in the Internet age, a Web presence is a necessity. And, with a multitude of programs and tools available to the not-so-tech-savvy legal practitioner, entering the online marketplace is easier than ever.

Attendees assemble for a Taste of TechShow dinner

If you missed it

Year after year, one of the most popular sessions at ABA TECHSHOW is "60 Sites in 60 Minutes," a fast-paced and often irreverent look at Web sites that may be of interest to lawyers. Many of these sites are incredible legal or law-practice related resources while others range from interesting to just plain wacky. This year's list — and links to prior lists and the Hall of Fame — can be found online. Program material for all of the CLE programming is also available on CD.

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