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11 Legal Conferences Lawyers Need To Attend
Joe Galotti
October 21, 2019
This October, the Answering Legal blog will be sharing some of its top recommendations for attorneys. In addition to this post, which features an inside look at 11 Legal Conferences Lawyers Need To Attend, we’ll be releasing lists on 11 Books Every Lawyer Should Read, 11 Apps Lawyers Need To Be Using, and 11 Marketing Tools Lawyers Need To Invest In.
There’s a lot that goes into running a successful law practice these days, and below we’ll be highlighting 11 conferences that attorneys will see great benefits from attending. The legal conferences in the piece take place all across the country and are spread throughout the calendar year. They not only offer great learning and networking opportunities, but provide wonderful excuses to go visit some of America’s best cities. Included in this piece are short interviews with representatives from 10 out of the 11 featured conferences. We hope you find this list to be of value.
The Summit: National Solo & Small Law Firm Conference
When It Takes Place: Dec. 5-6, 2019
Location: Orlando, Florida
Just as the weather starts to turn cold, pops up a great reason to go visit The Sunshine State. Atticus’s “The Summit” provides growing law firms with exclusive strategy, industry hacks and fresh business practices. Attendees will get to hear from established lawyers, practice managers, and business owners, and will learn what is necessary to start dominating their market. The event’s Sponsorship Engagement Advisor, Elizabeth Cox, told us more about what to expect from this event.
Elizabeth Cox
Sponsorship Engagement Advisor
How many years has your conference been going on for, and how did it come to be?
Elizabeth Cox: This is our 3rd year for the Atticus Summit. As a coaching firm for attorneys, we realized we wanted a way to highlight the innovations our forward thinking “game changing” attorneys were working on. We wanted it to be a place that other attorneys and clients could meet, learn, and implement.
What type of itinerary can lawyers expect when attending your conference?
Elizabeth: Day 1 is focused on innovation and inspiration. The day is filled with the latest innovations that attorneys are creating within their firms. Day 2 is focused on implementation. Hearing great ideas is one thing, but implementing (or creating a roadmap to implement) is the difference between dreaming and doing.
What is something your conference offers that no other legal conference can?
Elizabeth: Atticus best practices and processes. Again, it’s one thing to hear inspirational and innovative ideas, but it’s quite another to leave the conference with a plan on how to take steps to improve your own practice.
Is there anything lawyers can do to ensure that they get the best possible experience from your conference?
Elizabeth: Come to the conference with an open and rested mind. Leave with a community of new colleagues you will get to know and trust.
What do you hope lawyers get out of attending your conference?
Elizabeth: Too often attorneys come back from conferences, put their notes on a shelf, and never re-visit what they learned. Our biggest win is if each attorney not only identifies something that can do today in their practice to make it better for tomorrow, but that they actually take the actions necessary for change.
Legal Marketing Association Annual Conference
When It Takes Place: Mar. 25-27, 2020
Location: Denver, Colorado
For years, the Legal Marketing Association has been a go-to resource for attorneys and law firm leaders looking to grow their practices and gain a competitive edge. If your firm is looking to get ahead of the latest legal marketing news and developments, and hear advice from some of the industry’s top experts, the LMA’s Annual Conference is a must-attend. Last year over 1,500 people went to this event, so definitely come ready to network.
To gain a better understanding of what this event has to offer, we’d recommend checking out recaps of last year’s event from the following experts:
Bedlam Conference
When It Takes Place: Apr. 1-3, 2020
Location: Las Vegas, Nevada
The Bedlam Conference is still a relative newbie to the legal conference circuit, but is quickly gaining steam as one of the most rewarding to attend. This event is centered around five grizzled legal marketing veterans, who will be sharing with lawyers some of their most useful tools and tricks. What happens in Vegas doesn’t always have to stay in Vegas, as this conference will provide you with plenty of actionable advice to take back to your firm. Mockingbird Marketing’s Kelsey Butchcoe gave us more information about Bedlam.
Kelsey Butchcoe
Event Director at Bedlam
How many years has your conference been going on for, and how did it come to be?
Kelsey Butchcoe: We held our first conference this past March and decided to do it again after getting some great feedback.
Bedlam was created by five "friendly competitors" in the legal marketing industry: Gyi Tsakalakis of AttorneySync, Mark Homer of GNGF, Casey Meraz of Juris Digital, Conrad Saam of Mockingbird, and Mike Ramsey of Nifty. They wanted to provide a way for lawyers to get hands-on experience & learn from a variety of sources. They’ve taken their extensive legal marketing knowledge and jam packed it into a three day conference.
What type of itinerary can lawyers expect when attending your conference?
Kelsey: Over the course of three days, we’ll discuss just about everything related to legal marketing: Website functionality, speed improvements, review management, Google Analytics setup, link building tactics, advertising strategies, and lead tracking. We hope people come with questions for us to explore as well!
What is something your conference offers that no other legal conference can?
Kelsey: No BS. Our goal is to educate law firms on the types of marketing they need, but also what they don’t.
All of the agencies involved follow the same philosophy: own your tools, own your website, own your data.
Is there anything lawyers can do to ensure that they get the best possible experience from your conference?
Kelsey: Attendees should get access to their website, Google Analytics, Facebook, Google Ads, and Google My Business accounts.
Anything new in the works for future conference events?
Kelsey: This year we’ll be doing 1-on-1 sessions on a handful of topics, so attendees can get specific feedback on their websites and marketing strategies.
What do you hope lawyers get out of attending your conference?
Kelsey: We hope attendees leave with a better understanding of how different types of marketing can help, or hurt, their business. We also want lawyers to feel confident in asking the right questions of their marketing agencies.
Autopilot’s Small Firm Bootcamp
When It Takes Place: May 7-8, 2020
Location: New Orleans, Louisiana
Ernie Svenson’s success as a lawyer has largely been the result of discovering new ways to work smarter and harnessing new technology to improve his practice. For the past decade, Svenson has been trying to help other small firm lawyers do the same through Autopilot’s Small Firm Bootcamp. A unique aspect to this event, is that attendees don’t just get to experience an informative two-day bootcamp in New Orleans, but are also given access to Svenson’s online course and pre-conference webinars. Svenson provides more details in the interview below.
Ernie Svenson
Attorney/Event Instructor
How many years has this event been going on for, and how did it come to be?
Ernie Svenson: The first Bootcamp took place in 2009, and started as a half-day CLE program focused on helping solo and small firm attorneys learn more about using technology to improve their practices.
What type of itinerary can lawyers expect when attending this event?
Ernie: Here are some of the topics we plan to cover
- Systematizing Your Practice
- Voice Dictation Tools & Strategies
- Getting High-Quality Assistance
- Security Essentials
- Radically Effective Productivity Tactics
- The #1 Key to Attracting Better Clients
- Trust Building: Effectively & Ethically
- Mobile Lawyering Essentials
- Document Management Essentials
- Email Efficiency
- Virtual Assistance Essentials
- Social Media: Strategies & Tactics
- Podcasting To Get More Good Clients
- Visual Persuasion: PowerPoint Magic
- Automated Scheduling Systems & Tools
- Tech Essentials Roundup
Plus we’ll have a separate track of interactive workshops on these topics:
- Advanced Practice Management: Attorney Insights
- Advanced Marketing
- Website/Online Marketing
- Advanced Automation
- Advanced Outsourcing
- Advanced Practice Management: Consultant Insights
And more...
What is something your conference offers that no other legal conference can?
Ernie: I am giving every attendee access to my online course so they can start working on their practice immediately after registering. I’m also doing several webinars leading up to the event, all of which will be part of the registration fee.
We give attendees access to a Slack channel so they can discuss the event while they’re at the conference. But they can also interact with the speakers and sponsors in that Slack group. They’ll get access to the Slack area about a month before the event and will maintain access in the weeks after the conference.
Is there anything lawyers can do to ensure that they get the best possible experience from your conference?
Ernie: Be ready to think about new ways of doing things so they can make dramatic improvements to their practices. And be ready to meet a bunch of nice, like-minded lawyers from around the country who are eager to help them grow their practices.
Anything new in the works for future conference events?
Ernie: The new things are what I’ve described above: i.e. helping people before they arrive, and after they leave, and giving them access to an online discussion area. Plus (we’re looking to) create a very special experience for everyone who attends. New Orleans is a pretty good place to host an event. ;-)
What do you hope lawyers get out of attending your conference?
Ernie: I want them to get dramatic results sooner rather than later. I want to give people actionable insight rather than just more information (no one needs more information in today’s world of information overload).
Maximum Lawyer Conference
When It Takes Place: Jun. 11-12, 2020
Over the past few years, Maximum Lawyer has established itself as one of the best learning resources for attorneys. Lead by lawyers Jim Hacking and Tyson Mutrux, Maximum Lawyer produces a terrific weekly podcast and oversees one of the best legal Facebook groups. The Maximum Lawyer Conference gives their community of attorneys a chance to get together and discuss how every aspect of a law firm can be maximized. We reached out to Jim Hacking for more info on the MaxLawCon experience.
Jim Hacking
Immigration Lawyer/Event Organizer
How many years has your conference been going on for, and how did it come to be?
Jim Hacking: Tyson (Mutrux) and I met when I taught a course at SLU law school on how to run a law firm. We became friends and started discussing best practices. We decided to record those discussions and turn them into a podcast. We started a Facebook group that has reached almost 1500 active members. The community that has grown from that podcast enabled us to start MaxLawCon, which is going on its third year now.
What is something your conference offers that no other legal conference can?
Jim: Maximum Lawyer's community is what makes it special. Without the passionate lawyers and listeners in the group there would be no conference or podcast. We've found a niche in the solo-to-midsize entrepreneurial lawyer market and the information we share on the podcast and in the Facebook group really resonates with people. It's a type of energy you really have to see to believe. We're all here to lift each other up in the profession.
What type of itinerary can lawyers expect when attending your conference?
Jim: We like to run a central track because we have found it preserves the intimate, group feeling we strive for. We're going to be incorporating some opt-in tracks this year for people who want to get a bit more in-depth with some topics.
Is there anything lawyers can do to ensure that they get the best possible experience from your conference?
Jim: I think the best advice I can give to someone attending for the first time is to come with an open mind. We work directly with legal tech companies to be right on the edge of what is possible with automation and systematizing. We strive to be creative and open. No BS, just sharing good ideas and information all around.
Anything new in the works for future conference events?
Jim: Each year we take a different spin on the idea of a "legal conference". Ask anyone who has attended and they'll tell you that there isn't anything else like our conference out there right now.
What do you hope lawyers get out of attending your conference?
Jim: We hope lawyers are inspired by our conference, but more importantly we want attendees to leave with actionable tips that they can implement right away. It's easy to be overwhelmed by the amount of content being shared at the conference, so we recommend that all attendees just focus on finding three actionable items they can take away each year.
AILA Annual Conference on Immigration Law
When It Takes Place: Late Spring/Early Summer 2020
For immigration lawyers, attending AILA’s annual event is a must! Each year, over 3,000 people assemble for this conference to take in the latest strategies on defending clients’ rights, and network with attorneys from all around the world. In addition to offering over 150 sessions, this event will help attorneys obtain CLE credits and provide them with unique onsite training. AILA’s Associate Director of Education Emmie Smith gave us more details on the conference.
Emmie Smith
Associate Director of Education at AILA
What type of itinerary can lawyers expect when attending your conference?
Emmie Smith: Beginning Wednesday morning and running through Saturday evening, the conference offers 150+ sessions covering nearly all aspects of immigration law. Speakers come from all over the country, providing diverse perspectives and a wealth of knowledge and expertise. Attendees generally can earn between 28-34 CLE credits, including taking care of specialized credit requirements such as ethics, practice management, and diversity and bias credits.
AILA staff are also onsite providing trainings and helping to educate members on countless free resources and services that come with membership. There are also trainings on case liaison assistance, research techniques, and practice management courses.
Those new to immigration can still take part and participate in the Fundamentals track which runs the full four days. Special events for new attendees and members include the New Attendee Orientation, special dinners with mentors and speakers, and a Saturday Night party.
What is something your conference offers that no other legal conference can?
Emmie: It is the largest gathering of immigration attorneys in the country and offers the most diverse selection of speakers and sessions. There really is no other single event that covers the depth and variety that AILA’s Annual Conference covers for immigration related topics. It is also an opportunity for attendees to hear from government representatives who work for various agencies.
Is there anything lawyers can do to ensure that they get the best possible experience from your conference?
Emmie: Lawyers, especially immigration lawyers, can be very serious about their CLEs. Many attend a session at every time offered which makes for several long days. The CLE programming is very important but it is just one facet of the conference. To truly take advantage of all the Annual Conference has to offer, attendees should also be sure to take part in the following:
- Network and connect with other attendees – The annual conference is one of the best places to meet other immigration attorneys. Valuable professional relationships, connections, resources, and friendships can all be traced back to the Annual Conference. The more regularly you attend, the more valuable and fulfilling the event becomes. Immigration is becoming more and more
- Take advantage of mentoring opportunities like asking questions in sessions and at the AILA Experts Bar.
- Do some good and feel good about it – volunteer at AILA’s annual pro bono clinic held each year on Saturday to give back to the conference community.
- Remember to have fun at the conference too! – For example, last year’s Presidents Party was at Universal CityWalk followed by a private event at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal's Islands of Adventure. Events in prior years have included roof-top parties, excursions to AT&T park, film festivals, a talent show at the Grand Ole Opry, and a second line parade in New Orleans. There is generally something for everyone including tours, pub crawls, fun runs, and dance parties.
- A conference tip would be to get the full set of recordings with in-person registration. It is heavily discounted and gives attendees more freedom at the conference. They can attend a session or stay and chat with colleagues or ask speakers questions after sessions – It takes the pressure off and gives them options without feeling like they are missing out. The recordings are also a great resource when they return to the office. You never know what new type of case or issue might pop up.
Anything new in the works for future conference events?
Emmie: AILA is always looking for ways to keep the programming and events fresh and to provide more value to attendees. Last year for example we added the Experts Bar which allowed attendees a designated time to bring their case specific questions to the faculty speaking at the conference. Keynote and inspirational speakers as well as events continuously change to keep up with new cities and new times. This year we are looking into adding some smaller workshop sessions and a wellness lounge.
What do you hope lawyers get out of attending your conference?
Emmie: We hope that even the most experienced attorneys leave feeling like they learned new tips and strategies they can incorporate in their practices and that they feel up to date on the latest trends and issues. We hope they also feel rejuvenated, refreshed, and inspired to keep fighting for their clients, especially in these difficult times. We also hope they leave with a strong sense of the AILA community and of its support (AILA has over 15,000 members).
ILTACON
When It Takes Place: Aug. 23-27, 2020
Location: Nashville, Tennessee
In a recent article for Law.com, Jennifer Hart wrote, “technology is changing the practice of law, and lawyers need to be a bigger part of that conversation.'' If you feel the same way, than you need to be present at the next ILTACON. This conference from the International Legal Technology Association brings together leaders, managers, and decision-making legal technologists from all different types of law firms. It also features over 200 speakers and many engaging exhibitors. Learn more about the event by reading our interview with ILTA’s Director of Publications and Press, Beth Anne Stuebe.
Beth Anne Stuebe
Director of Publications and Press at ILTA
How many years has your event been going on for, and how did it come to be?
Beth Anne Stuebe: In 2017, we celebrated our 40th ILTACON. Now, we are looking ahead to 2020, where we will be celebrating our 43rd onsite meeting in Nashville!
ILTA was founded in 1980 in Texas and was first incorporated in 1985. Currently our home office is located in Chicago, IL, and we are a 501(c)(6) organization. ILTA began as a user group for technologists and has evolved into a volunteer-led community of professionals, coming together to learn about the latest and greatest in legal technology advancements.
What type of itinerary can lawyers expect when attending this event?
Beth Anne: ILTACON is the premier legal technology conference for professionals undertaking initiatives in support of the practice of law. The annual, four-day conference will bring together leaders, managers and decision-making legal technologists from small to large sized law firms, corporate and government law departments, academia and the G100 firms to discover and evolve successful legal operation strategies for today’s transforming legal industry.
What is something your conference offers that no other legal conference can?
Beth Anne: ILTA and ILTACON are peer-powered. We offer tangibletake-aways and in-depth learning sessions and programs that allow our members, partners, and all attendees to apply conference lessons to their day-to-days. With Keynotes covering the gamut of legal technology, our engaging speakers bring real-world experience to the stage. Additionally, our creative session formats continue to offer new learning pathways for attendees. Our socials and networking events offer fantastic opportunities for our attendees to connect and make the enduring life-friends and colleague connections that ILTA is widely known for. And last, but certainly not least, our exhibitors and partners offer over two hundred chances to connect onsite—our Exhibit Hall is an exciting space to connect.
Is there anything lawyers can do to ensure that they get the best possible experience from your conference?
Beth Anne: ILTACON is for the greater legal technology community. We invite technologists and innovators to join us onsite and learn from subject-matter experts. Attorneys are welcome to join ILTAns from all walks of the technology world as we take session learning to the next level.
Anything new in the works for future conference events?
Beth Anne: As ILTACON continues to evolve, we are looking further to ease our environmental impact and become even more green. We are tackling technology and mindfulness, working with the ‘whole’ individual and are focused on the ‘health’ of attendees. We’ll be looking to bring in CLE learning, new and innovative keynotes and speakers, and will be bringing in thought-leaders and panelists who have ever-evolving views on how legal technology is changing our world. ILTACON is never the same from one year to another; we specialize in continued and innovative learning.
What do you hope lawyers get out of attending your conference?
Beth Anne: Our ultimate goal for ILTACON is to provide leaders, influencers, and decision-makers with the resources and information to make informed legal technology choices. We are peer-powered; by learning together, we strengthen our technologists.
Legal X Filevine User Conference
When It Takes Place: Late Summer/Early Fall 2020
From one of the most popular legal software companies, unsurprisingly comes one of the premier attorney conferences. Filevine’s annual event always features a great lineup of speakers, while also including time for workshops, networking and live entertainment. For Filevine users, this is a unique chance to meet and discuss ideas with the software’s developers and management staff. Filevine’s Content Manager Michael Radford takes us through what this conference is all about.
Michael Radford
Content Manager at Filevine
How many years has your conference been going on for, and how did it come to be?
Michael Radford: This is Filevine’s second time hosting Legal X!
Our first event took place in Park City in 2017. We wanted to interface with our users in a more direct way while providing value above and beyond what they purchased when they signed on with Filevine. To pull this off, the conference needed to be informative, detail-oriented, and fun.
We had a blast at Legal X 2017—but we’ve grown since then. And as our company has expanded, so has our vision.
Legal X 2019 marks a new beginning for us; a chance to show the world what Filevine is all about in as big a way as possible. That’s why we’ve spared no expense: from the venue, to the speaker roster, to the live entertainment, 2019 has raised the bar for Legal X in every way imaginable.
And we’re not done yet! As we prepare for Legal X 2020, we have one goal: to surpass every expectation.
What type of itinerary can lawyers expect when attending your conference?
Michael: Lawyers from any practice area should expect to cover a lot of ground in a short amount of time. Legal X is all about discovering new possibilities with legal technology, and learning how to implement those processes and solutions at your own law firm.
We don’t like to waste time, and we know our users don’t either. That’s why our conference only spans two days, but is packed to the brim with in-depth speakers, support workshops, live entertainment, and constant networking opportunities.
You’ll get a chance to meet the founders of Filevine, chat with other professionals about best practices, trade tips and tricks with the most advanced Filevine users in the world, and enjoy premium amenities and attractions.
What is something your conference offers that no other legal conference can?
Michael: Legal X gives its attendees something no other legal conference can: an in-depth, behind-the-scenes look at Filevine and its team.
It’s a chance for each of our users to participate in the overall vision of our product in a meaningful way. Simultaneously, it’s a chance for potential users (or curious professionals) to see what makes Filevine different.
You’ll be able to meet our CEO and upper-management, discuss future plans with our developers, sit down face-to-face with implementation and support specialists, and get to know every member of the Filevine team. You might even get to steal a sneak peek at upcoming updates and features.
If you make it to Legal X, you’ll walk away with usable, tactical insights that will help your law firm run better. But you’ll also walk away with insider-knowledge about our product and overall vision.
Is there anything lawyers can do to ensure that they get the best possible experience from your conference?
Michael: The most important thing a lawyer can do to prepare for Legal X, is to GET PUMPED.
Our event is a no-holds-barred deep dive into the world of technology and legal. You’ll meet people who are using their software in ways you’ve never imagined before, and you’ll hear micro-detailed presentations from professionals who have perfected entirely new ways of getting work done. And our two-day track is full to the brim with tactical, usable insights about how modern law firms work.
All of that said, there are other things an attendee can do to prepare for their Legal X experience.
- Open your mind. Challenging the status quo is part of what Filevine is all about, and that means letting go of any preconceived notions you have about modern legal work.
- Bring your players. Legal X is a no-brainer for any professional using Filevine, from top decision-makers to contracted paralegals.
- Assess your law firm. If you’re serious about improving processes at every level, you need to be prepared to discuss the current state of your law firm in depth.
With the right mindset, any attendee of Legal X can maximize the value offered by our event.
Anything new in the works for future conference events?
Michael: Legal X 2019 only ended a month ago, but we’ve already begun planning for 2020. We’re not ready to share anything yet, but stay tuned! Legal X 2020 is primed to be bigger, better, and even more value-packed than LX ‘19.
What do you hope lawyers get out of attending your conference?
Michael: Our sincere hope is that every lawyer who attends our event walks away empowered—filled with new ideas about what their law firm can be, and armed with the knowledge needed to make those things happen.
Every aspect of Legal X - from the venue and location, to the speakers and workshops - have been chosen or designed from the ground up to facilitate this goal. Attendees should expect their processes to run smoother, their clients to be happier, and their law firms to grow faster, thanks to the insights and tactical information they received at Legal X.
We can’t wait to see you all next year.
Clio Cloud Conference
When It Takes Place: Fall 2020
In an article last year, Above The Law described the Clio Cloud Conference as the “best legal technology conference around”, and it’s difficult to argue with them. The event offers actionable insight from leaders in the legal and technology world, as well as world-class keynotes and presentations. Attendees also get the chance to interact with Clio’s newest products and consume information from the company’s latest Legal Trends Report. For an inside look at the event, we spoke with Clio Senior Manager Sasha Perrin.
Sasha Perrin
Senior Manager, Brand and Communications at Clio
How many years has the Clio Cloud Conference been going on for, and how did it come to be?
Sasha Perrin: This is the seventh annual Clio Cloud Conference—the first one was in 2013 in Chicago. It started as a gathering of like-minded industry professionals who wanted to be ahead of the legal technology curve, and had only 250 attendees. Since then, it has grown into one of the most prominent conferences in legal, with over 2,000 attendees expected this year—coming from multiple continents and hemispheres.
What type of itinerary can lawyers expect when attending your conference?
Sasha: The conference agenda provides a solid idea of what a typical attendee’s day might look like: powerful keynote sessions, four different tracks of learning sessions and workshops (many for CLE credit), top-class networking with industry leaders and legal professionals, 1:1 time with Clio’s product and support teams, epic evening events, award presentations, and more.
The 2019 Clio Cloud Conference’s theme is: “Learn. Innovate. Thrive.” And that’s what attendees can expect to take away from the conference:
Valuable learning opportunities, from using Clio’s software better to gaining new perspectives on pressing legal issues such as privacy, security, and criminal justice reform.
Chances to engage with legal technology innovators and exhibitors, exposing attendees to new tools and techniques that can streamline and improve their practices. Impactful programming, wellness and exercise activities, personal coaching sessions, and insights that help legal professionals reconfigure their professional lives to have more work-life balance, find more enjoyment in their careers, and achieve success on their terms.
What is something your conference offers that no other legal conference can?
Sasha: The Clio Cloud Conference is the best legal technology conference of the year. The conference attracts leaders from across the legal and technology industries who want to learn, be inspired, and innovate. Our goal is to pair exceptional content with a learning environment that will nurture attendees’ bodies, minds, and souls.
One thing that sets the Clio Cloud Conference apart is the legal technology component—at no other legal conference can attendees engage with such cutting-edge exhibitors, products, and innovative tools that are changing the future of the legal industry. The chance to interact with Clio’s latest products and features plays a huge part in this; from CEO Jack Newton’s conference-opening keynote to Clio-centric elements of the conference like the Clio Lab, Clio Smart Bar, and Clio University, attendees—many of whom are Clio customers—get to deepen their knowledge of the software and identify new ways to strengthen their practices. Many attendees come back year after year because they’re always learning new things that help their firms succeed.
The CLE credit component is also worth noting; at very few conferences do attendees get CLE content that is as engaging as it is at the Clio Cloud Conference, nor do they get to earn CLE credit in such a fun and exciting setting.
Is there anything lawyers can do to ensure that they get the best possible experience from your conference?
Sasha: The best way to experience the Clio Cloud Conference is to come with an open mind, eager to learn—and to have goals for what you want to get out of the conference. There’s so much going on, so having an idea of what you want to take away will help you identify the sessions, workshops, and programming that can be most impactful for your firm. Taking a look at the conference agenda ahead of time, downloading the conference app, and planning ahead will position you well to maximize your experience.
Anything new in the works for future conference events?
Sasha: Always! The Clio Cloud Conference has grown every year, and surely will do so again in 2020. It’s always the event when we announce our biggest company news, latest products and features, and release our annual Legal Trends Report—so there’s never a shortage of excitement.
What do you hope lawyers get out of attending your conference?
Sasha: We hope lawyers walk away from the Clio Cloud Conference thinking, “Wow—I’ve never been to a legal conference like that, and I can’t wait to come back next year.” We’re proud to say that this is the experience many of our attendees have, and we believe it’s because the Clio Cloud Conference truly is unique among legal industry events. Specifically, it gives attendees the opportunity to think about their careers in new ways, identify practice-changing tools, forge lasting relationships, recharge, and be a part of shaping the future of legal.
Crisp Game Changers Summit
When It Takes Place: Nov. 13-14, 2020
Location: Atlanta, Georgia
Crisp Video won’t shy away from telling you that their Game Changers Summit event is much different than the average legal conference. Right on the event’s website, they put in bold font that the conference is not designed to teach you how to be a better lawyer, but rather how to be a better business owner. Through engaging keynote speakers and informative panels, the Crisp team promises to help lawyers attract the best clients and unlock unprecedented growth. Crisp CEO Michael Mogill provided us with some important background information on the event.
Michael Mogill
CEO of Crisp Video Group
How many years has your event been going on for, and how did it come to be?
Michael Mogill: The first Crisp Game Changers Summit was in 2018, and it was really the result of us asking ourselves how we could provide more value to the legal industry, and how we could do something no one had done before to move the industry forward.
We had been to plenty of legal conferences as vendors, and I had spoken at a number of these conferences as well. We saw firsthand what they were like and the kind of energy they had. One of the sayings we live by is “Never Complacent,” and this was one more area we were just not satisfied with the status quo.
So we decided to host our own conference.
But not just any conference — the largest law firm growth conference on earth, focusing holistically on law firm growth, from legal marketing, to personal development, to leadership, to team alignment, and so on.
Ultimately, we wanted to do something totally different, and the past two years have been a testament to that. Anyone who has come to the Game Changers Summit can tell you that it is unlike any other legal event in the world.
What type of itinerary can lawyers expect when attending this event?
Michael: This is a bit of a controversial question for us, since we actually do not release any agenda to our Summit attendees — not before the event, not during the event, not at all.
We intentionally do not release an itinerary so that every attendee comes in with an open mind and fresh expectations. The Game Changers Summit is designed to keep everyone completely engaged in the present moment, so we try to prevent people from looking ahead, skipping anything, or applying any preconceived assumptions to a certain session.
That said, the Game Changers Summit is jam-packed with amazing keynote speakers, enlightening panel discussions, exclusive Crisp video releases and new initiative announcements, and plenty of breaks to enjoy catered meals and great amenities at the Summit venue.
Attorneys can expect to be challenged, engaged, and moved to action when attending the Crisp Game Changers Summit. I don’t want people to walk out feeling inspired. I want them to walk out and DO SOMETHING.
What is something your conference offers that no other legal conference can?
Michael: Would it be pretentious for me to say everything? The speakers we bring in provide a different perspective than attorneys will get anywhere else. The venue, music, and production value of the event provide a different energy than anywhere else. The whole point of the Game Changers Summit is to offer an overall experience that is completely different from any other legal conference.
Is there anything lawyers can do to ensure that they get the best possible experience from your conference?
Michael: This is a great question. To get the best possible experience from the Crisp Game Changers Summit, we only ask three things of the lawyers in attendance:
- Be open-minded
- Be honest
- Be engaged
I believe you don’t have to like someone or agree with what they have to say to learn from them. I believe the only way to make progress toward your goals is by being honest about yourself, your law firm, your goals, and where you’re at. It’s not about looking good. It’s about making progress. And finally, to get the most out of any experience, I believe you need to be 100% present and committed to soaking up as much value as you can. The more tuned in you are, the more actionable ideas you’ll be able to take away and immediately start applying to your law firm.
Anything new in the works for future conference events?
Michael: If you know anything about Crisp, you know we like to always be going bigger and challenging ourselves to level up everything we do. I can’t say too much at this point, but suffice it to say that we have plenty of new surprises in store for the 2020 Crisp Game Changers Summit. We wouldn’t be Crisp if we didn’t continue to push things to the next level.
What do you hope lawyers get out of attending your conference?
Michael: I hope the law firm owners that attend the Game Changers Summit come away feeling a new level of commitment to their goals for their law firm. To be honest, I hope they feel a little scared by the size of the objectives they have set for themselves. I believe transformational growth only comes from creating transformational goals. That means they are exciting goals, but also challenging goals. Your life should be different after you achieve them.
I hope anyone who attends our conference goes home and transforms their law firm to take it to the next level.
AIPLA Annual Meeting
When It Takes Place: Fall 2020
Intellectual property practitioners are given the opportunity to learn, share and grow with over 1,900 of their peers at AIPLA’s Annual Meeting. With over 100 speakers at the event, the learning opportunities seem limitless. Attendees will also have the chance to obtain CLE minutes, and be given opportunities to get more involved with the American Intellectual Property Law Association. The organization’s marketing and communications manager on the three-day, multi-track conference.
Kemahl Franklyn
Marketing and Communications Manager
How many years has your conference been going on for, and how did it come to be?
Kemahl Franklyn: The Annual Meeting has been running for decades, and has been an integral part of AIPLA's mission to foster our members' professional and leadership development.
What type of itinerary can lawyers expect when attending your conference?
Kemahl: Lawyers can expect to get inspired by the brightest, most innovative IP law leaders in the world.
What is something your conference offers that no other legal conference can?
Kemahl: This year’s meeting will give attendees a chance to sit-in and experience two live hearings, one before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board and one before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board.
Is there anything lawyers can do to ensure that they get the best possible experience from your conference?
Kemahl: Attendees should consider becoming members and joining one of our 60+ committees. AIPLA Committees are the heart of our organization. Many of the most exciting and rewarding initiatives are initiated and led by our committee communities.
Anything new in the works for future conference events?
Kemahl: For the first time in ten years, the AIPLA Annual Meeting will be in a new venue. AIPLA connected with the Gaylord National Resort to bring attendees to a beautiful new space that is conveniently located close to Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA) and near the US Patent & Trademark Office.
What do you hope lawyers get out of attending your conference?
Kemahl: We hope they make connections that propel their careers, and that our conference keeps them informed in an ever-evolving legal environment.
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