ABA TECHSHOW 2013

We attend many legal conferences each year, but one that we particularly look forward to is ABA TECHSHOW in Chicago put on by the ABA Law Practice Management Section and the volunteers on the ABA TECHSHOW 2013 Planning Board – Chair Britt Lorish, Vice-Chair Natalie Kelly, Steve Best, Diane Ebersole, Randy Juip, Marc Matheny, Lincoln Mead, Nerino Petro and Mark Rosch.

Let's take a closer look at some 2013 edition highlights which will feature 50 educational sessions and over 15 different tracks.

Large Firm Track

One common misconception we hear often about TECHSHOW is that it is only for solo and small firms. Although that used to be the case, now the attendance is more varied with more medium and large firms taking part as well. To this trend, 2013 includes a "Large Firm" track on Thursday offering the following sessions:

LexThink.1

Although not part of TECHSHOW, each year we (along with Matt Homann) produce LexThink.1 on the eve of TECHSHOW at the Hilton Chicago after the opening reception. LexThink.1 brings together legal thought leaders who give 6 minute presentations on a specific theme – this year, "market disruption".

Concierge Desk

One of the coolest things about TECHSHOW is the concierge desk. The concierge desk is in front of the entrance to the exhibit hall and is staffed with veterans, faculty members, and Board members who can help you select a session or answer any technical questions you may have. You will definitely recognize many of the names hanging out there so it's also a great place to meet some of our profession's technologists and influencers.

Taste of TECHSHOW Dinners

Another program that simplifies networking at TECHSHOW is the Taste of TECHSHOW Dinners. You can visit the link and take a look at the offerings and choose either a topic you'd like to discuss or a host that you have been wanting to meet. You sign up to attend that dinner and meet the group at the restaurant assigned for a dutch-treat meal and great networking.

There's an App for That

The ABA TECHSHOW 2013 Conference App is your mobile guide to the entire Conference and EXPO and is available on iPhone, iPad, Android, and BlackBerry devices. The app includes a full-conference schedule, a detailed list of exhibitor information, legal technology resources, the #ABATECHSHOW Twitter feed and lots more. You can download the app here or visit http://crwd.cc/abatech13 on your device to prompt a download for the correct version.

TECHSHOW Sampler

The organizers offer a free Expo Pass to anyone interested in coming down and checking out the exhibit hall. This year, they have taken that one step further and are offering a 'Plenary Plus Registration' option for $125 that includes access to the EXPO Hall, Friday’s lunchtime Keynote (by The New York Times' Personal Technology Columnist, David Pogue), Friday’s 60 Tips in 60 Minutes, Saturday’s Plenary (On the Trail of the Craigslist Killer: A Case Study in Digital Forensics by Sharon Nelson), Saturday’s 60 Sites in 60 Minutes, and 1 ticket to any other session. If you have never attended TECHSHOW or it's been a few years, this is a great way to get a really good sense of the show and access to some of most popular sessions offered.

Follow TECHSHOW

You can follow the ABA TECHSHOW activity on Twitter at @ABATECHSHOW or on the conference blog at www.techshow.com/blog. Also stay tuned to InsideLegal for ongoing coverage and roundups.