Last week I spoke with Nicholas Shelton, Regional Technology Manager of Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, about ILTA’s INSIGHT and the session he developed. Nicholas looks forward to hearing from the keynote speaker, Martin Smith of The Security Company. Nicholas saw him speak recently and appreciates Martin Smith’s honest approach, his story of being a victim of fraud and what we can learn from these experiences.
In his session “Bridging the Gap – User Adoption & Training,” Nicholas and fellow panellists, Rachel Baiden of Squire Patton Boggs, Sean Claydon of Allen & Overy and Jan Holmes of Clyde and Co., will encourage delegates to maximise the potential of software already owned by their firms. Nicholas recognises that many firms now readily invest in AI technologies to create better efficiencies for positive impact on the bottom line. He hopes firms can see the additional efficiencies and improvements to the bottom line with better use of all of a firm’s software. Because technology impacts much of the work in a law firm, Nicholas and his fellow panellists want to ensure lawyers and administrative staff know the best tools to use and how to use them.
Once firms identify the ways to maximise the potential of their software, lawyers and administrative staff need training on the tools and techniques. Rachel, Sean and Jan all work in the training field and understand the struggles in getting a lawyer to participate in training. Nicholas noted that even with video training, a link in an email often remains unopened and saved for later time that never ultimately arrives. Nicholas and his panellists hope recent changes in continuing legal education requirements lead to smarter adoption and use of tools in the law firm. He cited the shift from hours of CLE to competence measurement from the UK’s Solicitors Regulation Authority Competence Statement from 2015 and the Supreme Court of Florida’s recent approval of amendments to the Florida Bar rules for Competence and Minimum Continuing Legal Education Standards in September of 2016. This document from the Supreme Court of Florida shows the tracked changes to the rules.
This session will not only provide you with clever ways to use your current tools but also offer strategies for training and measuring the effectiveness of your training. The panellists will share how they have used industry standards such as LTC4 and built in-house programmes to make measurable improvements to the way their lawyers and staff work. Nicholas asks that delegates bring their own strategies, ideas and questions to share as he hopes for an energising and collaborative discussion with all in attendance.