
Although working from home can improve the quality of life for lawyers, it is not the only factor that can make their job easier. This year, two significant legal technology conferences, ABA TECHSHOW, and ALM's Legalweek, took place in March, providing an excellent opportunity for legal professionals to learn about new technologies and tools. Despite spending most of the last three weeks attending these conferences, the exhaustion was worth it because they offered a much-needed dose of optimism about the profession.
Although these events are typically referred to as legal tech shows, they are more accurately described as legal efficiency conferences. While technology is undoubtedly a significant component, the focus is on improving efficiency rather than just selling products. This year's shows were particularly notable for their emphasis on legal efficiency.
In recent years, attendance has declined at ABA TECHSHOW, and last year's Startup Alley competition struggled to fill a breakout room. However, this year was different, with people packing the main hall to watch new entrants showcase their innovations. Universal Migrator emerged as the winner, offering a tool for transferring law firm data between practice management platforms. Decision Vault came in second with a client-intake portal, and Fidu took third place with a practice management platform for attorneys that uses subscription-based pricing. While personally, the author believed Fidu should have taken the top spot, the competition was close.
Similarly, Legalweek also experienced a resurgence of interest. As someone who has attended the event for almost a decade, the author has observed a decline in attendance. However, this year, there was a significant increase in participation, with keynote speeches drawing in larger crowds, the vendor hall feeling more lively, and more people attending sessions. Vendors also reported successful client meetings throughout the week. Although it is challenging to measure, there was an overall positive atmosphere and good vibes.
While the surge in interest could be attributed to the industry's fascination with artificial intelligence, particularly GPT, a hot topic at both conferences, that explanation may be more complex. The author believes the shift towards the "API" watchword may have contributed to this renewed excitement. Instead of trying to be a part of a singular solution, providers are now more inclined to collaborate and "play nice with others." This mindset encourages innovation and aligns with a "client-first" approach that lawyers appreciate. They may not want to avoid being forced into a packaged deal and prefer the flexibility of choosing a solution that best fits their needs.