First Day Thoughts at ABA Techshow 2020

I'm attending my second ABA Techshow this year!

Its great being around people interested in better-utilizing technology in their practice. On my first day, I attended several sessions on some core concepts using pdfs, automating workflows, and better marketing online. 

These sessions have been perfect for the new and moderate tech users. As a more advanced computer user, I would have appreciated a more granular (step-by-step) approach. But, I can confidently say that from each session, I have learned at least one new thing that will individually enhance my practice. I have a feeling that regardless of your technology skills are you can learn something - perhaps at ABA Techshow 2021!

Podcast #1 (Part 3 of 3): Judge Herbert B. Dixon, Jr. (Ret.) - His observations from the Bench.

Judge Herbert B. Dixon, Jr. (Ret.) served two consecutive 15-year terms as a Judge for the Superior Court for the District of Columbia.  Judge Dixon is a columnist for The Judges’ Journal ABA magazine, chair of Superior Court’s Electronic Filing Pilot Project and a senior judicial adviser to the Center for Legal and Court Technology (formerly the Courtroom 21 Project), an initiative of the Marshall-Wythe Law School at the College of William & Mary and the National Center for State Courts.  Our discussion was so informative that I split the interview into three parts!  In Episode #1 (Part 3 of 3), Judge Dixon and I continue our discussion of what he believes are the potential technological pitfalls in the legal arena we may experience in the not so distant future!

The Honorable Herbert B. Dixon, Jr. (Ret.)

Judge Dixon’s Twitter handle is @Jhbdixon

My discussion of ABA Rules regarding a lawyers need for competence when dealing with technology.

Judge Dixon’s ABA Article “Deepfakes: More Frightening Than Photoshop on Steroids” in “The Judge’s Journal’”

ABA Annual "Tech Show" scheduled for February 26 - 29, 2020, in Chicago, IL.

ABA The Judges’ Journal magazine.

iPads and Tablets in the Courtroom.

Jeff Richardson over at iponejd.com posted an interesting article the other day: The use of iPads by U.S. Fifth Circuit judges and law clerks.  I think it can be universally applied to both iPads and Tablets. While Jeff noted that only half of the judges on the CLE panel preferred iPads when reading their briefs, it appears that most if not all of their clerks prefer an iPad. And as that generation of clerks move up in their careers and leave behind a legacy of how work can be done while at the court, it seems to show that we lawyers need to make sure we are keeping up with technology. ABA Model Rules. 

Remember, we want to make the judges’ (and their clerks’) life easier: When the document contains links to legal citations or to the record and they don’t have to carry extra paper around the office or home, its makes their life a little less stressful. I would think this would allow them to read our briefs under better conditions and hopefully be more open to our persuasive arguments.