Educational Sessions

Location: Augustus III
Speaker(s): Richard Susskind
Description:

Legal innovator, internationally renowned legal academic, and best-selling author Richard Susskind will share his views on the future of legal services and implications for the legal profession. Hear thoughts on changes to how lawyers and law firms will deliver their services and challenge us to think about how this will affect our future and the future of our firms.  Join us for this thought provoking and engaging session as Richard discusses his latest thinking and research on what’s next for clients, lawyers, and law firms.

Location: Saturni
Speaker(s): Jol Hunter
Description:

We have heard a great deal about the challenges of the future ranging from commoditization, to technology shrinking the market for services as well as increased competitive pressures.   All of these challenges require that we work smarter not harder. The objective of the workshop will be for each participant to leave with one practical tool that can be applied in their firm to enhance profitability in either the short or long term. During the workshop you will have a chance to discuss the tools, make them better and more applicable to your own circumstances. In addition, participants will be encouraged to share their own ideas for addressing these challenges.

Location: Solis
Speaker(s): Donna Neff, Lisa Meabry
Description:

Most law firm managers would agree that dependable, efficient support staff are essential to the continued success of any law office.  As staffing costs are generally the greatest single expense, finding ways to maximize staffing resources can improve the bottom line significantly and help ride out difficult economic times.

The presenters, an experienced practitioner and her long-time law clerk explore these issues together providing participants with both management and staff perspectives.  Helpful tips and strategies for maximizing your staffing investments are provided.

Location: Luna
Speaker(s): Charles Bennett
Description:

This session will cover the basics to the advance options for your Blackberry.  Learn about keyboard shortcuts, application settings and features to make the Blackberry more productive for you and those you communicate with.

Location: Saturni
Speaker(s): Cindy Bell
Description:

What percentage of the work completed in your office, is PROJECT Work?

20, 40, 80%?

If you are unsure, this workshop will make is easier to distinguish between PROJECT work and OPERATIONAL work.

So it’s a Project, Now What?

The good news is - there are some very real and practical processes, tools and techniques that will remove the chaos in project work and set you up for success.

Find out what sayings like “Begin with the End in Mind” and “Fail to Plan, Plan to Fail” really mean, and how they are realized through the application of professional Project Management Practices. Participants will learn not only how to initiate their projects easily, but also what are the best practices around planning for productive and successful results.

Projects are ubiquitous, but they don’t have to be painful. Find out how to Springboard your next project for success!

Location: Solis
Speaker(s): Tim Cork
Description:

• How to create a Straight A's Culture through Attitude, Aptitude and Action 
• Creating a great experience for employees & customers
• Don't take yourself too seriously 
• The art of communication
• The power of attitude and first impressions
• The number one rule to success and abundance in life
• How the Straight A's enhance career security and advancement in today’s challenging business environment.
• Giving starts the receiving process
• The wisdom of Dr Seuss

Location: Luna
Speaker(s): Charlene LeMaire
Description:

Hear about the new capabilities in Office 2010 along with strategies for the implementation of the new Office suite and ways in which law firms can leverage Microsoft Office to improve service delivery and meet your business goals.

Location: Saturni
Speaker(s): Cindy Bell
Description:

What percentage of the work completed in your office, is PROJECT Work?

20, 40, 80%?

If you are unsure, this workshop will make is easier to distinguish between PROJECT work and OPERATIONAL work.

So it’s a Project, Now What?

The good news is - there are some very real and practical processes, tools and techniques that will remove the chaos in project work and set you up for success.

Find out what sayings like “Begin with the End in Mind” and “Fail to Plan, Plan to Fail” really mean, and how they are realized through the application of professional Project Management Practices. Participants will learn not only, how to initiate their projects easily, but also what are the best practices around planning for productive and successful results.

Projects are ubiquitous, but they don’t have to be painful. Find out how to Springboard your next project for success!

Location: Solis
Speaker(s): Tim Cork
Description:

• How to create a Straight A's Culture through Attitude, Aptitude and Action 
• Creating a great experience for employees & customers
• Don't take yourself too seriously 
• The art of communication
• The power of attitude and first impressions
• The number one rule to success and abundance in life
• How the Straight A's enhance career security and advancement in today’s challenging business environment.
• Giving starts the receiving process
• The wisdom of Dr Seuss

Location: Luna
Speaker(s): Greg Lutes
Description:

SharePoint is the business collaboration platform for law firms that enables you to connect and empower users through an integrated set of rich features. Whether used to power intranets, websites, portals or your DMS, Sharepoint is a robust platform for delivering information and applications in new and more efficient ways.  Hear how SharePoint is being used in law firms today and the new capabilities it delivers to legal professionals.

Location: Saturni
Speaker(s): Dr. Larry Richard
Description:

Hildebrandt has just completed a groundbreaking study of the personality traits of successful lawyers and law firm leaders. In this session, Dr. Larry Richard will introduce us to the Hogan Personality Inventory and share with us some of the findings of this research. What trait are lawyers highest in? What is their lowest trait? What motivates lawyers? Are there any gender or geographical differences? Dr. Richard will answer these and many other questions. He’ll also talk about the ways that other firms are using this information—as an aid in selecting lawyers, giving leaders feedback, coaching underperformers and stars, and building teams.

Location: Solis
Speaker(s): Vincent Marsh
Description:

Law firms today face pressures to reduce their investments in programs aimed at employee engagement and improving performance, even as stress and uncertainty associated with economic downturn tend to decrease productivity. Fortunately, there are proven tactics that don’t cost anything to implement. This session is designed for administrators and human resources personnel to introduce the ‘three levels of listening’ that can significantly increase engagement; recognize the value of a ‘feedback culture’; analyze how powerful stories and progress can build pride in the job and the firm; explain the power of effective collaboration; and evaluate how appreciation can make employees feel more valued. Join us to find out how you can sustain employee engagement in challenging times.

Location: Luna
Speaker(s): Charles Bennett
Description:

Managing e-mail is one of the biggest technology issues in any organization.  Investigate strategies for managing growing volumes of email and striking a balance between retention and expiry.  Hear about archiving best practices keeping in mind the unique needs of law firms.

Location: Augustus III
Speaker(s): Marsha Petrie Sue
Description:

Down economy! Outsourcing! Lay offs! Gen Y! Gen X! Audiences are clamoring for ways to manage these issues.  This interactive presentation reveals valuable insights and ideas to help employers, teams and leaders attain a higher level of success while managing the economic and business situations in the real world.  The focus is on personal responsibility, dumping the entitlement mentality and improving self-awareness.

Professionals will be able to understand what they can do to achieve success in tough times and will break the negative spiral of uncertainty.  The magical ingredient is incorporating humor and fun to transfer this vital information into action for the participants.

Learn to:

• Establish clarity and instantly communicate much needed information
• Deliver and receive tough messages
• Work with the boss or colleague from hell
• Reduce conflict and improve communications in any work situation
• Handle resistance with diplomacy and tact
• Learn to choose the appropriate mode of communications according to generation.

Wrap up the conference with a session that leaves you feeling energized and ready to take action and make change!