As most readers know, I write a column for NYC-based TechnoLawyer called SmallLaw (formerly known as, no joke, “Crazy Mazy”). Anyhow, as TechnoLawyer’s intrepid Chicago reporter I’ve written about the ABA TechShow since 2008; and before that for this blog.
Here are the 12 videos we shot at this year’s TechShow. Feel free to subscribe to my YouTube Channel for more legal tech news and check out my TechnoLawyer pieces as well.
Normally I struggle to keep my disdain for this kind of crap bottled up, but … seriously. With a magnitude 9 earthquake this morning in the Pacific, people in mortal fear, and the world in need of serious help, the overfed California-Seattle brain trust bring us TED: the conference for people who are better than YOU.
Need proof that TED is put on by your social betters – the leaders of tomorrow, if you will? Consider these 10 blockbuster conclusions reached after days of furious debate, catered luncheons, then more debate, then a nap, and finally a wine-and-cheese party. Who can keep up with life-altering observations like:
10. People don’t have to be together to create something …
9. Living in the struggle, not just existence (huh?) …
8. Schools don’t teach the important stuff (duh) …
7. Corporate brands are the really, really, memorable!
6. Sometimes you need to cling tight and move on …
5. The Internet can be bad and good (who knew?) …
4. Some revolutions don’t need leaders …
3. Young people can be wise too!
2. Being wrong is great! Be wrong more often!
1. Communicate without using your mouth (you mean by writing?) …
Uh … yeah.
The Upshot: Easy document assembly, 90-day free trial, a tad pricey at $395/license.
The Interview: Roy Lasris, publisher of document-assembly program Pathagoras, showed me how the program worked with our existing documents and installation of Word 2007 (as well as older versions of Word and Wordperfect). The application is practically invisible except when called upon. Setup takes about 20 minutes, and 10 minutes after that most users can be turning existing documents into forms that are auto-filled using information entered only once such as client or party names and addresses, matter names and numbers, etc.
The Evaluation: Pathagoras has got the goods. Document automation could scarcely get easier and you already own wordprocessing software so this is addition is no-brainer. Of course I prefer a less chunky interface and more of that smooth web-native look, but in all likelihood this is all you’d need. Plus you can easily (I mean, easily) load up your existing office documents and get them humming. As for price – I prefer free, and this isn’t free. So it’s a cost-benefit analysis, and not a difficult one at that.
The Critique: Sure the product works well and is simple, but I’m the practicehacker so I can be picky. What would benefit Pathagoras and add more value would be a collaborative space where users can share tips and information, a list of free and premium templates, and pay-as-you-go pricing instead of that one-shot payment. That’s the business model you want, Roy.
The Recommendation: For practice areas like bankruptcy, divorce, estate planning, real estate, and other document intensive areas, the program sells itself. For more involved practices a more comprehensive solution may be needed but I would still recommend giving Pathagoras a try and pushing it to its limits before you pay more for another system. You might be surprised how flexible this system can be.
The Rating: 4 hacks (out of 5)
Feedback: If you’ve used Pathagoras or have an opinion about it, sound off in the comments or contact me atmhedayat@mha-law.com.
Yesterday Facebook, the application that convinced a generation of soccer moms it was okay to post semi-candid pictures of themselves no matter how disturbing, bought Friendfeed, the best social application you’ve never heard of. When I read the news I wept. No, seriously. I wept at the end of an era.
Freiendfeed makes me feel smart. Facebook makes me feel like I need a shower. Friendfeed brings out the best in users. It promotes discussions about cutting-edge topics and insights. Facebook brings out the worst in users – many of them highly placed people who should know better – by soliciting the mundane and celebrating the average. See the difference?
I hope Facebook leaves Friendfeed alone, but I have no illusions. As it stands I’m positive that hordes of Facebook users will thunder into Friendfeed, choke it with pointless chatter, and leave it a disaster area when they move on a few weeks later.
If you find something online that’s worth keeping I hope you feel a little sad when it gets “discovered” and you know it’s about to lose its special character. That’s how you know it was worthwhile in the first place.
Thought I’d share some choice video from TechShow 2009 featuring all 4 of the Best of Show winners that I wrote up in TechnoLawyer, plus interviews with some of my heroes such as Bob Ambrogi, Jay Funeberg, and Kevin O’Keefe, as well as sightings of legal blogging all-stars like Dennis Kennedy and Tom Mighelle. I’m still excited.
See related videos here and find me on YouTube as practicehacker.
We're the ABA Damnit! We own you!
This was my 10th year at ABA Technology Show in Chicago. This year was particularly cool. Here’s why:
Meeting The Heavies: To me, seeing people like Dennis Kennedy, Tom Mighelle, Bob Ambrogi, Jim Calloway, Kevin O’Keefe, Brett Burney, Andy Atkins, Jay Foonberg (!) and the rest of my pretend blog friends … I mean pretend LinkedIn friends … is like reconnecting with long lost relatives. Exciting and a little intimidating. But all of them were really great and down to earth. Except that Kennedy. Such a prima donna. I kid, I kid.
Meeting Canadians: Who can forget meeting the Great Librarian of Upper Canada! Beat that. Then there was Phil of the Future (my name for him), Steve Matthews (nice guy), Brett Burney (I think he’s Canadian), Dominic Jaar (vive la Quebec libre!), the boys from Clio (or as I called them, the Booth Babes), and a host of other talent from the Great White North. It was great to meet you all: now go back where the ice doesn’t melt until July.
Technology Becoming Accepted: This year for the first time in memory I noticed a preponderance of grey hairs and the careful gait of partners scoping out potential buys for their offices. This was not the brash, flash-in-the-pan TechShow of the late-90′s in which the Internet was decried as a fad.
SaaS, Saas, and more Saas: Software as a service was all over the place, and by next year it will be pervasive. This year I was knocked out by the number and variety of kick-ass SaaS providers at the show including Clio, RocketMatter, and VLO Tech. Clio was my hands-down favorite for a number of reasons – I intend to use it in my own practice. Whatever your cup of tea, the idea of throwing away the IT department in favor of the Cloud is gaining traction fast.
Less is … Less: One lamentable fact about this year’s show – there was less of it than I’ve seen in a long time. Another casualty of the economy I’d say, but we shouldn’t overlook the fact that many legal technology vendors have been slaves to profit instead of boosters for innovation and the slow economy is making it painfully apparent what a royal screw job they’ve been giving lawyers all these years. Many players couldn’t make it ? Good riddance to bad company.
Other than that however, it was a great experience as always and one that I heartily recommend to one and all. If you haven’t been to TechShow, go there. If you have, come back. A splendid time is guaranteed for all.
For more coverage see my SmallLaw Column in TechnoLawyer.
Check out Twitter coverage of TechShow.
As always, I’d love your thoughts. E-mail me at mhedayat[at]mha-law.com or tweet me @practichacker.
ttyl 
TechnoLawyer ABA Techshow
