I’ve heard from many iPhone J.D. readers who will be in Chicago for ABA TECHSHOW 2013 starting tonight. This will be my fifth TECHSHOW, and it is always a great opportunity to
learn about technology from formal CLE sessions, vendors showing off
cutting edge legal technology and (best of all) other attorneys who enjoy
using tech. The attention to mobile devices such as the iPhone and iPad at TECHSHOW has steadily increased every year that I’ve attended, both in terms of the number of CLE sessions devoted to the topic and the number of vendors showing off mobile software and accessories. And considering that the cover article on this month’s ABA Journal is The Mobile Lawyer, I have no doubt that iPhones and iPads will be central topics throughout TECHSHOW this year.
If you are reading this, I hope to see you there. Here is where you are likely to find me:
Wednesday, April 3
6:00 – 8:00 pm: Cocktails and Comedy. (Continental A/B) The event is hosted by Rocket Lawyer. If you see me, please say hello. I look like this.
8:00 – 10:00 pm: LexThink.1. A fast-paced Ignite-style event.
Thursday, April 4
I’ll be checking out the over 100 companies on the Exhibit Floor and attending various sessions throughout the day, so you might bump into me just about anywhere. My schedule includes:
10:00 – Noon: I’ll be working at the Concierge Desk. If prior
years are any indication, that means that I’ll spend a little time
helping people find things at the conference, but most of my time will
be devoted to talking about iPhones and iPads with anyone who stops by
to chat. It’s usually the most social spot at the conference.
4:00 – 5:00 pm: The Tablet Litigator. (Northwest 3) San Antonio attorney Mark Unger and attorney Paul Unger of the Affinity Consulting Group, will be talking about using an iPad in trial.
5:30 – 7:00 pm: Welcome Reception. (EXPO Hall) A chance to socialize with attendees and vendors.
7:30 pm – ?: Taste of Techshow. Dallas attorney Tom Mighell, author of many books on using an iPad in your law practice, and I are hosting a dinner for iPhone / iPad users at Wildfire restaurant. Thomson Reuters is sponsoring our dinner, and we are sure to have a great time. The dinner has been sold out for a while now, but there is often a waiting list at the Concierge Desk, or you can sign up for one of the many other Taste of Techshow dinners, four of which also have an iPhone/iPad focus.
Friday, April 5
I’ll be in room Northwest 5 most of the day because that is the location of the Tablets and Smartphone track, where I will be speaking in the afternoon.
8:00 – 9:00 am: Tablet Wars 2013. Hopefully Tom Mighell will get some sleep after our dinner on Thursday night, because bright and early Friday morning, he is teaming up with Jeff Taylor of The Droid Lawyer to compare and contrast iPads with Android tablets.
10:00 – 11:00 am: The 4×4 Challenge: Top Apps for Every Platform. Dan Pinnington, Ben Schorr, Jeff Taylor and Mark Unger will discuss the top apps for iOS, Android, Windows Mobile and Blackberry. Although I’ll attend this session, it will be somewhat in protest; I liked it better when we had an entire hour devoted to just iOS apps, and it’s a shame that there is no 60 Apps in 60 Minutes session this year. Hopefully it will come back next year.
12:45 pm – 1:45 pm: Keynote speaker David Pogue of the New York Times will discuss “Disruptive Tech: What’s Now, What’s Coming, and How It Will Change Everything.” Pogue is a funny and intelligent speaker, and I’m thrilled to see that he will be at TECHSHOW.
2:30 – 3:30 pm: Mobile Collaboration. Michigan attorney Patrick Crowley and St. Louis attorney Dennis Kennedy will discuss using mobile devices to share documents and ideas.
3:45 – 4:45 pm: Batten Down the Hatches: Mobile Security for Lawyers. I’ll be co-presenting this session along with Pittsburgh attorney David Ries and Illinois attorney Aaron Brooks. We’ll give you lots of tips for maintaining the confidentiality of documents and other data on your iPhone and iPad.
Finally, I haven’t seen an official announcement yet [UPDATE: confirmed], but traditionally Kevin O’Keefe of LexBlog and the ABA Journal sponsor Beer for Bloggers at 5:30 at Hilton Chicago’s Lakeside Green Lounge. This event is a happy hour with free drinks for all TECHSHOW attendees, even if you don’t have a blog.
Saturday, April 6
9:45 – 10:45 am: iOS in Action. South Carolina attorney Ben Stevens
(of The Mac Lawyer) and I will present this session devoted to getting the most
out of an iPhone and iPad in your law practice. Stevens and I gave a similar presentation focused on the iPhone back in 2010, and a lot has changed in the world of iOS since then.
Finally, if this will be your first TECHSHOW, or if you just want a refresher, New York attorney Niki Black has a great All You Need to Know post with details for preparing for, and getting the most out of, ABA TECHSHOW.
See you in the Windy City!