We’re excited to announce a unique and informative Plenary Session for Saturday morning at ABA TECHSHOW presented by Casey Flaherty and Andrew Perlman.

Lawyers are bombarded with technology today (computers, mobile phones, tablets, e-discovery, social media, etc.) but how much do you really need to know from a practical and ethical standpoint?

When Casey Flaherty was corporate counsel at Kia Motors America, he sent shivers through the legal world when he developed a “basic technology competency audit” for his outside law firms. He cut billing rates for lawyers that couldn’t demonstrate basic technology skills that would save time and make them more efficient (e.g. using Styles in Microsoft Word). Casey has written about his findings in several places including the ABA Journal.

We’ve invited Casey to share why he felt it was important to test his outside lawyers on technology skills and what he is doing today with the formalized Legal Tech Audit.

Andrew Perlman is a law professor at Suffolk University Law School and the Director of the Institute on Law Practice Technology and Innovation there. Prof. Perlman was the Chief Reporter for the ABA Commission on Ethics 20/20 which introduced the changes to the Model Rules that required lawyers to have a level of competency associated with the “risks and benefits of technology” much like they have competence on the substantive areas of law.

We’ve invited Andy to talk about how why it was important for the Commisson on Ethics 20/20 to include a requirement for technology.

Don’t miss this instructive Plenary panel entitled “I’m a Lawyer, Not a Techie! Examining the 21st Century Lawyer’s Evolving Ethical Duty of Competence” that takes place on Saturday, April 18, 8:30am-9:30am.

Brett Burney
Chair, ABA TECHSHOW 2015 Planning Board