The Digital Edge

Success isn’t just about numbers! If you are operating under continuous stress with little meaningful connection to the work you do, it might be time to rethink your approach. In this edition of The Digital Edge, hosts Sharon Nelson and Jim Calloway are joined by Katy Goshtasbi to explore some of the more intrinsic challenges lawyers face in the process of business development. Katy explains the importance of reducing stress and defining your values in order to create business goals that serve both your personal and professional needs. Katy Goshtasbi is a change and branding expert and founder of Puris Consulting. Special thanks to our sponsors, ServeNow, Nexa, Answer1, and Clio.

In the cybersecurity world, ransomware and business email compromise are the two most commonly seen issues. Is your law firm safe from these attacks? If you’re not sure, tune in to learn cybersecurity basics from John Simek, vice president of Sensei Enterprises. Digital Edge hosts Jim and Sharon talk to John about the ways cyber attacks happen and the essential security practices needed to protect your law firm. Check out That One Privacy Site, John’s recommended resource for unbiased VPN comparisons. John Simek is vice president of Sensei Enterprises, Inc., an information technology, digital forensics and information security firm located in Fairfax, VA. Special thanks to our sponsors, ServeNow, Nexa, Answer1, and Clio.

Are you up on the latest from the ABA’s Law Practice magazine? In this edition of the Digital Edge, Sharon Nelson and Jim Calloway are joined by contributing features editor Lance Johnson to talk through recent articles in the magazine’s Big Ideas Issue. Lance shares the process the magazine goes through when choosing these “big ideas,” and gives an overview of its current focus on automation, AI, and emerging practice areas. They also discuss developing trends in the delivery of online legal services, current issues in the cannabis industry, and the quickly growing practice areas of privacy and data breach-related law. Lance Johnson is an IP attorney and the principal of Johnson Legal PLLC in Fairfax, VA. He is also the contributing features editor of the ABA’s Law Practice magazine. Special thanks to our sponsors, ServeNow, Nexa, Answer1, and Clio.

What does it look like to operate an entirely web-based law firm? Sharon Nelson and Jim Calloway talk to Brooke Moore about her expertise as a virtual practitioner. She explains the advantages of moving to this highly tech-driven method of practicing law, including greater efficiency, flexibility, and convenience in interactions with clients. Brooke also gives listeners a rundown of how her firm operates and addresses common concerns lawyers may have about starting their own virtual law firms. Special thanks to our sponsors, ServeNow, Nexa, Answer1, and Clio.

One estimate claims the number of lawyers with digital addiction could be as high as 40%, and lawyers’ need to constantly engage with technology makes it difficult to set boundaries. What can they do to unplug? In this edition of The Digital Edge, hosts Sharon Nelson and Jim Calloway talk to Roberta Tepper about digital addiction in the legal profession and her tips for spending less time on mobile devices. Together, they discuss the signs and symptoms of addiction, caution against “text neck”, and talk about ways lawyers can mindfully put their phones down and reduce dependence, step-by-step. Roberta Tepper has been the lawyer assistance programs director at the State Bar of Arizona since 2013. Special thanks to our sponsors, ServeNow, Scorpion, Answer1, and Clio.

Many lawyers are curious about chatbots but have little knowledge of how they can be applied in their legal practice. In this episode of The Digital Edge, hosts Sharon Nelson and Jim Calloway talk to Tom Martin about how chatbots are being put to work in the legal industry. Tom talks about his background as a lawyer and shares what spurred his interest in developing chatbots. They discuss how this technology frees up lawyers’ time and helps them connect with more clients. Tom also offers his advice for lawyers interested in getting into the legal tech space. Tom Martin is CEO and founder of LawDroid Ltd. Special thanks to our sponsors, ServeNow, Scorpion, Answer1, and Clio.

The legal industry is transforming—what does this mean for lawyers in the future? In this episode of The Digital Edge, hosts Sharon Nelson and Jim Calloway welcome Stacey Caywood and Dean Sonderegger to discuss the Wolters Kluwer 2019 Future Ready Lawyer Survey. They discuss the trends and findings of the survey, highlighting the things leading organizations were doing that boosted their future-readiness. The survey found that law firms that lead in leveraging technology outperformed others across all categories and were also more profitable. They talk about how trailing organizations in the survey can catch up, offering strategies and encouraging them to invest in technology to better prepare their firms for the future. Stacey Caywood is the CEO of Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory, a leading provider of information, software and integrated workflow solutions for legal and business compliance professionals worldwide. Dean Sonderegger is the VP and General Manager of Legal Markets and Innovation at Wolter

If your law firm’s digital marketing plan isn’t working for you, consider changing your tactics! In this episode of The Digital Edge, hosts Sharon Nelson and Jim Calloway talk to Gyi Tsakalakis about how to be successful in digital marketing for small and solo firms. They also advise lawyers to have ownership for all of their online content, caution against being overly self-promotional, and encourage lawyers to track and measure their marketing efforts to effectively evaluate success. Gyi Tsakalakis is a former lawyer and the founder of AttorneySync, an online legal marketing agency, to help lawyers be where their clients are looking. Special thanks to our sponsors, ServeNow, Scorpion, Answer1, and Clio.

How are lawyers budgeting for technology in their firms and where do they need to catch up on legal tech? In this episode of The Digital Edge, hosts Sharon Nelson and Jim Calloway talk to Sofia Lingos about the ABA 2018 Legal Technology Survey. The survey and its subsequent report gives lawyers current statistics on the state of technology implementation in law firms. They discuss how lawyers can use this information for ideas on what their firms need to do to stay level with emerging technology. Sofia Lingos, Esq. is the founding and managing attorney of Trident Legal, a Boston based law firm that provides innovative transactional legal services to small businesses, entrepreneurs, and start-ups in diverse industries throughout all stages of growth. Special thanks to our sponsors, ServeNow, Scorpion, Answer1, and Clio.

How can access to justice technologies be developed through a game? In this episode of Digital Edge, hosts Sharon Nelson and Jim Calloway talk to David Colarusso about the Learned Hands project. Learned Hands is a game in which lawyers spot possible legal issues in real people’s stories about their problems. This machine learning game identifies text classifiers for developing a new taxonomy that can be used to connect people with public legal help resources. Play the Learned Hands game at https://learnedhands.law.stanford.edu. David Colarusso is the Director of Suffolk University Law School's Legal Innovation and Technology Lab. Special thanks to our sponsors, ServeNow, Scorpion, Answer1, and Clio.

ABA TECHSHOW is right around the corner! In this episode of The Digital Edge, hosts Sharon Nelson and Jim Calloway give a preview of ABA TECHSHOW 2019 with guests Lincoln Mead and John Simek, co-chairs of the conference board. They share how the conference stays current on tech for lawyers and give tips on how to best prepare for attending the show. There will be some new elements for attendees this year, including a new app for the conference, greater cooperation with educators for the academic track, and more focus on involving young lawyers and law students. Lincoln Mead is the project manager for Canon Discovery Services and co-chair of the 2019 ABA TECHSHOW board. John Simek is the Vice President of Sensei Enterprises and co-chair of the 2019 ABA TECHSHOW board. Special thanks to our sponsors, ServeNow, Scorpion, Answer1, and Clio.

Get ready to geek out over this wishlist of tech toys for the holidays! In this episode of The Digital Edge, hosts Sharon Nelson and Jim Calloway share their complete list of picks for the best new technology -- some serious and some just plain fun. From a PhoneSoap sanitizer to a Marvel Thor’s Hammer tool set, there’s something for everyone on your list! Special thanks to our sponsors, ServeNow, Scorpion, Answer1, and Clio.

In regards to the future of law practice, the role of malpractice carriers is a unique one. On this edition of The Digital Edge, hosts Sharon Nelson and Jim Calloway join Chris Newbold, the executive vice president of ALPS Malpractice Insurance, to discuss the role of malpractice carriers and how the risk assessment process can be an interesting way to look at the changes in law practice and the future of the profession. Special thanks to our sponsors, ServeNow, Scorpion, Answer1, and Clio.

The job of a librarian involves a lot more than books. In this episode of The Digital Edge, hosts Sharon Nelson and Jim Calloway talk to Marlene Gebauer and Greg Lambert about the skills of law librarians and the roles they play in different areas of the law. They discuss the different facets of being a law librarian and how they can help with analytics, risk management, and streamlining processes. Marlene Gebauer is the director of knowledge solutions at Greenberg Traurig. Greg Lambert is the chief knowledge services officer at Jackson Walker and is the president of American Association of Law Libraries. Special thanks to our sponsors, ServeNow, Scorpion, Answer1, and Clio.

No lawyer should assume their firm's technology is secure. In this episode of The Digital Edge, hosts Sharon Nelson and Jim Calloway talk to Lucian Pera about the ethics of lawyers using the cloud and how they can use it with confidence. They break down the different cloud providers, the dangers that can potentially crop up when using the cloud, and the importance of having a technology mentor that lawyers can turn to with questions whenever they need it. Lucian T. Pera joined Adams and Reese in 2006 and focuses his practice on commercial litigation, media law, and legal ethics work. Special thanks to our sponsors, ServeNow, Scorpion, Answer1, and Clio.

Is practicing law bad for your mental health? In this episode of The Digital Edge, hosts Sharon Nelson and Jim Calloway talk to Len Heath about lawyer mental wellness and why it’s an issue worthy of attention in today’s legal industry. They discuss what both the ABA and Virginia Bar Association are doing to address lawyer wellness and, as the president of the Virginia Bar, what wellness goals Len hopes to achieve while in office. Len Heath is a partner in the firm of Heath, Overbey, Verser & Old and currently serves as the president of the Virginia State Bar. Special thanks to our sponsors, ServeNow, Scorpion, Answer1, and Clio.

The Data-Driven Ethics Initiative is a research project that aims to use legal services data to modernize legal rules for professional conduct. In this episode of The Digital Edge, hosts Sharon Nelson and Jim Calloway talk to Erin Gerstenzang about the initiative and the current landscape of ethics reform including lawyer regulations. Additionally, Erin delves into the challenges of ethics reform and how design-thinking can help. Erin Gerstenzang is a criminal defense attorney in Atlanta, Georgia. She primarily handles DUI and other drug and alcohol related offenses. Special thanks to our sponsors, ServeNow, Scorpion, Answer1, and Clio.

Collaboration is becoming increasingly important within the legal field especially with emerging technology that makes it easier than ever. In this episode of The Digital Edge, hosts Sharon Nelson and Jim Calloway talk to Dennis Kennedy and Tom Mighell, authors of The Lawyer’s Guide to Collaboration Tools and Technologies: Smart Ways to Work Together, about collaboration, why it’s necessary for lawyers, and the tools attorneys need to make their teamwork efficient. They also discuss what has been driving lawyers more and more towards collaboration techniques and how collaboration can assist with case management. Tom Mighell is a published author, noted legal technologist, and runs his own blog, Inter Alia. He is currently senior consultant for Contoural, Inc. Dennis Kennedy is an award-winning leader in applying the internet and technology to law practice. Special thanks to our sponsors, ServeNow, Scorpion, Answer1, and Clio.

Lean is a business methodology that’s used by Nike, Toyota, and even John Deere, but what does being a lean organization look like for law firms? In this episode of The Digital Edge, hosts Sharon Nelson and Jim Calloway talk to Larry Port and Dave Maxfield, authors of The Lean Law Firm, about what running a lean law firm looks like and the first steps to adopting lean techniques. They also address common misperceptions about the methodology and share some key takeaways of the book, such as seeing your law firm as a system and having the bravery to experiment. Larry Port, CEO of Rocket Matter, is also a speaker and award winning writer at the crossroads of the legal profession and cutting edge technology. For over 20 years, Dave Maxfield has represented individual consumers in cases against banks, credit reporting agencies, debt collectors, and insurance companies. Special thanks to our sponsors, ServeNow, Scorpion, Answer1, and Clio.

Print may seem like it’s going out of style but the ABA Journal is still going strong. In this episode of The Digital Edge, hosts Sharon Nelson and Jim Calloway talk to Molly McDonough about news stories lawyers want to read and how the ABA Journal has adapted to changes in media consumption. They also discuss the ABA Journal’s role as the primary source of legal technology information for attorneys. Molly McDonough, joined the ABA Journal staff in 2001 and has been editor and publisher since Feb. 3, 2017. Special thanks to our sponsors, ServeNow, Scorpion, Answer1, and Clio.