legal sanity

I'm no Luddite. Some have even suggested that I’ve hot glued my Blackberry to my hand. Still, I’d be stretching it more than a bit if I called myself a techie. It’s my general belief that people should connect more with one another and less with their gadgets.

Nonetheless, yesterday, I found myself happily taking in the sights and sounds of LegalTech New York. Although there was a free breakfast offer, I was actually drawn there to share the company of fellow law.com bloggers, including:

• Carolyn Elefant
• Rees Morrison
• Robert Ambrogi
• Monica Bay

(I held back on engaging Monica in a conversation about Mets newcomer Johan Santana. She's a Yankees fanatic.)

After eating and chatting, I went to the exhibition floors and was pleasantly surprised.

I first stopped at C2Legal (e-discovery and document management tools) where I interacted with a gizmo of interlocking nails that mocked me as I tried to disentangle it. After way too much time, I caved and asked Jeffrey Stolter, the consultant manning the table, for help. He kindly obliged and I was delighted that something so simple could so engage me and a lot of other people. I asked Jeffrey about the importance of relationships in a technical world. He said, "software is software, but the relationship behind using the software effectively creates a bond of trust with your client. This bond is what sells the product." Wow. Who knew software could be so human.

From there I visited probono.net (resources for pro bono and legal services attorneys and others working to assist low income or disadvantaged clients). Their case management tool facilitates information sharing on pro bono matters. Four big firms have already signed on to use it. What a fantastic channel for technology -- helping law firms more effectively help people in need of free legal services. While I was checking out their wares, one of the reps asked if I know of any disgruntled lawyers who’d like to employ their legal knowledge in a non-legal/tech capacity. If you’re ready for a career move, here’s a link to the company’s job openings page.

Navigating the sea of information, people and booths at this event can be overwhelming and exhausting. So, you can imagine how happy I was when RVM, Inc. (e-discovery and litigation support solutions) invited me to kick up my feet in one of their massage chairs. Ten minutes later, I was refreshed and ready to learn about their products and services. Taking steps to first restore the depleted energy stores of potential buyers is a great sales tactic. It fits nicely with the XE Factor model I often write and speak about.

I met a lot of other great folks and learned quite a bit about their business offerings. I found that, even in the technology world, it’s all about people. The better you are at engaging them, meeting their needs and improving their lives, the more likely it is that you'll successfully sell your products and services and feel good about what you’re doing.