Law Made is proud to have assisted in the production of this industry leading event with its paid partner Thomson Reuters.

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The Thomson Reuters Legal Executive Institute, in association with Law Made, is pleased to present the 2017 Emerging Legal Technology Forum on September 21, 2017 in downtown Toronto.

Set amidst Toronto’s vibrant technology scene, our forum brings together some of the world’s top industry change leaders and practitioners for a series of interactive and provocative sessions around the ongoing revolution in legal services.

This year’s program examines the growing prominence of chat bots and robot lawyers in the latest wave of technological innovation. We also offer a comprehensive and digestible take on blockchain’s impact both within and outside the legal industry, as well as two concurrent breakouts outlining best practices in technology investments and strategic implementation within law firms and corporate legal departments. Our final session offers a lively take on legal technology’s adoption within law school curricula, followed by an interactive technology fair and networking reception.

Panels

Prometheus Unbound: On “Chat Bots,” Robot Lawyers and Ongoing Access to Justice

2016 was another year of incremental growth for legal technology. Thanks to the growing popularity of legal apps and so termed “chat bots,” calls for improved access to justice through platforms such as DoNotPay or the now defunct Rechtwijzer 2.0 are fast becoming a reality. Across the legal industry, in-house and law firm practitioners are embracing this latest wave of innovation to explore ways in which the delivery of legal services can be addressed expeditiously.  This opening conversation offers a lively, wide-ranging take on how industry disrupters, law firms and corporate legal departments are seizing upon calls for change.

Moderator:

Jose Fernando Torres Varela
Fellow, Center on the Legal Profession & Legal Design Lab, Stanford Law School

Panelists:

Dennis C. Garcia
Assistant General Counsel, Microsoft Corporation

Fernando Garcia
General Counsel, Government Affairs & Corporate Secretary, Nissan Canada, Inc.

Joshua Lenon
Lawyer in Residence, Clio

Kristen Sonday
Co-Founder & Chief Operating Officer, Paladin PBC, Inc.

The Pace of Progress: Assessing Innovative Design, Technology & Process in Law Firms & Corporate Legal Departments

The adoption of new technologies, design thinking and process in law firms and corporate legal departments has had a significant impact on legal services. Savvy business executives understand the lengthy shadow each of these forces casts on overall operational efficiency and client matters. This discussion examines the various ways law firms and legal departments are incorporating enterprise innovation as part of a broader strategic plan. Our panelists will offer detailed guidance around the transformative impact such investments have had in both the near- and far-term.

Moderator:

Carlos Gamez
Senior Director, Innovation – Legal, Thomson Reuters

Panelists:

Rochael Adranly
General Counsel & Legal Design Lead, IDEO LP

William T. Caraher
Chief Information Officer, Von Briesen & Roper, s.c.

Kenneth Heaps
Chief Information Officer, Latham & Watkins LLP

Josh Kubicki
Chief Strategy Officer, Seyfarth Shaw LLP

Meredith L. Williams
Chief Knowledge Management Officer, Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC

Breakout #1: Leading Change: Defining Strategic Investments in Legal Technology

How do you determine which technology vendor or technological investment is right for your business? For both law firm and in-house executives, understanding engagement costs, resource requirements, and organizational needs are critical steps toward defining a strong strategic plan. Leveraging best practices and lessons learned, this session delivers practical guidance for mastering the initial research, vetting and selection process for accelerating innovation across the enterprise.

Moderator:

William Fowler
Vice President & General Counsel, Profit Recovery Partners

Panelists:

Paul Belanger
Partner & Chair, Innovation Council, Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP

Christopher J. Fowles
Partner & Head of Legal Services Centre, Torys LLP

Theo C. Ling
Partner & Principal, Whitespace Legal Collab, Baker McKenzie LLP

Bishu Solomon
Director, eDiscovery Solutions Canada, EPIQ, a DTI Company

Breakout #2: Chain Reaction: Managing the Strategic Implementation of Legal Technology

Once the decision has been made to invest in a given technology, understanding both the short- and long-term ramifications of product implementation can be daunting. Picking up where “The Pace of Progress” left off, this tactical discussion offers robust insight into integrating disparate systems, establishing end-user expectations, and managing enterprise risk.

Moderator:

Kimberly A. Stein
Manager, Knowledge Management, Thomson Reuters Legal

Panelists:

James W. Anok
Senior Consultant, Fireman & Company

Laurence Liss
Chief Information Officer Emeritus, Blank Rome LLP

Natalie Munroe
Head, Osler Works – Transactional, Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP

Dera J. Nevin
eDiscovery Counsel & Director of eDiscovery Services, Proskauer Rose LLP

Ginevra Saylor
National Director, Knowledge Management, Dentons

Paradigm Shift: Examining the Blockchain Business Revolution

Blockchain technology is poised to transform the contemporary business landscape. Already making in-roads across a wide swath of sectors, blockchain will force both in-house and outside counsel to cultivate a thorough understanding of this nascent technology in order to better service clients. This panel addresses three crucial questions for the 21st-century lawyer: What is blockchain? How is it impacting clients? And how might current (or forthcoming) technological advancements impact the legal profession?

Moderator:

Joseph Raczynski
Entrepreneur & Founder, Joe Technologist; Manager, Technical Client Management – Legal, Thomson Reuters

Panelists:

Robert E. Craig
Chief Information Officer, Baker & Hostetler LLP

Stephen P. Kirby
Senior Counsel, IBM Canada

Casey Kuhlman
Chief Executive Officer, Monax.io

Theodore (“Ted”) J. Mlynar
Partner & Chair, Blockchain-Smart Contracts IPMT Working Group, Hogan Lovells US LLP

Houman B. Shadab
Co-Founder, Clause.io; Professor of Law, New York Law School

The Final Frontier: Advancing Educational Reform Around Legal Technology

Although traditional educational curricula once helped law students identify problems in the surrounding world, the impinging forces of globalization, scientific advancement, and geopolitical tumult have underscored a profound disconnect between business needs in the current economy and the preparedness of today’s law school graduates. This closing session offers a comprehensive take on where formal training around emergent technology fits within legal education today. Our panel will ponder how best to prepare the next generation of lawyers to handle the challenges ahead.

Moderator:

David Curle Director, Market Intelligence & Thought Leadership, Thomson Reuters

Panelists:

Monica Goyal
Founder, My Legal Briefcase & Aluvion Law; Adjunct Professor, Osgoode Hall Law School

Edward Iacobucci
Dean & James M. Tory Professor of Law, The University of Toronto Faculty of Law

Daniel W. Linna, Jr.
Director of LegalRnD & Professor of Law in Residence, Michigan State University College of Law

Chris Wedgeworth
Co-Founder, Hotshot