The 2020 PLLIP Summit is set to kick off on Friday, July 10th.  For the first time ever the Summit will be presented as a virtual event.  While over the past several months, we all have experienced and possibly, over experienced Zoom, WebEx, Google Hangouts, and FaceTime, the Summit promises to be an unforgettable experience. 

We asked each speaker to provide some insight into what you can expect from their session. 

Keynote Address: Reinventing the Modern Law Firm From Information Out: Embracing the Power of Practical Innovation and the Impact of Raising Your Profile

Ari Kaplan, the 2020 Summit Key Note is an accomplished legal industry analyst and a sought after speaker.  He has provided the following sneak peek into his presentation.

The movement fueling legal innovation and reinvention has accelerated during the current crisis. Law firms started the year by reimagining the delivery of legal services, enhancing client service initiatives, and reevaluating their competitive landscape, but the theory has become practice and pilots have rapidly become reality in a reconfigured, remote-first environment. 

Knowledge leaders now have an influential seat at the table with firm management committed to the seamless execution of internal legal operations. In addition to understanding how to navigate this new landscape, these individuals have an unprecedented opportunity to showcase their talent and ability in a virtual world. Their efforts highlight the array of activities they have been influencing throughout their career. 

This is a moment where they can support their teams creatively and comprehensively to empower forward momentum. I am honored to be sharing ideas with this community to help fuel success.

The second session will be a panel discussion with three distinguished librarians from diverse libraries.

The Way Things Were, and the Way Forward: How We Coped, Managed and Succeeded in Unprecedented Times

  • Andre Davison (Research Technology Manager, Blank Rome)
  • Tina Dumas (Knowledge Management and Library Manager, Nossaman LLP)
  • Amy Eaton (Director of Library & Research Services, Perkins Coie LLP)
  • Moderator: Jeremy Sullivan (Manager of Competitive Intelligence & Analytics, DLA Piper LLP)

Moderator Jeremy Sullivan provided the following insights into the panel’s preparations for this discussion.

While changes and challenges, both large and small, have always been hallmarks of law librarianship, it is safe to say that the COVID-19 pandemic is unprecedented. In a short while, a cascade of events forced us all to change the very way we do business, and while we can imagine what things will look like when we get to the ‘new normal’, none of us can be entirely sure when that day will come. During times like these, when the way forward too often seems obscured and uncertain, hearing from colleagues and peers is a tried and true method to help find one’s bearings.

To that end, we have assembled a panel of distinguished law firm librarians who will point to some universal experiences, perhaps vent about common frustrations, and provide insights into new opportunities, new ways of thinking, and new approaches to our work. If anything, these voices will remind us that we’re not alone, that we can drive change, and that our efforts to provide knowledge and information however and wherever it is needed, is more important than ever.

Communicating through the Colored Looking Glass: How to Connect and Collaborate Better with Those You Work With 

Alycia Sutor from Growth Play will run our final session. Alycia is a skilled trainer and speaker.  Her upcoming session will help us see that everyone has particular inclinations and natural preferences that impact how we prefer to communicate and relate with others.

We all recognize the importance of teaming and collaboration, but the idea is often easier to think about than achieving in practice.  That is why we asked Alycia Sutor of GrowthPlay to talk about the concept of communication styles and how it impacts our ability to create outstanding teams and collaborative groups.  Having sat through Alycia’s sessions before, one of the great takeaways was the appreciation there is no well-rounded leader, only a well-rounded team.   

Knowing our own style can give us insight into why we get along with certain people and why we clash with others. Knowing how others prefer to communicate gives us the ability to bridge the gaps so we can connect and collaborate more effectively. 

Having spoken with Alycia, we are eager to attend this session to:

  • Assess and identify our own personal communication style
  • Gain an understanding of the four major communication styles
  • Learn the cues to help us identify another person’s style
  • Discover communication practices to flex to another person’s style

Registration for the Summit is open through July 7th.  Registration for attendees is $25. Complimentary registration for unemployed members, unemployed nonmembers, and student nonmembers is available by contacting eknecht@barclaydamon.com and is subject to verification. You will receive a promo code that must be entered using the online payment form.

Most important, we understand that networking is one of the best benefits of the Summit, hence, there will be a Virtual Happy Hour after the Summit! Registrants will receive more details from PLLIP in the next few days.

The 2020 PLLIP Summit has been generously sponsored by Thompson Reuters and Lexis Nexis.