For the next few weeks, I will be posting a few items about a technology and the law symposium that I am chairing on April 9, 2010 for the Connecticut Bar Foundation.  It is a free program that should be of interest to attorneys and non-attorneys alike.  While it is not strictly "employment-law" related, I hope you will indulge me in a few of these posts as a public service for the CBF whose website (how do we put this delicately) is in need of some free technology help.  

Thirty years ago, people discovered that Apples were more than something you ate.  And yet, ten years ago, tweeting was something birds did, cell phones were just for making calls and electronic filing was a quaint dream.

Today, attorneys can file a motion from home in pajamas, can look up a case on their smart phone, and can text a client from a beach — in Portugal.  

What does tomorrow bring?

On April 9, 2010, a free symposium — hosted at UConn Law School — will explore multiple facets of the changing practice of law and begin to answer that question. The scope of the symposium is wide-ranging: From social media and Facebook, to the rise of internet self help sites; from Google and iPhones to cloud computing.  You can download the entire program here.

With nationally-recognized speakers (Ross Kodner, Kevin O’Keefe, Brent Robertson, Professor Jane Moriarty, Wesley Horton and Robert Ambrogi to name drop a few) and local expert attorneys, the symposium will discuss how each generation is embracing (or shunning) these changes and how each generation is using (and can use) different tools to accomplish the same goals. The symposium will also explore how 20th century rules apply to today’s changes and discuss ways of adapting those rules to future needs.  Social media and technology tips are also on the agenda.

But not to be missed is a unique lunchtime discussion on "Would Lincoln get LinkedIn? Or Would He Tweet? Technology, Then and Now", bringing a historical perspective to the changing practice.  

No matter if you’re plugged in or think an ‘app’ is still something you order before dinner, this program promises to be one of the most talked about programs of the year. And did I mention that breakfast and lunch are ALSO included, free of charge? (Thanks to generous sponsorship by my firm, Pullman & Comley LLC.)

Space really is limited.  We fully expect it to fill up.  But you can print out the RSVP form and e-mail it back to ctbf@cbf-1.org to guarantee your spot.

And what to do if you’re out of state? Well, it just so happens that the Connecticut Law Tribune and Brandon Smith Reporting & Video have teamed up to provide a free webcast. Details on that broadcast will be available soon.  

I’ll be announcing more details in the upcoming days including a Twitter contest.  (You can follow all symposium tweets on Twitter with the hashtag #cbftech.)   In the meantime, be sure to RSVP. You won’t want to miss this one.