TLA is taking the mystery out of legal technology

By Tony Poland, LegalMatters Staff • With technology continuing to have an increasing impact on the legal profession, the Toronto Lawyers Association (TLA) is working to ensure lawyers are able to keep up with the ever-changing landscape.

“COVID has sped up the use and change in technology in lawyers’ practices and in court proceedings,” says TLA professional development manager Deirdre Harrington. “The technology that the profession began to use during the pandemic is not going to disappear. We are not suddenly going to return to the way things were before.

“With that in mind, we are offering a series of programs designed to help lawyers face the challenges that come with new legal technology,” she tells LegalMattersCanada.ca. “It’s a way for us to save them the time and frustration of trying to figure it out themselves. Lawyers are so busy practising that it can be difficult to know where to start.”

First up in the online series is Technology in Litigation: What can we do and why should we do it? running from 5:15 to 7:15 p.m. on March 3.

Forum looks at the use of CaseLines and Zoom

“This one is really about how to use technology when you are in the courtroom,” says Harrington. “There are two judges who are speaking along with two Crown attorneys and a civil litigator. The presentation will focus on two key aspects of the modern-day civil and criminal file – the use of CaseLines and Zoom.”

She points to recent remarks made by Ontario Superior Court Justice Frederick Myers in Bowman v. Uwaifo that illustrates the importance of being tech savvy.

In that decision, Justice Myers indicated that the failure to use CaseLines was the equivalent of using a motion record without page numbers and that counsel should no longer be allowed to make submissions without CaseLines references. 

“As advocacy is the art of persuasion, is it not obvious that efforts by an advocate to assist the judge to focus on the argument and see the evidence will increase the chances of comprehension by the judge and therefore the persuasiveness of the presentation?” he asked.

Harrington says this “is a judge clearly saying times have changed, this is the new technology and lawyers have to use it.”

She says Technology in Litigation is a practical program.

‘It is hands-on, showing the functionality of the programs’

“It is hands-on, showing the functionality of the programs and teaching practitioners the things they need to know,” Harrington says. “The judges will explain their expectations and the lawyers will share what has worked for them.” 

The presentation will examine CaseLines, including how to file and present a case. Tips and tricks on the best ways to use current software such as Adobe and PowerPoint will be provided, allowing lawyers to get the most out of CaseLines and Zoom.  

The program contains two hours of Professionalism content. For more information or to register, click here.

On March 30, the TLA is presenting the first of two programs in its Innovation Series. 

“Legal technology can be overwhelming for some lawyers. There are many new innovations and it can be difficult to keep on top of all of it,” says Harrington.

She says Navigating Legal Technology will examine legal tech tools designed to improve the functionality of a law practice.

‘We examine available tools and how they can help’

“We will look at where to begin and how to successfully navigate the ever-changing landscape of legal technology,” says Harrington. “It is practical in the sense that it looks at what people in a firm need to be able to improve their practice and better manage day-to-day functions. We examine available tools and how they can help specific practice areas. There is a brave new world order of legal technology and it can be difficult to know where to start.”

The interactive forum runs from 5 to 6:30 p.m. with 30 minutes at the end of the panel discussion for Q&A. For more information, click here.

The second program in the Innovation Series is Best Practices for Technology Implementation, on April 28, from 5 to 6:30 p.m.

“This is for those lawyers who invested in new legal technology but may not be taking full advantage of it,” says Harrington. “It is one thing to get it but it’s another to actually get people to use it. Despite the advantages these innovations offer, some people still say they prefer to do things their way or don’t have time to learn something new.

“This program is about best practises for implementing new legal technology in any firm, large or small. Participants will be guided through the key phases of any tech implementation and there will be a case study of how legal tech has been successfully adopted into practice.”

Lawyers will learn the “key questions to ask vendors and integrators at each stage of a new legal tech project, whether from a project, training or change management perspective.”

There will be speakers from large practice BLG LLP while moderator Jeffrey Feiner of Corman Feiner LLP will bring the small-firm perspective to the discussion. A 30-minute Q&A will follow. For more information, click here.

Any member who registers for both Innovation Series programs will be entitled to register for another regularly priced program for free, any time before the end of 2022.

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