We’re on a TECHSHOW countdown and with 12 days to go, we’re hopping in the WayBack Machine to hear from past chairs and take a look at What Was at TECHSHOW!

Bruce Olson – ABA TECHSHOW Chair 2004

What were you doing (real life job) when you were the ABA Tech show chair in YEAR? Are you still doing that same thing? If not tell us a little bit about your journey.    

I was a partner in the law firm of Davis & Kuelthau, S.C., at the time, practicing civil litigation, working out of their Green Bay and Milwaukee, Wisconsin offices.

What was / were the notable topics/tracks of your year?

I was Chair in 2004, so I’m having a hard time remembering what was hot.  The best of my recollection is that e-discovery was just starting to be a notable topic, the paperless office was a popular topic, we had software shootouts of hot products that now no longer exist, and trial presentation software was a big draw.

Editor’s note: Take a look at the sessions and happenigs from 2004 on this blast-from-the-past page!

 What was the hot technology or must have service, gadget or tool or idea?

Smartphones were just starting to come on the market, and Blackberries were all the rage.  They were very primitive by today’s comparison.  Laptops powerful enough to substitute for PCs were also a big item.  This shows how far we’ve come since then.

If you had a keynote speaker who was it and what was their topic?  

Louis Andreozzi, president and chief executive officer of LexisNexis North American Legal Markets, and Mike Wilens, president of West, squared off in a joint presentation in which they were slated to share their visions of the future role of legal technology.

Any final thoughts about your TECHSHOW experience?

Just that it was a great experience and one I’m grateful I had the opportunity to pursue.