We’re on a TECHSHOW countdown and with 4 days to go, we’re hopping in the WayBack Machine to hear from past chairs and take a look at What Was at TECHSHOW! The catch-phrase for Reid’s year was: Tablets. Paperless. E-Discovery. Virtual Law. Cloud. Social Media. Your Future. Take a look at the TECHSHOW website in 2012 thanks to the Wayback Machine!

Reid Trautz – ABA TECHSHOW Chair 2012

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 had the honor to chair TECHSHOW 2012, which isn’t that long ago, but technology has still changed even in four years.

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

That year we highlighted collaboration technologies that help lawyers, their clients, and co-counsel work more effectively and efficiently together. We also responded to the growing use of Mac computers in the law office so had the first full day track for Mac users.

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

iPhones and iPads were especially hot as they had evolved from toy to tool. All smartphones were hot, although Blackberry had lost its dominance within the legal profession. TECHSHOW 2012 continued the “60 Apps in 60 Minutes” format to introduce lawyers to the exploding world of productive and useful apps to help lawyers run their practices from anywhere.

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

Lawyer, actor and commentator Ben Stein was our keynote speaker that year. He added a different dimension to the discourse on lawyers and technology, and he was also very funny. Buehler . . .Buehler?  I recounted this story when Ben Stein was introduced. The Division met in Palm Springs in May 2011, so the TECHSHOW Board was there preparing for TECHSHOW 2012. We discussed several keynote possibilities including Ben Stein. The next day, Board member Natalie Kelly (chair of TECHSHOW 2014) went shopping at a nearby shopping mall, and as she got off an elevator in Macy’s she ran into—Ben Stein and his wife! Not one to waste the moment, she introduced herself and said “We’ve just been talking about you!” A few weeks later, he agreed to be our keynote speaker.

Any final thoughts about your TECHSHOW experience?

I have not missed a TECHSHOW in 15 years, and this is the first time in 11 years that I am not on the faculty. But no matter my role on the board, faculty, or audience, I always learn new things and meet new friends and old ones, making TECHSHOW the most fun and productive conference I attend all year.