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In this episode of The Geek in Review, we welcome back Legal Tech and Security industry experts, Ken Jones and Josh Smith, to discuss the upcoming ILTA Evolve Conference. Reflecting on last year’s focus on AI potential, we discussed how the legal tech landscape is shifting towards practical applications of artificial intelligence and cybersecurity in 2025. Josh and Ken share their insights for legal professionals eager to understand current trends and the real-world impact of emerging technologies.

Evolving Legal Tech Trends: From Theory to Practice

Throughout our discussion, we highlighted the shift from the “what ifs” of AI to tangible, real-world use cases. Josh emphasized that this year, ILTA Evolve is focused on cost-saving AI applications and enhancing productivity, while Ken referenced the Gartner Hype Cycle to illustrate the movement from initial hype to actionable outcomes. The discussion underscores the importance of practical implementation in legal technology for anyone involved in artificial intelligence and cybersecurity.

Collaborative Theme Selection & Diverse Content

We get the behind-the-scenes process of curating ILTA Evolve content, showcasing how volunteer session coordinators and a diverse committee work together. By gathering input from industry experts, soliciting innovative ideas via LinkedIn, and balancing quantitative feedback with qualitative insights, Ken and Josh made sure that the conference features a wide range of topics. This collaborative approach not only enriches the legal tech experience but also makes ILTA Evolve an event where every legal professional can find valuable takeaways.

Highlighting Keynotes and Networking Opportunities

One of the episode’s focal points was Tarah Wheeler’s keynote, “Navigating the Digital Frontier.” Ken and Josh share their excitement about her deep dive into the intersection of AI and cybersecurity—a topic that mirrors our own discussions on legal tech advancements. In addition to high-caliber educational sessions, there is extensive networking opportunities at ILTA Evolve, including interactive workshops, built-in networking breaks, and engaging social events. These elements are critical for fostering professional connections in the legal technology community.

Future Challenges and Opportunities in Legal Tech

As our conversation wrapped up, we looked forward to the future of legal tech and the evolving challenges in data governance, cybersecurity, and regulatory compliance. We shared our thoughts on how rapid technological advancements call for a balance between automation and human expertise. Despite the complexities of emerging legal tech trends, we remain optimistic that ILTA Evolve will continue to educate, connect, and inspire the legal tech community well into the future.

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Transcript

Continue Reading Exploring Legal Tech Innovations at ILTA Evolve 2025 with Ken Jones and Josh Smith

The International Legal Technology Association (ILTA) is launching a new conference called EVOLVE, which will focus on the rapidly evolving topics of generative AI and cybersecurity in the legal industry. Ken Jones, Principal Consultant at Xerdict Group LLC, and Josh Smith, Information Security Manager at Ogletree Deakins, join the podcast to discuss the conference and the challenges and opportunities presented by these cutting-edge technologies.

ILTA EVOLVE is designed to be a more intimate event compared to the larger ILTACON conference, with an expected attendance of 300-500 people. This smaller scale allows for deeper technical discussions, more personal interactions, and easier access to experts and speakers. The conference will feature a keynote speaker, a roundtable discussion, and 20 educational sessions led by a diverse group of talented speakers.

One of the key challenges faced by legal technology professionals is the need to balance the potential benefits of generative AI with the responsibility to protect client data. Law firms have a fiduciary duty to be strong stewards of their clients’ information, and the use of AI models that rely on vast amounts of data can create conflicts of interest. The conference will explore ways to make these models secure and compliant while still leveraging their capabilities to enhance legal services.

The keynote speaker for ILTA EVOLVE will be Joe Sullivan, former CSO of Facebook, accompanied by Lily Yeoh, founder and president of C1 Risk. Their presentation will focus on the legal issues faced by law firms in the event of a cybersecurity incident and how to respond effectively. The conference will also provide ample networking opportunities, including evening events, coffee breaks, and a business partner display area where attendees can engage with vendors and learn about the latest solutions.

Looking to the future, the co-chairs predict that both cybersecurity and generative AI will continue to evolve rapidly, becoming more sophisticated and valuable to the legal profession. In the realm of cybersecurity, the battle between attackers and defenders will likely be ongoing, requiring constant vigilance and adaptation. For AI, the application of best practices and methodologies from software development will be crucial in ensuring that these powerful technologies are deployed effectively and responsibly within law firms. ILTA EVOLVE aims to provide attendees with the knowledge and tools they need to navigate this complex landscape and harness the potential of these transformative technologies.

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⁠⁠⁠⁠Transcript

Continue Reading Exploring the Intersection of Generative AI and Cybersecurity at ILTA EVOLVE – Ken Jones and Josh Smith

Four speakers and a moderator were presenting at a conference. 
That sounds like the beginning of a joke, but according to the 2022 ILTACon Conference Co-Chair, Martha Breil, that type of conference presentation just won’t draw in the next generation of conference attendees. Workshops, hands-on experiences, and interactive presentations are needed for conferences to stay relevant as we emerge from the two and a half years of lost conferences due to COVID. 
While ILTACon made an appearance in 2021, it was this year’s conference which was extremely successful. With nearly 3,000 attendees, the conference held at the National Harbor, MD, was completely sold out (thanks to those pesky fire codes!) Breil was very happy with how she and the team of ILTA staffers and volunteers pulled together the 2022 ILTACon and shares with us some of the experiences and comments from the event. 
Legal Conferences are a collaboration of Association leaders, members, volunteers, as well as partnerships with vendors and sponsors. As more and more conferences take place over the next few years, there will be different expectations from all of those different groups on how to attract attendees, volunteers, and sponsors. Once the honeymoon of 2022 is over, those expectations will need to be met to continue making conferences, and the money they bring in to organizations like ILTA, a success.

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LVNx Crystal Ball Answer
Speaking of conferences, Greg just returned from the Legal Value Network eXperience in Chicago with a fresh batch of answers to our Crystal Ball Question. First up is Kate Boyd, COO at Sente Advisors on the new generation of professionals and the diversity of experiences and knowledge they are bringing to the legal industry.
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Transcript

Continue Reading What Does a Post-Pandemic Conference Look Like? Martha Breil on ILTACon (TGIR Ep.175)

Marlene (@gebauerm) and Greg (@glambert) talk with the University of Oklahoma School of Law’s Director of Technology Innovation, Kenton Brice. Kenton discusses how OU is leveraging the advances in technology to expand upon the university’s commitment to not only teach students how to think like a lawyer, but to also have a grasp of some of the skills needed to practice law efficiently.

Continue Reading Podcast Episode 9 – Getting Law Students Familiar with Legal Tech

On this episode of The Geek In Review, Tom O’Connor, Independent Litigation Technology Consultant, talks to us about his recent blog post, What in the Wide World of Sports is Going on at ILTA?
In addition to ILTA’s woes, Tom covers other issues regarding member associations, and how new entries into the legal vendor market are changing the vendor-customer relationship… and not for the better.

Continue Reading Podcast Episode 7 – Tom O’Connor Wonders What’s Going on at ILTA

For those of you that attend the ILTA conferences, you may be aware of the (in)famous band called Legal Bytes. Legal Bytes is the world’s only band made up entirely of current and former Chief Information Officers from law firms. At this year’s ILTA conference, Legal Bytes will actually be releasing a 12-song CD of…

The American Association of Law Libraries (AALL) and the International Legal Technology Association (ILTA) has collaborated to create a white paper on the set of skills needed for today’s librarian and information services professionals. Whether it is Knowledge Management, working with Practice Groups, Competitive Intelligence, Electronic Books, or the evolving trends…