College of Law Practice Management Futures Conference

If you missed the 2012 Futures Conference and Annual Meeting of the College of Law Practice Management in Washington, D.C. late last month (as I unfortunately did), then you also missed out on an extraordinary exploration of change and innovation in the legal marketplace.

Here are two excellent summaries of what went down at the Futures Conference:

• Ron Friedmann of Fireman & Co., co-chair of the conference, published an extensive report at his Strategic Legal Technology blog titled “Overview of the New Legal Normal.” Key quote: “One panelist noted that given how many consumers cannot afford legal representation, it is morally reprehensible that lawyers deploy so few automated systems. I agree and would add that if general counsel were not cut of the same cloth as BigLaw, they might well call the limited used of tech by the AmLaw 200 scandalous.”

• Tim Corcoran, who has superbly taken over from me as Chair of the College’s Innovation Awards, published an equally insightful summary, “What Looks Good for the Future?” at both his own blog and Attorney At Work. Key quote:

The new breed of law firm leader recognizes the critical necessity of strengthening the firm, even though the policies necessary to achieve this outcome tend to weaken the traditional stranglehold of top rainmakers on the firm. Until this tension is resolved, law firm leaders are competing at a significant disadvantage.

I thought you’d also be interested in seeing the complete list of inductees to the College’s ranks in 2012. I’ve attended every induction save this one since 2006, and this is one of the strongest classes I’ve seen:

• Toby Brown, Director of Strategic Pricing & Analytics, Aiken Gump
• Jeff Carr, Vice President, General Counsel & Secretary, FMC Technologies, Inc.
• Lisa Colpoys, Executive Director, Illinois Legal Aid Online
• Beth Cuzzone, Director of Client Service & Business Development, Goulston & Storrs, PC
• Robert Cohen, Executive Director, Legal Aid Society of Orange County, CA
• E. Leigh Dance, President, ELD International, Inc.
• Carolyn Elefant, Principal, Law Offices of Carolyn Elefant
• Susan Hackett, CEO, Legal Executive Leadership, LLC
• Luz Herrera, Assistant Professor of Law, Thomas Jefferson School of Law
• Matthew Homann, President and Founder, LexThink LLC
• Bonnie Hough, Supervising Attorney, Center for Families, Children & the Courts for the Judicial Council of California
• Patricia Lane, Director of Administrative Services, McKenna Long & Aldridge
• Beverly Loder, Director of Marketing, Fitch Even Tabin & Flannery LLP
• John Mayer, Executive Director, Center for Computer Assisted Legal Instruction
• Merry Neitlich, Founder Partner, Extreme Marketing
• Richard Nigon, Chief Financial Officer, Robins Kaplan Miller & Ciresi, LLP
• Lucian Pera, Partner, Adams and Reese
• Jim Sandman, President, Legal Services Corporation

Next year’s Futures Conference will he held in Chicago at an autumn date to be determined — keep an eye on the College’s blog for updates.