Calling All Upper Canada Solos and Small Firms…

♬ And I hear this calling
Still you don’t seem so far at all …♬

Lyrics, music and recorded by All That Remains…

On Friday, May 14, 2010 (9:00 AM – 4:30 PM) the 5th Annual Solo and Small Firm Conference and Expo will be hosted by The Law Society of Upper Canada in conjunction with The Ontario Bar Association.

What makes this Solo and Small Firm Conference a bit unique and new this year (and important in a Province that is bigger than France and Spain combined) is the live webcast of the Conference:

If you are unable to join us in Toronto, watch the live webcast of this valuable conference from your home or office. You will view the opening plenary “60 Tips in 60 Minutes” and follow five key sessions “live” throughout the day including tech essentials for your office, email and time management, running a “paperless” office, an introduction to social media for lawyers and more. The remaining sessions will be recorded and available to view after the conference.

Solos and small firms (which typically are challenged to attend such a conference, particularly if they live outside the Toronto area) can benefit from this program and not leave their office.

Of course, if you attend in person you will not only see the presentations (more on this later) but you can stroll the Exhibit floor (and enter the draw for the fabulous prizes).

Donna S.M. Neff, T.E.P. of Neff Law Office Professional Corporation and fellow SLAW-er Daniel E. Pinnington of Lawyers’ Professional Indemnity Company (LawPro) are the conference chairs.

This year’s conference “focuses on new technology and best practices to make you more efficient and cost effective. Master new ways to communicate and use collaboration tools that will take your practice to a new level.”

Sessions include:

• 60 Tips in 60 Mins! This perennial conference favourite is back with a new panel of tipsters with the latest software, hardware, gadgets, marketing ideas and more.
• Essential Solo and Small Firm Legal Technologies: Solos and small firms face unique situations as compared to larger firms. This session will run thru the technologies that every solo and small firm should have.
• Social Media 101: What is your social media strategy? Should you be on Facebook, LinkedIn and the myriad of other social networking sites? This session will explore what is out there and how to apply it in your firm for marketing, networking and informational gathering.
• A Voyage to Paperless: All Aboard! No other technology has received such interest today as the potential of the paperless office. This session will give you the tools (and the courage) to move your practice to the paperless world.

There are 16 sessions in total. The full program and conference information can be found here.

This Solo and Small Firm Conference is an annual ‘must attend’ conference if you are a solo or small firm lawyer in Upper Canada. Fortunately, courtesy of the webcast capability this year, it doesn’t seem so far away at all…