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The annual cyber security conference kicks off this weekend. For more information visit the Black Hat 2010 website.

Now for all the massive attention paid to Facebook security, especially  over the past several months, it was interesting to find this video of Jeff Moss from Black Hat interviewing Max Kelly, the head of security at Facebook . What's more interesting is that there have been zero comments posted and not even five-hundred views. I wonder who really cares about it.

Wishing you and your families a safe and warm holiday season and good health and happiness in the New Year!

As we wind down 2009 and head into 2010, the Year of the Tiger, we wanted to share some interesting perspectives to ponder. In his new eBook, Seth Godin says, "Now, more than ever, we need to shake things up...a different way of thinking, a useful way to focus and the energy to turn the game around." (http://bit.ly/8KYKgB)

 We appreciate your readership and support!

The PivotalDiscovery.com Team

Recent headline excerpts such as "Shed Corporate Lawyers," "Cut Partners Too," "Firms Still Uncertain How Deep Cuts Will Go," "Furlough," "Retirement Losses," and "Lays Off Associates" can send chills down anyone's spine. The recent economic downturn has forced all legal professionals to look within to find personal strength to outlast and beat the dire situation around us. When the ax falls, it would be best if it happened down the hall or down the street. The economic crisis has also forced many people to reevaluate their careers and resumes. It is not a luxury but a necessity to pinpoint professional weaknesses and identify educational and professional development resources to fill the gaps.

A year ago, firms were experiencing a growth spurt. Today, resources are not so easily transferred from busy to slower practice areas to busier groups, they must make prudent decisions that unfortunately could affect some very good people. Now is the time to invest in one's career and develop expertise beyond the basic requirements. Many state bar associations require attorneys to fulfill Continuing Legal Education credits every year. This forces legal professionals to get out of the office or courtroom and focus on personal development. This is one reason why high-level in-house counsel and large law firm partners attend conferences. But let's look beyond the obvious and explore what could possibly be the silver lining of attending a legal professional conference in a down economy.

Hear Thoughts behind Decisions from the Bench

Imagine being face-to-face with John M. Facciola, Magistrate Judge, U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. He is one of the most prominent publishers of Decisions, Opinions and Protocols pertaining to e-discovery. Reading case law is no comparison to the live, interactive environment a conference can deliver. Once someone has heard Hon. Facciola speak in public, he or she will understand the power of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, the bench, and that technological ignorance or incompetence often leads to self-destruction.

Get Inside the Heads of Litigator and E-Discovery Thought Leaders

Conferences that deliver the most value often include practical advice for attendees. It would benefit all presenters and panelists to think about everyone sitting in the room and provide information that they can take back to their office or implement that very day. Head litigators and e-discovery thought-leaders understand why people come to conferences, and the more events they speak at, the amount of qualitative, substantive and quantitative information compounds.

Find Out Which Vendors Are Truly Sustainable in Any Economy

With the proliferation of litigation documents and data, there has also been a proliferation of e-discovery vendors, technologies and consultancies. The product lifecycle stage of e-discovery is similar to the days just before dot-com became dot-bomb. The recent Socha-Gelbmann survey noted that "EDD providers [are] swelling to more than 600." A cursory view of vendors that invest in the same conferences year after year gives attendees an idea of who will be the mainstays in this turbulent environment and who will not. It is wise to invest your legal technology dollars in vendors that will be here tomorrow.

For some litigation firms e-discovery costs have skyrocketed. According to the Socha-Gelbmann report, one company reported processing and hosting expenditures leaping from under $100,000 three years ago to more than $10 million last year. Conferences that are more intimate in size provide an optimal platform for one-on-one engagements with leaders and mainstay vendors that will do their best to recommend solutions to help cut costs and alleviate some of the logistical and technical nightmares of discovery. Attendees can ask the hard questions, see technology in action and determine if a particular solution is right for their firm.

Peer Networking

When asked about the importance of conference education in a down economy, Ron Hedges, former United States Magistrate Judge in the District of New Jersey, replied, "Conferences furnish a means for communication between judges and attorneys on an informal basis where ideas can be exchanged. That communication is especially important in a ‘down' economy, when opportunities for informal communication are otherwise diminished."

An optimal conference would offer CLE credits and open the door for networking efforts. Some examples of this would be cocktail receptions, roundtable discussions, dinner events or luncheons. Legal professionals that truly value professional development see the full benefit in conferences and make networking a priority.

Gain Clients and Increase Billable Hours

In a down market, losing one client, especially a large client, could literally shut down an operation. Conferences that encourage networking and collaboration will foster relationships that could turn into new business, and thus, increase billable hours for a firm. Corporate legal department leaders can use conferences to "review" firms either directly or non-directly, such as listening to a litigator speak on a panel, accepting an invitation for a meeting or simply accepting an introduction from another peer. A plethora of opportunity is available; it is up to each attendee to take advantage of it.

Five Things to Look for in a Conference

When attending a conference, a goal should be to get more out of it than CLE credits, a few business cards and brochures. Here are five things to look for in a conference that will ensure the highest level of return on investment is achieved:

1. Make sure the conference offers CLE credits, including credits in ethics, and pick a conference that has emerging topics that puts attendees ahead of the curve.
2. Analyze the list of speakers and look for industry-respected panelists. They can offer practical advice and real-life scenarios that everyone can learn from and use today.
3. Look for networking events and environments for client and career building.
4. Many conferences can provide a profile of past delegates. This is often a good indication of whether a conference is a good fit for a particular legal professional or not.
5. Review the list of exhibitors. Look for longevity and relativity to the market to see if they offer services, technology or solutions that meet one's e-discovery needs.

In Conclusion

A conference should be viewed as an experience. Many firms, corporate legal departments, vendors and government agencies are feeling the pain of economic downturn. Conferences, although they have a cost up front, can yield high returns for those that leverage them in the right way. Think of conferences as a means of engagement, personal growth and development, and as a tool that can help increase value and sustainability no matter what is happening down the hall or down the street.