Relativity Fest 2018 opens a month from today, and this year’s event has more legal education content than ever. Hands-on learning about e-discovery remains a centerpiece of Relativity Fest, and our Legal and Industry Education track gives legal teams—particularly attorneys—opportunities to dive deeper into their areas of expertise while expanding their knowledge on new and emerging topics.
From our annual Judicial Panel to programs on international e-discovery, access to justice, data privacy, social media law, cloud e-discovery—and even a session on writing fundamentals—there’s a lot to explore.
The sessions include programs with continuing legal education (CLE) credits and others that will provide insight into the e-discovery industry to help you do your job and plan your future career.
Of course, the Legal and Industry Education track isn’t just for lawyers. Whether you’re an attorney, paralegal, litigation support professional, or executive, there’s something for everyone. Here’s a brief guide to help you plan your stay at Relativity Fest; click the links and log into your Relativity Fest account to start building your agenda.
The Annual Judicial Panel
Monday, October 1, 1:00 p.m.
Returning for a fifth year will be U.S. District Judge Nora Barry Fischer, retired U.S. Magistrate Judge Andrew Peck, U.S. District Judge Xavier Rodriguez, and moderator David Horrigan of Relativity. Joining the Judicial Panel this year will be Justice Tanya Kennedy of the New York State Supreme Court, who serves also as the president of the National Association of Women Judges (NAWJ).
We’ll, of course, discuss the important e-discovery legal issues of the year, but new for 2018, we’ll also cover some of the most important legal decisions beyond the field of e-discovery law. It’s an understatement to say we live in interesting times. The judges at Relativity Fest have vast experience beyond the world of e-discovery, and this year will be their first opportunity to share that insight with attendees.
Access to Justice: Challenges for the Legal System and the Nation
Monday, October 1, 2:20 p.m.
Access to justice is one of the most important issues facing the nation and all of us in the legal community. In an effort to address the vital issues of the day, we’ve gathered national leaders from the bench, law schools, major corporations, and public interest law to discuss the challenges we face in ensuring everyone has access to legal counsel and justice itself.
Although this program will discuss the challenges of this topic, we’ll also highlight some of the real success stories and ways you can make a difference. Joining us for this important program will be Justice Kennedy, Dennis Garcia of Microsoft, Zabrina Jenkins of Starbucks, University of Richmond Law School Dean Wendy Collins Perdue who serves also as president of the Association of American Law Schools (AALS), and Legal Services Corporation president James Sandman.
The Internet of Things from a Legal, Regulatory, and Technical Perspective
Monday, October 1, 11:00 a.m.
It’s been said that children born today will never drive a car. Why? Autonomous vehicles will be roaming the highways and byways by the time they’re old enough to drive. From self-driving cars to Amazon’s Echo devices, the Internet of Things creates complex legal issues—and you should understand them to prepare for future work.
Trial lawyer, forensic examiner, and ESI special master Craig Ball, Ackermann LLP partner Gail Gottehrer, and Ballard Spahr LLP partner Ed McAndrew join us to tackle the legal, regulatory, and technical aspects of the Internet of Things.
e-Discovery with the Government
Monday, October 1, 3:40 p.m.
The legal and regulatory landscape in working with the government has changed substantially in recent years, and whether it's working with state governments, prosecutors, or federal agencies, e-discovery with the government has unique requirements and strategies to help ensure the best possible outcomes for your company or your clients.
Kenya Dixon of the Federal Trade Commission, Tracy Greer of the U.S. Department of Justice, Tessa Jacob of Husch Blackwell LLP, and Cory Nugent of the New York State Office of the Attorney General join us for this session.
From Carpenter to the GDPR: 2018 Data Privacy and Protection Law Update
Monday, October 1, 5:00 p.m.
From the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Carpenter v. United States to the passage of the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 to the European Union’s passage of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), 2018 has been an eventful year in the law of data privacy and data protection.
In this session, John Koss of Mintz Levin, Debbie Reynolds of EimerStahl Discovery Solutions, LLC, Ed McAndrew of Ballard Spahr LLP, and Patrick Zeller of Gilead Sciences examine these legal and regulatory developments and how they affect data discovery and your e-discovery practice.
International e-Discovery and Data Protection
Tuesday, October 2, 8:30 a.m.
As we noted above, it’s been a big year for data privacy and data protection law, and it’s affected cross-border e-discovery. Our annual international panel will address important cross-border discovery and data law issues, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), United States v. Microsoft, and the CLOUD Act, as well as upcoming important topics, such as the EU's ePrivacy Regulation and corporate compliance in the era of cloud discovery.
Joining us will be Chris Dale of the UK’s eDisclosure Information Project, Karl Hennessee of Airbus, Karyn Harty of Ireland’s McCann FitzGerald, and Johnny Lee of Grant Thornton.
ILTA and Relativity Fest Present: Finding the Fun in Writing Fundamentals
Tuesday, October 2, 11:10 a.m.
At Relativity Fest 2018, we’re continuing a writing program started at the International Legal Technology Association’s ILTACON. In this session, ILTA and Relativity Fest come together to help you improve your writing in a fun and informative way. The program will be broadcast as an ILTA webinar, as well as featured on the Relativity Fest Legal and Industry Education track.
To help attendees with tips on this important topic, Judge Peck joins Gary Kinder of Wordrake, a nationally recognized writing coach who has appeared on The New York Times Best Sellers List, and this author, Relativity’s David Horrigan, former reporter and assistant editor at The National Law Journal.
The State of the e-Discovery Union: A Roundtable on the Industry and the Profession
Tuesday, October 2, 2:20 p.m.
Both the e-discovery industry and the legal profession are in a period of rapid change. Where is the industry going, and what does the future hold for the legal professionals who make up the e-discovery profession? Join us for this session where leading journalists, industry analysts, and legal experts will examine the current state of the e-discovery, the market, and legal forces affecting the industry, your firm or company, and your career.
Our panel of experts includes Mike Bryant of HaystackID, Ari Kaplan of Ari Kaplan Advisors, Mary Mack of the Association of Certified E-Discovery Specialists (ACEDS), Ryan O’Leary of IDC, and Zach Warren of Legaltech News.
Social Media Law and Practice
Tuesday, October 2, 3:40 p.m.
Relativity and the Coalition of Technology Resources for Lawyers (CTRL) come together in this session covering the latest case law and rules on the discovery of social media data, including the 2017 amendments to Fed. R. Evid. 902, as well as practical considerations for dealing with social media data.
Speakers on the program will include Doug Austin of CloudNine, Gareth Evans of Redgrave LLP, Philip Favro of Driven Inc. and CTRL, and Amy Sellars of Walmart.
e-Discovery in the Cloud: Legal, Ethical, and Security Considerations
Tuesday, October 2, 5:00 p.m.
As e-discovery and the legal profession continue to join the rest of business and society in the move to the cloud, legal teams are encountering new legal, ethical, and security issues. Jurisdictional considerations, information governance—including system security and data privacy—and ethical considerations, including ethical requirements for technological competence, are important issues.
In this new version of a popular Relativity Fest session with timely new updates, including 2018 case law and regulatory developments, we’ll be joined by Dennis Garcia of Microsoft, Karl Hennessee of Airbus, and David Kilgore of Rackspace.
e-Discovery Law and Practice: Case Studies in Cooperation
Wednesday, October 3, 9:00 a.m.
We’ll close out the 2018 Legal and Industry Education track with another e-discovery challenge: cooperation. From The Sedona Conference Cooperation Proclamation and the judges across the nation who have endorsed it to the 2015 amendments to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, cooperation in e-discovery has become an important consideration in the United States and internationally as well. However, is cooperation in e-discovery even possible in an adversarial system? Even if it is possible, is it practical? How can you cooperate with an adversary? What about transparency in the process?
Helping us answer these questions will be Suzanne Clark and Chad Roberts of eDiscovery Co-Counsel, PLLC, Kathleen Porter Kristiansen of Advanced Discovery, and Kelly Twigger of ESI Attorneys, eDiscovery Assistant, and Above the Law.
Bonus: Beer and Basics
Sunday, September 30, 5:30 p.m.
As you look over this schedule to make your selections, we’d be remiss if we didn’t tell you we’ll be kicking off the Legal and Industry Education track on Sunday evening, September 30, by bringing back Beer and Basics: e-Discovery 101 and Relativity Fundamentals. Mike Quartararo of eDPM Advisory Services and Tom O’Connor of the Gulf Coast Legal Technology Center will be returning, and they’ll be joined by Peg Gianuca of The Walt Disney Company, Tessa Jacob of Husch Blackwell LLP, and our Relativity colleagues Constantine Pappas and Rene Laurens.
Whether it’s to get your CLE credits, learn something new, advance your career, or all of the above, please join us in Chicago. We’ll look forward to seeing you then.
