On February 27, ABA’s Women Rainmakers Committee presented a “Women of Legal Tech” Summit hosted at Chicago-Kent College of Law as a precursor to the ABA TechShow 2019.
CALL’s own Debbie Ginsberg was one of the speakers, focusing on the role of law librarians in legal tech:
I'm excited to be speaking about law librarians and tech at the #womenoflegaltech conference @ChicagoKentLaw tomorrow. https://t.co/YCgnnCmyxU
#closethegap.— Debbie Ginsberg (@debgpi) February 26, 2019
Debbie started by noting how a talk on law librarians intersects with the “Women of Legal Tech” summit:
“AALL is an organization composed of 75% women.” – Jean O’Grady, 2016*
Law Library Legal Tech Leaders
Debbie shared examples of specific law librarians who have pushed the boundaries of legal tech in their law schools and law firms:
Kristina L. Niedringhaus, Associate Dean of Library and Information Services and Associate Professor at Georgia State University College of Law
Jessica de Perio Wittman, Director of the Law Library, Associate Professor of Law and Cornelius J. Scanlon Scholar at UConn School of Law
UConn Law is happy to announce that Jessica de Perio Wittman has joined the faculty as an associate professor and director of the law library. Professor de Perio Wittman will teach Legal Research and Law and Technology. Read her full profile at: https://t.co/5xShzx8iXa pic.twitter.com/E5e09Qwl6a
— UConn Law School (@UConnLaw) October 8, 2018
June Liebert, Firmwide Director of Library & Research Services at Sidley Austin LLP
June Liebert – data addict – talks about the ethics of data and algorithms at TEDAALL #AALL18 #AALL2018 pic.twitter.com/D5hdcJfEU1
— Debbie Ginsberg (@debgpi) July 17, 2018
Jean O’Grady, Senior Director of Research & Knowledge at DLA Piper and author of Dewy B. Strategic.
Twitter: @jogdc
Jennifer L. Wondracek, Director of Legal Educational Technology and Professor of Practice at UNT Dallas College of Law
Twitter: @JenWondracek
Susan Nevelow Mart, Professor and Director of the Law Library at University of Colorado Law School
Does a lawyer's #technology competency include knowledge of #algorithms in our #legalresearch? Susan Nevelow Mart at @ColoLaw thinks so — she'll share why at this year's #TheFutureIsNow Conference on May 2nd. https://t.co/jgYCWk94t7 pic.twitter.com/D46MVIJYJu
— Jayne Reardon (@2Civility) March 2, 2018
If you want to know where all the badass #womenoflegaltech are…CHECK THE LAW LIBRARY 😆 -Deborah Ginsberg. No really. Law libraries becoming known NOT for going extinct 🚫🦕but for building bridges to the tech lawyers will need for future 🏗👷🏻♀️💻 pic.twitter.com/aRgvkFIQZ7
— April Runft (@april_runft) February 27, 2019
Teaching Tech & Building Bridges:
Debbie also pointed out several articles that show how tech-savvy lawyers have provided training and resources for their schools and firms:
I open my @ABAJournal email & see @elizabethf's photo front and center highlighting her great work! Congratulations! "What's an inexpensive way to teach tech? Find outside experts, say law school librarians" https://t.co/CkQ7X5ojPs
— Kyle K. Courtney (@KyleKCourtney) March 9, 2018
The Tech-Savvy Law Librarian: The #law library is often the gateway to introducing the latest in #legal #tech to #lawyers. https://t.co/OtQZqBnc46 pic.twitter.com/ev6gJwlC0Z
— CBSIT (@CBSIT_UK) July 8, 2018
Digitization of Harvard case law library will show court patterns and trends https://t.co/4PxNptrBjV pic.twitter.com/E474sMnFnX
— ABA Journal (@ABAJournal) August 30, 2016
The discussion of diversity in the legal profession continued throughout the day – Debbie pointed out that demographic reports may not always include the law librarians as they count attorneys.
For me, I decided I wanted to do something else with my degree. I wasn't sure I wanted to practice to begin with, and found that law librarian was a great fit. I don't regret that change. #womenoflegaltech https://t.co/fBginWvmVj
— Debbie Ginsberg (@debgpi) February 27, 2019
Final Thoughts:
Lesson of today's #womenoflegaltech summit: pic.twitter.com/KB0SRHwVZj
— Debbie Ginsberg (@debgpi) February 27, 2019
Many people were involved in organizing and sharing at this event, as seen in this post from Sara Agate, one of the students who helped open the event and introduce speakers:
energy & enlightenment at 2nd annual #womenoflegaltech summit happening w @ABATECHSHOW #closethegap w/ so many women & we need more support from men #legaltech #atj #innovation so many to tag @kristensonday @hlkaufman @NicoleAuerbach @WomenRainmakers @caliorg @ChicagoKentLaw pic.twitter.com/ytVw2M00mO
— Sara Agate, MPH (@sara_agate) February 27, 2019
Erin Harrison of LegalTech news wrote up more about the event on Law.com:
Where Are All the Women in Legal Tech? https://t.co/DANiQtlZZD via @Legaltech_news @AlmaAsay @TalithaBGray @basharubin #ABATECHSHOW
— Erin Harrison (@EE_Harrison) March 1, 2019
* Are Librarians Wearing a Glass Ceiling? The American Association of Law Libraries Members Final Chance to Vote For the Future
by Jean O’Grady on February 10, 2016