The big, extravagant Clio legal tech Conference kicked off today in Nashville. ClioCon is one of the most attended and well respected legal tech conferences. It’s famous for its well known keynote speakers from all walks of life, its training sessions and tracts, workshops, and of course, parties. This year’s Conference is the first in-person Conference since 2019. It’s been missed.
Clio reports that there are some 2000 in-person attendees this year. In an atypical approach, Clio also offers a complete virtual track with 1000 participants. Other conferences worry that offering a virtual tract will result in reduced in-person attendance. That the virtual track will cannibalize actual and more lucrative in-person tract. Perhaps only Clio, with its immensely popular Conference, has the intestinal fortitude to try to pull this off. Clio believes that if you build it, they will come.
I have to ask why ClioCon is so popular. This question is particularly relevant to me since I am chair of the ABA section that puts on TechShow every year in March.
In the opening Keynote, Jack Newton Clio CEO, talked about what law firms must do to thrive in trying times. Identify three factors: connection, creativity, and technology.
In particular, Newton spoke about the need for law firms to build a connection for its team to a greater purpose. A purpose beyond just increased revenue and metrics. The commitment of Clio employees to this greater purpose is palpable at the Conference. I think it’s this kind of commitment that enables Clio to carve out such a space in the legal tech community.
ClioCon always starts the same way: all the in-person Clio employees charge up to the main stage in a display of energy and commitment. The energy is catching and engaging. It makes