Last week, we had the honor of sponsoring and attending the 2024 Legal Geek North America conference with over 600 registered attendees in Chicago. This event is unlike other legal tech conferences we've attended—full of great speakers, sponsors, and subjects, yet far from your typical stuffy affair. Much like Billables AI itself, Legal Geek is vibrant, innovative, and employs a no-tie dress code. This was our first time joining and sponsoring the event, and we were energized by the great responses from the legal community.
Hungry for Tech Solutions
One of the most striking takeaways from our conversations at Legal Geek was the overwhelming demand for tech solutions that automate tedious, non-billable tasks. Comments like "I was dreaming of a solution like this!" and "This is exactly the type of thing I want to automate!" echoed throughout the conference, reinforcing our mission to alleviate the burdens of non-billable work for legal professionals.
Trends from Our Live Survey
We conducted a live survey at our booth to capture real-time feedback from attendees. Here are some key trends we observed:
The Billable Hour is Not Dead. Despite ongoing debates about the future of the billable hour, our survey revealed that it remains a cornerstone of the legal industry. Many attendees acknowledged the challenges and limitations of this model but emphasized its continued relevance. The consensus was that while the billable hour is evolving, it is far from obsolete.
Writing Narratives Can Be Personal (and Controversial). Crafting billing narratives is a matter of personal preference for many legal professionals. Our survey responses highlighted a range of opinions on the best approaches to writing narratives – from the battle of past vs. present tense verbs to the taboo subject of block billing. It’s clear billing is personal and any solutions in this space must adapt to individual preferences.
Time Remains the Universal Unit of Measure. Even amongst different practice areas and billing models, time remains the universal unit of measure in the legal industry. Legal professionals still rely on tracking hours to gauge productivity, manage workloads, and ensure accurate billing. We heard from several in-house lawyers who no longer bill clients but still track their time as a way to manage resources and demonstrate value within their orgs.
In conclusion
As the most nascent sponsor of Legal Geek, we weren’t quite sure what to expect. What we saw confirmed our belief in the transformative potential of legal technology. The enthusiasm we received from attendees has energized our team and, best of all, we emerged with new allies in our battle to eliminate tedious billing tasks for all.
Thank you to everyone who visited our booth and shared their insights with us. Onwards!
If you, like hundreds of other Legal Geek attendees, also hate the process of billing, learn how Billables is automating time tracking for lawyers. Sign up for a demo below to learn more.
