Speakers – Document Excellence Day 2019

About Joanne

For more than 25 years Joanne Humber delivered IT training programmes to law firms and corporate legal departments across the world – initially through her own company and for 8 years as Director of Training for Phoenix Business Solutions.  Since leaving Phoenix she has worked as an independent technology skills consultant. She also actively promotes the Legal Technology Core Competency Certification Coalition (LTC4).  LTC4 was founded 11 years ago by training and IT professionals in the US and UK to address the skills gaps which exist within the global legal industry.  Joanne’s experience of working with law firms of all sizes clearly demonstrated the need to improve technology skills in a way which is relevant to the way they work. LTC4 Core Competency Learning Plans are workflow based and are now recognised as providing an industry standard for both lawyers and support staff.

Committee Roles

Membership Secretary

Committee member 2014 – 2020, returned in October 2021

About Annette

As the IT Manager for Milbank in Europe Annette is responsible and accountable for the smooth running of the Firm’s information technology systems in the London, Frankfurt and Munich offices. Annette manages the IT team who deliver day to day IT/helpdesk support, IT Training, System Management and IT Infrastructure & Projects.  Recent IT projects Annette has worked on have included the move of core infrastructure to a co-location, upgrade to Windows 10, Office 2016, migration of office phones in Europe from Avaya to Cisco and is currently working on deploying password management and a printing solution.

Slipping Through the Net

Managing Metadata in a law firm is paramount and not doing it can lead to damaged reputations or worse. Annette and the panel will look at the risks and issues and discuss guidelines to follow when dealing with metadata.

View the presentation

About Carol

Carol Skinner has worked at Lewis Silkin LLP for over 20 years starting as a Helpdesk Analyst and them moving into management as IT Manager then Head of IT  which involves new systems, day to day running of the team, liaising with the business on requirements, strategy, projects, IT service and support delivery as well as negotiating contracts with suppliers, developing supplier relationships and planning the IT budget and delivery.

Slipping Through the Net

Managing Metadata in a law firm is paramount and not doing it can lead to damaged reputations or worse. Annette and the panel will look at the risks and issues and discuss guidelines to follow when dealing with metadata.

View the presentation

About Ben

Ben has 20 years of experience driving business performance within independent software vendors. He is a member of the executive management team at DocsCorp, where he leads the global sales & marketing organisation and is responsible for achieving the company’s growth objectives.  Also involved in setting product strategy, Ben works with firms to understand their business problems and translates that into functional specifications for software solutions. Specialising in legal technology, he has acquired extensive knowledge of document productivity, enterprise content management, and cryptographic solutions.

Slipping Through the Net

Managing Metadata in a law firm is paramount and not doing it can lead to damaged reputations or worse. Annette and the panel will look at the risks and issues and discuss guidelines to follow when dealing with metadata.

View the presentation

About Chris

As the Business Analysis & Technology Training Manager for Linklaters, Chris is accountable for ensuring the right solutions are delivered to the firm and that all users globally receive quality training, enabling them to use the tools effectively and efficiently. Implementing new and innovative techniques to deliver solutions to the firm, Chris has modernised the way both teams work, enhancing the full delivery life cycle, enabling a collaborative and robust way of supporting the firm’s global strategy, benefiting both the firm and its clients.

Slipping Through the Net

Managing Metadata in a law firm is paramount and not doing it can lead to damaged reputations or worse. Annette and the panel will look at the risks and issues and discuss guidelines to follow when dealing with metadata.

View the presentation

About Chuck

Chuck has worked in legal IT for over 35 years with all sorts of professional practices, from sole practitioner to global enterprise, as a developer, trainer, business process analyst, and consultant. He understands the practical needs of professional users, support staff, and IT, and frequently serves as a translator between business and technical teams. As a consultant he helps firms discover and implement innovations that improve working life and client service, particularly around the document lifecycle – first draft to final delivery.

Technology Changes – How to Overcome Resistance

Without understanding how to implement real change firms’ investment in technology can be wasted. A lack of user adoption and understanding of the business value of change often causes projects to fail and law firms to fall behind business in their use of the latest technology. The panel will discuss their thoughts on how to make change happen in a law firm and why it is important to overcome resistance if firms are to be seen to be innovative.

View the presentation

About Clare

With too many years working with law firms’ documents than she would like to admit to, Clare has run her own training company, been a consultant at major legal software supplier and provided consultancy services to law firms. Clare is passionate about encouraging people to get the best from Microsoft Office and all legal software.  She is specialist in legal document production and has been a member of the Document Excellence Group Committee since 2014.

Event Chair

Welcome and Introduction

View the opening presentation

View the closing presentation

About Danielle

Danielle has over 10 years’ experience working in the legal sector.  In her previous role she was Secretarial Support and DPU Team Leader where she managed a team of Document Production Specialists and would provide training on the firm’s legal templates and presentations. Danielle’s experience includes TMS, Word, NetDocuments, Carpe Diem and E-Learning.

Do You Remember? Part One and Part Two

Looking at some forgotten and underused features, Julie and Danielle will take us through some hints, tips and quick wins in PowerPoint, Excel and Word.

About Darshna

Darshna has been in the legal industry for the past 22½ years supporting document production applications in some shape of form and is now a Product Owner for the Document Production Portfolio. She has extensive knowledge of how applications are configured, the day to day frustrations of users and the drive that is required to make the applications more efficient. She really enjoys having roadmap discussions with vendors, introducing new technology and using different change management elements to drive change and adopt new technologies and processes.

Technology Changes – How to Overcome Resistance

Without understanding how to implement real change firms’ investment in technology can be wasted. A lack of user adoption and understanding of the business value of change often causes projects to fail and law firms to fall behind business in their use of the latest technology. The panel will discuss their thoughts on how to make change happen in a law firm and why it is important to overcome resistance if firms are to be seen to be innovative.

View the presentation

About Gina

Gina has been at Fladgate for 15 years and previously worked at Freshfields in what was then called “WP” for 18 years. She has worked as an IT Trainer and is TAP qualified.  She has a strong interest in best practice for house styles and templates and gives talks to Fladgate’s fee earners on those topics. She thinks our biggest challenge is sustaining clean and stable documents, to ensure our fee earners are trained and supported to a level where they can amend their own documentation but also know their limitations and when to call for help!

What’s the future of the DPU?

We hear about AI, document automation and collaboration platforms and lawyers working in their own documents. In a legal sector of more than 11,000 firms in England & Wales alone, the document production team really is a niche specialist role. Should we be worried about how our skills are valued or should we embrace whatever opportunities that technology can offer us?”

About Jamie

From Microsoft Office Specialist Master Instructor to the world’s largest law firm, US law firm and now Withersworldwide. Jamie is a change manager focusing on guiding others to the next milestone, one coffee at a time.

Technology Changes – How to Overcome Resistance

Without understanding how to implement real change firms’ investment in technology can be wasted. A lack of user adoption and understanding of the business value of change often causes projects to fail and law firms to fall behind business in their use of the latest technology. The panel will discuss their thoughts on how to make change happen in a law firm and why it is important to overcome resistance if firms are to be seen to be innovative.

View the presentation

About Jayne

Jayne has always worked in the legal profession and started her career as a legal secretary, progressing to document specialist and IT trainer in the large international law firm DLA Piper.  Since 2006, she has developed businesses specialising in legal secretarial support. She is a committee member of the Document Excellence Group.   Jayne has expert knowledge of the legal sector, trends in human resources and current technologies and ensures that Bluebird remains innovative in the services the company provides to its clients.

What’s the future of the DPU?

We hear about AI, document automation and collaboration platforms and lawyers working in their own documents. In a legal sector of more than 11,000 firms in England & Wales alone, the document production team really is a niche specialist role. Should we be worried about how our skills are valued or should we embrace whatever opportunities that technology can offer us?”

About Julie

Julie has over 20 years’ consultancy and training experience working in a variety of sectors ranging from legal, wealth management and media. Julie works with Tikit’s Template Management System and partner software through each stage of a project including gathering client requirements, implementation, training and floor walking.  Julie is passionate about creating an interactive and enjoyable environment that supports learning and has excellent Word skills especially around styles.

Do You Remember? Part One and Part Two

Looking at some forgotten and underused features, Julie and Danielle will take us through some hints, tips and quick wins in PowerPoint, Excel and Word.

About Kerry

Kerry has worked in the legal industry for 30 years and still enjoys it as much as she did when she started. She’s always been interested in in-depth document work both design or content based. She says she remembers being asked “We are looking for volunteers for a new Document Specialist Team we are setting up … would you be interested”.  She jumped at the chance and has never looked back. Three years down the line she was offered the role as team leader. She believes there is a lack of understanding of the complexities that exist within a DPU and that fee earners underestimate how long jobs can take.

What’s the future of the DPU?

We hear about AI, document automation and collaboration platforms and lawyers working in their own documents. In a legal sector of more than 11,000 firms in England & Wales alone, the document production team really is a niche specialist role. Should we be worried about how our skills are valued or should we embrace whatever opportunities that technology can offer us?”

About Leona

As the PA Manager Leona has overall management responsibilities for the PA, DP and Admin teams. Her experience in the legal industry spans over 30 years. Her role involves, amongst other things, implementing and championing ‘best in class’ initiatives and processes, resourcing, talent management and developing innovative mechanisms to ensure efficiency and excellence in service delivery.

What’s the future of the DPU?

We hear about AI, document automation and collaboration platforms and lawyers working in their own documents. In a legal sector of more than 11,000 firms in England & Wales alone, the document production team really is a niche specialist role. Should we be worried about how our skills are valued or should we embrace whatever opportunities that technology can offer us?”

About Levente

Levente is a product marketing manager with Microsoft UK’s Modern Workplace business group. He has been working on Microsoft productivity solutions for the past 10 years ranging from consumer marketing to collaboration technologies. A productivity enthusiast who wants to squeeze more out of time and tools like Office and is passionate about sharing these techniques.

The New Way of Working

Information workers spend up to 80% of their working time collaborating with others. Documents are born in this context and this collaboration-first environment requires us to behave differently than in the past. This leads to new tools, new ways of working, and also requires a proactive approach to achieving a change in behaviour. In this session we will explore the new collaborative tools of Microsoft Teams while also looking at a few Word novelties. We will discuss approaches, tools and programs that can help organisations adopt the technology.

View the presentation

About Linda

With a background in document production and graphic design, Linda has extensive experience in managing DP teams onshore and offshore. Linda joined Integreon at CMS McKenna Nabarro Olswang LLP in early 2017. Since joining, she has facilitated a comprehensive business expansion programme alongside BAU work. She is particularly interested in change management and the workplace of the future.

What’s the future of the DPU?

We hear about AI, document automation and collaboration platforms and lawyers working in their own documents. In a legal sector of more than 11,000 firms in England & Wales alone, the document production team really is a niche specialist role. Should we be worried about how our skills are valued or should we embrace whatever opportunities that technology can offer us?”

About Matt

Matt oversees the subject matter experts and evangelists teams at Litera, and has 11 years of experience in the legal technology space. In recent years Matt has heavily focused on driving lawyers adoption of technology by ensuring Litera’s solutions complement as opposed to dictate workflows. Matt is no stranger to presentations or panel discussion as he’s been onstage at ILTA, Microsoft Ignite, iManage ConnectLive, various roadshows, and even previously at UKDEG.

Slipping Through the Net

Managing Metadata in a law firm is paramount and not doing it can lead to damaged reputations or worse. Annette and the panel will look at the risks and issues and discuss guidelines to follow when dealing with metadata.

View the presentation

About Mercedes

Mercedes is ILTA’s first full-time staff member outside of North America. She previously worked for Thomson Reuters as a Database Trainer. Before that, she worked as a Knowledge & Learning Assistant for Charles Russell Speechlys LLP and other organisations. Mercedes is a Law graduate, she is passionate about learning, creating outstanding educational events, and advocating the use of technology in law practice. She is also a volunteer and advocate for Workplace Mediation as a founder and manager of HIVE – Society for Workplace and Employment Mediation and a member of the Civil Mediation Council’s Workplace and Employment group.

International Legal Technology Association

Mercedes will be introducing us to the ILTA Programmes in UK / Europe and to ILTACON Europe, the biggest conference this year.

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About Morten

Morten is CTO in SkabelonDesign and co-founder of Templafy. He has been in the template management industry for more than a decade and has acted in a variety of roles. He is currently CTO, but he has also been involved in project management, business development, change management and as an MS Office consultant. Morten’s drive is all about making users efficient and on-brand in MS Office – across all industries. He is based in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Transitioning is Tough!

Template changes can be caused by many things, e.g. rebranding, new stylesets, colours, Office version, integrations and productivity tools. With over a decade of experience managing template transitions, Morten is going to share some insights on best practices on how to transition based on real case scenarios – the do’s and don’ts.

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About Nicola

Nicola is a former barrister with 20 years’ experience designing and delivering continuous learning for senior lawyers, scientists and technical specialists in the UK and abroad. She owns and runs Athena Professional, a multiple award-winning learning & development consultancy.   A graduate of Balliol College, Oxford and the University of Sussex, she is a Fellow of the Learning & Performance Institute and a member of the ABP. She is also an executive coach, facilitator and speaker.

Technology Changes – How to Overcome Resistance

Without understanding how to implement real change firms’ investment in technology can be wasted. A lack of user adoption and understanding of the business value of change often causes projects to fail and law firms to fall behind business in their use of the latest technology. The panel will discuss their thoughts on how to make change happen in a law firm and why it is important to overcome resistance if firms are to be seen to be innovative.

View the presentation

About Rachel

Rachel has 20 years’ experience in the technology training industry. Her principal accountabilities are the strategy and leadership of the Technology Training team ensuring lawyers and staff have the technology skills they require to do their jobs. Rachel believes that training must focus on real-world tasks and be workflow based, in order to facilitate the transfer of learning from the classroom into the real world. Rachel is one of the founding members of Legal Technology Core Competencies Certification Coalition (LTC4) and serves on the board of directors.

Technology Changes – How to Overcome Resistance

Without understanding how to implement real change firms’ investment in technology can be wasted. A lack of user adoption and understanding of the business value of change often causes projects to fail and law firms to fall behind business in their use of the latest technology. The panel will discuss their thoughts on how to make change happen in a law firm and why it is important to overcome resistance if firms are to be seen to be innovative.

View the presentation

About Sheila

With over 37 year’s experience working in law firms, Sheila started her career as a Personal Assistant. In 29 years working for Allen & Overy LLP she has held various positions, starting as a Word-processing Operator she progressed to a Systems Analyst, IT Trainer, IT Helpdesk Support Analyst, Documents Service Line Leader, Document Expert Analyst, Document Application Support Team Leader and in the last six years, Document Technology Specialist.  She is a founding member of the Document Excellence Group (DEG) and has chaired and presented at various DEG events.

Slipping Through the Net

Managing Metadata in a law firm is paramount and not doing it can lead to damaged reputations or worse. Annette and the panel will look at the risks and issues and discuss guidelines to follow when dealing with metadata.

View the presentation

About Sherry

Sherry has more than 30 years’ experience in the design, implementation and change management surrounding content-authoring technologies. She has written and spoken widely to address the needs, goals and strategies of document-intensive businesses, and is an expert in Microsoft Office applications. She was recognized by ILTA as Innovative Consultant of the Year in 2014, and as Vendor Thought Leader in 2017. Sherry is a member of the Document Lifecycle Evangelist team at Litera Microsystems.

“The Seven Laws of Word’s Outline Numbering”: 20 Years Later

Twenty years ago, legal’s mass exodus into Microsoft Office found us baffled by what was then a brand-new feature in Word: Multilevel Lists. To address challenges faced community-wide, our founding organisation published what became the venerable “Seven Laws of Word’s Outline Numbering”. In this informative session, we’ll honour the document and its contributors, poke fun at its Defined Terms and summarise its impact then – and even now.

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About Tara

Tara has over a decade of successful experience in managing organisational and cultural change as well as assuming accountability for both the relationship with the firm’s outsource provider and its own remote Document Production team. Most recently Tara led the UK business through a PA restructure which saw significant changes in efficiency, best practice, technology and process.

What’s the future of the DPU?

We hear about AI, document automation and collaboration platforms and lawyers working in their own documents. In a legal sector of more than 11,000 firms in England & Wales alone, the document production team really is a niche specialist role. Should we be worried about how our skills are valued or should we embrace whatever opportunities that technology can offer us?”