If I had an hour to solve a problem, I’d spend 55 minutes thinking about the problem and five minutes thinking about solutions. Albert Einstein

The ABA TechShow, which I had the honor of co-chairing this year, wrapped up on April 5, 2025, in Chicago, marking its 40th anniversary. The conference featured over 70 educational sessions, high-energy networking receptions, dozens of “lunch and learn” events, and even an 80s-themed anniversary party to commemorate four decades of innovation.

We came into this year with the challenge of moving the Show from downtown Chicago to the expansive McCormick Place Convention Center. McCormick is a few minutes from downtown but has ample hotels and several restaurants. Our biggest fear was frankly that people would find the walk from those hotels—all indoors—daunting and that this might affect not only the attendance but also the experience of those there. I’m happy to say that we were by and large wrong:

 • Record-breaking attendance

• Highest number of exhibitors and sponsors ever

• Positive feedback on the open venue and skyline views—a striking change from our former basement-level setting.

Yes, there was some grumbling about the roughly 6-minute walk but people were also happy about the new open looking venue with views of Lake Michigan and the Chicago skyline.

Most of the comments I did hear about the distance were more in jest: people joked about getting their steps in or being able to skip a workout I view these kinds of comments as more a positive than negative. 

(And yes there were a few negative “get off my grass” type comments by those who look for the bad in every change).

At the end of the day, most shows are about the content

But at the end of the day, most shows are about the content. And the content I think knocked it out of the park.

Keynote from Cory Doctorow

The show opened with a provocative keynote by Cory Doctorow—sci-fi novelist, technology activist, and strategic tech thinker. Doctorow challenged the audience to consider how tech vendors accumulate power and exploit customers and offered insights on resisting that imbalance. A consultant with the Electronic Frontier Foundation and a visiting professor at UNC, Doctorow brought an insightful perspective to the ethical edges of technology in law. His talk was energetic, inspiring, and frightening, all at the same time. As I said before, the mark of a good keynote is that it inspires discussion long after it’s over. Doctorow’s Keynote did just that.

Session Highlights

It’s not practical to summarize every one of the 70+ sessions. Many of the sessions focused one way or the other on AI and Gen AI, as you would expect. There were some other sessions, however on timely topics like remote work, A2J, cybersecurity, and wellness.

Highlights from the dozens of sessions included:

• Two articulate and energetic state court Judges Ashleigh Parker and Timothy Driscoll shared insights on the use and impact of AI in courtrooms.

• Sessions focused on the role of AI in solving access to justice and eDiscovery challenges.

• A panel that walked through the history and future of AI in legal practice.

• Practical guidance on building remote law firm culture and enhancing cybersecurity.

• How-to sessions for tools like Microsoft Co-Pilot and TrialPad and tips for using technology in persuasive ways in the courtroom

• The ever-popular “60 Tips in 60 Minutes” session delivered its usual rapid-fire value

There were lighter moments including a humorous retrospective on four decades of tech tools and gadgets. There was even 5K run and yoga session to encourage wellness and health. And I almost forgot to mention the puppies in the exhibit hall brought to us by Clio. 

Startup Competition 

The 9th annual Startup Alley competition featured 15 companies vying for the audience’s vote as most innovative. Each contestant had 3 minutes to pitch their products to the audience.  For the first time ever, the vote ended in a tie between:

• Case Crafter, offering intuitive timelines for medical records, depositions, and evidence and trial presentation software that simplifies complex narratives.

• Querious, showcasing a powerful generative AI tool for legal workflows and to communicate with clients.

Other notable participants included Bot Mediation, which promised to enable a bot powered mediators (really?), and Legion AI which offered a tool that could do such things as prepare a draft complaint in less than a few minutes.

The Exhibit Hall

This year’s Exhibit Hall, housed in a brighter and better lit convention center featured wider walkways and more open spaces. Major large vendors like Clio, Lexis Nexis, NetDocuments, and AffiniPay along with smaller less well-known legal tech product suppliers and makers showcased their products. 

There was also a start-up ally for the fifteen competitors. The Exhibit Hall served as the site for the start-up competition, two networking events, and the lunch and learn sessions. 

By most accounts, TechShow 2025 got high marks on both substance and spirit.

How Did We Do It?

By most accounts, TechShow 2025 got high marks on both substance and spirit. It’s perhaps instructive how we managed to pull this off in the midst of a major logistical move. The answer I think lies in the team. We had a wonderful planning board who worked well together, got along, and had fun with each other. Everyone left their ego at the door and focused on the goal, making this year’s content the best ever.

We looked hard at the proposals and looked for and recruited speakers we knew could contribute. My co-chair, Julie Bays worked tirelessly at putting together a grid and schedule that didn’t create conflicts and scheduling issues. The ABA staff and logistical team took care of the hard part—the physical layout, the materials needed, the CLE approvals, and everything else.

The bottom line? TechShow 2025 reiterated to me the importance of team and effective collaboration. It taught me that the time spent building the team may be the most valuable time spent. To paraphrase Einstein, If I had a year to plan a conference, I’d spend 9 months on the team and 3 months on the planning. 

The Verdict?

TechShow 2025 was a high point in this year’s legal tech conferences. It proved that even after 40 years, the ABA TechShow, legal technology, and innovation are all thriving—and just getting started. 

Mark your calendars: next year’s show will be in the same place from March 25^th through 28^th.