the [non]billable hour

Think Learn Share Do

LexThink 08 is coming. More details next week.

Let's ReThink LexThink

If you head over to the LexThink! site, you'll see it is "Under Construction."  We'll have some more info soon after Techshow.

Techshow Blogger Bar Crawl

ABA's Techshow is just around the corner, and we need to do something to get the bloggers together.  Since there's nothing formal planned for us, I'm organizing the First Annual Techshow Blogger Bar Crawl.  We are going to meet in the Sheraton Hotel's lobby at 7:00 pm on Thursday, March 22nd and head out on a walking (and drinking) tour of the neighborhood.  I'll have more info on the places we'll be soon, but expect to hit between three and five bars.  I will enforce the schedule, so if you can't make the beginning of the crawl, join us along the way.

I've set up a Techshow Bar Crawl page here to register.  Cost is free.  See you next week!

LexThink! Lounge Logo

I couldn’t resist posting this.  It will be on the back of a bowling shirt.  More details tomorrow.

LexThink Lounge Invites

If you haven’t got your invitation for LexThink! Lounge yet, don’t worry.  Nobody has.  We are putting together our list, checking it twice, and plan on sending invitations out next week.  Still didn’t get one, let us know you’d like to come.  E-mail me at Matt@LexThink.com and we’ll see what we can do.  We only have room for 100, but may be able to open up the event at 9:00 pm or so for one heck of an after party.

LexThink Changes

If you check out the LexThink! site, we’ve changed the logo and tagline, and are slowly (but surely) refreshing the content and updating the navigation in anticipation of the LexThink Lounge and another event we’ve got in the works. 

I’m working on a much-overdue and comprehensive redesign of the [non]billable hour, along with MatthewHomann.com and a new blog, so the changes to LexThink will be a bit more significant in time, but for now we needed to freshen it up a bit.

The new tagline “The Legal UnConference Company” fits better with what we do.  Though I really liked “Think Big Thoughts, Do Cool Things, Change The World,” it wasn’t very descriptive.  Let me know what you think. 

Technorati Tags: lexthink, unconference

More on the LexThink! Lounge

We are almost ready to announce the complete details of LexThink!(R) Lounge.  Here are some more details:

On April 19, 2006, one hundred invited guests will congregate in Chicago for the inaugural LexThink!  Lounge, presented by Dennis Kennedy, Matthew Homann and JoAnna Forshee. 

Taking place on the eve of the American Bar Association’s TECHSHOW*, the LexThink! Lounge is a salon-like gathering of some of the brightest minds in legal technology today. 

Beginning at 4:00 pm, and continuing into the evening, the LexThink! Lounge will combine LexThink! collaborative brainstorming techniques, OpenSpace facilitation, and small discussion groups with fine food and drink to create an amazing atmosphere for in-depth discussions about the future of legal technology.

Attendees at the invitation-only event are expected to include many of the TECHSHOW speakers, prominent legal and technology bloggers, alumni of prior LexThink! events, and other Chicago-area innovators and influencers.  The centerpiece of the evening will be a Legal Tech Five by Five, where five legal technology pioneers will offer their five tech predictions and a glimpse into the future of legal technology.

*The LexThink! Lounge is not affiliated in any way with the American Bar Association or TECHSHOW.

We have 9 of our 11 sponsorships spoken for.  If anyone wants to know more, e-mail me at Matt@LexThink.com or download the sponsor sheet (in pdf) here.

Announcing the LexThink! Lounge

OK, I know I have hinted at this a few times, so here’s the skinny:

On April 19, 2006, one hundred invited guests will congregate in Chicago for the inaugural LexThink! Lounge, presented by Dennis Kennedy, Matthew Homann and JoAnna Forshee.

Taking place on the eve of the American Bar Association's TECHSHOW*, the LexThink! Lounge is a salon-like gathering of some of the brightest minds in legal technology today. 

Beginning at 4:00 pm, and continuing into the evening,  the LexThink! Lounge will combine LexThink! collaborative brainstorming techniques, OpenSpace facilitation, and small discussion groups with fine food and drink to create an amazing atmosphere for in-depth discussions about the future of legal technology.

Attendees at the invitation-only event are expected to include many of the TECHSHOW speakers, prominent legal and technology bloggers, alumni of prior LexThink! events, and other Chicago-area innovators and influencers. 

The centerpiece of the evening will be a "Legal Tech Five by Five," where five legal technology pioneers will offer their five tech predictions and a glimpse into the future of legal technology.

Oh, and did I mention bowling?

If you want to come, I’ll post more info next week.  If you are an alumnus of either of our previous LexThink! events, your invitation will be in the mail soon.  If you are interested in sponsoring the event, e-mail me at Matt@LexThink.com

* The LexThink! Lounge is not affiliated in any way with the American Bar Association or  TECHSHOW (though we like them a lot).

Thank You, Yvonne

I love Yvonne DiVita, even if she hadn’t written these kind words about LexThink! when talking about a recent conference she attended:

1. Not enough audience interaction – because you didn’t plan enough time for Q&A. It wasn’t the speakers or the presenters faults…it was the organizers fault! Puh-lease! The Q & A is THE best part of the event. Say, you should talk to Matt Homann over at the [non]billable hour. He and Dennis Kennedy know how to run a conference where everybody wins. They’ll set you straight. I hear they're available to help plan your next event in the open space style.

If you are planning a conference, I’d love to chat with you and share some of the lessons we’ve learned at our two “unconferences,” LexThink and BlawgThink.

Salon in a Saloon?

Salon in a Saloon?  That’s one way I’d define the upcoming LexThink Lounge.  From Wikipedia:

A salon is a gathering of stimulating people of quality under the roof of an inspiring hostess or host, partly to amuse one another and partly to refine their taste and increase their knowledge through conversation and readings.

And saloon?  Well, you all know what that is.  

Keep the afternoon and evening of April 19th circled on your calendars (the day before ABA’s Techshow).  More details to follow.

Technorati Tags: lexthink, unconference, blawgthink, saloon, salon

If you want a serious meeting, hand out toys.

Kirsten Osolind, back to blogging at Re:Invention, offers several guidelines for team meetings.   Some good stuff, and my favorite is the title of this post.  Welcome back to blogging, Kirsten!

Technorati Tags: facilitation, meetings, fun

LexThinking Again?

Nothing written in stone just yet, but circle Wednesday, April 19th on your calendar.  More next week.

 Technorati Tags: lexthink, blawgthink, unconference

LexThink Alum Needs Help

Al Robert, an absolutely great guy and smart lawyer needs your help.

BlawgThink 2005

LexThink's BlawgThink 2005.  November 11-12 in Chicago at Catalyst Ranch.  Two days of blawgging how-to, small group discussions and collaborative brainstorming.  More details to follow after the holiday, but if you are interested in an invitation, e-mail me here with the word "invite" in the subject line.