2016 Summer Conference Agenda

Educational Programming at the 2016 PDC Summer Conference will address innovation in the legal and professional development industries as well as critical skills for PD professionals. Sessions will be led by industry experts, experienced PDC members, and our PDC Trusted Advisors, and will offer opportunities to collaborate with and learn from your peers. Check back in the coming weeks for the latest information on our PDC Summer Conference programming. Educational programming and sessions are subject to change.

Thursday, July 21

9:00 AM Registration Opens

9:30 AM New Member / First Time Attendee Welcome Reception (Blue Heron)

Sponsored by Thomson Reuters West LegalEdcenter

10:15 AM Welcome & Opening Remarks (Tiburon II & III)

10:30 AM Keynote - Six Patterns of Influence - Channeling Cialdini to Influence Effectively (Tiburon II & III)
Presented By Dr. Larry Richard, LawyerBrain LLC, Scott Westfahl, Harvard Law School, and Gillian Murray, Bryan Cave LLP

Every PDC professional has to influence others, whether it’s the lawyers they’re developing, their staff, their peers, or firm leaders. One of the most durable and widely field-tested models of influence in psychology is Robert Cialdini’s 6 Patterns of Influence. The model identifies six principles, each of which identifies a set of automatic “compliance” behaviors that most people exhibit. The presenters will outline each of Cialdini’s 6 Patterns; explain the psychology behind these principles; explain how each principle works; and how you can use it in a law firm. The speakers have been using these principles for decades with great success and so you will too!

12:00 PM Lunch

1:30 PM Concurrent Sessions

Session A: Understanding What Drives the Adult Learner to Enhance Learning Outcomes (Blue Heron)
Presented by Nanette Miner, The Training Doctor, LLC

There are five factors that motivate adults to learn and that are crucial to workplace education. This session will help you identify what engages an adult learner’s interest, as well as design your training for maximum effectiveness by incorporating simple learning techniques. Keeping these five factors and adult learning principles in mind as you design your programming will enhance program effectiveness and learning outcomes.
Session B: Being the Boss and Other Four Letter Words (Tiburon I)
Presented by Molly Peckman, Dechert LLP, Jessica Hoffman, Baker Botts, and Burt Lipshie, Stroock & Stroock & Lavan

A few years ago, Kevin Spacey, Jennifer Anniston, and other Hollywood stars spoofed how “Horrible Bosses” could have their employees plotting murder. What does your staff say and think about you? Would they rather see you dead or kill themselves (not literally!) for you? Performance management is one of our biggest concerns for our firms but what about your personal management skills? Is your team effective and cohesive? Are you hiring the right folks? Delegating to and developing them? Giving them candid and timely feedback and evaluating and promoting them appropriately? This program is for anyone who supervises others, whether you have a few designated staff members, resources you “borrow” from other departments, or a large team spread out across the world.

3:00 PM Break / Solutions Showcase (Tiburon I)
Solutions Showcase presented by West LegalEdcenter, part of Thomson Reuters

3:30 PM PDC Talks (Tiburon II & III)

How to Transition from Subject Matter Expert to Thought Leader in Your Firm and Industry
Presented by Christine Clapp, Spoken with Authority

Do you want to become an indispensable thought leader in your firm and among professional development professionals? You need to go beyond a behind-the-scenes subject expert who skillfully manages the details of programs, initiatives, and budgets. You need to become a visionary leader who clearly and convincingly charts a course for future innovation and action. This PDC Talk will introduce you to the mindset and presentation skills you need to support your transition from subject expert to thought leader.
The Resilient, Balanced Lawyer: Mastering Your Craft With a Light and Focused Heart
Presented by Cameron G. Stout, Wiand Guerra King P.A.

Practicing law in the internet age, with its demands of 24-hour accessibility, shortened deadlines, and increased competition, has become increasingly stressful. These unrelenting pressures significantly increase the risk of mental health challenges and substance abuse among attorneys, particularly associates and young partners. Associate attrition rates are approximately 14%, representing significant costs and morale issues for firms regardless of size. There is a pressing need for systems of trained mentors, using firm partners and, if necessary, outside consultants/coaches. Promoting mentoring and training on stress reduction and attorney resilience has the potential to reduce the frequency of attorney departures.

4:00 PM Concurrent Sessions

Session A: Balancing Passion and Perspective in the Legal Industry: A Mindfulness Approach (Tiburon I)
Presented by David Zlotnick, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission – Division of Investigations

Mindfulness for lawyers is very much in vogue these days. Mindfulness practices are offered as a means to relieve the stress of legal practice and help lawyers find work/life balance. Materials about mindfulness for lawyers tend, however, to do no more than introduce lawyers to basic meditation techniques and tout the benefits of mindfulness for general physical and mental health. This workshop will go deeper and show how a mindfulness approach can help lawyers and law students find a productive approach to balancing one of the core challenges of lawyering – finding the sweet spot between passion for one’s client and case with the perspective needed to remain analytical and objective. The workshop also will offer mindfulness techniques specifically designed for this dilemma, as well as materials on mindfulness theory and practice that can be used by busy lawyers.
Session B: Creating Successful Succession Plans (Blue Heron)
Presented by Roy Ginsburg, Attorney, Dr. Sharon Meit Abrahams, Foley & Lardner LLP, Paul Unger, Affinity Consulting Group, and Lynda C. Moore, Stinson Leonard Street LLP

Nearly one-third of the nation’s lawyers are baby boomers – at or quickly approaching retirement. Often, these lawyers are a law firm’s rainmakers. Does this sound like your firm? The important effort of transitioning client relationships to the next generation of lawyers through succession planning is essential. Without it, many clients will scatter when their lawyers ride off into retirement sunset. This session will help you design a blueprint for your firm’s lawyers to follow to transition clients, engage challenging partners in the process, handle the knowledge transfer as it relates to technology, and coach the lawyers during the plan's execution.

6:00 PM Welcome Reception

Friday, July 22

8:00 AM Breakfast

Sponsored by NITA

9:00 AM Plenary - You Don't Have a Retention Problem, You Have a Context Problem: Shifting Paradigms to Improve Retention (Tiburon II & III)
Presented by Whittney Beard, Orrick, Gene Gilmore, Cooley, Tammy Patterson, NALP Foundation, Tom Leatherbury, NALP Foundation / Vinson & Elkins LLP , and Rodney Mueller, STL Coaching

As the number of senior women and diverse lawyers at firms remains stagnant and firms compete to woo and retain millennials, PD professionals have an increasing role and challenge around retention. The speakers, all certified professional coaches, will explore the ways in which law firms operate on an outdated model of talent retention, and how meaningful retention initiatives will require partners and firm leadership to stretch outside their comfort zones. Join us as we investigate how to 1) shift the perspective of leadership through meaningful conversations, 2) redefine what it means to lose talent, 3) reinvent the conversation around retention and broaden our thinking, and 4) design impactful actions that flow from this new perspective.

10:30 AM Break

10:45 AM Concurrent Sessions

Session A: Client-Centric Advocates (Tiburon I)
Simon Colley, Simon Colley Consulting, Amy Hancock, Andrews Kurth LLP, and Carrie Fletcher, Harvard Law School

For law firms, the stakes couldn’t be higher. General counsel are reviewing the costs and value of their outside legal counsel with increased scrutiny. In today’s competitive legal market, law firms must demonstrate that they add unique business value and offer more than just legal advice. This business focused, interactive session seeks to deepen PD professionals’ understanding of what GCs find most important when seeking legal counsel. Participants will walk away with practical examples of how to use this enhanced understanding of client business perspectives when creating new training so that they can position their attorneys to become trusted business advisors.
Session B: The Myths and Truths of Cross-Selling (Blue Heron)
Tracy LaLonde, Akina, a GrowthPlay Company, and Karen Bell, McCarthy Tetrault LLP

Many firms engage in concerted efforts to promote cross-selling within the firm as it is a very time and cost-efficient way to generate more revenue. Unfortunately, many of these efforts fail, for a variety of reasons. This session will present five ideas (myths) that most firms believe should work when it comes to cross-selling and the corresponding five truths that actually do work. This session also will discuss how professional development can collaborate with business development to create other types of initiatives beyond training that can help lawyers be more effective at cross-selling.

12:00 PM Lunch

1:15 PM Concurrent Sessions

Session A: Color Accounting for Attorneys (Blue Heron)
Presented by Peter Frampton, Color Accounting International

In this session the speaker will demonstrate a unique way to increase the business acumen and financial literacy that legal professionals need to serve their clients well. This is a visual teaching method that works through the lens of language and definition… home turf for lawyers. You will see how your lawyers can improve their grasp of business, and thus, their standing as a commercial advisor. For example, they’ll talk more confidently about finance matters and avoid confusion and misunderstandings. This session covers the three keys to accounting literacy, explains the story Balance Sheets and Income Statements tell, and grows and individual’s confidence in asking questions and pushing back during finance discussions.
Session B: The Speaker's Society: Helping Your Lawyers Help Themselves and Each Other Be Better Speakers (Tiburon I)
Molly Peckman, Decert LLP, Kaitlin Sullivan, Dechert LLP, and Jay Sullivan, Exec Comm

“Join us in a PFZ (Partner-Free Zone), for a stress-free opportunity to hone your speaking skills and learn more about your colleagues and their practices. There are no dues or secret handshakes. Instead, sign up today and take an important step in your own professional development. Get valuable feedback from your peers and, remember, what happens at the Society stays at the Society.” These are among the ways we announce our monthly meetings for our innovative approach to improving our associates’ presentation skills. Sure you could round up the usual consultants and roll out the usual slide decks and tongue twisting exercises to try to teach your lawyers how to be better speakers. Consider instead starting a speakers’ bureau at your firm. At this session we will share the logistics of creating this type of in-house program and supplementing it with external consultants. Come learn what it takes to start your own Speakers’ Society, to understand how to be innovative in teaching presentation skills, to get some on the spot pointers on being more effective in your own presentations, and to hear feedback from actual program participants.

2:45 PM Break / Solutions Showcase (Tiburon I)
Solutions Showcase presented by Micron.

3:15 PM Roundtable Discussions

Sign up for your two roundtable programs at the registration desk. Limited seats are available for each topic. The following topics will be discussed during the program:

Applying Patterns of Influence to Persuade Others
- Hosted by Tom Leatherbury, the NALP Foundation / Vinson & Elkins, Larry Richard, Lawyer Strong, LLC, and Scott Westfahl, Harvard Law School Executive Education
Cross-Selling Challenges and Solutions
- Hosted by Tracy LaLonde, Akina, a GrowthPlay Company and Karen Bell, McCarthy Tetrault
Designing & Delivering Client-Centric Programs
- Hosted by Carrie Fletcher, Harvard Law School Executive Education and Amy Hancock, Andrews Kurth LLP
A Fresh Look at Retention Issues
- Hosted by Tammy Patterson, the NALP Foundation and Whittney Beard, Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe
Innovative Ways to Develop Presentation Skills
- Hosted by Molly Peckman, Dechert LLP and Jay Sullivan, Exec-Comm, LLC
“Pay the bill” or Keystone Skills (never-to-be-called “soft” skills again) – Demonstrating the Value to Lawyers
- Hosted by Marni Becker-Avin, Becker & Poliakoff, PC and Burt Lipshie, Stroock & Stroock & Lavan
Succession Planning, A Little Less Talk, A Little More Action
- Hosted by Sharon Abraham, Foley & Lardner and Elizabeth Foster-Nolan, Goulston & Storrs

4:15 PM PDC Talks (Tiburon II & III)

Thriving in Law: Your Blueprint for Burnout Prevention
Presented by Paula Davis-Laack, The Stress & Resilience Institute, LLC

Burnout has been called the occupational hazard of the 21st century. Recent studies show that almost 70% of people show up to work disengaged on some level. Burnout costs the legal profession millions of dollars each year in lost productivity, increased malpractice risk, absenteeism, presenteeism, and turnover. Research demonstrates that burned out lawyers are less committed to the organization and report lower identification with organizational goals. While burnout is a barrier to effective leading and lawyering, there are specific strategies that have been shown to prevent burnout and lead to more effective ways to manage the stress and pressure. Come learn to identify the specific causes of burnout at work, along with five key warning signs, to create a personalized Burnout Prevention Plan, and to identify the five big pathways for preventing burnout with at least two skills to start using immediately.
Loving What You Do: A Slightly Torturous Life Lesson
Presented by Serena Miller, Best Development by Serena Miller

After a freak medical crisis and a ridiculous amount of thinking about everything in the world, here’s a fun realization to have in the middle of a “forced retirement” – I loved my job! In this session, Serena Miller will briefly share the tools she used to reassess her life’s work/purpose and figure out that, even though completely unplanned, her career was perfect for her. The joy that comes with loving what you do is something everyone should experience – and she will challenge everyone in the room to find that very thing. Learn about tangible tools and resources to help establish a solid personal foundation that may not fix everything on a personal level, but certainly will help clarify one’s professional intent. Recognize that which one loves to do, respect that which they do not love, and find balance between the two in your chosen profession.

6:45 PM Small Group Dinners

Sign up required in advance for small group dinners. Meet at 6:45 PM in the hotel lobby to depart as a group for your destination.

Saturday, July 23

8:00 AM Breakfast

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2016 Summer Conference Agenda

Thursday, July 21

Friday, July 22

Saturday, July 23