At AALL: Here Are Your 5 To Do’s

LexisNexis and Westlaw will, of course, dominate discussions at AALL this year as they have in years past.  With the recent pricing tactics taken on by Lexis (see Michael Feit’s take on this in Legaltech News here), and the big announcement from Thomson Reuters’ introduction of Westlaw Edge, there’s a lot to talk about.  Here are our 5 things to do to make the most out of your time in Baltimore:

Do:  Learn as much as possible about the AI releases and features.

There’s so much buzz around AI, it is difficult at times to separate the hype from the application.  AI is coming to library services and so we should all be learning as much as possible about its true potential. It is not surprising to see Westlaw finally get into the AI arena with the release of Westlaw Edge.  AI features will continue to erode consumption, and so the onus is on the provider to build those features into the platform to make them more valuable.

Do:  Learn as much as possible about the features of Westlaw Edge.

Do:  Learn more about the changes to BBNA platform and management.

Do:  Find out what your peers are thinking about the Lexis bundling tactics and the AALL’s inability to move them away from their position, despite the outcry.

Do:  Vendors such as Westlaw and Lexis are re-selling surveillance data to ICE and other government agencies.  Ask your vendor do you use our Firm’s legal search user data in their surveillance search platforms?

BONUS: Do NOT miss:  John Waters’ keynote address, we’re sure it will be fantastic and fun.