Elite Client Connection

The Elite 2011 User Conference was a big success. The conference was held June 12-16, 2011 at Gaylord National in Washington D.C. More than 600 clients and partners were in attendance, representing 14 countries across 6 different continents for a truly global experience. The feedback we have received has been overwhelmingly positive. Participants said the conference continues to be one of the best educational and networking conferences in the industry. Clients and partners experienced a strong sense of enthusiasm and momentum around Elite.

We launched a new campaign called We're Listening @ Elite as a way for attendees to offer feedback. The program was designed to inspire dialogue with our clients to better understand their needs. Many clients took the time to stop by the communications booth and exchange messages with Elite via social media to let us know what they like about our products and what we need to improve. The information provided will help Elite develop new products and solutions that clients need for their firms to work better and smarter. There were four easy ways to provide feedback. Participants could tweet it, post it, write it or say it. Throughout the conference, attendees tweeted feedback about our products, sessions and speakers. Comments were posted at the Elite listening booth in one of four categories which included service, innovation, challenges and inspiration.

Conference participants were truly engaged throughout the conference via social media. They were "chatting" with Elite team members using the hash tag #EliteUC, asking questions, responding to questions and providing valuable feedback.

This year's keynote speaker was Ross Bernstein a self-proclaimed sports nut and best-selling author who engaged conference attendees with a high-energy discussion about how the unwritten rules in sports relate to the business world. He noted that the world of business has changed, thanks to players like Enron and Bernie Madoff. He said that if we look to champions they can show us how not taking shortcuts and doing things the right way can lead to great things.

Conference Highlights

"The most important part of this conference is for our team to talk with as many of you as possible," said President of Elite Kim Massana to conference attendees at the opening session. "We want to know what is working well and more importantly what we can do better moving forward." Participants were offered a bevy of educational information from the many detailed sessions, the Learning Lab and the Elite booth in the Exhibition Hall. One standout session was Exploring 3E for Enterprise Users which was so well attended that many were left with standing room only. Graham Mills presented this session highlighting the differences between 3E, Enterprise and WebView. Participants were given a solid introduction to the new software, and the benefits of 3E were highlighted. Conference attendees tweeted how awesome this session was, and customers who could not attend asked for a repeat session. While the session was still being presented, an encore session was scheduled and communicated to conference attendees. Participants loved this, and the second session had another packed room.

Alternative Fee Arrangements

Becoming more efficient in the law firm billing process is a hot topic, which is why many found the Alternative Fee Arrangements panel session so informative. Elite Senior Director of Product Management Dan O'Day led the discussion about the many different alternative fee arrangements emerging in the legal billing industry. He talked about several different ways firms are billing clients and the advantages and disadvantages of each along with how each model can be used to maximize firm profits. Fixed or flat fees, capped fees, contingency fees, retainers, blended hourly rates, volume discounts and value based billing were all highlighted as trends in legal billing.

Also discussed were metrics, tracking and accountability steps regarding alternative billing and how to make it happen in your firm. Dan closed with the thought, "With money you can buy a clock, but not time. The legal profession becoming more efficient is in the best interest for everyone."

Alternative fee arrangements, cutting costs and keeping the right talent were also at the top of the list for more than two dozen clients who attended the Executive Level Briefing. Mark Medice of Hildebrandt Baker Robbins started the session with an intriguing look at how the recent recession has impacted the legal industry. It's no surprise to anyone that law firm revenue and demand have taken a hit in recent years.

The degree of impact has varied for individual firms, but the numbers show that most firms were able to sustain themselves by significantly cutting costs. Recently, we've begun to see law firm financial metrics start to improve, but in many cases they are still far below the pre-recession numbers. Mark also pointed out that law firms have reached a point where they have cut all obvious costs and now need to dig deeper to find ways to work more efficiently. Because of this, Mark predicted firms will concentrate on the three P's: pricing, process improvement and project management. With that will come an increase in fixed fee and alternative billing arrangements as well as an added focus on project management training. He went on to say that the bottom line is that no one really knows exactly how law firms will operate in 5, 10 or 15 years. But it's clear that as clients continue to become more savvy and demand more from the law firms they partner with, it won't be business as usual.

Could the Smart Tablet Be the Best Mobile App at Thomson Reuters?

Elite Product Manager Justin Farmer asked the question, “How many of you have smart phones?” to kick off the customer session on mobile technology. To no one’s surprise everyone in the room raised their hands. “Who has smart tablets?” Fifty percent of the hands stayed up. “Does anyone find these appliances difficult to use?” Not one hand remained in the air. The tide has turned for law firms and law professionals who want access to their office management suites while they are on the go. Fortunately for Elite customers, the prototype application which the team is building is second to none among the other Thomson Reuters mobile apps.

Global Head of Mobile Technology Bob Schukai declared, “This promises to be the best user interface of any mobile application across the Thomson Reuters portfolio.” Although awed by the sleek user interface, the audience did have some concerns regarding application security. Justin reassured the group by providing an overview of the mobile security architecture that includes a system known internally as the mobile gateway. This system incorporates comprehensive security, while still determining ways to enable a mobile API for customer and partner collaboration. Overall, the advances Elite is making in the mobile space left conference attendees excited and awaiting the next installment of access everywhere.

KC and The Sunshine Band

The Elite User Conference wrapped up three informative and engaging days of speakers, sessions and networking with a 70s style celebration featuring music of KC and The Sunshine Band. It was a full-blown rock concert setup with neon spandex-covered seats and groovy mood lighting. Everyone had a great time dancing to the music. Many Elite team members got into the 70s spirit by dressing up as some of the decade’s most iconic characters, including Elvis, Charlie’s Angels, Three’s Company and Sonny and Cher.

Elite iPad Application

Elite’s announcement at the conference that the next release of 3E would make the system accessible from an iPad application was met with great interest by firms. Individuals flooded into sessions previewing the mobile application. Discussions at the event and on social media channels affirm that our clients are excited we are working to provide forward-thinking tools that meet the industry’s needs. These and other exciting developments emphasize the positive momentum that Elite continues to build in the market.

The 2011 Elite User Conference has now come to a successful close and we at Elite would like to thank our clients and partners for making this conference one of the best ever. While it remains a difficult economic market, there were clear indications from attendees at the conference that the industry is in recovery. The comments from conference participants validate that this continues to be one of the best educational and networking conferences of the year. If you didn’t get a chance to stop by to meet Elite’s partners while onsite, click here to see a full list of this year’s exhibitors and sponsors.

Photo Gallery

The We're Listening @ Elite campaign was a huge success.

For the We're Listening @ Elite campaign conference attendees posted comments providing feedback.

Sue Kelly, Dan O'Day and Kim Massana at the Elite 2011 User Conference.

The Elite 2011 User Conference sessions were well attended providing a wealth of information to participants.

Conference attendees participate in discussions at the Elite User Conference.

The Elite booth inside the Exhibit Hall gave conference attendees the chance to ask questions and explore Elite products.

The Monuments by Moonlight Walking Tour gave conference attendees beautiful views of Washington D.C.

The Washington Monument in D.C. at night.

KC and The Sunshine Band hit the stage.

KC and The Sunshine Band rock the crowd.

President of Elite Kim Massana and Senior Director, Marketing & Customer Engagement Brent Bourque dressed as Elvis and John Travolta's character in Saturday Night Fever at the KC and The Sunshine Band concert.

Elite Chief Operating Officer Cary Burch dressed as 70s icon Sonny Bono.

We would like to thank all of our exhibitors and sponsors for making this year's conference a huge success. We could not have done it without your support. We look forward to seeing you at next year's conference June 25-28, 2012 at Aria in Las Vegas.