Key Insights from Day One of ILTACon 2026 Focus on Technology Adoption and Workflow Alignment
The first day of ILTACon 2026 featured discussions centred on change management, taxonomy, artificial intelligence, and document management, highlighting the importance of foundational work before integrating new technology into law firms.
A prominent theme was the need for firms to clearly identify the problems they aim to solve with new tools. Harriet Joubert Vaklyes from Michael Best & Friedrich LLP emphasised the necessity of asking critical questions prior to the introduction of new technology. A live audience poll indicated that peer champions were viewed as the most effective means of driving tool adoption, surpassing top down mandates or training initiatives.
Firms recognised that change management planning often occurs just before the implementation of new tools, underscoring the importance of early engagement. The takeaway from this session was clear: firms should start the adoption process early, understand the issues at hand, involve end users in the decision making process, and allow them to contribute to shaping the solution.
Heath Harris from NetDocuments highlighted the role of well structured data in enhancing the efficiency of artificial intelligence, noting that clarity in terminology is essential. He advised firms to reach consensus on definitions, such as whether to refer to an agreement as a stock purchase agreement or a share purchase agreement. Harris cautioned that when designing taxonomies for AI, an abundance of options could complicate rather than simplify the process.
Ivy Grey from iManage pointed out the valuable expertise of librarians within firms, stating that they possess a deep understanding of how information should be organised and utilised. The speakers, despite their varied backgrounds in legal technology, shared a consensus on the significance of data structure, governance, and the reuse of information. Taxonomy is increasingly becoming a focal point in discussions surrounding AI.
Two additional sessions challenged the notion of selecting a single AI platform for the entire firm. The session titled 'Platform Wars: Which AI Tools Do Lawyers Really Want?' argued for the evaluation of tools on a practice group basis, as different teams have distinct needs from AI. A related session, 'Whose Legal AI Workflow Is It Anyway?', explored which aspects of workflows are suitable for agentic AI and where human oversight remains necessary.
The overarching lesson from day one was the importance of groundwork prior to technology adoption. Firms must define their challenges, involve the intended users, establish a common language for information organisation, and align tools with the specific workflows they are meant to support. These foundational decisions will ultimately determine the value derived from the chosen technology.
Further insights from ILTACon 2026 will be shared as the event progresses.