Virtual Legal Network Event

Virtual Legal Network Event

Last week, Actionstep sponsored 2k Tiger’s first Virtual Legal Network Event. As an events company, 2K Tiger are experts in community building and content creation. This was their first fully virtual event and it was a masterclass in how Virtual Events can be just as, if not more, effective than regular events from a networking and idea sharing point of view. Alongside, team activities and talks, there was also a wine tasting and opportunities for individuals to network in Zoom breakout rooms.

We’d like to share why it worked so well, some innovative ideas discussed and what we learned from the sessions.

Challenge Accepted

The group were firstly split up into teams and given this challenge:

ONE CHANGE You are working for the Legal Team at Apple and have to recommend one change that has come from the Covid-19 crisis to improve the business permanently. The idea should be related to improving the business either commercially, operationally or from a risk management perspective. 

After some discussion in each of the team’s breakout rooms, the captain from each team presented their ideas:

Team Bordeaux presented an idea of a digital signature feature that not only would help solve the issues faced by law firms and courts needing to provide proof of signature during social distancing but also incorporating the existing thumb print and face id capabilities of Apple devices as evidence of signature.

Team Burgundy posed the idea for an Apple App Store app that would remind users to change passwords and control password security, while also housing passwords across all linked device apps to increase security in the face of more numerous phishing attacks during Covid-19.

Team Malbec had a similar idea to team Bordeaux of providing an electronic signature app, but their app would be integrated across all major Apple document apps and across all possible devices to allow for greater efficiency as well as greater security.

Team Provence took a slightly different approach, focusing on the virus itself rather than security and compliance. Their proposed Health App would use the existing GPS location and proximity tracking in Apple devices to record who would had recently been in contact with and share that information anonymously with the other parties, should that person become infected with Covid-19.

But the winners of the activity were Team Rhone, whose Mental Health Mood Tracking App idea would allow managers to prompt staff to track their moods and mental health to better manage their staff’s well-being. Making sure staff are keeping well mentally and physically can be tough for all managers at the best of times. During social distancing, this can be an almost impossible task and the winning team’s idea would aim to address this and allow the manager to look after their employees.

Industry Insights

James Shorey, Actionstep’s VP of the United Kingdom, spoke at the event about virtual ways of working, the benefits of adopting cloud technology and investing in WFH policies, even after the lockdown is lifted. Last year Actionstep conducted research around the benefits of virtual ways of working in law and how virtual law firms are fast becoming the future: https://landing.actionstep.com/benefitsofvirtualworking.

Also speaking at the event was Gwilym Lewis, CEO of Appsecco, who talked on the topic of Cyber Security and best practice while staff are WFH. In his experience, 2 Factor Authentication should be enabled wherever possible, passwords should be both long and unique (e.g. Borisbeckerisagoodtennisplayer) and all data should be backed up regularly, daily if your software provider allows for this. Not only this, but each firm should foster an environment of saying it is OK if you click on a phishing link and owning up should you click on a potential link is the best way for IT teams to identify potential breaches.

A Glass (or Bottle) For All

Charles Waud, Director of Waud Wines, provided an exquisite bottle of Brunel de la Gardine to the attendees of the event and spoke about the correct techniques of tasting and qualities of this particular wine: https://www.waudwines.com/wine/brunel-de-la-gardine-cotes-du-rhone-rouge-2017/

Charity Partner

Tom Warner, Development Manager, from the Lord’s Taverners was representing 2k Tiger’s partner charity at the event and spoke about the incredible work they are doing in the cricketing community. The Lord’s Taverners is the UK’s leading youth cricket and disability sports charity and to find out more you can visit their website and donate to the charity here: https://www.lordstaverners.org/

Join Us at the Next One

All-in-all the event was engaging, provided great value and the team’s ideas were both varied and impressively convincing. It is a testament to the technology available that an event like this could continue on, despite the lockdown measures in place. Due to the success of this first event, a follow up virtual legal networking event is being planned for later in May.

If you are a law firm in the UK and would like to join us at the next Legal Network, please contact James Shorey at james.shorey@actionstep.com

2k Tiger is an events organisation who hold regular corporate, sporting and networking events such as the GO Group (Givers only – an invitation-only group for the best business developers in London) around the country across various sectors.