Legal Electronic Discovery Institute Announces Plans for Gulf Coast Legal Technology Center

Legal Non-Profit seeks funding for Center to help Gulf Coast legal community revitalize and expand by providing access to technology resources

New York, NY, Jan. 29, 2007 – The Legal Electronic Discovery Institute (LEDI), a Washington-based nonprofit promoting education and the development of standards in the field of legal electronic documents and discovery, is continuing it’s year long effort to assist recovery efforts for Gulf Coast attorneys, law firms and courts to rebuild in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Following two major legal technology super sessions held in New Orleans, LA and Jackson, MS in 2006, LEDI today announced plans to establish a full time Gulf Coast Legal Technology Center (GLTC) in New Orleans with the support of the American Bar Association Law Practice Management Section (ABA LPM).

According to Tom O’Connor, Director of LEDI, “A permanent technology center is critical to assist the legal community by providing a central resource for information about technology resources as well as training in technology implementation.” O’Connor went on to say that many bar associations in the country currently provide this type of service through individuals known as Practice Management Advisors (PMA) who are dedicated to helping lawyers help themselves by providing resource materials, telephone consultations, educational programs and even in-office management audits.

Since both Mississippi and Louisiana cannot currently afford a PMA, the primary mission of the Center will be to assume that role at no cost to the state or local bars and assist both states in developing a PMA program at the appropriate time. A special focus of the Center will be assistance to solo practitioners, small firm lawyers, low-income legal aid programs and courts. In addition, the GLTC will also be available for assisting the bar associations of all the Gulf Coast states in technology planning, particularly in emergency preparedness and disaster recovery programs.

In addition to grant funding from traditional sources, the support of commercial legal technology vendors will be critical to the establishment of the GLTC and O’Connor will be reaching out to both for assistance.

Please take a look at our previous efforts to assist the Gulf Coast attorneys.

New Orleans, New Law - May 2006

Mississippi Tech Session - October 2006