Blogging the 2007 LMA Annual Conference

At the registration center this morning the gentleman checking in next to me was having his check-in conversation in French. Hmmm. An interesting early-morning lesson in the international interest in the marketing of legal services.

One trend this year that I am undecided about -- the proliferation of pre-event spam finding it's way into my email and landmail inbox. The landmail is easy enough to deal with (into the round file) but the email requires a bit more consideration. Some of these companies do a good job of disguising their spam as legitimate business communications and get their hoped-for three seconds of my eye-time. What is disturbing to me about the communication is that I did not, in registering for the LMA conference, offer my attending status and contact information as available for distribution to vendors. Apparently the LMA is offering their registrant lists as a benefit to vendors that buy showcase booth space.

If the LMA had asked me (called opt-in folks) I would have been happy to receive information from vendors with products or services specific to my current needs... But instead I have to sit through a three week spam-storm (no thank you, I am not interested in hearing more about how your pens with my logo are better than their pen with my logo). OK, rant over.

I am very excited about being here this year. Beginning with the gentleman speaking French at registration I anticipate the crowd at this years conference to reflect how broad the profession has become and how much "new" there is to learn about.

BTW, I am writing this at the Caribou Coffee inside the Peachtree Center. Sitting two feet away as I write are two women chatting away in Mandarin.