ILTA Voices

The pace of technology updates can be difficult to keep up with. From security vulnerabilities that must be addressed in operating systems or specific software, to feature enhancements and critical bug fixes. While automatic updates offer convenience, they can also introduce unexpected disruptions. How does a firm stay current with constant changes while still maintaining productivity and focus on core work? In this podcast episode, we explored how organizations can strategically manage ongoing updates, minimize risk, and create processes that keep teams informed without overwhelming them.

Moderator:
@Shannon O'Connor - Legal Systems Manager, Squire Patton Boggs (US) LL

Speakers:
@Michael Buckwell - IT Security & Compliance Manager, Squire Patton Boggs (US) LLP
@James Kody - Senior Desktop Engineer, Porter Wright Morris & Arthur LLP
@Jenny Shanks - User Experience Team Lead, Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP
@Justin Siess - Enterprise End User Technology Architect, Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP

Recorded on 02-27-2026.

Triona Buckley is Chief Product Officer at Actionstep, and a strategic leader with more than 20 years’ experience driving growth, innovation, and transformation across law firms and legal technology businesses in North America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. Known for challenging conventional thinking and aligning innovation with real business outcomes, Triona is focused on delivering solutions that empower firms to embrace the thriving future of midmarket law.

To learn more about Actionstep, visit: https://www.actionstep.com/

For more information about Trace, check out: https://www.actionstep.com/trace/

To book a demo, go here: https://www.actionstep.com/book-a-demo/

Find Triona Buckley, Chief Product Officer at Actionstep on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trionabuckleysaunders/

In leadership, trust isn’t a given—it’s earned, protected, and sometimes rebuilt. This episode gets practical about the quiet power of credibility and how to lead without playing politics.

- How do you build trust with IT, attorneys, and senior leadership—without overplaying your hand?

- What do you do when you're caught off guard, and your credibility is on the line?

- What are the trade-offs between being liked and being respected—and how do you navigate them with intention?

- And what happens when trust breaks down?

We share a moment that didn’t go as planned, and the lessons that followed. This episode earns its place in the series by grounding listeners in the real work of influence—before we dive into heavier leadership terrain. If you’ve ever led from the middle, the margins, or the hot seat, this one’s for you.

For decades, people have been suggesting that the death of the billable hour was inevitable.  Evan Chesler said, “[t]he billable hour makes no sense, not even for lawyers” in his 2008 Forbes article "Kill the Billable Hour.” We haven't seen a lot of movement since that article, but with the explosion of GenAI in legal, there has been increased discussion and focus suggesting that AFAs will replace the billable hour. Will we be looking back on this time in 20 years and saying, “Remember when we thought the billable hour would go the way of the dodo bird?”

Moderator:
@Michael Ertel - Director of Practice Innovation, Crowell & Moring   

Speakers:
@Jared Applegate - Chief Legal Operations Officer, Barnes & Thornburg
@Purvi Sanghvi - Director of Strategic Pricing, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP
@Cassie Vertovec - Chief Practice Management Officer, Loeb & Loeb LLP

Recorded on 02-23-26.

We are pleased to introduce the second ILTA Content Teams and NextGen Innovators Group podcast series—an initiative designed to repackage high‑value, evergreen content in a format tailored for today's Next Gen legal professionals.