Nordic Legal Tech Day 2021, Episode 1: Oslo
NORDIC LEGAL TECH DAY is an established legal tech conference first launched in 2015 in Stockholm. During the pandemic, it has evolved into a series of legal tech events held annually in Oslo, Stockholm, Helsinki, and Copenhagen.
I’m the co-organizer of the Helsinki event to be held 3 November 2021. In order to get a feel for the event, and also because I simply love the inspiring atmosphere of international legal tech events, I decided to attend the NLTD, Oslo, which was held there for the first time a couple of weeks ago.
Here is my experience of NLTD -events in general and what I took away from the event I attended in Oslo.
Nordic Legal Tech Day – now also in Helsinki
All NLTD conferences are organized by ALTNordic (the Alliance of Law and Technology in the Nordics) who provide the entire Nordic legal tech ecosystem with a platform for networking, collaboration, and learning. The concept is carefully built in order to serve everyone in the legal field, ranging from the public sector to legal tech start-ups. I have participated in the NLTD both as a development director of a law firm and as a legal tech service provider. I can say for sure that the concept serves all players in the legal tech field.
As a person based in Finland, it used to annoy me that we didn’t have any international level legal tech events in Helsinki. So, I did not hesitate when Jorma Vartia contacted me in 2019 and suggested that we organize the NLTD conference in Helsinki in collaboration with Relevent. Due to the pandemic, it took over two years to put our plan into action. Our event will finally take place on the 3 November 2021.
Arriving in sunny Oslo
As I had never been to Oslo before, I decided to arrive one day early to have a chance to explore Oslo as a tourist. Having not been anywhere for a very long time due to the traveling restrictions, I felt utter joy when arriving in sunny and beautiful Oslo. But, I must admit that the long period of working from home, not seeing anyone, made me a bit unsure when it came to the dress code. What do people wear at face-to-face events nowadays? I decided to go with a classic suit, but next time I will opt for something a little less formal. Perhaps the pandemic has made people more relaxed – or was it just the overall atmosphere in Oslo?
The Venue
The venue in the old town (Hotel Bristol) in Oslo was a perfect choice. Everything worked well and the staff were very friendly and accommodating. The whole concept delivered some well-deserved luxury after the pandemic.
Some might ask if it is worth spending an entire day at a conference like this? I can tell you that it is worth it. On the conference morning, I rushed to register and meet new people and after having spent about five minutes at the event, I had already met and been introduced to five new people, including major law firms’ decision-makers. Events like these are a necessity for a software entrepreneur like me. But regardless of whether you are an employee or an entrepreneur, attending events and conferences is probably the most effective way to get to know new people and learn about the legal tech field.
The future of the legal operating model
I will not summarize the presentations and panel discussions here, see agenda.
However, I want to give you one highlight – namely a snapshot of a practical, humble and super inspiring presentation by Christine from a rapidly growing industrial SaaS Cognite that just hit Unicorn status. Why did I choose this out of the many brilliant presentations? Because the presentation represented in so many ways, what is just around the corner for all legal teams. It demonstrated how well-implemented legal processes and IT architecture can save an enormous amount of staff time and deliver extraordinary value. But above all, Christine had successfully engaged the entire staff in her digital transformation project. She is now able to serve the rapidly growing business with minimal lawyer resources. As you can see in the picture, the whole process took only one year! I’m looking forward to hearing more stories like Christine’s in the near future.
The debriefing
As serial conference-goers know, it’s wise to extend your visit in order to participate in the “unofficial” program. I joined the team of organizers and we went down the road to Elias bar, where we found many other delegates enjoying the delicious local food and beer – a treat after the boring isolation period. Simply smashing!
Oslo was amazing and I’m quite sure I’ll be back. See you in Oslo next time – on the 13 October 2022.
Heading back to Helsinki
Eventually, it was time to fly back to Helsinki. With me, I had tons of new ideas and new insights in relation to the transformation of the legal field. But I am also very well prepared to deliver a memorable and useful experience to the delegates in the Helsinki event in November.
November is one of the darkest and coldest months in Finland, but we’ll be warmed up with inspiring people, legal tech stories, insights, demos and drinks, and good food! There were some 130 delegates in Oslo. I hope to see at least as many participants at the event located at our amazing Music Centre in the heart of Helsinki. The registration is open! Book your tickets now and leave a free time slot in your calendar for the debriefing!
Stay tuned for my next report from the Nordic Legal Tech Day on 7 October 2021 in Stockholm.
Heikki
