The second annual ISBA Solo and Small Firm Conference will be a success in large part because of the willingness of members to participate as speakers during the 36 educational sessions, in addition to plenary keynoters.

As in so many of the ongoing ISBA Law Ed series seminars, the value of continuing legal education is enhanced by the expertise of experienced practitioners from throughout the state.

The conference Sept. 14 to 16 at Pheasant Run Resort, St. Charles, offers 12 programs in each of three concurrent tracks: Tech Track, Office Management, and Substantive Law.

The topics and speakers on Thursday are the following.

1:45 to 2:50 p.m.: Buying Law Office Technology 101, Ross Kodner and Trent Bush; Attracting and Retaining Lawyer Talent, Jeffrey M. Simon and Rodney D. Joslin; Elder Law Update, Susan Dawson-Tibbitts.

3 to 4:05 p.m.: Communicating with Clients Electronically, Bryan M. Sims and Peter R. Olson; Lawyer Branding – The New Way to Build a Thriving Practice, Vicki Kunkel; Immigration Law Update, Patrick M. Kinnally and Robert D. Algren.

4:14 to 5:20 p.m.: Beyond Search and Replace – Introduction to Document Assembly and HotDocs, Karl Ward; Answers to Questions that Keep Lawyers Awake at Night, John T. Phipps, Roger L. Rutherford, Julie K. Katz and Umberto S. Davi; How to Deal with Client-Related Nightmares, Mary T . Robinson and Peter L. Rotskoff.

The topics and speakers on Friday are the following.

10:15 to 11:20 a.m.: Practice Anywhere, Any Time, Nerino J. Petro Jr.; Preparing and Protecting Your Firm from Disaster – Lessons from a New Orleans Lawyer, Christopher J. Aubert; Real Estate Law, Aurora N. Abella Austriaco.

1 to 2:05 p.m.: Acrobat for the Rest of Us, Nerino Petro and Trent Bush; Marketing Your Practice on a Shoestring, John W. Olmstead, Mary Pillow and Roger Rutherford; Trial Tips, R. Eugene Pincham.

2:15 to 3:20 p.m.: Metadata – What You Don't Know Can Hurt You, Bryan Sims; Show Me the Money – How Finance and Accounting Systems Can Increase Your Income, Paul J. Sullivan; Family Law, Julie Katz.

4:10 to 5:15 p.m.: Me and my Mac – Apple in the Office, David B. Yavitz and Todd H. Flaming; Using Finance and Accounting Systems to Improve Service to Your Clients, J. Thomas Long; Ethics and Professionalism, Bernard Wysocki and Mary F. Andreoni.

5:25 to 6:30 p.m.: I Talk, You Type – Digital Dictation and Voice Recognition Software, Nerino Petro and Steven L. Dunn; Life on Balance – Staying Energized and Productive, Thomas Vernardos and John Olmstead; Estate Planning and Probate, Timothy G. Carroll and James F. Dunneback.

The topics and speakers on Saturday are the following.

10:30 to 11:35 a.m.: Help! My In-box is Exploding – Dealing with E-Mail Over-load, Nerino Petro, David Clark and Todd Flaming.

1 to 2:05 p.m.: Slaying the Paper Dragon – Scanners and Paper Management, Ross Kodner, William L. Niro and Trent Bush; Improving Client Service by Improving Your Listening Skills, Carl Michael Rossi; Criminal Law, Michele M. Jochner.

2:15 to 3:20 p.m.: Preventing Loss in Your Practice, Jon W. DeMoss; Keys to Effective Cross Examination, Tommy H. Brewer.

4:10 to 5:15 p.m.: Building Your Ark – Backup Strategies and Disaster Planning, Steven Dunn, Adam Nelson and Mark B. Moran; Tort Law and Civil Practice, John L. Nisivaco.