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ITechLaw delivers a successful European Conference in Madrid, Spain. 98% of attendees found the conference a good use of time.
On November 9 – 11, 2016, the ITechLaw Association hosted 330 attendees at the 2016 European Conference in Madrid, Spain. With attendees from 39 countries and 5 continents, the event was a mix of education, networking, and fun. We express our deepest thanks to our Global Sponsors: Dentons, Gokce, Osborne Clarke, Seyfarth Shaw, and Sheppard Mullin, and all of our conference sponsors, who contributed to the success of our conference.
Welcome Reception: The two-day event started with an energetic opening reception at the Westin Palace. Attendees had the opportunity to meet new colleagues, including ITechLaw President Susan Barty, the Executive Committee, board members, and ITechLaw staff, including Emily Reineke the new Managing Director.
Keynote Opening Session: Keynote Speaker Elisa Garijo, IBM Spain, spoke to all attendees about the Impact of Cognitive Technologies in the Legal Spheres and shared details about how it’s now possible to have a cognitive discussion between machine and man. She shared a thought provoking video featuring IBM’s Watson and how it can function as a colleague and enhance decision making.
Keynote Panel: The first conference panel featured a number of European experts discussing Brexit. While no legal decisions have been made yet, there are a number of implications that the United Kingdom and the rest of Europe are considering, which will lead to important decisions about what Brexit really means. Julian Potter facilitated the panel with expert speakers Tony Noel- British Chamber of Commerce in Spain, Shanker Singham- Legatum Institute, Jordi Sellers- ICC Spanish Chapter, and Ed Vaizey- UK Member of Parliament. A number of attendees called the Brexit panel their favorite part of the conference.
Educational Sessions: In sessions, attendees learned about many additional cutting-edge topics, including the transformation and regulations of Blockchain, how human body insertables are becoming the new wearables, how PokemonGo and other augmented reality apps are changing global legal regimes, and an intense discussion around which is better- GDPR or US Privacy Laws? With more than 30 expert speakers, attendees deepened their knowledge, challenged their understanding, and gained new ideas to implement in their practices. One first-time attendee shared, “I am wondering why I waiting so long to attend – I will definitely come back for more!”
More than 80% of conference attendees enjoyed the formal gala dinner at the lavish Casino de Madrid. Spectacular architecture and precious works of art, including paintings, sculptures, and numerous details such as Mauméjean stained glass lamps made the Casino de Madrid a luxury setting. The gala was a classic and spectacular event.
Networking A hallmark of the ITechLaw conference is the networking between attendees – during breaks, the receptions, and the lunches. It’s in these information conversations that many conference attendees find great friends, business partners, and referrals. One attendee shared that the conference is “a gathering of the finest technology law professionals where not only are the leading technology issues discussed and dissected, but friendships are also solidified.”
