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I mentioned in a previous post that Clio is the software I use to manage my solo practice.
This year (for the first time) I attended the second annual Clio Cloud Conference, lovingly nicknamed and tagged #ClioCloud9. It was held in Chicago at the Radisson Blu Hotel downtown. When I first heard about this Clio Cloud Conference, I didn’t know what the heck it was all about. I mean, Clio has some of the best customer support over the phone that I have ever experienced, so why would I fly to Chicago just to talk about Clio, with Clio? But once I checked out the website, I got a better idea of what was going on here. This wasn’t just a place to talk shop about software as a service engineering. This was a conference where leaders in innovation and technology in the law were gathering to talk about the future of legal practice and how lawyers can become better lawyers and better communicators.
In reality, it was so much more than that. It took place over two days (September 22-23, 2014) and consisted of three tracks: Business, Technology, and Clio University. I found myself gravitating towards the Business sessions the most because I figured I can call Clio Customer Support at any time and they will hold my hand through whatever I need. I wanted to make sure I used my time wisely, and while it was often a tie between the Business and Technology tracks, I ended up in the Business group.
The conference had a bunch of other stuff going on, too. From a Zen Room where you can take a quiet break or do yoga, to an “Unconference” where there is no set schedule and you just share thoughts with Clio team members (I have heard them referred to as Clions, which makes me giggle every time) and other Clio users, a lounge to get away from the hustle and talk to some of the sponsors, and a handful of other cool activities going on at any time.
When I first arrived at the hotel, I was greeted by a Clion who immediately pointed me in the right direction to check in. She was smiley and also excited to be there, and it was totally sincere. The Radisson Blu itself is a gorgeous hotel with lots of textures, from exposed loft style brick walls to shiny far eastern looking décor on the opposing wall. I loved it.
Clio knows how to feed you. At the actual conference hall, I was greeted by another Clion who directed me towards breakfast. I was starving and really just wanted to get in there and stuff my face (let’s not forget priorities here) so the location of breakfast was probably the most important bit of information I needed. I turned a corner and O.M.G. right before my eyes was a feast of pastries, yogurts, smoothies, bagels, cereals, parfaits, juices, fruits, and other things that are a blur but yet still linger on my tastebuds. I gathered a bounty of foods and sat down to commence face stuffing.
Clio knows how to make a girl feel like a VIP. Immediately I was approached by other Clions asking me how I was and saying hello. I even saw a few Clions I knew right away. The sincere and excited interaction coupled with the atmosphere and the amazing food really created a buzz where I found myself smiling to myself constantly. I probably looked crazy but I couldn’t help myself. I was already enjoying every second of being at the Clio Cloud Conference.
And the coffee. And the sodas. And the lunches. And the snacks in between. And dinner…
The first night, dinner was at an old speakeasy called Untitled. The ambiance was very chill with walls of [I think] whiskey bottles, a huge TV in one room, dueling pianos in the main room, and food and drink sprawled all over. The second night, Clio booked the Brixen Ivy, one of the exclusive venues around Wrigley Field, to watch a Cubs game. Brixen Ivy has its own menu of burgers and hotdogs, grilled to order, as well as sides and condiments to top everything off. I couldn’t decide between a burger or a hot dog so naturally I ate both. The view of Wrigley was stunning and to be able to just hang out and have fun with everyone from the conference really made it special.
Now that you have a taste (pun completely intended) of the organization of the Clio Cloud Conference, stay tuned for more about the insanely inspiring speakers and the cutting edge sponsors at #ClioCloud9.
