ABA TECHSHOW 2026 to focus on AI use in law firms, tech trends and the future of the legal profession

March 11, 2026

ABA TECHSHOW 2026 to focus on AI use in law firms, tech trends and the future of the legal profession

CHICAGO, March 11, 2026 - Programs offering tips and a better understanding of artificial intelligence will be the highlight at the ABA TECHSHOW 2026, which spotlights the most useful and practical technologies available in the legal industry, March 25-28 in Chicago.

The show, sponsored by the American Bar Association, will feature nearly 60 panels and presentations covering everything from AI and cloud-based technology to scams and the rule of law for lawyers and legal and tech professionals.

What:
ABA TECHSHOW 2026
Sponsored by the ABA Law Practice Division

When:
Wednesday-Saturday, March 25-28

Where:
Hyatt Regency McCormick Place Chicago
2233 S. Martin Luther King Dr.
Chicago, Illinois

Legal futurist Jordan Furlong will be the keynote speaker on Thursday, March 26, from 8-9:30 a.m. CDT. Furlong is a forecaster and analyst of trends and developments in the global legal market, a strategic consultant to law firms and legal organizations and a renowned author and speaker in the field of legal services evolution. The keynote is entitled "The Lawyers We'll Need: Preparing the Legal Profession for a Post-AI World."

Nilay Patel will be the keynote speaker, on Friday, March 27, at 4:30 p.m. CDT. Patel is the co-founder and editor-in-chief of The Verge, the technology and culture brand from Vox Media. Nilay practiced law before his journalism career and brings this perspective as he analyzes the intersection of law, technology and innovation. The title of his keynote is "Law and AI: The Next Frontier for the Industry and the Profession."

For the 10th consecutive year, ABA TECHSHOW will host the Start-Up Pitch Competition, which will kick off on Wednesday, March 25, at 4 p.m. CDT. Fifteen legal startups will face off in the competition, judged by TECHSHOW attendees who will pick the most innovative startup for the year.

On Saturday, March 28, at 9 a.m. CDT, for the first time at TECHSHOW, three ABA presidents - ABA President Michelle A. Behnke, William R. "Bill" Bay, immediate past ABA president, and ABA President-elect Barbara J. Howard - will have a historic conversation on the rule of law, the pressures facing the legal system and the rapidly evolving impact of technology on the profession.‌

Other programs this year include:

• "Tech Stack: How to Evaluate, Compare and Choose the Right Tools"
• "Resilience in Times of Change: Thriving Through Transformation"
• "Digital Succession Planning: Transitioning Your Bits & Bytes"
• "Avoid an AI-Accelerated Hack at Your Law Firm"
• "Tech on Trial: Winning the Jury in a Digital and Visual Age"
• "Feeding the Machine: Boosting Your Visibility in AI-Powered Search"
• "Leading Through Tech: Managing People, Measuring Success"
• "Adobe Acrobat: Unlock AI and New Features for Legal Professionals"
• "Pros, Cons and Promises of Technology-Driven Dispute Resolution"
• "AI-Powered Automation for Litigators: Intake to Settlement"
• "Transforming Gut Feelings to Hard Facts with Data Analytics"
• "Mastering AI Notebook Tools to Extract Insights from Your Files and Notes"
• "Every Brief You Make I'll Be Watching You - A Judge's Reflections on Recent AI Developments"

The complete ABA TECHSHOW 2026 schedule can be viewed here.

This event is open to members of the press. For media registration, please contact Betsy Adeboyejo at [email protected]