I remember when I started in litigation technology many years ago. One of the very first purchases that I convinced my office to make was a document presenter. The document presenter is like a high-tech overhead project without the need to make transparencies to use it. On the document presenter, you can place documents, photos or even objects to display on a screen and even zoom in and out.
In the first staff meeting when I demonstrated how the document presenter was used, there were audible oohs and aahs in the room. It was like something futuristic that I was demonstrating to the legal staff. Shortly after the demonstration, I was able to convince one of our attorneys to use it in an upcoming trial. I agreed to operate it and sit next to her at the table during the trial. Her co-counsel was one of our managers who was very skeptical about using the equipment. During the trial, I helped to display what was requested and he eventually warmed up to the technology. He would say "Mr. Hooper put that exhibit on that machine so we can show the jury." From that moment on, the office started using the document presenter. Everyone called it the "Elmo" since it was the brand name of the equipment. An agent once asked me if Elmo was an acronym. I jokingly said it was an Electronic Light Machine Operator. He always referred to it that way.
The legal staff eventually used it on their own without needing me to do it. I would set it up and test it for them prior to trial. It changed the way we presented evidence to the jury. Instead of passing around evidence, this allowed us to ensure that all jurors focused on what we were talking about at the same time. Even opposing counsel got onboard with the equipment asking for us to display things for them as well.
The technology has changed a lot since that beginning with the Elmo. We now have Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Elmo is just a routine piece of equipment in most courtrooms now. It amazes me how far we have come since that first experience. I have seen technology evolve over the years. I am glad that I am still a part of it.
I may be an old dog now but I still like to learn new tricks.
