California Lawyers Association Announces 2024 Law Practice Management and Technology Award Winners

The California Lawyers Association (CLA) is pleased to announce the winners of its prestigious Law Practice Management and Technology (LPMT) Awards, celebrating excellence and innovation in legal technology and practice management. The awards ceremony, hosted by Munger, Tolles, & Olson LLP and sponsored by the CLA LPMT Committee, showcased California’s continued leadership in legal innovation. CLA is the largest volunteer bar association in California, with more than 40,000 members practicing in 18 different specialties.

Award Winners

LPMT Lifetime Achievement Award

• Kim Smith and Kristen Robinson were honored with the LPMT Lifetime Achievement Award for their exceptional contributions to legal technology and practice management. Smith is currently spearheading Santa Ana College’s upcoming technology-focused Bachelor’s Degree program in Paralegal Studies.

LPMT Organizational Excellence Awards

• Law Firm of the Year: Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP
• Vendor of the Year – Legal Technology: Gavel
• Vendor of the Year – Law Practice Management: Overture

LPMT Individual Achievement Awards

• Attorney of the Year – Law Practice Management: Melanie Chaney, Managing Partner of Liebert Cassidy Whitmore’s Los Angeles office and the firm-wide Co-Managing Partner
• Attorney of the Year – Legal Technology: Arya Firoozmand, CEO Overture
• Professional of the Year – Law Practice Management: Tony Sipp, Senior Paralegal Ellis George LLP, Co-Host the Paralegal Voice Podcast, VP of Membership & Policy at the Los Angeles Paralegal Association
• Professional of the Year – Legal Technology: Peg Gianuca, eDiscovery Technical Solutions Manager at The Walt Disney Company

Distinguished LPMT Award Finalists

The following organizations and individuals were recognized as finalists for their outstanding contributions:

LPMT Organization Award Finalists

• Vendor of the Year Finalist: Ankura Consulting Group
• Vendor of the Year Finalist: FTI Technology
• Vendor of the Year Finalist: Innovative Computing Systems
• Vendor of the Year Finalist: First Legal

LPMT Individual Award Finalists

• Professional of the Year Finalist: Jeff Soldridge, Senior Trial Specialist, Proskauer, Legal Technology Adjunct – UCLA Paralegal Training Program
• Professional of the Year Finalist: Chris Bates, Managing Partner of Kahana Feld Los Angeles Office

Looking Forward

The California legal community continues to lead nationwide in technology innovation and adoption. The LPMT Section invites legal professionals to:

1. Share expertise through CLA’s educational programs and publications
2. Create content for the LPMT Section
3. Participate in the 2025 California Lawyers Association Legal Technology Conference at Santa Ana College
4. Explore sponsorship opportunities for future LPMT events
5. Host LPMT-affiliated events at their facilities

Get Involved

For those interested in contributing to California’s legal innovation landscape or learning more about the LPMT Section, please contact Shannon Lex Bales, LPMT Section Chair, California Lawyers Association.

For further information, please contact: Shannon Bales, 714-478-7426.