The news that Ross Kodner passed away from a heart attack on Tuesday, two days after his 52nd birthday has shaken all of us who knew him. He was a legal technologist before anyone knew what that term meant, one of the best, most entertaining CLE presenters a lawyer could ever hear and he was my friend. He has spoken at our Oklahoma Bar Association's annual meeting and several times at our Solo & Small Conference. Oklahoma lawyers loved him. I co-presented with him at ABA TECHSHOW several times. I can't imagine how many lawyers have heard him speak at least once. He was on my mental list for our 2014 Solo & Small Conference. I regret not making that 2013, so we could have had a last chance to hang out.
I could go on, but Craig Ball has captured Ross so perfectly in his tribute Rest in Peace, Ross Kodner: A Giant in Law Office Technology that I will direct you to read that.
Robert Ambrogi also reminds us how freely Ross donated his time to the legal community in the face of tragedy with his post RIP: Ross Kodner, Legal Technology Guru. Ross gave so much to me. When I began my current line of work he gave me tips, advice, encouragement, papers to read and much more.
Ross and I chatted briefly at ABA TECHSHOW in April and resolved to set a lunchtime conference call to catch up more. But we never got around to it. Ross was a true "people person." Making that call to or lunch date with someone you care about and haven't seen in a while would be a fitting tribute.