CONTRIBUTORS

What to Expect: Moderate a Live Event

What Is a Live Event?

ICLE Live Events are in-person programs that provide Michigan lawyers with expert insight and advice. Participants get up-to-date coverage of legal trends, trusted guidance on law practice issues, and explanation of new laws and their practice implications. Live Events vary in length from three hours to one or two days. Presenters speak on their assigned topics for a specific length of time as determined by both the presenter and the ICLE lawyer. On the day of the event, presenters and moderators check in at the registration desk to receive their name badges, materials, and additional instructions. Live Events typically have a moderator who introduces the program and the other presenters.

Benefits of Moderating a Live Event

Moderator Duties

An ICLE staff lawyer will explain the process to you in detail, but the process is generally as follows:

  • Introduce speakers. ICLE will supply you with a biography for every speaker, but you need not read the entire text to the audience. We prefer that you pull out two to four points you think are important and summarize those. Feel free to add any personal knowledge you might have about the speakers.
  • Keep on schedule. Making certain each session starts and stops at the time scheduled is critical to a successful seminar. We will provide a set of time cards for you to alert speakers when time is running out.
  • Add value. You have been selected to be a moderator because you have subject-matter expertise. When a presenter finishes and you have a good point to follow up with based on your experience, do so, in a concise manner.
  • Handle questions. Depending on the event, ICLE staff lawyer will either bring written questions from the audience to you during the question-and-answer period of the seminar, or attendees will ask questions directly from the floor. Review the written questions and select the most pertinent. When questions come from the floor, remember to repeat the questions before answering.
  • Encourage registrants to complete their evaluations and make other general announcements. Remind registrants to fill out their evaluation forms and turn them in to ICLE staff. Make other announcements as needed, including when breaks and lunch will be held.

Time Commitment

Live Event moderating requires about an hour of preparation, reviewing speaker biographies and getting familiar with the speakers and topics to be introduced. The particular topics and tracks you moderate determine the time commitment required on the day of the event.

Top