Mark your calendars, legal friends: on October 15, 2026, the historic Chicago Athletic Association is throwing open its doors for a full day of learning, connecting, and leveling up your law firm. It's Spark US 2026, and it's shaping up to be the legal industry's most fun and useful day of the year.
The morning kicks off with a can't-miss address from Hunter Steele, Founder and CEO of Smokeball, who'll be sharing his vision for where legal tech is headed and the product innovations shaping the future of how firms work. Hunter's the one steering the ship here at Smokeball, and if you want a front-row seat to what's next in AI and law, this is it.
Our keynote speaker is Sterling Hawkins, a top-30 global leadership keynote speaker who's advised everyone from Fortune 500 executives to the United Nations. Sterling's message is all about becoming "who the moment requires" — a perfect fit for law firm leaders navigating fast-moving tech change and rising client expectations. Expect big energy, real stories, and takeaways you can actually use.
But that's just the opening act. The rest of the day is packed with sessions on practicing law ethically with AI, scaling your firm sustainably, hiring (and keeping!) great staff, and even 60 tech tips in 60 minutes for the efficiency nerds among us. Add in networking breaks, a Beacon Award presentation, CLE credit, and a full-blown Smokeball Party to close things out, and you've got a day designed to leave you inspired, connected, and ready to grow.
Oh — and did we mention the venue? The Chicago Athletic Association is a beautifully restored 1893 building on the Magnificent Mile, once home to bowling alleys and handball courts, now home to some of Chicago's coolest event space. It's the perfect backdrop for a day all about reinvention and igniting growth in fun, sustainable, meaningful ways.
Here's the thing: early bird ticket pricing ends July 31, and seats are going fast. Don't wait for prices to jump — lock in your spot now and get ready to spark something big.
