On January 2nd at midnight central time voting for the ABA's Blawg 100 contest ended. The raw vote count didn't look good for us:
1,931: FutureLawyer
1,545: TechnoLawyer
Nonetheless, I still felt hopeful that justice would prevail because I knew that we was robbed.
On January 7th, the ABA declared TechnoLawyer the winner of its Blawg 100 contest for Best Technology Blog. Here's the final vote count in this category:
1,499: TechnoLawyer
295: Slaw
256: The MacLawyer
241: FutureLawyer
150: Jim Calloway’s Law Practice Tips Blog
105: Real Lawyers Have Blogs
102: Ross Ipsa Loquitur Blog
93: Ernie the Attorney
82: DennisKennedy.com
64: Inter Alia
For a handful of blogs, multiple votes were cast from the same computer in quick succession. Some of those votes came from blog owners, but others were coming fast and furious from computers overseas that were apparently unconnected to the blogs for which they were voting. After voting closed on Jan. 2, we stripped those bogus votes out of the totals. The totals that now appear on each of the category pages include only votes that were legit.
Years ago, the ABA was behind the curve when it came to the Internet. That's no longer the case as evidenced by its sleuthing of the Blawg 100 results and by its ever-impressive Web site. Nice job ABA.
Thank You for Your Vote (Singular) ...
The ABA's fascinating explanation leaves several unanswered questions. I love a good mystery so over the past two months, I've developed a theory about what happened, especially the source of those overseas votes. But after much heated debate, my colleagues have persuaded me to drop my JFK-like musings and just announce our victory ...
I'm thrilled that TechnoLawyer won the ABA's Blawg 100 Award. I'm equally proud of the fact that we lost only 46 votes from the raw vote count because it means that you and your fellow TechnoLawyer subscribers followed the rules. You deserve a round of applause. We would like to thank everyone who voted for us once and only once.
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Today's issue of TechnoLawyer NewsWire covers a new automated legal forms program for New York lawyers (see article below), an iPhone app for scanning documents on the go, a legal-specific toolbar for Microsoft Office that automates document creation, a site on which you can search for large firm client memos, and a personal knowledge management application. Don't miss the next issue.
Cut Document Drafting Time in Half
Do you draft legal documents? Would you like to reduce the time it takes to draft these documents? Here's a tip — delegate the work to someone else. Of course, someone has to do the work and that someone might be you so delegation may not work. Fortunately, an alternative solution exists — use document assembly software that contains all the forms you regularly use.
ProDoc New York Automated Forms … in One Sentence
West's ProDoc New York Automated Forms is a document assembly system that ships with a library of forms, eliminating the need to create your own.
The Killer Feature
Launching today, ProDoc New York Automated Forms joins its California, Florida, and Texas siblings in the West Forms family. West claims that these products can cut drafting time in half and also reduce errors.
ProDoc New York Automated Forms accomplishes this feat thanks to a patented document-assembly engine that enables you to create several documents simultaneously. You choose the documents you want to assemble, and then answer the corresponding questions. ProDoc New York Automated Forms then builds your documents in your word processor for final review and editing. The California, Florida, and Texas versions work the same way.
Other Notable Features
ProDoc New York Automated Forms has other time-saving features as well. For example, it saves all of the client and case data you enter for reuse in other documents you create, thus eliminating dual entry.
You can tailor ProDoc New York Automated Forms to your practice by choosing from the following libraries: Family Law, Estate Planning, Real Estate, or Office Practice (the latter includes all libraries).
ProDoc New York Automated Forms also includes forms for New York Office of Court Administration (OCA) and Surrogate's Court. You'll also find model forms created by lawyers who are experts in their respective fields. ProDoc New York Automated Forms automatically keeps these forms up to date over the Internet.
What Else Should You Know?
ProDoc New York Automated Forms includes three licenses. Each additional license costs $10. You can use ProDoc New York Automated Forms in conjunction with ProDoc Small Office Suite for an additional $25. ProDoc Small Office Suite is a practice management system that features a calendar, time and billing, client and case organization, contact management, document management, and client and case notes. Learn more about ProDoc New York Automated Forms.
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So many products, so little time. In each issue of TechnoLawyer NewsWire, you'll learn about five new products for the legal profession. Pressed for time? The "In One Sentence" section describes each product in one sentence, and the "Killer Feature" section describes each product's most compelling feature. The TechnoLawyer NewsWire newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.
Coming today to TechnoFeature: Google is like Hollywood. There's an A List, B List, etc. Law firms on the A List appear on the first search results page for keywords relevant to the legal services they provide. These firms receive many inquiries from prospective clients at virtually no cost. Money for nothing. Meanwhile, law firms on the D List are virtually invisible. In this TechnoFeature article, technology consultant Seth Rowland explains how to get on Google's A List using nothing more than common sense and a content management system.
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Our flagship newsletter never disappoints thanks to its in-depth reporting by leading legal technology and practice management experts, many of whom have become "household names" in the legal profession. It's in TechnoFeature that you'll find our oft-quoted formal product reviews and accompanying TechnoScore ratings. The TechnoFeature newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.
TechnoScore: 2.5
1 = Lowest Possible Score; 5 = Highest Possible Score
Ron Kramer of The Kramer Law Group in Utah creates an "out-of-the-box" way to teach us about the time limit to bring a lawsuit for personal injury in Utah.
The setting is the front seat of an attorney's car. The camera is somehow placed on the dashboard. Kramer appears to be parked somewhere and has a few minutes to spare; hence the quick and dirty video about the time limit to bring a personal injury or medical malpractice lawsuit in Utah. However, 37 seconds into the video we are rudely interrupted by a tinny sounding voice saying "Thank you for choosing (something I can't hear) can I help you?" The attorney says to the camera "Umm one second," then proceeds to turn and lean out his open window and give this woman his order: "Can I get a large 32 oz Dr. Pepper please?"
Huh?
We now realize that he is in a drive-through line at a fast food restaurant. The attorney finishes placing his order, then turns back to the camera on the dashboard, and continues as if nothing has happened. "As I was saying …"
What was that about? Has he heard of video editing? You would think that he would have edited the entire "Can I help you?" sequence. But alas, no. This is akin to being on the telephone with someone when call waiting alerts you. Instead of ignoring the intrusion, you tell the person you're talking to that there's somebody else more important on the phone on call waiting and that you have to take their call. That's what I felt like while he was ordering his thirst-quenching diet Dr. Pepper.
I'm all for thinking outside the box and coming up with new ways to get your message across. In fact I contemplated creating a couple of quick and dirty video tips myself while vacationing on the beach in Naples, Florida. Thankfully, I didn't. The fact that Kramer left this sequence in tells me that he did not want to spend the time to properly edit this video. It sends a bad message to potential clients looking for answers.
In fact, in another video of his, Kramer explains that he doesn't edit his videos so that what you see is what you get. But you don't have to engage in life casting to provide an accurate portrait of yourself and your legal knowledge.
Tip #1: Watch Your Video Before Uploading It
If you're going to find a new and creative way and location to create your video, make sure you watch the video in its entirety first before automatically uploading it to YouTube and to video sharing sites. Some Web-oriented video cameras upload directly to YouTube. I suspect that's what this attorney did instead of taking the time to put it on his computer and edit it first.
Tip #2: Choose Your Video Location Carefully
Casual versus formal attire. You must make your own decision as to whether your potential clients will feel comfortable if you are casually dressed in an unconventional setting. Remember the public has a general perception of how attorneys should look and what their offices should look like. Some people may be turned off by the casual dress of this attorney and may not appreciate the unconventional location of being in the front seat of the car.
During the entire video, I was constantly looking out the car's back window and out of the passenger window to see if somebody would jump up and say something hilarious just to break the monotony. Unfortunately, a clown with a red nose never appeared. The problem with creating a video in an unconventional setting, is that the viewer is typically looking for something unusual to happen. If their attention is diverted even slightly away from the message you are trying to get across, you lose them.
Tip #3: Introduce Yourself
Come on now. You're going into someone's home. You're invading their private time and personal space. At least have the decency to introduce yourself. Don't you introduce yourself when you meet someone new? The same etiquette applies in a video.
Conclusion
Want to try something new? Great. Want to get your video uploaded quickly? Great. Want to provide useful information for your viewers? Excellent. Want to waste your time? If you're creating a video, spend a few more minutes to edit it to produce a great video instead of one sprinkled with distractions.
I want to thank Seattle personal injury Attorney Chris Davis for pointing me to this video.
Till next time, see you on video!
The Back Bench
Certified Family Law Specialist and online video producer Kelly Chang Rickert says: "Atrocious video! The only part I remember about this video is Mr. Kramer going through the drive-through to order his food. His knowledge of the law (and statutes of limitations) is completely erased and replaced with his completely unprofessional demeanor throughout this video. We all judge a book by its cover; and I am going to pass on his drive-through attitude and services."
Lawyer, journalist, and legal media consultant Robert Ambrogi says: "The only kind thing I can say about this video is that the lawyer had the good sense to take it down. Perhaps if he made a better video, he could then afford a better office than his car and spring for a sit-down lunch."
TechnoLawyer publisher and online video producer Neil Squillante says: "I couldn't help but think of Jeff Spicoli ordering a pizza in Fast Times at Ridgemont High. A simple edit and we would have never known he was waiting to order at a drive-through. Instead, he seems inconsiderate. Besides, real lawyers don't drink Diet Dr. Pepper."
About YouLaw
YouTube offers law firms a free advertising platform with tens of millions of potential clients. But a poor video can hurt more than help. In this column, lawyer and online video expert Gerry Oginski reviews and rates the latest law firm videos. A panel of fellow experts (The Back Bench) add to Gerry's reviews with pithy remarks. We link to each new YouLaw column and all other noteworthy law firm marketing articles in our weekly BlawgWorld newsletter, which is free. Please subscribe now.
About Gerry Oginski
New York trial lawyer Gerry Oginski has created more than 150 informational online videos for his medical malpractice and personal injury practice. Realizing that most video producers don't have a deep understanding of the practice of law and what potential clients look for, Gerry launched The Lawyers' Video Studio, which provides free tutorials and video production services. If you need help producing a video, please contact Gerry now.
Coming today to BlawgWorld: Our editorial team has selected and linked to 51 articles from the past week worthy of your attention, including our Post of the Week. Here's a sample:
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Our newsletters provide the most comprehensive coverage of legal technology, practice management, and law firm marketing, but not the only coverage. To stay on top of all the noteworthy articles published in blogs and other online publications you could either hire a research assistant or simply subscribe to BlawgWorld. The BlawgWorld newsletter has received rave reviews and is free. Please subscribe now.
Last month I wrote about what happens when too many demands vie for the time and attention of your prospective clients, and referred to it as the recommendation economy. For this second installment, I promised you tips on how to use Twitter to establish a compelling presence online, resulting in press coverage and new clients. Here we go.
Twittermania Means Software Developers Are Busy
Getting the inside story from a trusted source can prove invaluable. That's why Twitter's ability to capture the public zeitgeist is priceless. Used in conjunction with its ever-growing list of free third-party applications, Twitter enables you to monitor multiple conversations at once, send and receive files instantly, limit conversations to a few participants or throw them open to the world, create instant communities, and more.
It would be easy to dismiss Twitter as kid stuff, but that misses the point. By inspiring an entire ecosystem of extensions, applications, and mash-ups, Twitter has motivated developers to create applications that enable:
Once you've decided which applications help you tweet better, it's time to show off. Start by reading what others have written. Once you find a discussion or post that interests you, offer an opinion or pass on a post by someone else. Follow tweeters that you like. In no time, you will have created a community of people who write about, or are interested in, what interests you.
But what about prospects, you ask? Meeting prospective clients on Twitter is even easier than exchanging views with other lawyers because the minute you offer relevant information and solutions to their problems, they will find you. Better yet, be proactive — search Twitter for keywords relating to your practice area, and then follow those tweeters. It could be that your niche is just waiting for you to fill it.
The only catch to all this Twitter happiness is that you need to decide which audience you want to address or at a minimum you'll need to separate your tweets so that you're not boring your colleagues or confusing prospective clients with jargon. Personally I use multiple Twitter identities to keep my discussions separate. Increasingly, other lawyers are doing the same, creating a personal identity for friends and family, a professional identity representing their office, and an identity within a group so they can seek advice from other members of the profession.
Keep These Tips in Mind — and Remember to Breathe
Despite the potential of it all, don't try to conquer Twitter in one sitting or even one week. Give it time and build your follower-base one interesting person at a time. While you're at it, here are some of my suggestions to keep things interesting:
Consider a "secret identity" to find out what people really think.
Mix it up — private conversations versus public ones (which work better?).
Broadcast your professional accomplishments and cheer on your followers.
Create a firm "identity" on Twitter consistent with your Web site and blog.
Use your Twitter background as a business card, a news source, a wish list.
Use your Twitter background to promote causes that deserve your support.
Post questions and then post answers — prospects will appreciate your advice.
Search for your name, your firm, and phrases related to your practice area.
Be generous with less experienced users — be fast to cheer and slow to criticize.
Don't just make friends, make the right friends; numbers don't tell the whole story.
Follow the leader, but not too close. Soon enough you will be the leader.
There Is No Wrong Tweet
Ultimately there is no "wrong" way to use Twitter. Whether you want to take advantage of its hyperactive network to gauge the public mood about a politician, share files, brag about your favorite Ska band, or find killer dim sum, Twitter can meet all your needs because it is what you make it. By the same token, you can be whatever you want on Twitter — but be careful what you wish for. You might get it.
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Coming today to Fat Friday: Mark Raby reviews his first week using the Palm Pre, YouLaw columnist Gerry Oginski reviews Avvo from a lawyer's perspective, Philip Franckel discusses running Dragon NaturallySpeaking on Linux, Ann Byrne discusses Microsoft Response Point and Aastra telephone systems, and Harvey Ash shares some news about the new Palm Pre's ability to sync with iTunes. Don't miss this issue.
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Our most serendipitous offering, Fat Friday consists of unsolicited contributions by TechnoLawyer members. You'll no doubt enjoy it because of its mix of interesting topics and genuinely useful knowledge, including brutally honest product reviews and informative how-tos. The Fat Friday newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.
Today's issue of TechnoLawyer NewsWire covers PDF software (see article below), an ergonomic office chair, intranet and collaboration software, an outsourced help desk service, and a time and expense tracking app for BlackBerrys. Don't miss the next issue.
Recession-Friendly PDF Software
Some lawyers wonder in bemusement when they run across fellow lawyers who cannot create PDF files. These lawyers invariably work in smaller firms. Contemplating one or two copies of Adobe Acrobat Professional at $350 each is no big deal, but multiply it by 10, 100, or 1,000 times even after accounting for volume discounts and you're talking some serious money. But ultimately, these critics are correct because many less expensive alternatives exist and the PDF format has essentially become a standard for document exchange among lawyers.
NitroPDF Professional 6.0 … in One Sentence NitroPDF Professional 6 is an Adobe Acrobat Professional alternative at a lower price point.
The Killer Feature
Lawyers love complaining about working in a "sweat shop" and their lack of a work/life balance. Of course, people who work in real sweat shops would think they had died and gone to heaven if they could trade places with a typical "overworked" lawyer.
But there is a grain of truth in the term "sweat shop" since law firms are essentially document factories. As a result, many law firms use document management systems.
Recognizing this fact, the new version of NitroPDF Professional now integrates with Hummingbird, Documentum, and SharePoint. It also comes equipped with new deployment tools for centrally installing and configuring it throughout your firm.
Other Notable Features
Other new features include a 50% speed boost for PDF creation and batch processing, support for the PDF/A format, higher-quality conversions, and interface improvements.
You can use NitroPDF Professional to review documents thanks to markup tools such as commenting, highlighting, crossing out, replacing text, and more. Other legal-friendly features include Bates stamping, form creation and submission, the ability to shrink the size of PDF files, and automatic creation of bookmarks based on document formatting and headings.
NitroPDF Professional offers 128-bit security with the usual restrictions on alterations, copies, printing, etc. It also supports digital signatures.
What Else Should You Know?
NitroPDF Professional costs $99 for a single-user license. You'll pay less beginning at 11 licenses thanks to the corporate purchasing program. NitroPDF Professional runs on Windows 2000, XP, and Vista, including 64-bit versions. Learn more about NitroPDF Professional 6.0.
How to Receive TechnoLawyer NewsWire
So many products, so little time. In each issue of TechnoLawyer NewsWire, you'll learn about five new products for the legal profession. Pressed for time? The "In One Sentence" section describes each product in one sentence, and the "Killer Feature" section describes each product's most compelling feature. The TechnoLawyer NewsWire newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.
Coming today to Answers to Questions: Kenneth G. Miller reviews using Amicus Attorney on his iPhone, Channing Strother shares his latest struggles with Nuance software and support, Lee D. Cumbie shares some Bates stamping shortcuts, Julian Garcia explains how to switch word processors, and Wandal Winn reviews magicJack. Don't miss this issue.
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Coming today to TechnoFeature: A poor courtroom performance can derail even a slam dunk case. And most cases are not slam dunks. In addition to being well-rehearsed and on your game, trial presentation technology can help you persuade judges or jurors. But caveats abound ranging from literally tripping over wires to figuratively tripping over the rules of evidence. In this TechnoFeature article, former litigator and current trial technology consultant Bruce Olson offers his considerable wisdom in the form of ten tips.
How to Receive TechnoFeature
Our flagship newsletter never disappoints thanks to its in-depth reporting by leading legal technology and practice management experts, many of whom have become "household names" in the legal profession. It's in TechnoFeature that you'll find our oft-quoted formal product reviews and accompanying TechnoScore ratings. The TechnoFeature newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.
Coming today to BlawgWorld: Our editorial team has selected and linked to 57 articles from the past week worthy of your attention, including our Post of the Week. Here's a sample:
How to Receive BlawgWorld
Our newsletters provide the most comprehensive coverage of legal technology, practice management, and law firm marketing, but not the only coverage. To stay on top of all the noteworthy articles published in blogs and other online publications you could either hire a research assistant or simply subscribe to BlawgWorld. The BlawgWorld newsletter has received rave reviews and is free. Please subscribe now.
