By Sara Skiff | Friday, May 9, 2008
Coming May 14, 2008 to Answers to Questions:
Out of the Box or Bust; Researching Practice Management Software; Xerox DocuMate 262 Review
By Dean Birch, Jason Havens, & Robert McNeill
In this issue of Answers to Questions, Jason Havens clarifies his position regarding practice management software installation and consultants, Robert McNeill shares several ways to research practice management solutions plus he reviews the Fujitsu ScanSnap S510, and Dean Birch reviews Xerox's DocuMate 262 scanner.
How to Receive this Newsletter
Published Thursdays, Answers to Questions is a weekly newsletter in which TechnoLawyer members answer legal technology and practice management questions submitted by their peers (including you if you join TechnoLawyer). Like all of our newsletters, it's free. You can subscribe here.
By Sara Skiff | Friday, May 2, 2008
Coming May 9, 2008 to Fat Friday:
Verizon XV6700/6800/6900 Review; ActiveWords Review; A Modest CLE Proposal; Biglaw Salaries; Office 2007 Correction
By Debra Bruce, Christel Burris, Michael Caldwell, Wesley Y.S. Chang, & Stephen Seldin
In this issue of Fat Friday, Debra Bruce reviews the Verizon XV6700 Pocket PC (and we comment on its successors), Wesley Y.S. Chang reviews ActiveWords and explains how he uses it in his practice, Stephen Seldin discusses how the Internet has affected CLE and how a different pricing structure could help, Christel Burris discusses the method behind the madness of Microsoft's various Office 2007 suites, and Michael Caldwell responds to the continuing discussion about biglaw associate salaries.
How to Receive this Newsletter
Published on Fridays, Fat Friday is a weekly newsletter that features a grab bag full of genuinely useful product reviews and tips on a wide variety of topics. Like all of our newsletters, it's free. You can subscribe here.
By Sara Skiff | Friday, April 18, 2008
Coming April 25, 2008 to Fat Friday:
Treo 755p Review; Relevant CLE; Tiddlywiki Review; MozyPro Review; Airtouch Desk
By Elaine Dowling, Richard Hackerd, Meredith Hamilton, Brian Sherwood Jones, & John Starkweather
In this issue of Fat Friday, Richard Hackerd reviews his Treo 755p and its syncing abilities with Amicus Attorney, Elaine Dowling shares her thoughts on finding relevant CLE courses, Brian Sherwood Jones reviews Tiddlywiki for personal task and information management, Meredith Hamilton reviews EMC's online backup solution MozyPro, and John Starkweather points to an innovative computer desk option from Steelcase.
How to Receive this Newsletter
Published on Fridays, Fat Friday is a weekly newsletter that features a grab bag full of genuinely useful product reviews and tips on a wide variety of topics. Like all of our newsletters, it's free. You can subscribe here.
By Sara Skiff | Friday, March 28, 2008
Coming April 3, 2008 to Answers to Questions:
Clipping Web Pages; GFI Faxmaker Review; Monitor Tips; Adhesion Contracts; Word and Excel Training Books
By Steven Brower, Christel Burris, Barbara Durkin, Terry Mazura, & James Sayre
In this issue of Answers to Questions, James Sayre discusses various ways to save Web pages for future use (plus a tip of our own), Christel Burris reviews GFI Faxmaker for Exchange, Terry Mazura provides helpful advice for those who want to use two computers with one monitor (and one keyboard, one mouse, etc.), Steven Brower shares his thoughts on adhesion contracts, and law student Barbara Durkin reviews Payne Consulting's books Word 2003 for Law Firms and Excel for Law Firms.
How to Receive this Newsletter
Published Thursdays, Answers to Questions is a weekly newsletter in which TechnoLawyer members answer legal technology and practice management questions submitted by their peers (including you if you join TechnoLawyer). Like all of our newsletters, it's free. You can subscribe here.
By Neil Squillante | Monday, March 24, 2008
You hear a lot these days about people live-blogging trade shows and other events. But with few exceptions live blogging (perhaps we lawyers should call it realtime blogging) fails because quality writing takes time. It's sort of like the speed of light or the force of gravity. There's just no getting around it.
So when we began discussing how to cover ABA TECHSHOW 2008, we nixed the idea of live-blogging this important event. Instead, we decided to publish reports as quickly as possible while maintaining high standards. Call it retrospective blogging. Or just call it good reporting.
But don't worry. We're done! Below you'll find our complete coverage of ABA TECHSHOW 2008 — 13 reports. If you're still hungry for even more coverage, you'll also find links to 33 additional reports in other publications.
Crazy Mazy ...
Trade shows are unpredictable. Whenever you bring together thousands of smart, free-thinking people, sparks will fly. So who better to cover ABA TECHSHOW than our most unpredictable TechnoLawyer correspondent and the ultimate free thinker — Mazyar Hedayat. Or as we call him, Crazy Mazy, a name inspired by Apple's famous Think Different ad campaign about free thinkers, which begins, "Here's to the the crazy ones." When he's not reporting on trade shows, Mazy practices law in Bolingbrook, Illinois.
TechnoLawyer's ABA TECHSHOW 2008 Reports ...
Mazyar Hedayat, I Attended ABA TECHSHOW 2008 and All I Got Was This Lousy Blog Post
Mazyar Hedayat, Eliminating the Paper Chase: From Boxes to Bytes (Paperless Office Track)
Mazyar Hedayat, A Real World EDD Motion Hearing (Litigation Track)
Mazyar Hedayat, The Mobile Office: Take Your Desktop in Your Pocket (Mobile Technology Track)
Mazyar Hedayat, Outlook Tips and Tricks (Roundtables Track)
Mazyar Hedayat, So You Want to Be an ABA Author? (Special Session)
Mazyar Hedayat, Beating the Startup Blues: A Tech Survival Guide (Solo/Small Firm II Track)
Mazyar Hedayat, Grand Finale: 60 Sites In 60 Minutes
Mazyar Hedayat, Crazy Mazy's Best of Show: SQ Global Solutions
Mazyar Hedayat, Crazy Mazy's Best of Show: Legal Bar by BEC Legal Systems
Mazyar Hedayat, Crazy Mazy's Best of Show: Electronic Discovery
Mazyar Hedayat, Crazy Mazy's Best of Show: Adobe Acrobat Professional
Mazyar Hedayat, A Report from the Exhibit Hall and Suggestions for TechShow 2009
Other ABA TECHSHOW 2008 Reports
Brett Burney, Tips and Tricks at the ABA TechShow 2008, Law.com
Jim Calloway, Law Practice Tips From ABA TECHSHOW 2008, Jim Calloway's Law Practice Tips Blog
Jim Calloway, More Law Practice Tips From ABA TECHSHOW 2008, Jim Calloway's Law Practice Tips Blog
Jim Calloway, ABA TECHSHOW 2008 Wrap Up, Jim Calloway's Law Practice Tips Blog
Rob La Gatta, Brett Burney of Burney Consultants and ediscoveryinfo, Real Lawyers Have Blogs
Rob La Gatta, Adriana Linares of LawTech Partners, Real Lawyers Have Blogs
Rob La Gatta, Live from TechShow: Jim Calloway of the Oklahoma Bar Association, Real Lawyers Have Blogs
Rob La Gatta, Live from TechShow: Aviva Cuyler of JD Supra, Real Lawyers Have Blogs
Rob La Gatta, Live from TechShow: Ed Poll of LawBiz Management Co., Real Lawyers Have Blogs
Rob La Gatta, Live from TechShow: Laura Calloway of the Alabama State Bar, Real Lawyers Have Blogs
Rob La Gatta, Live from TechShow: David Cowen of The Cowen Group, Real Lawyers Have Blogs
Rob La Gatta, Live from TechShow: Brian Ritchey of LexisNexis, Real Lawyers Have Blogs
Mike McBride, ABA Techshow Day 3 Session 1, The Many Faces of Mike
Mike McBride, TechShow Day 3 Session 2: Automated Documents, The Many Faces of Mike
Mike McBride, A few Final TechShow Thoughts, The Many Faces of Mike
Greg Siskind, Lawyering in the Connected World: How to Snag the Connected Client, Greg Siskind's Blog
Sharon Nelson, ABA TECHSHOW Day Two: The Most Damning Thing Is the Hole Where Evidence Used to Be, Ride the Lightning
Sharon Nelson, Bank Secrecy Act Guns Down Sheriff of Wall Street, Ride the Lightning
Dominic Jaar, Todd Flaming and Brett Burney on Small Volume E-Discovery, Wines and Information Management
JoAnna Forshee, Just in Time for ABA TechShow/LMA Annual Conference: How to Measure Trade Show Return on Investment (ROI), Inside Legal
JoAnna Forshee, ABA TechShow Wrap-Up, InsideLegal
JoAnna Forshee, ABA TechShow Media Panel Publication Profiles, InsideLegal
Jordan Furlong, Takeaways from TechShow, Law21
Ben Stevens, Reflections on TechShow 2008, The Mac Lawyer
Allison C. Shields, Making Connections at ABA TechShow 2008, Legal Ease Blog
Monica Bay, Live from Chicago: ABA TECHSHOW, The Common Scold
Dennis Kennedy, I am the Worst Liveblogger Ever: A Report from ABA TECHSHOW 2008, DennisKennedy.blog
Reid Trautz, ABA TechShow 2008 Keynote Discusses Privacy Issues, Reid My Blog
Kevin A. Thompson, TechShow 2008: In Progress Report, Cyberlaw Central
Kevin A. Thompson, TechShow 2008: Day 2: In Progress Report, Cyberlaw Central
Brian J. Ritchey, First Day at ABA TechShow, More Partner Income
Kevin O'Keefe, Back in Seattle from ABA TechShow, Real Lawyers Have Blogs
Brian J. Ritchey, For Long Term Increases To Income, Partners Must Delegate Work, More Partner Income
Photo by Adriana Linares, LawTech Partners
About TechnoLawyer Trade Show Reports
Even in today's wired world, trade shows continue to play an important role. But not everyone can attend trade shows. Hence, our trade show reports, which bring trade shows to you. You can find our trade show reports here in TechnoLawyer Blog, and also in TechnoGuide, a free newsletter that also contains exclusive content. Learn more about TechnoGuide.
By Mazyar Hedayat | Monday, March 24, 2008
Presenters: Tom Mighell & Friends
Saturday, March 15 at 11:00 am
In addition to being a perennial favorite among both attendees and speakers, this TechShow staple is a great opportunity for the crowd to let its collective hair down and enjoy an often irreverent, free-form look at the Internet for lawyers.
This year was no exception as TechShow chairman Tom Mighell and colleagues took to the dais and led us all a journey of self-discovery and good fun. Of course your humble reporter was bushed by then so I just sat back and enjoyed the show.
Of the 60 sites, below you'll find my favorite 8 in no particular order plus 2 that I would have included:
1. More Partner Income
This site is largely acknowledged to be where the rubber meets the road in terms of law as a business and business as a way of life.
2. Yahoo! Mobile WiFi
Find WiFi hotspots nearby. If like me you want to be connected constantly, keep this site on your radar.
3. Acrobat for Legal Professionals
Rick Borstein's blog about all things Acrobat for the law office is a must-read.
4. Planet PDF
When just one know-it-all site isn't enough, turn to this bulletin board forum where you might find for instance that you're not the only one who thought the "tab" button on your keyboard would order you a soda ... or who had a particular PDF question. Same difference.
5. TechnoLawyer
I think it's a great resource. No bias here. Plus they get some incredible writers to contribute ...
6. Dodgeball
Dodgeball was among the poster-children of the early Web 2.0 movement. The speakers agreed this site is great for reaching people with text messages when they get near a given location.
7. Lifehacker
This site is just what you would guess: a remedy for what ails you. It also represents the pinnacle of "giving it away" when it comes to really useful information. Try to find something software-related that it doesn't address.
8. Google (including Google Docs, Google Calendar, Gmail, Goog411, etc., etc., etc.)
There is absolutely nothing I can add here that hasn't been written to death ... except maybe this:
• Nearly every aspect of the Google Office Suite is in the throes of being upgraded and improved on a constant basis.
• When I remember how Google Docs drew "oohs" and "aahs" at last year's TechShow it blows my mind to hear it tossed out in such a matter of fact manner as a viable office suite. What's the world coming to?
Not mentioned but worthy of a bookmark:
9. Skype
Need to make a call where there isn't any phone service? Skype plus your wireless modem is the answer. Case closed.
10. Twitter
Twitter asks that you answer the question "What are you doing?" Respond in 140 characters or less and you're twittering. Join thousands around the world doing the same or keep the conversation private. It's a combination SMS system, social network, and cultural phenomenon.
Update: ABA has published the official version of 2008's 60 Sites in 60 Minutes.
Read more firsthand reports from ABA TechShow 2008.
About TechnoLawyer Trade Show Reports
Even in today's wired world, trade shows continue to play an important role. But not everyone can attend trade shows. Hence, our trade show reports, which bring trade shows to you. You can find our trade show reports here in TechnoLawyer Blog, and also in TechnoGuide, a free newsletter that also contains exclusive content. Learn more about TechnoGuide.
By Mazyar Hedayat | Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Presenters: Sharon Nelson, Timothy Johnson, and Dan Pinnington
Thursday, March 13 at 5:15 pm
You'd think that a session held at the end of a very long first day of the TechShow would be a drag, right? But you'd be wrong. Timothy Johnson, Executive Director of the Law Practice Management Publishing, Sharon Nelson, President of Sensei Enterprises and Chair of the Law Practice Management Publishing Board, and Dan Pinnington, Director of practicePRO and Chair of the Webzine Board for Law Practice Today, delivered a helpful presentation for the prospective authors in attendance.
Publishing a Book
The speakers demystified the book publishing process by breaking it down into five simple steps:
1. Informal Proposal
Propose an idea to Sharon and Tim. It's probably a good idea to review what the ABA's Law Practice Management Section has already published. If they think your proposal has merit and it does not duplicate something already in the works by another author, you are off to the races.
2. Proposal Form
Complete a proposal form on the ABA's Web site. Your proposal will then be reviewed by the Publication Board and, if approved, then you are on your way to being immortalized in print, ABA-style.
3. Write the Book
Now, for the hard part. To help you with the process of actually writing your book, the ABA will assign a Project Manager-Editor. Hey, someone has to keep you on schedule. At this point you'll:
• Sign an authorship agreement.
• Propose a timeline (usually 6-12 months).
And remember, this isn't a law review! It's a practical way to share your knowledge and best-practices with lawyers like yourself. Don't forget to include such value-added features as:
• Checklists
• Diagrams
• Lists
• Practice Pointers
• Charts
• Tables
• Data, data, and more data
Once your oeuvre is complete, the time until publication will be about four months. The ABA retains the copyright.
4. Marketing Your Book
The ABA does its share of marketing on your behalf, but it doesn't hurt to sell, sell, sell. Turn to fellow authors, bloggers, Internet talk-shows (podcasts), and don't forget online publications like TechnoLawyer.
5. Royalties
Watch the royalties roll in at the rate of 10% of gross sales. Most books don't make it past their first edition, which is generally about 1,000 copies (although this ranges from as few as one hundred to several thousand). Who knows, maybe you'll become the Stephen King of the legal world, but 1,000 copies is still a good return on investment.
Additional Publishing Opportunities
The ABA has a number of other publications as well, including:
• Magazines
• eZines
• Podcasts
• eBooks
• Blogs
• Form Banks
Magazine Publishing
Law Practice is the flagship publication of the Law Practice Management Section.
• Submissions should be about 1,500-2,000 words.
• Topics should be informative and practical too.
• Circulation of the magazine is 20,000+.
• Authors are not paid.
• The magazine retains copyright (or right of first refusal).
eZine Publishing
Dan Pinnington encouraged people to contact him to discuss submissions to the ABA's eZine, Law Technology Today.
• Submissions should be about 1,000 words.
• Topics should be educational and practical.
• There is usually quick editorial turnaround.
• Expect good exposure due to high traffic.
• Authors are not paid.
Party Time?
And with that, day one of TechShow ended ... at least the official part. At 6:30 in the Grand Ballroom of the Chicago Hilton the ABA hosted a wingding of sorts known simply as TechShow After Dark. In addition, a series of working social dinners assembled around discrete topics. As for your humble reporter, I had a quick look around upstairs and went home to write. It was a long day.
Read more firsthand reports from ABA TechShow 2008.
About TechnoLawyer Trade Show Reports
Even in today's wired world, trade shows continue to play an important role. But not everyone can attend trade shows. Hence, our trade show reports, which bring trade shows to you. You can find our trade show reports here in TechnoLawyer Blog, and also in TechnoGuide, a free newsletter that also contains exclusive content. Learn more about TechnoGuide.
By Mazyar Hedayat | Saturday, March 15, 2008
So it's Friday night, getting late, and I've been at ABA TECHSHOW 2008 (hereinafter TechShow), sponsored by the Law Practice Management Section of the American Bar Association. In the past 48 hours I've been misdirected, lost, achy, breaky, sleepy, and mildly amused. But did I learn anything? No time for existential questions ... it's time give the legions of TechnoLawyer subscribers something to read and hopefully some useful tips in the process. In this first report, I'll try to give you a flavor of TechShow — the sights, sounds, smells ... you know the cliche.
Thursday, March 14, 2008
4:30 am: Unlike most attendees and speakers who have flown in from around the country and only have to fight jetlag, I live about 30 miles outside Chicago so I need to wrestle with traffic before setting foot in the hotel. It's a 2-hour commute into the city no matter what and the Thursday preceding St. Patrick's Day would be no exception. (Note to TechShow Planning Committee — please consider returning TechShow to April.)
6:00 am: You only get once chance to make a first impression. I chose a dark blue suit and a shirt with a fine windowpane check, paired with an orange tie and handkerchief. Yes, that's me in the photo. I also armed myself with a legal pad, Redweld file, a pen, a highlighter, my iPhone, a digital camera, and a digital recorder. By the time I walked out the front door, my pockets were swinging uncontrollably from the weight and momentum of my multiple devices. Worse, the messenger-style bag I donned for the occasion cut mercilessly into my shoulder. Now I was ready.
7:40 am: Don't you love it when a plan comes together? Well, almost comes together. TechShow chair Tom Mighell (of Inter Alia fame) was giving the keynote address at 8:00 so all I had to do was make it to the Sheraton by then ... and I was making great time. The Sheraton Chicago has been the home of TechShow for nearly 10 years. Funny thing though ... it turns out that the TechShow board wanted to shake things up, which included changing the dates and venue of the show. (Second note to self — always read the literature before you show up.)
8:00 am: As I sprinted to the registration desk at the Sheraton I couldn't help noticing the lack of ABA paraphernalia in the familiar lobby with its serene, elegant waterfalls. At first this seemed like a refreshing change — more subtle, less obtrusive. But the dark, unmanned desk was not reassuring. Nor did it help that I had to haul 40 pounds of technology gear up and down the first, second, and third mezzanines until it dawned on me that maybe the party was going to be held somewhere else.
8:20 am: It's not that I missed the keynote: I was just fashionably late. And what I saw in the cavernous Grand Ballroom at the Hilton (the real venue of TechShow) was a capacity crowd and Tom holding forth about TechShow and the bright techno-future that awaited us.
8:30 am: With the keynote over, it was time to embark on the day's seminars. First however, I headed to the makeshift media-room set up by the ABA Division for Media Relations and Communication Services.
No sooner had I entered than one of the young staffers asked who the heck I was and what I was doing there. Despite this charming greeting, I was actually impressed by the fact that the LPM Section has included such features as:
• TechShow Blog
• Live blogging feeds
• Live photo sharing on Flickr
• Twitter feed! Wow!
• Group on del.icio.us
Of course it only took another 10 seconds before I remembered that the inclusion of such tools — cool as they are and useful as they can be — means squat when coupled with a population that by and large doesn't use them.
8:35 am: Time for my first seminar, Eliminating the Paper Chase: From Boxes to Bytes, a soup-to-nuts look at how to go paperless, if not entirely paperless, in an average law office. More on this seminar and all the others I attended in subsequent Posts.
My Initial Impressions
Making Tom chair of the TechShow was inspired: it shows that the ABA is acknowledging (if only a wee bit) that it needs to change the way it does things. At its best, TechShow is where a host of new, smaller, out of the way vendors get to present themselves each year and out of every new crop some make it and others opt out (legal is a tough market). This year was no different. If anything, Tom's influence will no doubt encourage a slightly different group of lawyers and vendors to participate, and that is de facto a good thing.
On the other hand, I loved the Sheraton, I don't care much for the space at the Hilton. It's literally in the basement of the building where the trucks dock — the signs are still up on the walls and the cinderblocks are apparent through the bad paint job. Come on ABA — you can do better. Even if you consider legal technology and LPM in general to be second-rate, you don't have to be so overt about it!
Read more firsthand reports from ABA TechShow 2008.
About TechnoLawyer Trade Show Reports
Even in today's wired world, trade shows continue to play an important role. But not everyone can attend trade shows. Hence, our trade show reports, which bring trade shows to you. You can find our trade show reports here in TechnoLawyer Blog, and also in TechnoGuide, a free newsletter that also contains exclusive content. Learn more about TechnoGuide.
By Sara Skiff | Friday, February 15, 2008
Coming February 22, 2008 to Fat Friday:
BlackBerry 8800 Versus Treo 680; How to Improve CLE; Greg Krehel; Fake Reviews; How to Open WPD in Word
By Dean Birch, Laurence Eastham, David Long, Peter McInroy, & Carol Seelig
In this issue of Fat Friday, David Long contributes a comparative review of the BlackBerry 8800 and Treo 680, Carol Seelig provides a few more suggestions for improving the current state of CLE, Peter McInroy reminisces about CaseSoft co-founder Greg Krehel, Laurence Eastham discusses the long history of fake product reviews, and Dean Birch explains how to open WordPerfect files in Microsoft Word 2002 and 2003.
How to Receive this Newsletter
Published on Fridays, Fat Friday is a weekly newsletter that features a grab bag full of genuinely useful product reviews and tips on a wide variety of topics. Like all of our newsletters, it's free. You can subscribe here.
By Sara Skiff | Friday, February 8, 2008
Coming February 15, 2008 to Fat Friday:
How Much Don't You Know; Lawyer Mom Earning Big Bucks; Try This at Home; Calculators and Word Processors; WinFax Pro
By Thomas Daly, Jean Mahserjian, Jerry Nicholson, Paul Nosek, & David Young
In this issue of Fat Friday, Jerry Nicholson adds his two cents to the heated debate about software design and training, Jean Mahserjian responds to the thread on biglaw associate salaries with her own personal success story, Paul Nosek explains an old NASA trick for recovering data from a troubled hard drive, David Young waxes philosophical about Word and WordPerfect, and Thomas Daly reviews Winfax Pro for desktop faxing (and we explain the difference between desktop fax software and fax server software).
How to Receive this Newsletter
Published on Fridays, Fat Friday is a weekly newsletter that features a grab bag full of genuinely useful product reviews and tips on a wide variety of topics. Like all of our newsletters, it's free. You can subscribe here.
By TechnoLawyer Blog | Monday, January 21, 2008
[Publisher's Note: Today, a special treat — a guest TechnoEditorial by industry legend Ross Kodner. In the TechnoEditorial below, Ross responds to some questions about the state of legal technology recently sent to him by a reporter unaffiliated with TechnoLawyer. — Neil J. Squillante]
WHAT SOFTWARE, GADGET, OR DEVICE DO YOU THINK ATTORNEYS MOST NEED TO INCORPORATE INTO THEIR WORK HABITS?
Lawyers don't need more gadgets and devices. Lawyers need to re-focus on how to better use the basic tools they already have for document generation, case information management, document/email/paper management, and their billing and financial systems.
Most firms I encounter barely use the systems they've already spent money on — including things as mundane as Microsoft Word. Smart law firms realize that effective use of technology is not about buying new things to solve problems in most cases, but rather focusing on better use of the core systems they already likely own. And realizing that ultimately, it's all about smart, simple, and practical procedures, and workflow. And further realizing that technology tools are just enablers to make sure processes from initial contact with a prospective client, through conflict checking and matter intake, through case handling, all the way to file archiving closure are done in the most effective way.
BUT IF THERE WAS ONE SOFTWARE APPLICATION LAWYERS REALLY NEED ...
I'd have to actually make it three (sorry — I can't decide):
First: Microsoft Word 2007 — the latest release of this product is LEAPS AND BOUNDS superior in every way to its miserably obtuse, perpetually mystifying, and downright exasperating predecessor Word 2003. Where Word 2003 has been a virtual instrument of torture for its users (victims?), Word 2007 is so dramatically improved, it seems almost un-Microsoft-like in its totally revamped and eminently logical layout. It's the first time I've ever publicly praised Microsoft Word.... I even have a new CLE program on precisely this subject that has been presented already around the country. It can be downloaded as a PDF.
As I've been pointing out in my CLE programs for several years, the next one is a little utility for Outlook users called Anagram. This little $30 Outlook-connected software utility allows you to highlight a name/address block in any program — in a document, in an email, on a Web site — and with a single keystroke, it splits it into individual fields of information and inserts them as an Outlook contact. This is a HUGE timesaver and the difference between saving contacts and not having the time to bother with the tedious manual approach. Thanks to techno-pal Browning Marean from DLA Piper for this tip — it's saved me, as well as hundreds of my clients, a significant amount of time.
Next up would be Metadata Assistant by PayneGroup. It's the first and, in my opinion, still the pre-eminent metadata removal and review tool for Word, Excel and PowerPoint files. In spite of years of educational efforts, a shocking number of lawyers are seemingly unaware of what metadata even is, no less its very real danger and threat to expose confidential information in electronically transmitted documents. And then add in the practical issues related to viewing hidden metadata in electronic documents obtained via discovery in litigation and this becomes perhaps the single most important piece of software that needs to be installed, and in informed use on every single law practice computer worldwide.
WHERE IS THE STATE OF WISCONSIN IN THE MOVEMENT TOWARD ELECTRONIC FILING AND WHAT SORTS OF SOFTWARE WILL THAT REQUIRE?
While this question addresses this issue in Wisconsin, many states are in much the same position in regard to e-filing. I'd say Wisconsin is slightly behind in state-based electronic filing of court documents compared to what I've seen in other states. Of course the Federal Court system has had electronic filing for years through its Pacer system. What Wisconsin lawyers need to prepare for the eventual and inevitable electronic filing in state courts and agencies is the ability to create PDF files from every workstation in their office.
The safest (but most costly) way to do this is using actual Adobe Acrobat (currently version 8 Professional is chock full of useful legal features like Bates stamping, secure redaction, etc. and is the version most should have) and especially to master it's critical functions related to securing PDFs to prevent alteration be recipients and removal of PDF metadata using the Examine Document feature in the latest release. Acrobat also supports secure digital signature technology which may very well be required for verification of online-filed court documents in Wisconsin (and likely other states) in the future.
MANY ATTORNEYS ARE CONCERNED WITH THE SECURITY OF ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION AND ARE THEREFORE HESITANT TO USE IT? ARE THOSE CONCERNS WELL-FOUNDED?
Absolutely. Sending an email containing confidential client or firm information over the Internet makes it disturbingly easy to intercept and exploit. I don't think there's anyone out there today who doesn't get the concept that ordinary email is completely insecure. But the vast majority of lawyers routinely, and in the ordinary course of business, send confidential and sometimes highly sensitive information via email every day.
This poses a fundamental technical ethical issue — if a lawyer knowingly transmits confidential information which they are ethically duty bound to protect over a known insecure medium, could it not be argued that each incident could constitute an ethical violation? It's an interesting subject for debate.
Until we have an explicit ethics opinion or rule that clarifies what obligations a lawyer has to protect confidential client electronic communications, I recommend erring on the side of caution. I tell my clients they should include a "Communications" section in their engagement agreements. It should state something to the effect of:
"We will use Internet email to communicate with you and on your behalf during the course of our representation of you. It is widely known that ordinary Internet email is entirely insecure. If you would like us to engage in something more secure than ordinary Internet email, please indicate so, otherwise we will presume that ordinary Internet email is acceptable."
I believe this satisfies the lawyer's obligation — the client is made aware of the risk and is given an opportunity to opt into some kind of secure/encrypted email approach.
DO YOU FIND RESISTANCE AMONG ATTORNEYS TO ADOPT NEW TECHNOLOGIES? IF SO, WHAT DO THINK IS THE MAIN CAUSE OF THAT RESISTANCE?
Sure. Perpetually. It's not just lawyers — it's most people. Human nature makes us pain avoiders — we tend to gravitate towards the easiest way to do the things we have to do. Change flies in the face of pain avoidance. Most lawyers I've met tend to bristle at the idea of changing their technology and interrupting the daily status quo. Even if logically, they know their practice is inefficient in many areas, they at least have gotten really good at efficiently being inefficient! It's the age-old progress-limiting trap of the devil you know often seems preferable to the one you don't.
The irony here is that the way to break out of that vicious circle and get off the endless treadmill is to step back and streamline practice approaches and procedures to improve client representation and minimize the stress of the reactive situations where fires have to be put out. Of course, alternatively, there's always Prozac.
The minority of my clients continent-wide, however, who see that change can be intensely positive. They see that there are always way to improve a practice approach, and streamline operations and maximize profitability by reducing non-billable administrative time as much as possible through smart application of procedures and technology, and that client service/retention can often be dramatically improved. These firms are the "super-competitors" because they'll eat change-resistant law firms for lunch before the victims even know it has happened.
WHAT IS YOUR OPINION OF VOICE RECOGNITION SOFTWARE IN GENERAL? IN TERMS OF APPLICATION IN THE LEGAL FIELD?
Voice recognition has been around since the mid-1990's in a mainstream sense. But finally, within the last 12 months, after more than 15 years of hype and frustration — voice recognition now works the way most users would expect it to.
The latest version of the leading Dragon NaturallySpeaking voice recognition software is just plain stunning.... It works the way people expect with virtually none of the drawbacks of prior generations such as cumbersome initial "training" requirements. Run it on a contemporary PC with a capable USB-connected headset or an approved handheld digital recorder and people will be blown away by how effective it is. Even if they had bad experiences with prior releases of these products.
Everyone can talk faster than they can type, and with body text being entered into word processing documents, lengthier emails, even time entries and case notes dictated into your case manager, voice recognition and its companion related concept of digital dictation now meet or exceed expectations. Now if only they can overcome the early bad experiences people had that turned them off to earlier iterations of this technology.
Colleague Jim Calloway blogged about the current edition of Dragon NaturallySpeaking (version 9). It's a must-read for TechnoLawyer member Chris Middleton (see his Question below) and everyone else for that matter.
IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU'VE FELT I SHOULD HAVE ASKED YOU THAT I HAVEN'T?
I could go on ad infinitum on topics like why I think law practices would be certifiably nuts not to have mission-critical tools such as case management and document managements systems, the critical distinctions between IT (Information Technology) and LT (Legal Technology), or how effective my Paper LESS Office process has been over the years, or how lawyers using WiFi connections in public wireless hotspots is absolutely insecure and should never be done when transmitting client-related information versus using secure wireless broadband cards offered by cell providers, or how badly law firms tend to apply process and systems training for their lawyers and staff using "memorization" as the modality versus task oriented knowledge-building ... but we can leave those for another day.
A version of the above article originally appeared in Ross Ipsa Loquitur, a legal technology blog written by industry legend Ross Kodner. Ross serves as the president of MicroLaw, which has helped law firms with technology since 1985, and is the only five-time individual Technolawyer @ Award winner, including the lifetime achievement award for Legal Technology Consultant of the Year in 1999. He also contributed to BlawgWorld 2007-08 with TechnoLawyer Problem/Solution Guide.
About TechnoEditorials
A TechnoEditorial is the vehicle through which we opine and provide tips of interest to managing partners, law firm administrators, and others in the legal profession. TechnoEditorials appear first in TechnoGuide, and later here in TechnoLawyer Blog. TechnoGuide, which is free, also contains exclusive content. You can subscribe here.
By Sara Skiff | Friday, January 4, 2008
Coming January 11, 2008 to Fat Friday:
Biglaw Debate Continues; Voice Mail Caveat; Best CLE Ever; Keyboard Regrets; WordPerfect TKO?
By Charles Beach, Myer Sankary, Steven Schwaber, Andrew Simpson, & Harry Steinmetz
In this issue of Fat Friday, Steven Schwaber lays down the gauntlet on the feisty debate regarding biglaw associate salaries and the role of general counsel, Andrew Simpson provides an interesting spin on a previous post about the litigation risks of voicemail, Myer Sankary reviews the State Bar of California's online MCLE programs and shares anecdotal evidence to rebut the recent assertion that lawyers cannot provide useful CLE, Harry Steinmetz reviews his Logitech wireless keyboard and mouse, and Charles Beach explains which word processor remains the only choice to handle his "real work."
How to Receive this Newsletter
Published on Fridays, Fat Friday is a weekly newsletter that features a grab bag full of genuinely useful product reviews and tips on a wide variety of topics. Like all of our newsletters, it's free. You can subscribe here.
By Sara Skiff | Friday, December 7, 2007
Coming December 14, 2007 to Fat Friday:
How GCs Hire Lawyers; Roboform Review; How to Improve CLE; DOS Versus Windows; Amicus Attorney 7
By Eugene Curry, Stephen Seldin, Chanler Sparler, Edward Still, & Chas Watson
In this issue of Fat Friday, Eugene Curry responds to a thread on biglaw associate salaries and shares how he chose lawyers when he worked as general counsel, Chanler Sparler reviews the pros and cons of using Roboform for creating and managing passwords in his busy law practice, Edward Still offers three suggestions for improving CLE, Stephen Seldin reminisces about the glory days before Windows and fancy word processors, and Chas Watson reviews Amicus Attorney 7.
How to Receive this Newsletter
Published on Fridays, Fat Friday is a weekly newsletter that features a grab bag full of genuinely useful product reviews and tips on a wide variety of topics. Like all of our newsletters, it's free. You can subscribe here.
By Sara Skiff | Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Congratulations to American Bar Association — its TechnoRelease on November 26, 2007 sparked the most interest among TechnoLawyer members for the period November 19-December 2, 2007. The copy from this TechnoRelease appears below:
SAVE UP TO $200 ON ABA TECHSHOW REGISTRATION FEES!
By Jasamyn E. Benedict, Director, Marketing and Member Services, Law Practice Management Section, American Bar Association
Register at www.techshow.com Today and Save Up to $200!
New location, new events, new tracks! There is something new for everyone at ABA TECHSHOW 2008!
Join us at the Hilton Chicago from March 13-15, 2008, for the 22nd annual ABA TECHSHOW! New events this year include the James I. Keane Award Presentation and Luncheon on Friday, March 14; ABA TECHSHOW After Dark — with live band and heavy appetizers and exciting door prizes; and five new educational tracks — Client Relationships, Going Green, Paperless Office, Large Firm/Corporate Counsel and Mac Track.
Back by popular demand are Friday's two Solo/Small Firm tracks with eight educational sessions designed for solo and small firm practitioners; the Conference Concierge and Tech Help Desk to assist attendees with technical needs; Taste of ABA TECHSHOW — choose one of several Chicago restaurants to dine and discuss legal tech issues with speakers and experts; 60 Sites in 60 Minutes; and product demonstration sessions.
Additional highlights at ABA TECHSHOW 2008 include:
• More than 60 Educational Sessions in 16 Topical Tracks (with CLE available)
• Two Days of Expo Featuring over 120 vendors
• $20 Book Bucks and 15-20% Discounts on LPM Books
• CD with Loaded Program Materials
• Passport to Prizes
• Complimentary WiFi Access
• Firm/Organization Discounts
• Complimentary USB Drive
The complete program schedule is available now!
Register Today!
Jasamyn E. Benedict
Director, Marketing and Member Services
Law Practice Management Section
American Bar Association
About TechnoRelease
TechnoRelease is a newsletter in which legal vendors tell an ongoing story about their products and services. Every two weeks, we place the most popular TechnoRelease as measured by click-throughs here in TechnoLawyer Blog at no additional charge. Learn more about TechnoReleases and our other marketing opportunities.
By Sara Skiff | Friday, November 30, 2007
Coming December 7, 2007 to Fat Friday:
Death of a Hard Drive; ActiveWords (Keyboard Versus Mouse); CLE Courses; Dell Review; Office 2007 Versions
By Jonathan Cope, Harold Goldner, Deborah Schneider, Ed Schoenecker, & Steven Schwaber
In this issue of Fat Friday, Harold Goldner explains how his solo practice survived a hard drive failure, Steven Schwaber reviews ActiveWords (and our publisher ponders the speed of keyboard commands versus mousing), Jonathan Cope responds to a recent post that criticized CLE seminars, Deborah Schneider reviews her experience with Dell versus other PC makers, and Ed Schoenecker discusses what's missing from Office 2007.
How to Receive this Newsletter
Published on Fridays, Fat Friday is a weekly newsletter that features a grab bag full of genuinely useful product reviews and tips on a wide variety of topics. Like all of our newsletters, it's free. You can subscribe here.
By Sara Skiff | Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Congratulations to RealDealDocs — its TechnoRelease on November 6, 2007 sparked the most interest among TechnoLawyer members for the period November 5-18, 2007. The copy from this TechnoRelease appears below:
CUT YOUR DRAFTING TIME IN HALF
By Ryan Azevedo, RealDealDocs
We are always looking for ways to improve our efficiency, increase our billable hours and not drive ourselves crazy in the process. There is a simple tool that 40 firms in the NLJ 250 are using to dramatically reduce the amount of time needed to draft an agreement and now you can use it too.
A construction project would never begin without a blueprint and you wouldn't consider taking a cross country trip without a map or GPS system to show you where you need to go. The metaphors go on and on but the bottom line is you shouldn't even begin drafting a document until you have a similar document to use as a reference point. If you work in a firm that has a huge library that is continuously updated then you may have some options, although in many cases even those are limited. For lawyers in smaller firms, getting your hands on relevant work product has been extremely challenging.
That's where RealDealDocs can help you. Dennis Kennedy recently included RealDealDocs in his list of Top 10 Hot Products for some very good reasons.
RealDealDocs.com consists of two libraries: a document library featuring almost one million documents, and a clause library featuring over ten million clauses. Both are organized in a simple, intuitive interface that make it very easy to find what you're looking for, the way you think about it. These documents have been drafted by top law firms from across the country, so you are not only finding relevant work product, but you are gaining important competitive intelligence about how leading law firms across the country are negotiating and drafting agreements for their clients.
RealDealDocs is simple to use. For example, if you are looking for examples of entire documents, you can browse through the selections or use the 'Search Documents' feature to focus your search by:
• Specific type of agreement/document
• Governing Law
• Parties
• Law Firms
• Full text search, etc.
Alternatively, if there is a specific clause or deal provision that you are looking for from a particular type of agreement, RealDealDocs makes finding it easy by using the 'Search Clauses' option.
Try it out absolutely free. You can search as much as you want for as long as you want at no cost.
If you love the service, which I'm sure you will, you can join for as little as $49.95 and get the ability to edit save and download documents in a print-friendly format. Click here to search millions of documents and clauses for free.
Ryan Azevedo
RealDealDocs
About TechnoRelease
TechnoRelease is a newsletter in which legal vendors tell an ongoing story about their products and services. Every two weeks, we place the most popular TechnoRelease as measured by click-throughs here in TechnoLawyer Blog at no additional charge. Learn more about TechnoReleases and our other marketing opportunities.
By Sara Skiff | Friday, October 5, 2007
Coming October 11, 2007 to Answers to Questions:
SnapDone Review; Multiple Monitor Secrets; Legal Mac Training; Tabs3; Passwords Plus Review
By Brett Burney, Katrina Curfiss, Charlotte Quiroz, Steven Rosen, & Robin Stickney
In this issue of Answers to Questions, Robin Stickney reviews her firm's experience using SnapDone to manage case-related email, Steven Rosen reviews the VT Book PCMCIA card and UltraMon for multiple monitors, Brett Burney provides some helpful resources for legal professionals switching to a Mac, Software Technology Certified Reseller Katrina Curfiss clarifies some misconceptions about purchasing Tabs3 from a reseller, and Charlotte Quiroz reviews Password Plus for password management.
How to Receive this Newsletter
Published Thursdays, Answers to Questions is a weekly newsletter in which TechnoLawyer members answer legal technology and practice management questions submitted by their peers (including you if you join TechnoLawyer). Like all of our newsletters, it's free. You can subscribe here.
By Neil Squillante | Monday, October 1, 2007
BlawgWorld 2007-08 with TechnoLawyer Problem/Solution Guide is a free eBook in PDF format. Actually, it's two eBooks in one.
BlawgWorld enables you to explore and discover legal blogs (blawgs) without spinning your wheels. It features the best essays of the year from 77 of the most influential blawgs.
TechnoLawyer Problem/Solution Guide uses a question/answer format to help you find solutions to problems commonly encountered by law firms. It contains 185 solutions organized into 58 topics.
Thanks to the eBook's inspired design, you're never more than three clicks away from what you want to read. BlawgWorld 2007-08 with TechnoLawyer Problem/Solution Guide has received glowing reviews from many publications. For example, LLRX writes:
"The substance of both books is exceptional, while the eBook format is innovative and inviting.... [The eBook] was designed to open in just about any PDF viewer and it worked very well in my various tests.... The best part of the entire eBook is that it is free."
Download Your Free Copy Now
BlawgWorld 2007-08 with TechnoLawyer Problem/Solution Guide is truly free — no registration hassles.
So please download your copy now (PDF file).
And then enter our sweepstakes.
By Sara Skiff | Friday, September 14, 2007
Coming September 21, 2007 to Fat Friday:
What Ails CLE?; Yellow Pages Tips; Outlook Add-Ins; Mobile Scanning; Dell Repair Story
By Philip Franckel, Harold Goldner, Mark Klarich, Andrew Weltchek, & John Winkelman
In this issue of Fat Friday, Mark Klarich shares his thoughts on the current state of CLE and how to improve it, Philip Franckel provides some Yellow Pages adverting tips, Andrew Weltchek reviews several Outlook add-ins and general productivity-boosting utilities, Harold Goldner reviews Qipit for mobile scanning, and John Winkelman recounts his first experience with Dell's laptop repair services.
How to Receive this Newsletter
Published on Fridays, Fat Friday is a weekly newsletter that features a grab bag full of genuinely useful product reviews and tips on a wide variety of topics. Like all of our newsletters, it's free. You can subscribe here.
