TechnoLawyer Blog: SmallLaw

Coming today to SmallLaw: We recently described legal billing software as a "must-have" for law firms. Seattle estate planning attorney John Creahan agrees. When he hung his shingle last year, he immediately started evaluating time-billing products. In this issue of SmallLaw, John reviews CaseFox, a cloud (web-based) product. You'll learn about CaseFox's unique pricing, the setup process, how well it handles time-tracking, time entries, trust accounts, invoicing, etc., and whether it can also serve as your practice management system. As with all our formal reviews, John bestows a TechnoScore. Also, don't miss the SmallLaw Pick of the Week for a review of the Ergotech VersaStand, a stand for iPads.

How to Receive SmallLaw
Small firm, big dreams. Written by practicing lawyers who manage successful small firms and legal technology and practice management experts who have achieved rock star status, SmallLaw provides practical advice on management, marketing, and technology issues in small law firms, as well as comprehensive legal product reviews with accompanying TechnoScore ratings. SmallLaw also ensures that you won't miss anything published elsewhere by linking to helpful articles (and podcasts and videos) about solo practices and small law firms. The SmallLaw newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

Coming today to SmallLaw: With companies like Rocket Lawyer trying to drive inefficiency out of legal work product, document assembly has become hot. But is document assembly enough? How about putting your clients to work? Blue Burro's DraftOnce enables your clients to help you create documents by having them fill in the information they know better than you. In this issue of SmallLaw, New Jersey lawyer Ed Zohn reviews DraftOnce. He reports not only on the client participation aspect, but also on its core document assembly functions and integrations with other cloud products. Also, don't miss the SmallLaw Pick of the Week to read about how a solo practitioner charges just $70 per hour yet makes big profits.

How to Receive SmallLaw
Small firm, big dreams. Written by practicing lawyers who manage successful small firms and legal technology and practice management experts who have achieved rock star status, SmallLaw provides practical advice on management, marketing, and technology issues in small law firms, as well as comprehensive legal product reviews with accompanying TechnoScore ratings. SmallLaw also ensures that you won't miss anything published elsewhere by linking to helpful articles (and podcasts and videos) about solo practices and small law firms. The SmallLaw newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

Coming today to SmallLaw: In the old days, a Yellow Page advertisement served as the equivalent of your law firm's web site. Back then, you could pay more for more visibility. But pay to play doesn't work online. In fact, paying to increase your search engine rank can get you into trouble if you run afoul of Google's rules. In this issue of SmallLaw, family lawyer Lee Rosen provides 10 "white hat" search engine optimization tips that will enable your web site to rank better for search terms such as your geographic location and practice areas. Also, don't miss the SmallLaw Pick of the Week for advice on when to report potential legal malpractice claims to ensure coverage.

How to Receive SmallLaw
Small firm, big dreams. Written by practicing lawyers who manage successful small firms and legal technology and practice management experts who have achieved rock star status, SmallLaw provides practical advice on management, marketing, and technology issues in small law firms, as well as comprehensive legal product reviews with accompanying TechnoScore ratings. SmallLaw also ensures that you won't miss anything published elsewhere by linking to helpful articles (and podcasts and videos) about solo practices and small law firms. The SmallLaw newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

Coming today to SmallLaw: HotDocs recently shipped HotDocs Developer 11 for creating document assembly templates and HotDocs User 11 for using these templates. In this issue of SmallLaw, independent legal document assembly consultant Marc Lauritsen reviews HotDocs 11 from the perspective of both first-time and long-time users. He focuses primarily on the new features since the last major upgrade three years ago. Find out if HotDocs 11 can help your law firm automate your document creation. Also, don't miss the SmallLaw Pick of the Week for a tip on how to more quickly access the Acrobat functions you use most often.

How to Receive SmallLaw
Small firm, big dreams. Written by practicing lawyers who manage successful small firms and legal technology and practice management experts who have achieved rock star status, SmallLaw provides practical advice on management, marketing, and technology issues in small law firms, as well as comprehensive legal product reviews with accompanying TechnoScore ratings. SmallLaw also ensures that you won't miss anything published elsewhere by linking to helpful articles (and podcasts and videos) about solo practices and small law firms. The SmallLaw newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

Coming today to SmallLaw: The ABA Model Rules suggest that all lawyers perform pro bono work. But that's a much easier commitment for a junior associate at a mega-firm to make than a solo practitioner or a partner at a small law firm. In this issue of SmallLaw, Gadsden, Alabama lawyer Clark Stewart tackles this issue within the context of his popular A Lawyer's Life series. By chronicling his own positive and negative pro bono experiences, he may help you strike the right balance. As always, you'll find Clark's adventures entertaining and moving. Also, don't miss the SmallLaw Pick of the Week for the pros and cons of starting a law firm in the first place.

How to Receive SmallLaw
Small firm, big dreams. Written by practicing lawyers who manage successful small firms and legal technology and practice management experts who have achieved rock star status, SmallLaw provides practical advice on management, marketing, and technology issues in small law firms, as well as comprehensive legal product reviews with accompanying TechnoScore ratings. SmallLaw also ensures that you won't miss anything published elsewhere by linking to helpful articles (and podcasts and videos) about solo practices and small law firms. The SmallLaw newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

Coming today to SmallLaw: Microsoft's Office 365 is the new way to license Microsoft Office. And 37 different packages exist! You need a user guide to figure out which one to choose. That's exactly what law firm technology consultant Ben Schorr has written in this issue of SmallLaw. Ben explains how Office 365 works, which products it contains, and the five packages, including pricing, that best suit solo practices and small law firms. Thanks to Ben's deconstruction of the options and advice, you won't waste any time. Also, don't miss the SmallLaw Pick of the Week for the scoop on a new cloud practice management system.

How to Receive SmallLaw
Small firm, big dreams. Written by practicing lawyers who manage successful small firms and legal technology and practice management experts who have achieved rock star status, SmallLaw provides practical advice on management, marketing, and technology issues in small law firms, as well as comprehensive legal product reviews with accompanying TechnoScore ratings. SmallLaw also ensures that you won't miss anything published elsewhere by linking to helpful articles (and podcasts and videos) about solo practices and small law firms. The SmallLaw newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

Coming today to SmallLaw: When you return from a business trip, would you prefer scanning a pile of documents or relaxing with a glass of Grand Cru burgundy? Enter the mobile scanner, which enables you to scan documents on the spot. In this issue of SmallLaw, alternative corporate entity lawyer and road warrior Scott Waxman comparatively reviews three mobile scanners. From build quality to real-life scanning speed to setup and ease of use to wireless scanning, Scott covers every angle. We think you'll agree that he deserves a glass of Grand Cru for his work here on behalf of small law firms. Also, don't miss the SmallLaw Pick of the Week to learn how to measure your law firm's profitability.

How to Receive SmallLaw
Small firm, big dreams. Written by practicing lawyers who manage successful small firms and legal technology and practice management experts who have achieved rock star status, SmallLaw provides practical advice on management, marketing, and technology issues in small law firms, as well as comprehensive legal product reviews with accompanying TechnoScore ratings. SmallLaw also ensures that you won't miss anything published elsewhere by linking to helpful articles (and podcasts and videos) about solo practices and small law firms. The SmallLaw newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

Coming today to SmallLaw: The more you use your iPad, the more you realize it needs some assistance. In this issue of SmallLaw, iPad for lawyers expert Jeff Richardson has put together a guide of the best iPad accessories for lawyers based on his tests of dozens of products. You'll find recommendations for an adapter for displaying your screen, a kit for cleaning your screen, an external keyboard, a battery charger, a carrying case, two styluses, and more. Also, don't miss the SmallLaw Pick of the Week for a story about how the founder of a small law firm boosted her income from five to six figures.

How to Receive SmallLaw
Small firm, big dreams. Written by practicing lawyers who manage successful small firms and legal technology and practice management experts who have achieved rock star status, SmallLaw provides practical advice on management, marketing, and technology issues in small law firms, as well as comprehensive legal product reviews with accompanying TechnoScore ratings. SmallLaw also ensures that you won't miss anything published elsewhere by linking to helpful articles (and podcasts and videos) about solo practices and small law firms. The SmallLaw newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

Coming today to SmallLaw: QuickBooks gives many small law firms a proverbial heart attack because of its lackluster time-tracking tools. But they can't stomach a heart transplant so they search for a bypass instead. In this issue of SmallLaw, New Jersey lawyer Edward Zohn reviews Minute7, a cloud application that enables you to record billable time and expenses in desktop and mobile web browsers and send it to QuickBooks for bill creation. It sounds good in theory. Thanks to Ed's extensive testing, you'll learn how well it works in practice. Also, don't miss the SmallLaw Pick of the Week for another tip on using BCC effectively, this time for introductions.

How to Receive SmallLaw
Small firm, big dreams. Written by practicing lawyers who manage successful small firms and legal technology and practice management experts who have achieved rock star status, SmallLaw provides practical advice on management, marketing, and technology issues in small law firms, as well as comprehensive legal product reviews with accompanying TechnoScore ratings. SmallLaw also ensures that you won't miss anything published elsewhere by linking to helpful articles (and podcasts and videos) about solo practices and small law firms. The SmallLaw newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

Originally published in the December 4, 2012 issue of SmallLaw: Having someone proofread your legal writing can result in dramatically better work product and results for your clients. However, proofreaders don't come cheap nor are they all equally talented. Software seems like a more reliable bet. In TL NewsWire, we recently reported on WordRake, a Microsoft Word add-on created by legal writing expert Gary Kinder. WordRake makes grammatical and stylistic suggestions that you can accept or reject. In this issue of SmallLaw, appellate legal writing expert and Ph.D. candidate Joshua Auriemma reviews WordRake to see how well it works — using a recent Supreme Court opinion as his test document. Also, don't miss the SmallLaw Pick of the Week to learn how to assess marketing initiatives before you approve them.

How to Receive SmallLaw
Small firm, big dreams. Written by practicing lawyers who manage successful small firms and legal technology and practice management experts who have achieved rock star status, SmallLaw provides practical advice on management, marketing, and technology issues in small law firms, as well as comprehensive legal product reviews with accompanying TechnoScore ratings. SmallLaw also links to helpful articles in other publications about solo practices and small law firms. The SmallLaw newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.