TechnoLawyer Blog

Coming today to LitigationWorld: Successfully defending your client from a claim will make them happy. Successfully defending them quickly with a knock-out punch will make them loyal for life. In this issue of LitigationWorld, Seattle litigator Kim Gunning explains the difference between Res Judicata and Collateral Estoppel. She then discusses the scenarios in which you can use these doctrines to preclude claims, and in some cases knock out an entire lawsuit. Also, don't miss the LitigationWorld Pick of the Week for an essential component of closing arguments.

How to Receive LitigationWorld
All practice areas evolve, but none faster than litigation. Written by successful litigators and other litigation experts, LitigationWorld provides you with practical tips related to electronic discovery, depositions, litigation strategy, litigation technology, and trial presentations. LitigationWorld also features in-depth litigation product reviews with accompanying TechnoScore ratings, as well as links to the most noteworthy litigation articles in other publications so that you'll never miss anything. The LitigationWorld newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

Coming today to SmallLaw: The iPad cannot yet practice law on your behalf, but its capabilities expand every day thanks to apps. In this issue of SmallLaw, legal technology consultant Brett Burney reviews the three best iPad document scanning apps he found after an extensive search. These apps can help lighten your load when you're on the road and your scanning needs don't warrant a portable scanner. Brett evaluates the capabilities of these apps, provides tips on how to best use them, and concludes by issuing an iVerdict in which he declares a winner. Also, don't miss the SmallLaw Pick of the Week for the worst law firm web site group photo ever.

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.

Today's issue of TL NewsWire covers an iPad note-taking app that takes security seriously (see article below), an iPhone app for creating lists (including checklists), a service for paperless deposition exhibits, and client relationship management software. Don't miss the next issue.

THE LEGAL IPAD

Most people stop taking notes in their last class in college — well, at least fast and furious notes. By contrast, many lawyers take notes in this manner for their entire career. While the legal pad and other paper note-taking "systems" are not yet in the hearse en route to their grave plots between the addressograph and typewriter, an increasing number of lawyers take notes on their iPads. As the apps improve, more lawyers ditch their pens for styluses.

Penultimate 4.1 … in One Sentence

Launched last month, Penultimate 4.1 is an iPad note-taking app.

The Killer Feature

All smart lawyers protect their computers, including their iPads, with a login. But a single login is insufficient to protect sensitive information — like your notes for example. Realizing this security need, Evernote added an optional passcode lock feature to the new version of Penultimate.

In addition to securing your notes, this feature enables you to create multiple accounts. Thus, you could share an iPad with someone or more likely create an account for each client or at least one for work and one for personal use.

Other Notable Features

Penultimate is part of the Evernote empire. The app is free but unlocking all of its functionality requires an Evernote Premium account, which costs $45 per year. For example, only those with Evernote Premium accounts can use the new passcode feature.

Also, Penultimate includes three paper styles. If you have an Evernote Premium account, you can use all seven collections. Otherwise, each collection ranges in price from 99 cents to $2.99 via an in-app purchase.

Most notably, an Evernote Premium account enables you to sync your notes so that you can access and search them in Evernote, which is available on every platform (unlike Penultimate). Yes, you read that right — Evernote can make your handwritten notes searchable.

What Else Should You Know?

Penultimate's core note-taking features don't require an Evernote Premium account. These include multiple pen tips and colors from which you can choose, notebooks into which you can place notes for organization, and the ability to email or export notes in PDF format. Learn more about Penultimate 4.1.

How to Receive TL NewsWire
So many products, so little time. In each issue of TL NewsWire, you'll learn about five new products for the legal profession. Pressed for time? The newsletter's innovative articles enable lawyers and law office administrators to quickly understand the function of a product, and zero in on its most important features. The TL NewsWire newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

Today's issue of TL Answers contains these articles:

Tom Trottier, How to Create Foolproof Word Templates and a Workflow to Catch Noncompliance

Rick Montgomery, Recommendations for a File Server and Email and Web Site Hosting

Philip Franckel, Review: QuickFile 4 Outlook Lawyers Edition

Brian Conway, A Better Method of Adding Dates to Your Document Names

Don't miss this issue — or any future issues.

How to Receive TL Answers
Do you believe in the wisdom of crowds? In TL Answers, TechnoLawyer members answer legal technology and practice management questions submitted by their peers. This newsletter's popularity stems from the relevance of the questions and answers to virtually everyone in the legal profession. The TL Answers 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 119 articles from the past week worthy of your attention. Below you'll find a sample article from each section of today's issue, including our BlawgWorld Pick of the Week.

2013 Internet Trends Report

A Beginner's Guide to Getting Started With Android

Should You Hire for Function or Fit?

An Important Lesson About Email Marketing

Congratulations to Yardena Arar of PCWorld on winning our BlawgWorld Pick of the Week award: Review of GDoc Binder for Creating Deal and Trial Books

Don't miss today's issue or any future issues of BlawgWorld.

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. BlawgWorld enables you to stay on top of all the noteworthy articles (and podcasts) published online without having to hire a research assistant. Even when you're busy, you won't want to miss each issue's Pick of the Week. The BlawgWorld newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

Coming today to SmallLaw: Cedar Rapids Real estate lawyer Shannon Thompson tried some of the major cloud practice management systems but they didn't suit her workflow needs. So she decided to create her own cloud practice management system. Shannon is not a programmer. In this issue of SmallLaw, you'll learn how Shannon customized and integrated three general business cloud applications to create a practice management system that enables her to manage the client lifecycle from intake to task management to billing to payment and more. Also, don't miss the SmallLaw Pick of the Week for advice on spotting red flags in resumes from job applicants.

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 LitigationWorld: With judges approving the use of predictive coding, it seemed like this technology for quickly finding relevant discovery documents would soon become a standard. Therein lies the problem. As Tom O'Connor reports in this issue of LitigationWorld, fans of predictive coding can't decide how to standardize it so they have split into three camps. It's kind of like Betamax versus VHS. But fear not because Tom also has some good news about traditional ediscovery processing and review software. He points to some products that have changed their pricing models, thus becoming viable for use in small cases. Also, don't miss the LitigationWorld Pick of the Week for the benefits and risks of motions in limine.

How to Receive LitigationWorld
All practice areas evolve, but none faster than litigation. Written by successful litigators and other litigation experts, LitigationWorld provides you with practical tips related to electronic discovery, depositions, litigation strategy, litigation technology, and trial presentations. LitigationWorld also features in-depth litigation product reviews with accompanying TechnoScore ratings, as well as links to the most noteworthy litigation articles in other publications so that you'll never miss anything. The LitigationWorld newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

Today's issue of Fat Friday contains these articles:

Tim Hagan, Thoughts on Office 365 Subscriptions

Beth Allen, Our Nearly Foolproof Document Management System

Mazyar Hedayat, Wanted: A Cloud Bankruptcy Application

Paul Billings, Review: Drafts for iPad for Taking Notes You Won't Lose

Don't miss this issue — or any future issues.

How to Receive Fat Friday
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.

Coming today to BigLaw: While Mark Zuckerberg admonishes his minions to "move fast and break things," that's a recipe for disaster in large law firms — and not just for legal work but also technology projects. Facebook may have more users, but there's a big difference between not being able to tag a photo and not being able to file a brief. Legal technology guru and law firm CIO Matt Berg has overseen many complex technology projects. In this issue of BigLaw, he explains the three keys to keeping these projects on track and within budget. Also, don't miss the BigLaw Pick of the Week for a look at what it takes to become a preeminent law firm and then maintain your preeminence.

How to Receive BigLaw
Large and midsize law firms have achieved unprecedented success yet they still have tremendous growth potential. Written by insiders, corporate counsel, and other industry experts, BigLaw unearths best practices in leadership, marketing, strategy, and technology, and features detailed product reviews with accompanying TechnoScore ratings. BigLaw also ensures that you won't miss anything published elsewhere by linking to insightful articles (and podcasts and videos) about large and midsize law firms, as well as notable press releases issued by the world's largest law firms. The BigLaw newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

Coming today to SmallLaw: Everyone's not a comedian. But thanks to blogs, everyone — or at least everyone with a computer and Internet connection — can become a publisher. However, writing requires time. It's hard work. There's no point unless this investment generates clients for your law firm. Family lawyer Lee Rosen writes nearly daily on his Divorce Discourse blog. His investment has paid off. In this issue of SmallLaw, Lee shares his top 10 secrets for success. You can learn these lessons the hard way or you can read this article instead. Also, don't miss the SmallLaw Pick of the Week for the story of a lawyer who switched from BlackBerry to iPhone.

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.