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Top 25 Legal Technology Products of 2017 Plus 47 More Must-Reads

By TechnoLawyer | Tuesday, January 16, 2018

Coming today to BlawgWorld: Our editorial team has selected the 48 best legal technology articles, podcasts, and videos from the past week. Below you'll find a sampling from today's issue, including our BlawgWorld Pick of the Week. BlawgWorld is free so don't miss the next issue — sign up now.

Congratulations to the winners of the TL NewsWire Top 25 Products of 2017 Awards, which was the Pick of the Week.

Neil Squillante Counts Down the Top 25 Legal Technology Products and Services From 2017 (Podcast)

The Best (Actually Useful) Tech We Saw at CES 2018

Lenovo's New ThinkPads Have Webcam Cover

ABA TECHREPORT 2017

Review: Microsoft Surface Book 2

Laptop Mag CES 2018 Awards

How to Receive BlawgWorld
Our newsletters provide the most comprehensive coverage of both legal technology and mainstream technology of interest to the legal profession. But not the only coverage. BlawgWorld enables you to stay on top of all the noteworthy legal and mainstream technology articles (and podcasts and videos) published elsewhere 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. Subscribe now for free.

Topics: BlawgWorld Newsletter | Coming Attractions | Laptops/Smartphones/Tablets | TechnoLawyer | Technology Industry/Legal Profession

Free Research Reports for Lawyers and Others in the Legal Industry

By Neil J. Squillante | Monday, October 3, 2016

TechnoLawyer Library houses our growing collection of free research reports in PDF format. Reports of this caliber usually cost a fortune, but TechnoLawyer members can download all of them for free. TechnoLawyer membership is also free. Below you'll find links to selected research reports. Click any link to get started.

Lawyer's Guide to a Well-Appointed iPad (Third Edition)

The Egg Theory: What Clients Really Want From Their Lawyers

Why Lawyers Need Not Fear Disruption

Three Common Productivity Tasks That an iPad Performs Better Than a PC

Chill, Grill, and Bill: Summertime Gadgets for Summer-Loving Legal Professionals

TechnoLawyer Demographics 2014

LitigationWorld Quick Start Guide to Mastering Ediscovery

TL Research Buyer's Guide to Legal Billing Software

Can Microsoft Win the Legal Industry's Mobile Race?

TL Research Buyer's Guide to Outlook Add-Ons for Law Firms

TL Research Buyer's Guide to Document Management Systems for Law Firms (Second Edition)

Topics: Accounting/Billing/Time Capture | Document Management | Email/Messaging/Telephony | Laptops/Smartphones/Tablets | Litigation/Discovery/Trials | Practice Management/Calendars | TechnoLawyer | TechnoLawyer Library | Technology Industry/Legal Profession | TL Research

Big News; How to Convert Scans Into Word Documents; Reviews of FineReader, Surface Pro 4; Pixel Pitch

By Kathryn Hughes | Thursday, January 21, 2016

Today's issue of TL Serendipity contains these articles:

Neil Squillante, Big News: TL Serendipity Now Includes TL Answers

Roy Greenberg, How to Convert Scans Into a Word Documents; Review of ABBYY FineReader

Mark Olberding, Review: Surface Pro 4 in a Litigation Practice

Edward Zohn, Tip: Multiple Monitors and Pixel Pitch

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

How to Receive TL Serendipity
Our most serendipitous offering (hence its name), TL Serendipity consists of contributions by TechnoLawyer members who have important information to share. 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 TL Serendipity newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

Topics: Business Productivity/Word Processing | Coming Attractions | Dictation/OCR/Speech Recognition | Laptops/Smartphones/Tablets | Monitors | TechnoLawyer | TL Serendipity

Improve Your Well Being and Looks With These Tips; Multiple Monitors; Legal Technology Marches on; Sony Digital Paper

By Kathryn Hughes | Friday, December 18, 2015

Today's issue of TL Serendipity contains these articles:

Neil Squillante, Six Productivity Tips That Will Improve Your Well Being and One Tip That Will Improve Your Looks

Jeff Stouse, Multiple Monitors in 2015: Resistance Is Futile

Michael Schwartz, How Technology Has Changed Legal Practice That We Take for Granted

Ray Zwiefelhofer, Sony Digital Paper Expands Cloud Storage and DMS Support

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

How to Receive TL Serendipity
Our most serendipitous offering (hence its name), TL Serendipity consists of contributions by TechnoLawyer members who have important information to share. 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 TL Serendipity newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

Topics: Business Productivity/Word Processing | Collaboration/Knowledge Management | Coming Attractions | Email/Messaging/Telephony | Gadgets/Shredders/Office Gear | Laptops/Smartphones/Tablets | Monitors | TechnoLawyer | Technology Industry/Legal Profession | TL Serendipity

TL NewsWire Top 10 and 25 Products of 2015 Awards

By Neil J. Squillante | Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Below you'll find the TL NewsWire Top 10 and Top 25 Products of 2015 Awards — chosen by TL NewsWire subscribers.

When TL NewsWire subscribers read about a product of interest this year and clicked for more details, they passively casted a vote. Passive voting is the most meaningful type of voting for awards. The winners below genuinely attracted the most interest.

As you read about the winning products, you'll notice many that help lawyers create, annotate, and manage documents. Other hot product areas include email, law firm finances, litigation, and PDF. Finally, most of the products offer one or more key integrations, which enables law firms to combine previously siloed products into a cohesive system.

TL NewsWire is free — sign up now so you can choose next year's winners.

Congratulations to all the winners! Without further ado …

WINNERS OF THE TL NEWSWIRE TOP 10 PRODUCTS OF 2015 AWARD

Congratulations to the 10 hottest products of 2015 ranked in order by most clicks!

1. Matter Center for Office 365

Microsoft first previewed Matter Center at the ILTA Conference in August 2014. When Matter Center launched in September 2015 and we reported on it, TL NewsWire subscribers went bananas, vaulting it to a first place finish. Matter Center underscores the enduring popularity of both Microsoft Office and document management in the legal industry.

2. American Legal Style for PerfectIt 3

Fittingly in the year that gave us Ex Machina, American Legal Style for PerfectIt 3 proofreads your Word documents for incorrect citations and other style problems. It's like having Bryan Garner in your computer. Indeed, Garner's "The Red Book" is among the references American Legal Style for PerfectIt 3 can check your documents against.

3. Synergy Tools 1.0

Perhaps no legal software entrepreneur understands the pain of small law firms like Legal Matters Software founder John Ryan. Pretty much a gift to small firms given its $59.95 price, Synergy Tools 1.0 addresses nine pain points encountered daily by legal professionals who live in Windows Explorer.

4. Spark

It takes courage to build an iPhone email app given Apple's not-too-shabby Mail app. However, Readdle's Spark addresses Mail's biggest shortcoming — attachment handling. Spark enables you to attach documents from Dropbox, Box, Google Drive, iCloud Drive, and other cloud services the way your brain works — while writing your message.

5. LiquidText

LiquidText challenges you to use an iPad to annotate documents with interactions that don't exist on a PC but which hail from the world of pen and paper. Unlike Microsoft Word, Acrobat, etc., LiquidText gives your comments just as much of the spotlight as the document on which you're commenting. Apple named LiquidText the Most Innovative iPad App of 2015.

6. Capture.it Time Capture

Passive time capture apps like Capture.it capture the imagination of lawyers because let's face it — tracking your time stinks. Capture.it takes automatic time-tracking to new heights by periodically prompting you to assign captured time to matters, eliminating the need to open Capture.it for a dedicated billing session at the last minute each month.

7. Smokeball

Smokeball burst on the scene this year with a document-centric approach to practice management. Integrations with Word and Outlook and a document assembly engine keep all communications with clients and work product centrally organized. Smokeball also handles the yeoman's chores of practice management such as contacts and calendars.

8. LegalWorks

Uptime Legal merits a tip of our hat as the only company in 2015 that won two TL NewsWire Top Products awards. First up, LegalWorks is a cloud document management system. At many firms, Outlook is the hub through which documents usually arrive and leave. LegalWorks' Outlook integration enables you to save and retrieve documents from within Outlook.

9. iPad Pro

The long rumored iPad Pro arrived along with a first-party keyboard case and digital pencil. Like virtually all Apple products, the iPad Pro resulted in fierce online debates and vitriole among geeks. Meanwhile, lawyers and others who have long craved an iPad with a display the size of a sheet of paper are buying them like hotcakes.

10. LegalNature Pro

Launched in 2011 to offer complex legal documents to people whom LegalZoom doesn't serve, LegalNature found that it had many lawyers among its customers. Enter LegalNature Pro, which enables lawyers to automate their own documents while continuing to use LegalNature's forms.

WINNERS OF THE TL NEWSWIRE TOP 25 PRODUCTS OF 2015 AWARD

Congratulations to the next 15 hottest products of 2015 ranked in order by most clicks!

11. Dragon Professional Individual 14

After fits and starts over the past few years, Nuance has integrated its iconic Dragon Professional desktop software with your iPhone via Dragon Anywhere. Start dictating in your office and continue in your car. Dragon Professional also offers a new help system driven by — what else? — voice commands.

12. Pathagoras On Cloud

Research and development is a way of life at ISPV, which ships a new version of its Microsoft Word add-in Pathagoras every year. In 2015, the company launched Pathagoras On Cloud, which brings the Pathagoras' document assembly tools to a web word processor. This enables you to create documents on any device as there's no need for Microsoft Word.

13. TrustBooks

Trust accounting can seem like more trouble than it's worth — until a client fails to pay a large bill. Unlike other products, TrustBooks focuses exclusively on trust accounts. It offers three-way reconciliation, warns you about low balances, and generates statements for your clients.

14. Lexis for Microsoft Office 5.2

The only product to win two consecutive years, Lexis for Microsoft Office added proofreading tools in 2015. You can find undefined terms and inconsistent phrases. Also new, integration with Lexis Advance brings your research into Microsoft Word for instant access while you're writing.

15. Summation 6

Many litigators don't always have matters in the discovery phase. Summation 6 enables you to use the software as needed rather than commit to a traditional license. It also offers one-stop-shopping as it handles case analysis and transcript management in addition to document review and production.

16. EstateExec

No one likes to plan for their death. EstateExec makes estate planning an easier sell for lawyers as it enables your clients to manage and designate all their assets using their web browser. If you don't like serving as an executor or trustee, EstateExec may help persuade someone else to take on that role.

17. FactBox

Small law firms in particular have embraced web apps for billing, practice management, and more. It stands to reason that these law firms will continue this migration. FactBox brings case analysis to your web browser with all data stored in U.S.-based datacenters.

18. Xero

Hoping to capture QuickBooks users who want a cloud accounting system, Xero rolled out QuickBooks migration this year. The process takes about three hours after which you and others can manage your firm's accounting from anywhere.

19. Worldox GX4

This release of the popular document management system focuses on saving you time through automation. For example, Follow Me Favorites shortens the process of creating a document profile to just naming the document — the same amount of effort as Windows Explorer.

20. SWING Porter for Outlook

Many lawyers view Outlook as a silo as it keeps a matter's email apart from all the other documents. SWING Porter for Outlook exports email in PDF format using your firm's naming convention. You can manually export email or use a timed schedule to automate the process.

21. Uptime Practice

The second winner from Uptime Legal, Uptime Practice enables law firms to move to the cloud without giving up their robust desktop apps such as Amicus Attorney, Needles, PCLaw, PracticeMaster, ProLaw, Tabs3, Time Matters, and WorldDox.

22. Inbox by Gmail

Google reinvented email with Gmail so who better to reinvent it again? Inbox by Gmail surfaces information from email messages so you don't need to open them. A built-in task manager and integrations with Google Keep and Google Now seek to provide missing links for email productivity.

23. Adobe Acrobat DC

After years of not getting the Internet, Adobe leapt ahead with Acrobat DC. The PDF documents you open on your desktop become available on your smartphone and tablet (and vice versa) instantly without the need to move the documents anywhere. The recent integration with Dropbox added more icing to this tempting cake.

24. Soda PDF 7

Soda PDF poses a greater threat to Nitro Pro than to Acrobat as both products compete for price-sensitive law firms that find Acrobat too expensive (especially with Adobe now pushing subscriptions). On this front, Soda PDF costs less than Nitro Pro while providing the features lawyers need such as Bates stamping, PDF-to-Word conversion, integration with scanners, built-in OCR, and more.

25. Amicus Premium 2015

You can set your clock by the annual releases of popular practice management system Amicus Premium. This year brought the Amicus Client Portal for secure communications and file sharing with clients. Unlike standalone portals, the Amicus Client Portal prompts you to bill the time you spend communicating with your clients.

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.

Topics: Accounting/Billing/Time Capture | Automation/Document Assembly/Macros | Business Productivity/Word Processing | Collaboration/Knowledge Management | Document Management | Email/Messaging/Telephony | Laptops/Smartphones/Tablets | Legal Research | Litigation/Discovery/Trials | Online/Cloud | Practice Management/Calendars | TechnoLawyer | TL NewsWire | Utilities

The Inside Story of the Surface Book Plus 66 More Must-Reads

By Kathryn Hughes | Monday, October 26, 2015

Coming today to BlawgWorld: Our editorial team has selected and linked to 67 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.

Automating Legal Bills on My Mac

A Lawyer Reviews Her Apple Watch

Review: Microsoft Surface Book (Wired)

TechnoLawyer and Other Contest Winners

Congratulations to David Pierce of Wired on winning our BlawgWorld Pick of the Week award: The Inside Story of the Surface Book

How to Receive BlawgWorld
Our newsletters provide the most comprehensive coverage of both legal technology and mainstream technology of interest to the legal profession (e.g., monitors, smartphones, scanners, the iPad, and more). But not the only coverage. BlawgWorld enables you to stay on top of all the noteworthy legal and mainstream technology articles (and podcasts and videos) published elsewhere 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. Please subscribe now.

Topics: Accounting/Billing/Time Capture | Automation/Document Assembly/Macros | BlawgWorld Newsletter | Coming Attractions | Gadgets/Shredders/Office Gear | Laptops/Smartphones/Tablets | TechnoLawyer | Technology Industry/Legal Profession

Goodbye Fat Friday; Use Acrobat for Screenshots; WordPerfect X7 for iPad; PC Forever

By Kathryn Hughes | Thursday, January 15, 2015

Today's issue of TL Serendipity contains these articles:

Michael Schwartz, Goodbye Fat Friday

Roy Greenberg, How to Use Adobe Acrobat to Capture Screenshots

Karl M. Rowe, Dispelling Myths About WordPerfect X7 for iPad

Harold Dye, Long Live the Word PC

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

How to Receive TL Serendipity
Our most serendipitous offering (hence its name), TL Serendipity consists of contributions by TechnoLawyer members who have important information to share. 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 TL Serendipity newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

Topics: Business Productivity/Word Processing | Coming Attractions | Laptops/Smartphones/Tablets | TechnoLawyer | TL Serendipity

Reviews of Shadow Protect, OmniPage; The PC Is Dead So Long Live the TC or KC or Something; Fat Friday Is Dead?

By Kathryn Hughes | Friday, December 19, 2014

Today's issue of Fat Friday contains these articles:

Mark R. Ensign, Review: Shadow Protect

Barron Henley, Review: OmniPage for Converting Paper to Microsoft Word

Edward Zohn, Instead of the "TC" I Propose the "KC"

Tom Trottier, Seven Suggested Terms to Replace "PC"

Anthony White, Yes, We Need New Terminology

Mary Kay Cassidy, The PC Is Dead; Long Live the TC

Neil Squillante, Fat Friday Is Dead?

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.

Topics: Backup/Media/Storage | Coming Attractions | Dictation/OCR/Speech Recognition | Fat Friday | Laptops/Smartphones/Tablets | TechnoLawyer | Technology Industry/Legal Profession

The Best Laptops of 2014 Plus 57 More Must-Reads

By Kathryn Hughes | Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Coming today to BlawgWorld: Our editorial team has selected and linked to 58 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.

How I Use Wunderlist to Get Things Done

How to Create S and P in iOS

How to Create S and P in Android

TL NewsWire Top Products of 2014 Awards

Congratulations to Gordon Mah Ung of PCWorld on winning our BlawgWorld Pick of the Week award: The Best Laptops of 2014

How to Receive BlawgWorld
Our newsletters provide the most comprehensive coverage of both legal technology and mainstream technology of interest to the legal profession (e.g., monitors, smartphones, scanners, the iPad, and more). But not the only coverage. BlawgWorld enables you to stay on top of all the noteworthy legal and mainstream technology articles (and podcasts and videos) published elsewhere 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. Please subscribe now.

Topics: BlawgWorld Newsletter | Coming Attractions | Laptops/Smartphones/Tablets | TechnoLawyer | Technology Industry/Legal Profession

TrialPad 4.0 and Legal Software Economics; Defending Windows; The Power and Fury of Microsoft Word

By Kathryn Hughes | Friday, October 3, 2014

Today's issue of Fat Friday contains these articles:

Mark C. Metzger, TrialPad 4.0, Legal Software Economics, and the Risk of Asymmetry

Steve Pena, In Defense of Windows (PEBCAK)

Steve Long, The Power and the Fury of Microsoft Word

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.

Topics: Business Productivity/Word Processing | Coming Attractions | Fat Friday | Laptops/Smartphones/Tablets | Litigation/Discovery/Trials | Networking/Operating Systems | Presentations/Projectors | TechnoLawyer | Technology Industry/Legal Profession
 
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