Setting up a paperless office only requires buying some hardware and software, but successfully maintaining a paperless office requires re-defining your everyday workflows. Our paperless faculty will show you how to streamline the logistics around your digital documents after the scanner – when you need to manage them, store them, and most importantly, find them later. This session will help you truly become victorious in your paperless quest!

This webinar is part of the ABA TECHSHOW Summer Series reproducing some of the highest rated programs from the Conference for bringing lawyers and technology together. These sessions will help you become more proficient in your use of technology in your practice.

Date: September 10, 2015
Time: 12:00-01:30 p.m. CT
Event: Beyond the Scanner: Paperless Workflows That Work
Sponsor: American Bar Association
Registration: Click here to register.
More Info: Click here for more information.

What You Need to Know: Cloud Storage, Document Assembly, and Ethics

Anyone who knows me, know that I am a huge proponent of a paperless office and the use of cloud storage. As such, I am thrilled to be participating in a presentation called: What You Need to Know: Cloud Storage, Document Assembly, and Ethics. This seminar is being presented by the Standing Committee on Legal Technology from Illinois State Bar Association.

The program is on September 24, 2015, from 1 to 5:15 CT, and you can attend live at the Chicago Regional Office, or attend via a live webcast. You need not be an ISBA member to attend (although the registration fee is higher for non-members). My sessions is described as:

3:15 – 4:15 p.m.  Your Paperless Office*
Paper…files filled with paper…cabinets filled with files….all of these things takes up space around the office and makes it difficult to find what you need when you need it. This informative presentation explains what “going paperless” means and shows you how to get started – from choosing the proper electronic file format to knowing which type of equipment and software you need.

There will also be sessions on Cloud Storage for Lawyers, Document Assembly, and The Ethics of Cloud Technology and Electronic Files.

Just about everyone can benefit from this program and I urge you to attend. Click here to register.

 

Recently I recorded a presentation for National Business Institute that will be broadcast on June 25, 2015. It is on digitizing your documents and converting to a paperless office. I presented with Aaron Brooks and Dean Dietrich, both of whom are great people and great presenters. I urge you to check the webcast out. A description of the program from NBI appears below.

Maintaining and incorporating digitized documentation into your office’s daily routine needs much attention and can slow your practice down. Let our faculty guide you through some of the most common hurdles that will come across your desk as you continue to sort out the best way to digitize your office. Register today!

  • Determine what to do with those original back-stock of client documents.
  • Find out if the cloud storage system is right for your office.
  • Gain practical organization and filing tips for new paper documents as they enter the office.
  • Adopt best practices for protecting files from unauthorized access or inadvertent changes.
  • Weigh your options carefully: know which insurance coverage will protect your office from data breaches.
  • Learn how to avoid ethical missteps in running your paperless law office.
  • Ensure employee access to shared files without jeopardizing efficiency or client confidentiality.
Date: June 25, 2015
Time: 09:00-16:00 CT
Event: Handling and Digitizing Original Documents
Sponsor: National Business Institute
Registration: Click here to register.

ABA Techshow Podcast

While I was at ABA Techshow, I had the opportunity to be on a podcast from Legal Talk Network. I had the pleasure of sharing the podcast with Nancy Duhon and Ernie Svenson, both of whom had great thoughts that they shared Legal Talk Networkon the podcast.

You can listen to the podcast here. While there, you should check out the other podcasts recorded at Techshow.

Join Me at ABA Techshow

Next week I am speaking at ABA Techshow. I have the immense pleasure of speaking with Jim Calloway on the subject of Beyond the Scanner: Paperless Workflows that Work. It is real honor to speak with Jim, who is one of the real leaders in this country on issues of law practice management.

TS15_logo_bwAdditionally, we are speaking on a subject that is near and dear to my heart. Our session kicks off  on Thursday morning at 8:30 and we would be thrilled to see you there.

Even if you do not make it to our session, I cannot urge you strongly enough to attend. ABA Techshow is filled with a number of great sessions that touch on just about any topic applicable to the intersection of technology and the practice of law. I have attended several shows and have always found them immensely valuable and educational.

If you are attending, I also urge you to attend a Taste of Techshow dinner. This is your opportunity to have dinner with attorneys from all over the country, as well as one or more Techshow presenters. The deadline to sign up via the internet to a Taste of Techshow dinner is Monday, April 13, 2015. There are still several dinners with available spots, including my dinner that I am co-hosting with Nerino Petro, an amazing and brilliant legal technologist.

Our dinner is Thursday evening at South Water Kitchen.

Even if you don’t attend my dinner, please consider picking another dinner to attend, but you really should attend both Techshow and Taste of Techshow.

A Great Offer From Lit Software

I’m a huge fan of both TrialPad and TranscriptPad made by Lit Software. They are both really easy to use and work really well. If you do any sort of litigation at all, both of these apps are a must for you.

TrialPad works not just at trials, but also at meditations, arbitrations, contested LitSoftwarehearings, depositions, and client meetings. And TranscriptPad is my absolute favorite transcript management resource. I use it all of the time and have found that it makes reviewing and TrialPadannotating transcripts a breeze. I also really like the reports that I can export from TranscriptPad.

These programs normally cost $90 each. I received an email from Lit Software today, however, that tells me that starting today through Friday, March 6, you TranscriptPadcan purchase both apps in their Ultimate Litigation Bundle, for $140. This is a great deal. If you do not have these apps, I urge you to go check them out and pick them up before Friday.

The Ultimate Litigation Bundle is available directly from the app store here.

 

I’m Going to Oklahoma!

If you saw my Twitter Feed earlier this week, you probably guessed the news that I was not yet ready to share: I have been invited to speak at the 2014 Oklahoma Solo & Small Firm Conference. Needless to say, I am absolutely thrilled at this opportunity and am looking forward to my first visit to Oklahoma.

OK Solo and Small Firm ConferenceThe conference is June 19-21, 2014 at the Hard Rock Casino Resort in Tulsa.

I will be participating in four sessions.

On June 20, I will be participating in:

  • 60 Tips in 60 Minutes, with Jim Calloway and Jeff Taylor.
  • How I Leverage Technology to Improve My Solo Practice. Plenary Session.

On June 21, I will be participating in:

  • Remote Communications: Practicing from a Coffee Shop or other Remote Location
  • What’s Hot and What’s Not in Management & Technology, with Jeffrey Taylor, Jim Callowayand Jody Nathan.

Another Reason I Am Glad I Am a Solo

This morning, like every Friday morning, I received an email from the ABA with a roundup of the top stories of the week. One was about an attorney in California who requires all of the male attorneys at his firm to wear a tie every day.

Now I could not care less what this guy likes to wear, or how he runs his law firm. If he believes that wearing a tie everyday makes him more successful, then more power to him. Although I love the linked article (downloads as a PDF) in which he shows off his various accessories, including his pocket square, reading glasses, cufflinks, watch, and sevenfold tie.

I find hilarious, however, that he criticizes younger attorneys because “They rely on social media for their news and to exchange information with others, causing them to frequently examine their smartphones for updates, even in the middle of discussions with others.”

I agree that one should not examine smartphones for updates while in the middle of a discussion. However, I fail to understand why it is bad for attorneys to use social media to gather news and to exchange information with others.

Regardless, I am just glad that I work for myself, so I can choose how I run my office, and how I dress.

 

I Will Be Speaking At ABA Techshow 2014

I can’t believe that I have not mentioned this, but I will be speaking at ABA Techshow 2014. The title of my session is Leveraging Technology for Practice Efficiency. The session will be on Thursday, March 27, at 4 pm.

I will be presenting with Victor Medina, which I am thrilled to do. I have long been a fan of his podcast SmartTalk, which he does with Mark Merenda.

Techshow 2014I am a big fan of this conference and it is a true honor to be asked to speak. If you have been considering attending this year’s show, now is the time to act. Early Bird registration ends on February 10.

Having attended the show both as a speaker and an attendee, I can assure you that it is well worth the investment of the time and money. I have attended many informative sessions at past shows. Additionally, I have always found interesting new technology in the Expo Hall, which is absolutely free to visit.

Securifi Almond Router

I have discovered a new router that I absolutely love. It is the Securifi Almond Touchscreen Wireless Router/Range Extender. You can pick it up on Amazon for $90.

Almond_The thing that I love about this device is that it is unbelievably easy to set up. On the Amazon page, they promise a 3 Minute Setup. This was certainly true for me. I daresay, that it would be true for most people.

The innovative concept is that the controls are operated by the touchscreen on the side of the device. You don’t have to log in to it from your computer, or any other device. Instead, you plug it in and follow the directions that appear on the touchscreen.

Really, it is that simple. You can easily change the name of your network and the password to access it. Again, you do all of this through the touchscreen. Best of all, the device works either as a router or a range extender. I bought two for my house. One I use as a router. The second I have upstairs and use as a range extender.

The setup for the range extender was just as easy as setting if up as a router. In addition to its ease of use, you can also choose to have the display go dark, or show either the time or the weather.

The only thing that I did not like about the router was that it has only two Ethernet connections. This problem was easily solved by adding a switch to the network. However, I would prefer a couple of more connections.

If you are in the market for a new router or a range extender, or if you are looking for one to purchase for that relative that might be technologically challenged, I urge you to check out the Securifi Almond.