With technology, a legal department can speak with a single voice, think with a single mind, and act like a partnership even with lawyers dispersed around the world. Consultant Rees W. Morrison discusses 20 techniques that increase coherence and effectiveness in a spread-out department.

I’m more than happy that, as the Pew Foundation reports, the chatter has moved elsewhere: Since 2006, blogging has dropped among teens and young adults while simultaneously rising among older adults. As the tools and technology embedded in social networking sites change, and use of the sites continues to grow, youth may be exchanging ‘macro-blogging’ for [...]

Hubbard One has signed up two major regional law firms as new clients - Dickinson Dees and Flint Bishop LLP.

Dickinson Dees chose Hubbard One to revamp their entire web presence and to help devise a clear client interaction strategy. The project includes a new look and feel for the website, new content and a cutting edge Web 2.0 platform. Andrew Marshall, marketing communications manager at Dickinson Dees, said: "This is about more than just a new website for us. Hubbard One has helped us use this as the catalyst for a wider rebranding project, with our website being the blueprint for communications. The team at Hubbard One has been inspirational during the initial creative planning sessions and we feel this project is the driver we needed to propel our brand forward."

Marshall says the project has allowed the firm to think more holistically about its approach to client marketing and business development. "With our new website utilising Web 2.0 technology, we have lots of exciting plans on the digital front too and we are looking forward to being able to interact with our clients with more online content in the form of videos, blogs and other interactive platforms." Hubbard One will kick off the Dickinson Dees web project in the next few weeks and the firm is aiming for a late summer launch.
 
Over at Flint Bishop LLP, the firm is implementing Hubbard One’s best of breed Client Relationship Management (CRM) solution: Contact Manager Communicator. Carl Weston, head of marketing at Flint Bishop, said: "The firm is aware of the importance of an efficient firm-wide approach to managing our information assets and relationships. This will enable us to be more proactive and targeted by creating marketing initiatives for existing and prospective clients, with a solid bank of knowledge at our fingertips to back up our strategy." (According to the Insider 250 Chart, Flint Bishop previously ran the old Elite Apex CRM system.)

This week’s Daily Record column is entitled “Useful programs and online tools for litigators.”

A pdf of the article can be found here and my past Daily Record articles can be accessed here.

******

Useful programs and online tools for litigators

As I prepared to write my book about cloud computing for lawyers — which will be published later this year by the ABA— I researched different software programs that would make it easier for me to organize my thoughts and keep all of my information readily accessible as I wrote.

Ultimately I settled on Scrivener — www.literatureandlatte.com/scrivener.html — which is available for Mac users only.

Scrivener is a word processor and project management tool that makes all of the documentation and information that you will be using to create a document available in one application. I have found it to be an invaluable tool that is making the process of writing and organizing the information I’ve collected about cloud computing much easier.

As I was using it the other day, it occurred to me that Scrivener easily could make the process of writing and organizing a summary judgment motion simpler and more streamlined.

When I was an associate at a litigation firm, I used to find myself getting frustrated as I flipped through stacks of papers, trying to find a certain document, case or exhibit. Complex cases with large numbers of documents, deposition transcripts and exhibits in particular were difficult to manage. Scrivener, or a program like it, would have made the process so much easier.

To begin with, each portion of the motion, from the notice of motion to the supporting affidavits and the legal memorandum could be treated as a “chapter,” which simply is a folder within the document. The next step is to associate supportive documentation — exhibits, cases, deposition transcripts, etc. — with each section of your motion. While drafting the document, there is a list of associated files alongside of it that can be opened with a click. Associated files can be text files, image files, Web sites, audio files or even videos.

Another very useful resource for a litigator is CriminalSearches.com, a Web site that allows users to conduct a free search to determine whether a witness has a criminal record based on information available in public records. The results are not guaranteed to be 100 percent accurate, but the site does a surprisingly good job.

StreetDelivery — www.streetdelivery.com — is another handy service that provides lawyers with access to to almost 10 million digital images of inter- sections located throughout the United States. Although the database does not yet include photographs of every part of the United States, most of the East Coast already is available within the database. If the particular intersection or location, such as a parking lot, that you are interested in is not included, you can submit a special request for a photo via the Web site, and it will be delivered the next day. The service charges $109 per request for solos and small firm lawyers.

Finally, there are a number of smart phone applications that assist lawyers in calculating the date of a deadline. There are a number of iPhone apps of this type, which can be located in the App Store, including DaysFrom ($0.99), DateCalcPro ($1.99), DateCalc ($4.99) and Court Days ($0.99). For lawyers with BlackBerrys, DateMathica ($4.99), from Shrunken Head Software is good alternative. Another program, Date Wheel — creativealgorithms.com/date- wheel.html — is a due date calculator app that is compatible with a number of different smart phones, including Centro ($14.95), iPhone ($2.99), Pre ($14.95) and any other phone that can access the mobile Web. Finally, another app with a similar name, DateWheel, is available from Interstate Web Group users of Android ($0.99).

As you can see, there are a number of interesting programs, Web sites and services available to litigators. Those I’ve listed are just the tip of the iceberg, but hopefully they will make your life just a little bit easier.

Here's the latest job to go up on the LegalTechnology.com jobsboard...

SolCase Developer
Henmans LLP, Oxford, Salary negotiable, 12 month contract
Solcase developer required for 12 month contract (with possible further extension). To take responsibility for day to day maintenance of a wide range of case types. Must have sound knowledge of Solcase and be able to hit the ground running. Any experience of SOS would be desirable but not essential. For further information please contact Colin Paice at colin.paice@henmansllp.co.uk NO AGENCIES

ARMA International and ILTA invite you to submit presentation proposals for LIT-Con 2010-the premier event for mastering information governance throughout the law firm, organization, or corporation. Only the most relevant topics and current concerns will be addressed by top leaders... JoAnna Forshee / InsideLegal.com

US and UK members and judges to share thoughts on technology, e-disclosure and compliance

 

Women in eDiscovery, a non-profit organization that brings together women interested in technology related to the legal industry, today announced that it will host an interactive educational session at Legal IQ’s fifth annual Information Retention & E-Disclosure Management Summit in London. The conference will be held at the Dexter House, Tower Hill, London on May 18-19. Women in eDiscovery co-founder, Shawnna Childress, and Director of the London Group, Laura Kelly, will host a two-part interactive educational session that delves into developments in the law and practice of disclosure and the application of technologies that effectively reduce costs and assist with compliance as it pertains to litigation.

Read more...

Additional 132 Terabytes of data storage yields nearly 50% increase in DTI’s total capacity

Document Technologies, Inc. (DTI), the nation’s largest independent provider of legal support services and document outsourcing, announced today the addition of 132 Terabytes of storage from BlueArc® Corporation to support DTI’s growing e-discovery service offering. The expansion represents an almost 50 percent increase in total data storage space at the company’s National Technology Center in Atlanta.

Read more...

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I recently wrote the following guest post at That Credit Union Blog:

• Facebook Fan Pages Offer a Ready-Made, Effective Social Media Presence

I also recently began guest blogging at the Firmex Online Document and Collaboration blog. My posts appear every Tuesday.  If you’re interested in cloud computing and other technology issues for lawyers you may enjoy these posts.  Here are some of my most recent posts:

• Alternatives to Expensive and Time-Consuming Air Travel
• Encrypted Client Communications–the Wave of the Future

Last Friday evening saw the IntraLinks Advisor Cup 2010 – a 5-aside football tournament organised by virtual dealroom specialists IntraLinks for members of the banking and legal community. A total of 16 teams, representing some of the UK's leading M&A and legal advisory firms, including Linklaters and Clifford Chance, took part. In the final, Grant Thornton (in blue) beat Clifford Chance (in yellow) in a closely fought game.

Opponents of Chicago's handgun ban in McDonald v. Chicago argued that the high court should solely rely on secondary sources and not digital searches of original material that aim to prevent "Barbie dolls in the archeological dig," where advocates read modern facts into the historical record.

Lawyers using or interested in learning more about social media who will be in St. Louis on March 23 have a great opportunity to learn about social media and ethics and pick up a couple of CLE ethics hours. I'm excited to be one of the speakers on an excellent panel with legal ethics expert Mike Downey and The Bar Plan's Christina Lewis Abate.

The seminar is called "The Ethics of Social Media" and the details can be found here.

We'll cover differences between LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, the basics of how to use each platform, including privacy settings, ad purchasing and disclaimer requirements, plus how to avoid potential pitfalls including a review of recent case law and rules of advertising, malpractice avoidance, and model social networking policies. We're also planning to have plenty of Q & A.

The pricing ($95) is great, especially for the number of ethics credit. There's a special deal ($30) for law students.

The Bar Assoication of Metropolitan St. Louis' Young Lawyers Division is sponsoring the event at BAMSL's downtown St. Louis headquarters.

Highly recommended. Help us get the word out about this one. Hope to see you there.

BAMSL members may register here.

Can't make it on the 23rd? Give the new episode of The Kennedy-Mighell Report podcast, "Social Media Common Sense," a listen.

[Originally posted on DennisKennedy.Blog (http://www.denniskennedy.com/blog/)]

Follow my microblog on Twitter - @dkennedyblog. Follow me - @denniskennedy

Now Available! The Lawyer's Guide to Collaboration Tools and Technologies: Smart Ways to Work Together, by Dennis Kennedy and Tom Mighell. Visit the companion website for the book at LawyersGuidetoCollaboration.com. Twitter: @collabtools

Technorati tags: legal technology podcast social media ethics seminar CLE

Users fine new application helpful in monitoring contracts and other deadlines

Legal Files Software Inc., a leading case and matter management software company, has created a new notification service application that monitors user-defined dates and deadlines and sends email notifications for any number of key dates or milestones, which provides users an improved way to handle important follow up on contracts and matters.

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Enables Corporations and Law Firms to Bring eDiscovery In-House with Framework for Cloud Computing Security, Privacy, Control, Risk and Cost

CaseCentral, the leader in secure, cloud-based eDiscovery software for corporate counsel and law firms to simplify and take control of eDiscovery, today announced the blueprint for cloud-based eDiscovery. The blueprint provides corporations and law firms with an evaluation framework for eDiscovery security, privacy, control, risk and cost practices when considering cloud-based eDiscovery. 

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Nabarro LLP deploys the BigHand for BlackBerry® Dictation App to 460 lawyers

BigHand, the leading voice productivity vendor in the global legal community, has today announced that Top-30 law firm Nabarro LLP has deployed BigHand for BlackBerry® smartphones to 460 lawyers in one of the largest deployments of a BlackBerry dictation application globally. The BigHand for BlackBerry deployment will enable lawyers to get more tasks done when working remotely, enhance client service and is part of a firm-wide refresh of mobile devices that is expected to reduce costs by up to 40%.

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The 2010 Hildebrandt Client Advisory paints a grim picture for Big Law. 

The report, prepared jointly by Hildebrandt and Citi Private Bank, notes that “While the year ended with some hopeful signs, we enter 2010 with little prospect of a robust recovery and with mounting evidence that the profession is entering an era in which the fundamental economics of legal practice are likely to be significantly different.” Some key findings:

• Among almost 200 firms Citi surveyed, 2009 demand fell 4.1% from 2008 (for prior 6 years, it increased 4% per year).
• The NLJ 250 laid off more than 5,000 lawyers in 2009, over 4%.
• 2009 expenses dropped over 5% in 2009 in contrast to almost 10% annual increases for the prior 8 years
• The 21st century legal market boom rested on price (rate) increases. Other factors - productivity, leverage, realization, and expense control - did not contribute to profit growth
• “It is highly doubtful that [resistance to rate increases] will abate as the economy begins to improve.”

What’s a law firm to do? Firms “that choose to ignore this fundamental shift in the market and go back to ‘business as usual’ as the economy begins to recover are likely to find themselves increasingly out of step with their clients’ expectations and at a growing competitive disadvantage.” A sizable portion of the report addresses the challenge with a discussion of new metrics that firms should track.

Only hinted at, however, are some ways firms might move the new metrics. Clients want to unbundle services and use lower cost providers. So “firms will need to recalibrate their leverage models, perhaps incorporating greater numbers of non-partner track associates or other categories of staff attorneys, contract lawyers, or even outsourced resources.”

I can’t tell from the report if firms as they operate today can do well on the new metrics. Even before I read this report, it’s not been clear how much further firms can go with minor adjustments. I don’t mean to downplay the very painful steps firms have taken. As I’ve said previously though, cuts in 2008 and 2009 were emergency measures, not considered changes to the business model. How much more juice can firms get from, for example, cutting more equity partners or substituting more contract lawyers for associates.

At some point, the existing business model may snap. Firms may fail to attract and retain new talent. Or the weight of $200k overhead per lawyer may pull a firm down. But Big Law can’t easily transform to some other model such as a virtual law firm, a boutique, a firm based on alternative fees (e.g., Bartlitt Beck or Valorem Law), or a staffing agency type operation such as Axiom.

For BigLaw to prosper, it will need to adopt ideas that have been out in the market for quite some time. These include client-facing technology to increase value for clients, internal systems to improve efficiency, serious knowledge management to support alternative fee arrangements, project and process management to improve practice efficiency and effectiveness, working virtually to reduce occupancy costs and free lawyers to bill more time, business intelligence to analyze profits and make smart resource allocations, outsourcing support functions to reduce overhead, and outsourcing high-volume, low-end legal work to improve client value. In a few years, we will know if this is enough.

• Swerdlove has now made some final programme amendments for its Techshare practice management forum in Sydney this coming Friday (12th March) – see attachment

• Over in the US, on the eve of the ABA TechShow in Chicago, LexThink LLC and InsideLegal.com have teamed up to produce Ignite Law, a three hour, interactive and hopefully thought-provoking event focused on the future of legal practice. Ignite Law, being held at Chicago’s Hilton on March 24, 7:00-10pm, will feature 10-15 six-minute presentations given by the legal industry’s leading minds and innovators.
 
Ignite Law 2010’s theme “the future of law practice in six-minute increments” is designed to bring together the most creative and thought-provoking ideas focused on the profession’s future. The ABA Law Practice Management Section, which is producing the annual ABA TechShow following Ignite Law (March 25-27) is one of the headline sponsors of the event, and providing the evening’s venue at the Hilton. The ABA Journal and its popular Legal Rebels initiative is the other main sponsor and will be providing coverage of the event via its websites, publications and blog outlets. Ignite Law will follow a six-minute presentation format, in honor of attorneys’ six-minute billing increments.

Peach New Media will be recording the sessions – and plan to provide a live stream of the event. www.peachnewmedia.com All Ignite Law content will also be available post event at www.insidelegal.com as well as at www.ignitelaw.com

• Staying in the US, Omega Legal Systems is hosting a free webinar on 23rd March at 1:00pm Eastern time on how the company's eCop product can automate compliance with client billing rules and save law firms hours each month previously spent on reviewing, correcting and appealing rejected bills.
www.omegalegal.com/eCopWebinar

• Finally, back in Sydney, at 4:00pm, on 17th March, Client Profiles and Ensyst are holding a seminar on How Microsoft SharePoint and CRM4Legal is Radically Changing the Way Law Firms Manage Client Relationships. For details email dblumentals@clientprofiles.com
 

Arno Nel, Sword’s Sharepoint principal consultant and Microsoft MVP has launched a new Sharepoint social networking site this week called SPOINT. For more details on SPOINT please visit Arno’s SharePoint Magazine site
http://sharepointmagazine.net/featured/spoint-me-the-sharepoint-social-network and to join SPOINT visit here
http://spoint.me/

Tom Mighell and I have recorded another episode of The Kennedy-Mighell Report podcast and it's now available on the Legal Talk Network and on iTunes, with an RSS feed here. The episode is called "Social Media Common Sense" (show notes here), and it's sponsored by Bill4Time. A special thank you to readers of this blog who listen to the podcast - we're very pleased with the growing numbers of downloads the podcast is getting.

Here's the episode description:

Hardly a day goes by without lawyers hearing that they need to be diving into social media. And many are already there - on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and other platforms. Google stumbled on privacy on its launch of its new social media platform, Buzz. The privacy and security concerns in social media are very real. Tom and Dennis take a practical at what you must understand to take control of your security and privacy, from basic account settings to smart approaches to social media common sense.

I recently wrote a column for the ABA Journal on the basics of privacy and security for lawyers using Facebook. The article got such a positive response that we thought it would make a good topic for our podcast. After the recent privacy stumbles at the launch of Google Buzz, we decided to expand the topic to cover social media in general.

The podcast takes a very practical look at some of the things you need to be wary of and, more important, practical steps you should be taking to protect your privacy and security while making effective use of social media platforms. From passwords to privacy settings and friend lists to good judgment, we make the case for applying common sense to use fo social media. Take a listen and see if we convince you.

I also suggest that you take a look at my ABA Journal column called Saving Face.

In our "things we've been talking about" segment, Tom and I talk about our actual experience with Google Buzz, including my concern that Buzz suggests that Google is abandoning Google Wave. I also express my frustration with the usability problems I find with Buzz. Tom takes a calmer approach.

We end the podcast with our Parting Shots - practical tips you can use right away. Tom points to another new Google tool - Google Moderator - that provides a way to obtain feedback. I note how I like a program called Mobipocket Creator for converting PDF documents into Kindle-ready formats and a cool new webpage you can use as your default home page in your browser at http://fav4.org.

Give our new episode a listen and let me know what you think. Show notes for the podcast are at here.

And try some of the back episodes as well.

THE KENNEDY-MIGHELL REPORT PODCAST IS NOW ON TWITTER. You can now follow the podcast on Twitter at @tkmreport.

[Originally posted on DennisKennedy.Blog (http://www.denniskennedy.com/blog/)]

Follow my microblog on Twitter - @dkennedyblog. Follow me - @denniskennedy

Now Available! The Lawyer's Guide to Collaboration Tools and Technologies: Smart Ways to Work Together, by Dennis Kennedy and Tom Mighell. Visit the companion website for the book at LawyersGuidetoCollaboration.com. Twitter: @collabtools

Technorati tags: legal technology podcast social media privacy collaboration

Whether employers may review or monitor private e-mails, web histories and other electronic communications of employees on company-issued computers, cell phones, pagers, and the like has been the subject of much debate. Attorney Madelaine S. Baio looks at recent rulings on the issue.