TechnoLawyer: Automation/Document Assembly/Macros

Coming December 1, 2006 to Fat Friday: Ed Detlie reviews Dymo Stamps online postage service, Thomas Daly explains why automating documents doesn't work for his complex practice, Steven Finell discusses the importance of dates in file names (and the best way to display them), Don Winston sings the praises of a recent TechnoFeature about document management software, and David Caracappa reviews CrypInfo for password management on your desktop and handheld device. Don't miss this issue.

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Published on Fridays, Fat Friday is a weekly newsletter that features a grab bag full of genuinely useful product reviews and tips on a wide variety of topics. Like all of our newsletters, it's free. Please subscribe now.

Coming November 21, 2006 to TechnoFeature: Buying a new pair of shoes is fairly simple — you pick out styles you like, try them on, and go with the pair that fits and looks best. But picking out shoes and picking out a document assembly program are two entirely different animals. In this article, technology consultant and HotDocs expert Seth Rowland takes the guesswork out of your search and arms you with all you need to know about the newest edition of LexisNexis' popular document assembly software — HotDocs 2006. Seth gives you the lowdown on the pros and cons as well as his wish list for future editions. Whether you're new to document assembly or an experienced coder, we think you'll find Seth's exhaustive review helpful in your evaluation process.

How to Receive this Newsletter
Published on Tuesdays, TechnoFeature is a weekly newsletter that contains in-depth articles written by leading legal technology and practice management experts. Like all of our newsletters, it's free. Please subscribe now.

Coming November 17, 2006 to Fat Friday:  W. James Slaughter unveils the secrets to being a happy lawyer, Jay Solomon shares an anecdote that will make you think twice about automating your business correspondence, David Caracappa discusses computers with sex appeal (no, really), and Arthur Rieman reviews the Brother HL-5170DN laser printer. Don't miss this issue.

How to Receive this Newsletter
Published on Fridays, Fat Friday is a weekly newsletter that features a grab bag full of genuinely useful product reviews and tips on a wide variety of topics. Like all of our newsletters, it's free. Please subscribe now.

Coming November 2, 2006 to Answers to Questions: Christel Burris discusses how she resolved her own Word v. WordPerfect debate and has since helped 200 others see the light, William Walker offers up solutions for sticky printer rollers, Janice Wood reviews the Fujitsu ScanSnap S500, and Carol Bratt reviews DataPrompter, a document assembly add-on for Word. Don't miss this issue.

How to Receive this Newsletter
Published Thursdays, Answers to Questions is a weekly newsletter in which TechnoLawyer members answer legal technology and practice management questions submitted by their peers (including you if you join TechnoLawyer). Like all of our newsletters, it's free. Please subscribe now.

Coming October 26, 2006 to Answers to Questions: Ann Byrne reviews the good, the bad, and the ugly of her firm's HP LaserJet 4345xs multifunction printer, Eugenie Rivers reviews Pathagoras for document assembly, and Julie Kiernan offers up a warning to those looking for the right desktop search tool. Don't miss this issue.

How to Receive this Newsletter
Published Thursdays, Answers to Questions is a weekly newsletter in which TechnoLawyer members answer legal technology and practice management questions submitted by their peers (including you if you join TechnoLawyer). Like all of our newsletters, it's free. Please subscribe now.

Coming September 12, 2006 to TechnoFeature: HotDocs 2006. You've heard about it. You've thought about it. But you still haven't upgraded. In this article, attorney, technology consultant, and document assembly guru Marc Lauritsen reviews the latest version of HotDocs, providing pros, cons, a wish list for the next version, and an overall TechnoScore.

How to Receive this Newsletter
Published on Tuesdays, TechnoFeature is a weekly newsletter that contains in-depth articles written by leading legal technology and practice management experts. Like all of our newsletters, it's free. Please subscribe now.

Coming August 3, 2006 to Answers to Questions: Tim Schober explains how he uses Word's built-in document assembly features, Peter Pike reviews his experience with Amicus Attorney's Outlook integration for e-mail, Cynthia Zook discusses how WordPerfect X3 handles metadata, Miriam Jacobson reviews RTG Software as an alternative to QuickBooks and Timeslips (plus we provide links to some very helpful articles on time-billing solutions), and Jed Berliner explains how to scan multiple documents into one PDF file with a ScanSnap. In addition, this issue features links to 5 additional Posts in the TechnoLawyer Archive. Don't miss this issue.

How to Receive this Newsletter
Published Thursdays, Answers to Questions is a weekly newsletter in which TechnoLawyer members answer legal technology and practice management questions submitted by their peers (including you if you join TechnoLawyer). Like all of our newsletters, it's free. Please subscribe now.

Coming July 11, 2006 and July 18, 2006 to TechnoFeature: Most law offices use word processing software and a practice or case management system (CMS) separately. With your word processor (Word or WordPerfect), you store documents in a tree of document folders named after clients and matters. Meanwhile, your CMS separately stores these document names and other information about clients and matters. In this two-part article, technology consultant Wells H. Anderson shares his top ten tips for integrating these powerful law office programs. Let Wells help your firm avoid the common pitfalls and find the keys to creating a profitable system for producing, storing, and using automated documents.

How to Receive this Newsletter
Published on Tuesdays, TechnoFeature is a weekly newsletter that contains in-depth articles written by leading legal technology and practice management experts. Like all of our newsletters, it's free. Please subscribe now.

Coming June 15, 2006 to Answers to Questions: Charles Beach offers up some Timeslips advice based on his ten years of experience with the program, Duane Murphy reviews WORLDOX and how to use it in a successful document management system, Carol Gerber discusses the potential problems in instituting automatic PDF-to-Word conversion, Barron Henley continues his Word v. WordPerfect rant, and Clint Pullin reviews the new "Send for Review" feature in Acrobat Pro 7.0. Don't miss this issue.

How to Receive this Newsletter
Published Thursdays, Answers to Questions is a weekly newsletter in which TechnoLawyer members answer legal technology and practice management questions submitted by their peers (including you if you join TechnoLawyer). Like all of our newsletters, it's free. Please subscribe now.

Coming May 16, 2006 and May 23, 2006 to TechnoFeature: Sure, you've heard of HotDocs — but what other document assembly solutions exist? In this two-part article, technology consultant Seth Rowland explores four of the leading online document assembly systems, and shares what he has learned from interviewing their principal developers. In the first installment, he examines the conventional wisdom of online document assembly systems and the different approaches to document assembly embodied in these product offerings. In the second part, he explores each of the product offerings in detail and identifies the strengths of each system. Armed with Seth's helpful analysis, your firm can choose the product that best fits its workflow.

How to Receive this Newsletter
Published on Tuesdays, TechnoFeature is a weekly newsletter that contains in-depth articles written by leading legal technology and practice management experts. Like all of our newsletters, it's free. Please subscribe now.