TechnoLawyer: Business Productivity/Word Processing

Originally published in the May 10, 2012 issue of SmallLaw: Mulder and Sculley have long since retired, but one of the great mysteries of our time has nonetheless been solved. Much like Deep Throat, Google itself recently unveiled its long-rumored Google Drive. In this issue of SmallLaw, cloud application expert and law practice advisor Erik Mazzone reviews Google Drive from the small law firm perspective. Erik analyzes Google Drive's storage, pricing, desktop and mobile functionality, web interface, feature set, and security. In short, it's the most comprehensive review of Google Drive not only among legal publications but among all publications. Also, don't miss the SmallLaw Pick of the Week for 10 tips on how to write articles for client development.

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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 links to helpful articles in other publications about solo practices and small law firms. The SmallLaw newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

Originally published in the May 1, 2012 issue of SmallLaw: The United States Postal Service's glory days are long gone, but virtually all law firms still use mail. In this issue of SmallLaw, law firm technology consultant Ben Schorr explains how to wring more productivity from Microsoft Word when creating and printing envelopes and labels. Even if you're a power user, you probably don't know about all of these power tips — plus Ben also discusses POSTNET bar codes. So keep this article close at hand the next time you power up Microsoft Word. Also, can lawyers work in cubicles? Don't miss the SmallLaw Pick of the Week for a law firm that answered this question by experimenting with an open office design.

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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 links to helpful articles in other publications about solo practices and small law firms. The SmallLaw newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

Originally published in the April 24, 2012 issue of SmallLaw: You've just written a world-class brief. Time to send it to your word processing department to create a table of authorities. What's that? You work in a small law firm and don't have a word processing department? Okay then just give it to your assistant. She still creates a table of authorities manually? Well, you're in luck. In this issue of SmallLaw, law firm technology consultant and Microsoft Word guru Ben Schorr provides step-by-step instructions for automatically generating a table of authorities in Microsoft Word. Make this article required reading at your firm. Also, don't miss the SmallLaw Pick of the Week for 19 alternatives to hiring your first (or next) law firm employee.

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 links to helpful articles in other publications about solo practices and small law firms. The SmallLaw newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

Originally published in the April 10, 2012 issue of SmallLaw: Thanks to legal legal technology consultant and iPad expert Brett Burney, you've now have the best iPad stylus, the best note-taking app, and the best signature capture app. In this issue of SmallLaw, Brett continues his series with what may become his most popular article yet — the best iPad app for annotating PDF files (highlights, notes, drawings, etc.). As usual, Brett puts three apps through the paces, and then declares a winner for the specific needs of solos and small law firms. Also, don't miss the SmallLaw Pick of the Week for a complete list of all the apps discussed at the 2012 ABA TECHSHOW'S 60 Apps in 60 Minutes seminar (Brett was among the presenters).

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 links to helpful articles in other publications about solo practices and small law firms. The SmallLaw newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

Originally published in the August 13, 2012 issue of LitigationWorld: "I want to use my last peremptory challenge for him. No, wait! I mean her." The perils of jury selection. One dropped or misplaced stickie note can wreak havoc. Because litigators often conduct voir dire while standing, the iPad is better-suited for this process than a laptop and less prone to human error than old school methods. In this issue of LitigationWorld, litigation technology consultant Brett Burney reviews the three leading jury selection apps and declares his iVerdict. Also, don't miss the LitigationWorld Pick of the Week for research on how people (such as jurors) perceive men (such as you) based on their hair or lack thereof.

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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.

Originally published in the March 20, 2012 issue of SmallLaw: "Take out the papers and the trash. Or you don't get no spending cash." These opening lines from the Coasters' biggest hit pretty much sums up law practice. Except you've got way more than two tasks with more arriving by the minute in your Outlook inbox. In today's issue of SmallLaw, Microsoft Office expert Ben Schorr divulges the secrets of Outlook's To-Do Bar. Once you apply these tips to create a prioritized task list, you'll have plenty of time for some yakety yak. Also, don't miss the SmallLaw Pick of the Week for some advice on why you should "think different" about iPad upgrades.

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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 links to helpful articles in other publications about solo practices and small law firms. The SmallLaw newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

Originally published in the March 7, 2012 issue of SmallLaw: "Please sign on the dotted pixels." While we doubt you'll ever speak these words to a client or anyone else from whom you need a signature, you and other lawyers should start asking people to sign documents on your iPad to save time (it's also impressive, which never hurts). In today's issue of SmallLaw, legal technology consultant Brett Burney who has a growing lawyer iPad training business reviews three iPad signature apps that work with PDF files. In this review, Brett pulls no punches, giving one app a bruising TechnoScore of C-. But don't worry. Brett awards an A+ to the winner of this dust up. Also, don't miss the SmallLaw Pick of the Week for a review of Nuance's new PaperPort Notes iPad app (formerly Noterize, which Nuance acquired).

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 links to helpful articles in other publications about solo practices and small law firms. The SmallLaw newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

Originally published in the February 28, 2012 issue of SmallLaw: Do you often spend too much time formatting your Word documents? Or more precisely, figuring out how to eliminate some unwanted formatting? In today's issue of SmallLaw, Arizona Microsoft Office technology professional Ben Schorr offers a way out of this mess. You've probably read articles espousing the virtues of using Styles, but Ben goes way beyond the usual advice. You'll learn how to fix a formatting problem in just a few seconds, the different ways to format a Word document, two ways to "reveal codes" without buying an add-on, and two use cases for Styles in a small law office, both of which may make you cry tears of joy. Also, don't miss the SmallLaw Pick of the Week to learn what's probably missing from your engagement letter.

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 links to helpful articles in other publications about solo practices and small law firms. The SmallLaw newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

Originally published in the February 21, 2012 issue of SmallLaw: Like Matthew McConaughey in The Lincoln Lawyer, some lawyers practice out of their automobile. But even if you work out of an office, you probably practice on the go sometimes. In this issue of SmallLaw, law practice advisor Erik Mazzone discusses five products that will enable you to sign up new clients, draft documents, and get paid from your car, your office, a courthouse, or ideally a beach somewhere warm. Also, don't miss the SmallLaw Pick of the Week for a law firm that looks to plumbing companies as a model (we kid you not).

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 links to helpful articles in other publications about solo practices and small law firms. The SmallLaw newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

Originally published in the February 16, 2012 issue of SmallLaw: Many solos and small-firm lawyers like you publish articles for marketing purposes, but largely waste your time because you don't understand the primary benefit of such publishing — to improve the rank of your web site in Google. In this issue of SmallLaw, TechnoLawyer publisher Neil Squillante explains how Google works, and how to use the articles you publish to improve the rank of your law firm web site in Google for search queries that people seeking a lawyer like you tend to use. If you read only one marketing article this year, read this one. Also, don't miss the SmallLaw Pick of the Week for advice on how to ensure the survival of your law firm if you experience a medical emergency.

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 links to helpful articles in other publications about solo practices and small law firms. The SmallLaw newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.