TechnoLawyer: Business Productivity/Word Processing

Today's issue of TL NewsWire covers new PDF software with word processor-like features (see article below), an iPad case that's also a keyboard, an Outlook add-on for printing email, a browser-based practice management system, and a private group messaging application. Don't miss the next issue.

PDF Software With the DNA of a Word Processor

People who buy or lease a new car typically fall into one of three groups. Some stick with the same brand and model, albeit the new version. Others remain faithful to the brand, but either downgrade or upgrade the model. And a third group of people completely switch gears (pun intended). This third group is surprisingly large because of the intense competition in the automobile industry coupled with the changing desires and needs of people. The market for PDF software has become similar since the PDF format became an open standard. One of the major players that caters to the legal market just shipped a new version of its PDF software.

PDF Converter 8 … in One Sentence
Released yesterday, Nuance's PDF Converter 8 is PDF software with legal-specific features.

The Killer Feature
The PDF format rules the legal world for exchanging and storing documents precisely because of its greatest weakness. It's not easy to edit PDF files. While you can make small changes here and there, major changes such as adding a new paragraph typically require revisiting the original document and then creating a new PDF version.

Nuance has essentially baked a word processor into PDF Converter 8. In fact, it goes beyond a word processor in some respects. The new "Advance Edit" technology converts your PDF file into a fully editable document. Thus, if you add a paragraph, everything else in the document moves down like in a word processor — but the document remains a PDF file. Also, the new "PDF Collaboration" feature enables two or more people to edit (and annotate) the same PDF file simultaneously.

Other Notable Features
Taking advantage of its market leadership in speech recognition technology, Nuance has built Dragon Dictation into PDF Converter, enabling you to edit documents and create annotations using your voice.

The new Reduce File Size feature creates smaller PDF files — helpful when efiling documents with courts that impose file size restrictions. You'll also find improved tools for forms, signatures, stamps, PDF portfolios, and PDF/A, and a new fax via email feature.

You can choose from two versions of PDF Converter — Professional and Enterprise. The Enterprise version integrates with LexisNexis CaseMap as well as with popular document management systems such as Autonomy, NetDocuments, OpenText, SharePoint, and Worldox. Both versions integrate with Microsoft Office, including the ability to preview PDF attachments in Outlook.

What Else Should You Know?
PDF Converter Professional costs $99.99. The Enterprise version costs $149.99. Both run on Windows. Learn more about PDF Converter 8.

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.

Today's issue of TL Answers contains these articles:

Ben Schorr, Everything You Need to Know About Microsoft Hosted Exchange

Steven Silberman, Tips for Using WordPerfect With Two Monitors

Tobias Crush, Tip: iPhone Wired Tethering (Hotspot)

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Today's issue of TL NewsWire covers a Microsoft Word add-on for creating ebriefs (see article below), a portable monitor, a freeform personal information manager, an iPad note-taking app with illustration tools, and an iPad app for accessing Microsoft SharePoint. Don't miss the next issue.

Has the Golden Age of Ebriefs Arrived?

In 2005, we published an article about ebriefs, including how to create them using PDF software. By now, you would think all litigators would create ebriefs given their advantages, especially for the one-click access to corresponding cases, exhibits, testimony, etc. But ebriefs never took off because they're difficult to create, and even more difficult if not impossible to edit. But the advantages remain undeniable — more so than in 2005 given the increasing number of courts that require efiling and the number of judges who use computers. We recently learned about a new product that aims to make ebrief creation much easier.

efileinteractive … in One Sentence
XLR8R Studios' efileinteractive is a Microsoft Word add-on that enables you to create ebriefs and other legal documents in PDF format with hyperlinked embedded documents.

The Killer Feature
Traditionally, you create ebriefs using PDF software, which presents two problems. First, many PDF programs lack feature-rich tools for hyperlinking. Second, it's not easy to edit a PDF file so if you need to make a significant change to your brief you could find yourself back at square one, having to create the ebrief from scratch again.

efileinteractive addresses both problems by enabling you to create your ebrief in Microsoft Word much as you create your table of authorities in Microsoft Word.

efileinteractive resides in Microsoft Word's ribbon (toolbar in earlier versions). Creating each hyperlink involves three steps — select the text you want to link, select the corresponding file, and confirm.

When you finish creating hyperlinks, one click creates a PDF ebrief containing all the live hyperlinks and corresponding documents. If you need to make changes to your brief, you can create a new ebrief without having to recreate all the existing hyperlinks.

Other Notable Features
Some law firms create ebriefs by outsourcing them, which can save time but cost hundreds or thousands of dollars. By contrast, efileinteractive costs $25 per ebrief. The software itself is free. You can purchase credits in advance so that you don't have to worry about paying when you're facing a deadline.

"efileinteractive finally makes interactive motions and briefs easy to assemble and cost effective," XLR8R Studios CEO Tim Robinson told us. The value of giving the judge instant access to your cases and evidence far exceeds the $25 charge for using the software."

What Else Should You Know?
You can password protect your ebriefs if you want. efileinteractive works with Microsoft Word 2003 and later. You can try it free for 30 days. If you don't want to create your own ebriefs, XLR8R Studios can create them for you through its e-Brief Assembly Service. Learn more about efileinteractive.

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.

Coming today to LitigationWorld: Our editorial team has selected and linked to 75 articles from the past two weeks worthy of your attention. Below you'll find a sample article from each section of today's issue, including our LitigationWorld Pick of the Week.

iPad Use on the Bench

How to Write an Unboring Letter to Opposing Counsel

Book Review: Digital Forensics for Legal Professionals

The Supreme Court's Latest Look at Personal Jurisdiction

Congratulations to John Edwards of Law Technology News on winning our LitigationWorld Pick of the Week award: Tools for Spicing Up Your PowerPoint Trial Presentations

How to Receive LitigationWorld
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. You'll also receive in-depth litigation product reviews as well as links to the most noteworthy articles in other online litigation publications so that you'll never miss anything. The LitigationWorld newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

Coming today to BlawgWorld: Our editorial team has selected and linked to 113 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.

PDF Software Designed for Legal Professionals

Law Grad Ditches Legal Career to Develop Mobile Legal Apps

Ethical Issues and Alternative Fee Arrangements

Attracting Profitable Clients In A Post Recession Market

Congratulations to Lauren Goode of All Things D on winning our BlawgWorld Pick of the Week award: Reviews of Three Ultraportable Scanners

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Our newsletters provide the most comprehensive coverage of legal technology, practice management, and law firm marketing, but not the only coverage. BlawgWorld enables you to stay on top of all the noteworthy articles (and podcasts) published online 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. The BlawgWorld newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

Today's issue of TL NewsWire covers new PDF software designed for lawyers (see article below), a backlit eink ebook reader, an email program, an online document management system, and a virtual telephone system. Don't miss the next issue.

PDF Software Designed for Legal Professionals

When a new technology emerges, lawyers first debate the need for it. Once deemed essential, they debate the best product. When the products become increasingly complex and diverse, they seek a a simple legal-specific variant — and a low price never hurts. The last stage of this cycle is now playing out with PDF software since the PDF format has become essential for client records, court filings, document productions, and much more. A year ago, a legal software company launched a PDF product with a feature set designed for the needs of legal professionals. Last week, this company shipped a major new version.

Workshare PDF Professional Plus 2.0 … in One Sentence
Workshare PDF Professional Plus 2.0 is PDF software designed for the specific needs of legal professionals.

The Killer Feature
Law practice advisor Jared Correia recently wrote about the increasing number of products that integrate with one another. Integrations with document management systems are among the most important since these systems essentially replace the Windows file system for managing documents.

The new version of Workshare PDF Professional Plus features two such integrations — Autonomy Worksite and Microsoft SharePoint 2010.

These integrations don't require plugins. From within Worksite and SharePoint, you can create PDF files and combine them into PDF portfolio, which law firms increasingly use for client case file binders. You can also annotate, redact, create and edit forms, and add digital signatures.

"PDFs are very common in business today, and Workshare PDF Professional Plus now makes it extremely easy to create and manage them, particularly now that we have fully integrated with Worksite and SharePoint 2010," Workshare CEO Scott Smull told us. "The software continues our commitment to provide tools that improve the productivity of legal professionals."

Other Notable Features
Workshare has improved the user interface of Workshare PDF Professional Plus, most notably the tool for creating PDF portfolios. A new tool enables you to shrink the size of your PDF files, which should help with electronic filing requirements. Another new tool enables you to revert back to any previous version of the PDF file. You can also view a history of all changes.

Workshare has also enhanced the software's redaction capabilities, including search and replace, the ability to identify certain types of information such as social security numbers, and support for regulatory requirements such as the Freedom of Information Act and the US Privacy Act.

Other features include "reverse conversion" of PDF files to DOC format, support for the PDF/A standard required by many agencies and courts, PDF editing, Bates numbers, headers and footers, watermarks and stamps, links, bookmarks, table of contents, annotation and commenting tools, document comparison, forms, encryption and security, and batch conversion and processing.

What Else Should You Know?
Workshare PDF Professional Plus costs $79 per license, which Workshare claims is 80% less on average than comparable products. The company offers volume discounts. The software runs on Windows PCs. Learn more about Workshare PDF Professional Plus 2.0.

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.

Today's issue of TL Answers contains these articles:

Barron Henley, HotDocs Versus Home-Grown Document Assembly; Word 2003 Versus 2010

Alexander Flig, In Search Of An Email-Centric Practice Management System

Bruce Avery, Tip: Using Your Laptop As A Second Monitor

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

How to Receive TL Answers
Do you believe in the wisdom of crowds? In TL Answers, TechnoLawyer members answer legal technology and practice management questions submitted by their peers. This newsletter's popularity stems from the relevance of the questions and answers to virtually everyone in the legal profession. The TL Answers newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

Coming today to LitigationWorld: Our editorial team has selected and linked to 80 articles from the past two weeks worthy of your attention. Below you'll find a sample article from each section of today's issue, including our LitigationWorld Pick of the Week.

How to Get Email Messages Into a PDF Portfolio for Discovery

10 Tips to Improve Your Motion Practice

Rand Weighs in on Ediscovery Cost Savings

Lawyer Suspended for Briefs of "Shockingly Poor Quality"

Congratulations to Frank King of Texas Bar Journal on winning our LitigationWorld Pick of the Week award: Everything You Need to Know About Using an iPad at Trial

How to Receive LitigationWorld
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. You'll also receive in-depth litigation product reviews as well as links to the most noteworthy articles in other online litigation publications so that you'll never miss anything. The LitigationWorld newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

Today's issue of TL Answers contains these articles:

Nicholas Bettinger, Review: PerfectLaw After 17 Years Of Use

Miriam Jacobson, Review Of MaxEmail And Number Garage; Telephone Number Porting

Charles Cork, Review Of PDF Xchange Viewer Plus How To Change The Default Typewriter Font

David Waddle, Multiple Monitors: Don't Forget About Your Laptop

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

How to Receive TL Answers
Do you believe in the wisdom of crowds? In TL Answers, TechnoLawyer members answer legal technology and practice management questions submitted by their peers. This newsletter's popularity stems from the relevance of the questions and answers to virtually everyone in the legal profession. The TL Answers newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

Today's issue of TL Answers contains these articles:

Jerry Shade, First Impressions: Microsoft's Hosted Exchange (Plus SugarSync)

Michael Commins, Review: Adobe Acrobat Professional for Bates Stamping

Paul Pinkerton, Review: Display Fusion for Multiple Monitors (Plus 2560x1440 Pixel Monitors)

Joe Dipierro, Review: MaxEmail for Online Faxing

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

How to Receive TL Answers
Do you believe in the wisdom of crowds? In TL Answers, TechnoLawyer members answer legal technology and practice management questions submitted by their peers. This newsletter's popularity stems from the relevance of the questions and answers to virtually everyone in the legal profession. The TL Answers newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.