TechnoLawyer: CLE/News/References

In today's issue of TechnoLawyer NewsWire, lawyer and legal technology legend Dennis Kennedy covers the new version of an integrated evidence management solution, an e-mail newsletter for digital photography newbies and enthusiasts, and a pair of software utilities for capturing streaming audio and video and converting it into virtually any format. Don't miss the next issue.

Below you'll find one of the three articles from today's edition:

Your Litigation Command Center
By Dennis Kennedy
With all the focus on electronic discovery technology these days, it's important not to lose sight of the next step — preparing your cases for trial.

CaseLogistix's new version 5 of its evidence management software aims to provide you with a litigation command center thanks to its unique approach of combining electronic discovery with litigation management. And let's not forget ease of use — the company famously claims that CaseLogistix is so simple to use lawyers actually use it.

The company claims that CaseLogistix 5 enables you and your team to more efficiently handle any amount of digital evidence — from a dog bite case with a single police report to a securities case with hundreds of thousands of documents. You can search, organize, and annotate documents, and customize virtual libraries of documents using the "IntelliFolder" feature to simplify your work.

CaseLogistix worked closely with law firms and lawyers in producing this new version, which offers a re-engineered approach to handling native file formats, including PST files, and tools for annotating and redacting native files. You can extract metadata from native files and export it into CaseLogistix fields for processing and management. The new version also has enhanced tools for splitting, combining, and reordering PDF files. The Bates Analyzer analyzes specific groups of documents and generates a report showing missing numbers, duplicate numbers, and invalid ranges of numbers.

A number of other additions and enhancements exist, including improved Unicode compliance for international users that enables lawyers to view, index, and search documents in Arabic, Chinese, Cyrillic, Greek, Hebrew, Japanese, Korean, and other languages and customize the program for local languages.

Also included is the ability to work offline and then synchronize your work when online again. You can also convert TIFF images to text on the fly with a right mouse click thanks to the built-in OCR technology.

CaseLogistix now handles deposition transcripts as well. You can import transcripts in TRN, PTF, PDF, TIFF, and ASCII formats, and then annotate, redact, and excerpt as needed and of course print reports.

Litigation, of course, usually requires a team. To this end, CaseLogistix now makes it easy for you and your colleagues to access multiple libraries with a single login.

Version 5 also emphasizes speed. Look for better performance in Citrix or other shared environments even when working with very large IntelliFolders, and streaming PDF technology to accelerate downloads.

CaseLogistix 5 is available in desktop, Web, or hosted versions. The desktop version uses an Outlook-based interface so popular among lawyers. Users of the Web version will benefit from a completely rewritten and improved interface as well. Learn more about CaseLogistix.

How to Receive this Newsletter
Published on Wednesdays, TechnoLawyer NewsWire is a weekly newsletter that enables you to learn about new technology products and services of interest to legal professionals. Like all of our newsletters, it's free. Please subscribe now.

Once upon a time, about 11 years ago, uber legal publisher Steve Brill decided to start publishing a technology magazine called AmLaw Tech. The folks at American Lawyer Media called me in to gauge my interest in serving as the editor. I ultimately decided not to pursue the job.

Around the same time, an entrepreneur named Peter Ozolin started Legal Anywhere and began preaching the value of extranets to law firms. I'm sure he had many a door slammed in his face (as all entrepreneurs do). Extrawhat?

That was then and this is now. AmLaw Tech is alive and well and has just released its 11th Annual AmLaw Tech Survey. Of the firms that participated in the survey, 70% now have extranets. Peter must feel vindicated.

Even more interesting than the survey is Marcy Burstiner's insightful analysis. Check it out.

About TechnoEditorials
A TechnoEditorial is the vehicle through which we opine and provide tips of interest to managing partners, law firm administrators, and others in the legal profession. TechnoEditorials appear first in TechnoGuide, and later here in TechnoLawyer Blog. TechnoGuide, which is free, also contains exclusive content. You can subscribe here.

Coming October 27, 2006 to Fat Friday:  Mazyar Hedayat waxes poetic about the future of law and technology, Jeff Lisson responds to criticism of his "False Economy of DIY Technology" TechnoFeature, John Mavridis reviews NetDocuments for Web-based document management, Tim Hughes comments on Denise Howell's termination from Reed Smith, and Glenn Curran reviews Copernic Desktop Search (plus he points to a helpful desktop search handbook). 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.

Every law firm that relies on the Web to attract clients relies on Google and Yahoo. Combined, these two companies account for approximately 75% of all Web searches. Therefore, it's important to stay on top of these two companies and the news they generate.

But how? By reading the hundreds of articles published every day about them? That's what I used to do until I stumbled across the DailySearchCast. Hosted by search engine expert Danny Sullivan and his sidekick du jour, this 20-30 minute daily podcast (well, Monday-Thursday) covers the most notable developments in the search engine industry. Most of the coverage is devoted to Google and Yahoo — as it should be given their collective market share. Check it out.

About TechnoEditorials
A TechnoEditorial is the vehicle through which we opine and provide tips of interest to managing partners, law firm administrators, and others in the legal profession. TechnoEditorials appear first in TechnoGuide, and later here in TechnoLawyer Blog. TechnoGuide, which is free, also contains exclusive content. You can subscribe here.

In July, we reported that Reed Smith had fired prominent blogger and TechnoLawyer member Denise Howell (she coined the word "blawg"). I'm pleased to report that Denise has a new gig — several actually. ZDNet has hired her to pen the legal blog Lawgarithms, and Leo Laporte of TechTV and TWIT fame has hired her to create a podcast called TWIL (This Week in Law). In addition, Denise continues to write her personal blog and record the Sound Policy podcast at IT Conversations.

Longtime TechnoLawyer member Lewis Kinard has assumed the title of CEO and General Counsel of Practice Manager Group, developer of Practice Manager, a soup-to-nuts case management solution. Kinard previously served as the company's COO. Kinard's story is similar to that of Victor Kiam — he liked the product so much, he joined the company.

Finally, TechnoLawyer member and law firm trainer extraordinaire Carole Levitt of Internet for Lawyers has published the latest edition of Cybersleuth’s Guide to the Internet, which explains how to use the Internet to investigate just about anything — from digging up dirt to impeaching someone's credibility to finding missing people, property records, political party affiliations, unlisted phone numbers, cell phone numbers, and much more. Read it before your adversary does!

About TechnoEditorials
A TechnoEditorial is the vehicle through which we opine and provide tips of interest to managing partners, law firm administrators, and others in the legal profession. TechnoEditorials appear first in TechnoGuide, and later here in TechnoLawyer Blog. TechnoGuide, which is free, also contains exclusive content. You can subscribe here.

Coming September 8, 2006 to Fat Friday: Barron Henley strikes back on the issue of word processing training in law firms, Ron Kahn shares how he uses Time Matters and Zetafax in his paperless workflow, Philip Rhodes discusses cell phone etiquette, and Lawrence King criticizes the pricing of the TechnoLawyer Archive (and we respond). Plus, this issue features links to 5 additional Posts in the TechnoLawyer Archive. 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.

Lots of people claim that they can help your site achieve a high rank in Google. The search engine optimization (SEO) industry has grown rapidly over the years. However, because SEO requires knowledge more than any particular skill (unlike, say graphic design), you could do it yourself if you have the time and inclination (as we have done at TechnoLawyer).

To get started, go to the source. Read Google's article entitled Webmaster Guidelines.

Then, subscribe to the High Rankings newsletter.

Finally, consider adding a blog to your site (at your domain name). A blog is the cheapest available content management system, which will enable you to add content without programming. Blogs have a reputation as highly-personal soapboxes. But group blogs that cover news and information can perform just as well in Google. This type of blog would replace the pages on your traditional site for articles and firm news. Actually, you could keep those pages as well and have them dynamically update as you add material to your blog.

About TechnoEditorials
A TechnoEditorial is the vehicle through which we opine and provide tips of interest to managing partners, law firm administrators, and others in the legal profession. TechnoEditorials appear first in TechnoGuide, and later here in TechnoLawyer Blog. TechnoGuide, which is free, also contains exclusive content. You can subscribe here.

TechnoLawyer member and law firm business coach extraordinaire Ed Poll has published not one, not two, but three new books.

Like any business, law firms need capital to grow, but law firms cannot sell equity so they often seek loans instead. In The Banker Lawyer Relationship, Poll explains how to develop a winning relationship with a commercial bank. Learn more.

Everyone likes a secret as long as they're among those in the know. In More Secrets of the Business of Law, Poll covers everything from raising your rates to exceeding your clients' expectations — and much more. Learn more.

Today, we all suffer from a shortening attention span. Well, either that or we're devoting more of our attention to silly videos on YouTube. Whatever the cause, Poll meets you halfway with Business Competency for Lawyers, a 30-minute read free of technical jargon that covers everything you need to know about running a law firm. Learn more.

Finally, TechnoLawyer member and legal technology uber-consultant (God?) Ross Kodner has launched a startup company called Factum, which will provide online legal technology CLE programs. In his press release, Ross promises that Factum's "programs are radically different from the mainstream put-you-to-sleep, raw-presenter-staring-at-a-camera typical online CLE presentations." Factum launches next month.

About TechnoEditorials
A TechnoEditorial is the vehicle through which we opine and provide tips of interest to managing partners, law firm administrators, and others in the legal profession. TechnoEditorials appear first in TechnoGuide, and later here in TechnoLawyer Blog. TechnoGuide, which is free, also contains exclusive content. You can subscribe here.

Via Technolawyer member, Oklahoma Bar Association executive, and legal technology blogger Jim Calloway comes news of a free eBook, First 100 Days: Transitioning a New Managing Partner.

Written by legal business consultant Patrick J. McKenna, the eBook features an essay chock full of advice and action lists followed by pearls of wisdom from managing partners at various law firms (McKenna's clients perhaps?).

The content is great, but unfortunately the eBook uses NXTBook, a user-unfriendly eBook viewer. In case you're wondering why McKenna didn't use PDF format, NXTBook sponsored the eBook. Nonetheless, it's worth the read, particularly since you can print a copy. Read First 100 Days.

About TechnoEditorials
A TechnoEditorial is the vehicle through which we opine and provide tips of interest to managing partners, law firm administrators, and others in the legal profession. TechnoEditorials appear first in TechnoGuide, and later here in TechnoLawyer Blog. TechnoGuide, which is free, also contains exclusive content. You can subscribe here.

Coming August 11, 2006 to Fat Friday: William Lloyd explains why, for him, multiple monitors increases productivity, Gregory Miller reviews PinHawk Law on the Blogs NewzDigest, Jim Sewell discusses his firm's paperless workflow, Paul Lepine explains how to change a Word file's creation date and discusses a helpful file management feature in Word 2003 absent from earlier versions, and Celia Abbott reviews Easy Bates. In addition, this issue features links to 4 additional Posts in the TechnoLawyer Archive. 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.