TechnoLawyer: Collaboration/Knowledge Management

Originally published in the December 14, 2012 issue of TL NewsWire. Instead of reading TL NewsWire here, sign up now to receive future issues via email.

In 2012, we reported on 205 new products in TL NewsWire. In what has become an annual tradition, today in this year's last issue of TL NewsWire we present to you the TL NewsWire Top 25 Products of 2012. You'll find commentary on the Top 10 products, a list of the next 15 products, and links for all 25 products.

How do we determine the winners? We don't. You do. Each TL NewsWire article about a new product contains a link to that product's web page. We anonymously track everyone's clicks on these links to help us figure out which types of products most interest TL NewsWire subscribers, and also to create the annual TL NewsWire Top 25 Products.

THE 10 HOTTEST TL NEWSWIRE PRODUCTS OF 2012

Congratulations to the 10 hottest products in the TL NewsWire Top 25!

1. Total Attorneys App Store

After raising a significant round of capital, Total Attorneys came out swinging this year with two cleverly framed blockbuster announcements.

Several companies announced "application programming interfaces" or APIs this year, which enable other products to more easily integrate with theirs. To its credit, Total Attorneys chose not to use this term given that most lawyers are not programmers and therefore don't know what it means.

Instead, Total Attorneys announced an app store. Thanks to Apple, everyone knows what that means! Using this colloquial term vaulted Total Attorneys App Store to the top of the TL NewsWire Top 25. So congratulations to Total Attorneys not only for the add-ons it announced, but also for how the company framed this announcement.

2. Total Attorneys

Before launching its app store, Total Attorneys relaunched its cloud practice management system. This alone would have likely earned it a spot on the TL NewsWire Top 25. But Total Attorneys also announced an incredibly low price of just $1 per user per month, which explains its second place ranking.

Total Attorneys isn't crazy. Instead, like Amazon's strategy of selling its Kindle tablets at or below cost and later earning a profit on ebooks and other content, Total Attorneys essentially gives away its practice management system with the hope that you'll purchase apps such as credit card processing.

3. CitePin

When we reported on CitePin, we called it the "Evernote of the Legal Industry" as it's a cloud application designed to keep track of legal information such as legal research in a freeform manner but with legal-specific features.

CitePin clearly excited many of you. Just one caveat. This company reminds me of the Pink Floyd song, Is There Anybody Out There? We could not find an email address. We filled out the contact form requesting a screenshot to no avail (our thanks to LawSites for letting us use one of its screenshots).

4. TheFormTool PRO

According to the CEO of TheFormTool, the TechnoLawyer Network, including TL NewsWire, enabled the company to grow much faster than it originally anticipated.

TheFormTool PRO adds document assembly functionality to Microsoft Word without the need for programming skills. Because of the intense interest in TheFormTool PRO, we reviewed it twice from two perspectives in our BigLaw and SmallLaw newsletters.

5. MobileScan Pro 100

It would shock me if a scanner didn't make the TL NewsWire Top 25. In many law firms, scanners have become as essential a peripheral as printers. In fact, many law firms find that they need several types of scanners — high-volume, network, desktop, and mobile.

Ambir's new scanner garnered so much attention from TL NewsWire subscribers because it's the Batman of scanners — highly mobile with a dual personality. It functions as both a sheet-fed scanner and as a wand scanner. Also, it can scan without any cables to a Micro USB card.

6. Workshare PDF Professional Plus 2.0

Workshare PDF Professional 1.0 ranked second in last year's TL NewsWire Top 20. And here is version 2.0 ranked sixth in this year's TL NewsWire Top 25. Acrobat XI Pro also made the list this year but it's further down. That's because while PDF software is a hot topic, PDF software designed specifically for lawyers is an even hotter topic.

You probably found Workshare PDF Professional's support for PDF/A and its file size shrinking technology of interest given that many courts require this format and have file size limits. Version 2.0 also offers integrations with Autonomy Worksite and Microsoft SharePoint, two popular document management systems used by midsize and large law firms.

7. eBillity

eBillity has interesting origins. One of its co-founders used to work at Bill4Time, a cloud legal billing software pioneer. As a result, the two products share a number of features, chief among them an iPhone app as well as desktop widgets for Mac and Windows. Also, the pricing for Bill4Time and eBillity is identical.

Perhaps because of its late entry into the marketplace, eBillity has teamed up with larger companies. For example, it powers Thomson Reuters' new Time and Billing product. And when Intuit abandoned its cloud billing product, it recommended that its customers switch to eBillity.

8. Harvest

Harvest serves the billing needs of several industries, including legal. It offers both iPhone and Android apps, thus covering the majority of TechnoLawyer members (49% use an iPhone; 28% use an Android smartphone). For law firms with three or more timekeepers, Harvest costs less than rival products.

9. CaseFox

Clearly, TL NewsWire subscribers like cloud billing software as CaseFox also falls into this category. We cited CaseFox's ability to accommodate temporary contract lawyers as its Killer Feature. CaseFox also falls on the less expensive end of the pricing spectrum.

10. PDF Converter 8

We covered three new Nuance products this year. Not surprisingly, its PDF software received the most attention.

PDF Converter 8 is practically a word processor given its editing capabilities. That's why you'll find some of Nuance's Dragon speech recognition technology built into the software. Like Workshare PDF Professional, PDF Converter 8 integrates with a number of products popular among lawyers, including CaseMap and Worldox.

THE NEXT 15 HOTTEST TL NEWSWIRE PRODUCTS OF 2012

Congratulations to the 15 remaining products in the TL NewsWire Top 25 Products of 2012!

11. OmniOutliner for iPad

12. Leap

13. Amicus Attorney Premium Edition 2012

14. Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard Cover

15. HoverBar

16. Acrobat XI Pro

17. Apollo

18. Standzfree

19. TranscriptPad

20. Disconnect

21. DocMoto

22. Amicus Cloud

23. Samsung ML-2165W Mono Laser Printer

24. iPad 3

25. SwingHolder

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Originally published in the August 21, 2012 issue of SmallLaw: Google's Chrome recently became the world's most popular web browser. Law practice advisor Erik Mazzone is such a big fan, he even uses it on his iPad and iPhone instead of Safari. In this issue of SmallLaw, Erik shares four useful Chrome features and four must-have Chrome extensions, all of which will save you time and one of which will save you money. Increased web browser productivity here you come. Also, don't miss the SmallLaw Pick of the Week for questions to ask before you fire an underperforming employee.

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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 July 17, 2012 issue of SmallLaw: Read this issue of SmallLaw now before it's too late if you're a "Piler" (especially an Outlook-using Piler). Pilers leave all their email in their inbox. The Piler versus Filer debate is over. Filers are more productive and less likely to miss an important deadline. In this article, law firm technology consultant Ben Schorr discusses five essential steps to trimming your email inbox and keeping it in shape. Pilers in small law firms with thousands of messages can whittle down their inbox in just five hours with these tips. Even Filers will learn some new tricks. Also, don't miss the SmallLaw Pick of the Week for a double dose of Ben Schorr as he shares his favorite smartphone apps that everyone else hasn't already recommended.

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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 July 11, 2012 issue of SmallLaw: Thanks to a prior issue of SmallLaw, you know how to quickly format your Word documents using Styles. Today, law firm technology consultant Ben Schorr explains how to take the next step — tweaking your Styles to complete perfection, adding these Styles to templates, and most importantly moving these Styles to other PCs so that everyone in your firm can create documents with the same look and feel. Also, don't miss the SmallLaw Pick of the Week for a sobering look at starting a law firm written by two young lawyers trying to make a go of it with a general practice in a big city.

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Originally published in the December 14, 2012 issue of LitigationWorld: Litigators once used word processing software for all sorts of tasks for which it was less than ideal. This gave rise to litigation software, including CaseMap, which organizes your case's key information and documents. In this issue of LitigationWorld, Pennsylvania litigator and longtime CaseMap user Thomas Groshens reviews CaseMap 10, including new features such as DocManager, bulk importing, integrations with other software, custom spreadsheets, reports, and more. He also comments on CaseMap's technical support. For those new to CaseMap, Tom explains how it fits into your litigation workflow. Also, don't miss the LitigationWorld Pick of the Week for tips on using humor in the courtroom to improve your chances of a successful outcome.

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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 April 17, 2012 issue of SmallLaw: Traveling stinks. But technology can improve your experience. In this issue of SmallLaw, lawyer and law practice advisor Erik Mazzone reveals his top five travel technologies for mobile lawyers. From planning your trip to remembering what you learned to finding the best pasta in town to making sure your smartphone remains charged, Erik's must-read article has you covered. Also, don't miss the SmallLaw Pick of the Week for a boutique law firm that recently began offering low-cost legal services online.

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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 30, 2012 issue of SmallLaw: "You can't fix stupid." But it sure makes for some soulful reading. In this issue of SmallLaw, Gadsden, Alabama lawyer Clark Stewart kicks off a new series, "A Lawyer's Life." A memoir with helpful law practice and technology tips, Clark uses his experiences as a sole practitioner to inform and entertain. Today's installment features a clever use for Evernote, a marketing tip, and proof that John Wayne was right, especially in the criminal justice system. Also, don't miss the SmallLaw Pick of the Week for Jeff "iPhone J.D." Richardson's advice for lawyers thinking about buying the new iPad.

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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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Today's issue of Fat Friday contains these articles:

Barry Berenberg, Why You Should Always Ask for a Deponent's Email Addresses

James Shenwick, Review: MessageSave 5

Tom Mighell, An Evernote Warning

Fred Kruck, Review: Ghostery for Blocking Advertisements That Follow You

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

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Coming today to BlawgWorld: Our editorial team has selected and linked to 152 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.

How to Buy the Best Portable Hard Drive

The State of Smartphones in 2012

Review: The Best Office Chairs

Rainmaking Is as Much About Data as Handshakes (Video)

Congratulations to Jeff Richardson of iPhone J.D. on winning our BlawgWorld Pick of the Week award: Review of Word-Compatible Track Changes in Pages for iPad

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