TechnoLawyer: Online/Cloud

It happens to all of us all the time. You're just about to pay for an online purchase when you learn that adding $5 more will qualify you for free shipping (by pony express). You really don't need another copy of that R.E.M. album, but what the heck — the newly remastered version has bonus tracks and it sure beats spending your money on shipping fees. So did you just fall prey to a marketing gimmick or save yourself some money? It depends on your perspective. In this special holiday edition of TechnoFeature, reporter Jill Bauerle explores the big business behind free shipping offers. Her investigation takes her from the Wharton School of Business to two online retailers that buck the trend by offering "truly free shipping" with no strings attached.

In today's issue of TechnoLawyer NewsWire, lawyer and legal technology legend Dennis Kennedy covers an online repository with Google-like search speed, PDF creation software for thrifty law firms, and a plug-and-play Microsoft Exchange appliance that promises 99.99% uptime for your firm's e-mail. Don't miss the next issue.

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

Finding Needles in E-Discovery Haystacks Very Quickly
By Dennis Kennedy
As electronic discovery becomes a fixture in complex litigation, both law firms and clients seek better ways to handle large volumes of documents. Increasingly, they seem to choose online repositories. Security, features, and other factors play important roles in the selection process. However, speed may be the biggest consideration. Do you really want to enter a complex search through millions of documents and wait minutes rather than milliseconds for your results?

Catalyst Secure's Catalyst CR 6.0 (Grid Edition) attacks the issue of speed directly. The first grid-based document review and litigation support platform, CR 6.0 delivers sub-second response times for complex searches. In audited benchmark testing, CR brought back search results in less than a second in the vast majority of queries even for queries with 750 search terms and 15 million documents.

CR 6.0 uses an innovative grid-based computing system that efficiently uses a large number of servers to generate fast results. The grid runs the well-known FAST search engine, optimized for the types of searches used in electronic discovery.

You can locate the documents you want swiftly using keyword, full-text, date-range, proximity, concept and even bates-number searches. CR 6.0 supports native review of Office documents, e-mail, and hundreds of other file formats, and has been optimized for PDF files. CR 6.0 uses a simple interface for searching designed to give you both flexibility and power. You can save searches, tag results, and manage workflow.

Once you locate documents, you and your team can review, redact, and prepare them for production, especially under tight deadlines. Every party in a case can securely use the CR 6.0 repository.

CR 6.0 provides a secure platform that can scale as your repository grows, but the speed will likely impress you and your team the most.

Contact Catalyst Secure for information about pricing, which depends on the size of the repository.  Learn more about Catalyst CR 6.0.

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.

In today's issue of TechnoLawyer NewsWire, lawyer and legal technology legend Dennis Kennedy covers a suite of security utilities for your laptop, an online personal finance tool that taps into Metcalfe's Law, and a network appliance that enables everyone at your law firm to securely send and receive large attachments. Don't miss the next issue.

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

Transfer Large Files Securely Without Attachment Limits
By Dennis Kennedy
In the old days, sending a large document meant using a FedEx Pak instead of a FedEx Envelope. Nowadays, sending large electronic files poses more of a challenge than simply choosing the next size up in packaging. Notwithstanding multi-gigabyte mailboxes, many e-mail servers (including Gmail) impose limits on the size of file attachments. Plus, e-mail servers are notoriously lacking in security (by design actually). Free file transfer sites can handle large files, but also lack sufficient security. So what's a law firm to do? Dust off its FedEx number and send CDs and DVDs?

No way! Accellion's Courier Secure File Transfer Appliance (SFTA) Version 5.0 provides law firms with a secure option for sending and receiving large files both internally and externally. Accellion has a history of providing secure file transfer solutions on a global basis to enterprises of all sizes. As a dedicated appliance for business file transfers, SFTA requires minimal IT administration and support.

When you use SFTA to send files to third parties, they receive a secure download link. To send or receive a file, all you need is a Web browser. Your firm can set up accounts for its employees and clients in minutes. Accellion claims that some firms may witness an 80% reduction in e-mail load.

New in version 5 is the ability to send and receive entire folders, thus preserving a directory structure (especially useful for your client's discovery documents). Version 5 can handle files and folders up to 10GB in size.

New administrative tools enable you to control usage throughout your firm. Like previous versions, SFTA simply plugs into your network and starts working. SFTA uses the SSL standard, and generates an audit trail. Much easier to use than even FTP and SFTP, which require software on both ends, SFTA works with your existing network and software. Optional plug-ins exist for integration with Outlook and Lotus Notes, which enable you to use your e-mail program instead of a browser.

SFTA comes in a wide array of configurations, starting at $3,500. You can start small and add capabilities as needed.  Learn more about Accellion Courier Secure File Transfer Appliance (SFTA) Version 5.0.

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.

Coming December 8, 2006 to Fat Friday: Harold Burstyn discusses his law career and his experience with age discrimination, Nicholas Bettinger reviews his multiple monitor setup and two utilities that can make such an arrangement even slicker, Channing Strother discusses GPS in the car and the advantages/disadvantages of using your laptop, a portable device, or a built-in unit, Dean Birch explains why his firm's file naming convention does not include dates, and D. Paul Dalton discusses online data storage versus local media. 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 December 7, 2006 to Answers to Questions: Steven J. Best offers up his thoughts on New Jersey retainer rules and some advice for managing these fees in PCLaw 8, Sharon Kirts shares which HP printers have served her practice well and why she believes you get what you pay for, Al Harrison reviews LogMeIn for remote access (really remote — South Africa to Houston, TX), Daniel Fennick reviews how he uses PracticeMaster to manage case-related e-mail messages, and Jay Stassen reviews his office's new case management software from CIBER. 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.

John Mavridis, Review: NetDocuments for Web-Based Document Management

TechnoLawyer wrote:
"If you contribute anything else, your Post will appear in our Fat Friday newsletter. Can't think of anything? How about reviewing a product you recently bought, sharing tips and techniques for widely-used products, responding to something you read in a TechnoLawyer newsletter or elsewhere, etc."

While a great deal has been written about document management systems, I have a legal consulting practice where I find that I often work from my clients' place of business. In this context, I have also worked at ensuring that I have a portable infrastructure and I prefer using Web-based infrastructure, primarily using Netsuite for time/expense/billing and accounting and Netdocuments for document management.

I first started to use NetDocuments when it was free service at the height of the dot-com boom. It was interesting then, but it has improved so greatly since then that it works very well, wherever I am. The fact that my documents are available, secure, backed-up and shareable is a big plus which allows me to have access to big-firm infrastructure with no hardware or support costs or network expenses. My more tech-savvy clients can use the net-binder services where I share documents on the fly, and for others who simply want an e-mail, it interfaces to Outlook very efficiently.

While there is always paper around, I use NetDocuments as my virtual filing cabinet, scanning documents and storing final versions.

While they do have some law firms on their system, they just struck some type of deal for LexisNexis and I would hope they get more users in our profession.

JOHN MAVRIDIS, LL.B., LL.M.
Legal Counsel/Avocat
NEWHOUSE STRATEGIC COUNSEL INC. | CONSEILS STRATGIQUES NEWHOUSE INC.

Legal and Business Consulting Services | Services-conseils juridiques et en affaires

Montreal, QC | CANADA 
www.newhousecounsel.com

About Fat Friday
Posts like the one above appear exclusively in Fat Friday, 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. You can subscribe here.

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.

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.

In today's issue of TechnoLawyer NewsWire, lawyer and legal technology legend Dennis Kennedy covers the new version of a popular integrated digital dictation and transcription system, an online time tracking utility, and an Outlook add-on to help you better manage and organize your calendar, email, and tasks. Don't miss the next issue.

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

Stop Typing, Start Dictating
By Dennis Kennedy
Drafting documents from scratch is difficult work. Typing may not be the most efficient approach. For generating a good first draft, many lawyers rely on dictation and transcription.

HTH Engineering has more than ten years of experience providing turn-key solutions for the digital dictation needs of law offices. The latest version of its popular Start-Stop Universal Transcription System offers an integrated solution for transcription designed specifically for the needs of law firms.

Start-Stop Universal Transcription System combines software with hardware to turn your firm's PCs into a state-of-the-art transcription system. The software integrates with digital voice recorders (including those by Olympus, Phillips, and Sony), and foot pedals with 2 or 3 pedals. HTH Engineering doesn't just sell the software, but also a wide variety of compatible recorders, foot pedals, and more.

You use Start-Stop with a handheld digital recorder or other digital recording device. Placing the recorder into its cradle or using the "End of Letter" button instantly sends your dictation file to a transcriptionist. Start-Stop's "Job Manager" keeps track of waiting and finished files. The "Folder Mole Auto-Notifier" automatically sends notifications to your transcriptionist whenever you add a dictation file to a shared folder. As a result, your transcriptionists will not overlook dictation files and can easily assign and prioritize files.

New in version 9.7 is the "Network Support Feature," which enables multiple transcriptionists to work on the same file simultaneously — great for urgent jobs. Also new is the "Smart Word Line Counter," which provides you with a word and line count after transcription.

Start-Stop has a wealth of other nifty features, including a built-in FTP client for uploading files remotely, automatic backup of completed files, configurable hot keys, variable speed playback, and a sleek new interface designed with the help of professional transcriptionists.

Perhaps most importantly, Start-Stop can now handle just about any audio file format, including WAV, MP3, WMA, and dozens of popular proprietary formats such as Olympus DSS, Philips DSS, Sanyo Digital Recorder, VOX, TrueSpeech, Dictaphone Walkabout, and many more. It even works with audio CDs.

If you already have a voice recorder and foot pedal, HTH Engineering sells its Start-Stop software by itself for $99. If you also need accompanying hardware — digital voice recorders, headsets, foot pedals, telephone recorders, etc. — the company sells a number of bundles for the legal profession. Learn more about Start-Stop Universal Transcription System.

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.

In today's issue of TechnoLawyer NewsWire, lawyer and legal technology legend Dennis Kennedy covers an online store for legal-oriented prints, a Windows XP utility for managing open windows, and a space- and place-shifting device for recording FM and online radio programs. Don't miss the next issue.

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

Dress Your Office for Success
By Dennis Kennedy
For many lawyers, the "art" on the office walls consists of their framed law school degrees and state licenses. Most art galleries do not have a legal section. What if you could choose from a great selection of legal art prints to give your office a look both appropriate and unique?

LawGallery is an online store that focuses exclusively on legal prints for the legal profession. In the store, you'll find a large selection of prints depicting the practice of law. Many feature historical elements, including famous trials, lawyers, or courthouses. Less serious lawyers will find a variety of humorous prints.

Most prints date from the 1800s and early 1900s and will give your office a decidedly British feel. Examples of prints include drawings of the Royal Courts of Justice and Westminster Hall. You will also find prints of American cases like the "Trial of Guiteau for the Murder of President Garfield." LawGallery provides historical research and other information about each print and its subject matter.

LawGallery has made some of these reproductions itself and licensed others. The company uses "museum-grade" inks with a fade-free life span of 25-100 years depending upon their exposure to light. The company also employs archival processes when mounting and framing its prints. You can choose from many styles of mats and frames. LawGallery's own professional curator can even help you choose the most appropriate frame for a particular print and its location.

Prices vary depending on the print and framing option you choose. Most prices seem to fall between $200 to $600. LawGallery unconditionally guarantees each sale; you can return a print for a full refund. Learn more about LawGallery.

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.

Sometimes we come across products or services that we cannot cover in TechnoLawyer NewsWire for various reasons — not enough features for a 250 word article, stuck in perpetual beta, not legal-specific enough, etc. Nonetheless, you may find some of these products of interest so here is a list:

Futurephone: Free international calls. My grandmother uses it to call the old country (Italy).

Optimus Keyboard: A keyboard with display screens on each key, enabling you to customize the keys. Insanely great! Unfortunately, we've had this product in our queue for more than a year. It's vaporware.

BackFence: Small town news and gossip (currently in California, Illinois, Maryland, and Virginia). Bo Peabody tried to serve small towns with StreetMail during Web 1.0. It didn't work then and I don't think it'll work now — and I know a thing or two about online communities (now called social networks). Besides, Craigslist will eventually serve every town in the country. Game over.

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.