TechnoLawyer: Post

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
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David N. Ventker, Review: PCLaw for Small Firm Acounting/Time-Billing

TechnoLawyer member Diane Sherman asks:
"What is the best billing program for a solo practitioner? I am not interested in integrated practice management software.  I just want a billing program that is easy to use and which won't require me to hire costly consultants and spend hours of my otherwise billable consulting with the consultants."

My response is as follows:

I left a larger firm, went solo 4 years ago, and now have a partner and an associate — we have been using PCLaw from the beginning. I have been quite pleased with the integrated time and billing/accounting features of the program, and the technical support has proved to be a pleasant surprise (if you have been reading TechnoLawyer for any length of time, you'll find poor technical support is a major complaint with competing products). Though the developers have added various "practice management" features over time, these are not the strong suit of the program, and we generally ignore them.

The cost of a single license is $250.00, and adding additional licenses if you add paralegals or other lawyers is an additional $250.00 each. The program is very stable, works well on a peer-to-peer network if needed, is fairly easy to understand, and can be customized to suit your needs without much difficulty. When I can't figure out solutions on my own, a call to tech support generally provides the answer.

Hope this helps.

David N. Ventker
Ventker & Warman, PLLC
Norfolk, VA
www.ventkerlaw.com

[Publisher's Note: TechnoLawyer member and PCLaw CIC Matt Stone has written a white paper for LexisNexis entitled Improving Back Office Efficiency with PCLaw Version 8, which you can download from his Web site. — Sara Skiff]

About Answers to Questions
Posts like the one above appear exclusively in Answers to Questions, 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. You can subscribe here.

Paolo Broggi, Tip: How to Link Amicus Attorney and Your Treo 650

TechnoLawyer member Paul Landsman asks:
"Does anyone have experience with setting up the link that allows Amicus to transfer data to the Treo 650. I had it working perfectly with my old Treo 600.  I can transfer my contacts but not the calendar, event, to-do, etc.  If any one knows the proper settings, I would appreciate the assistance."

The first thing to do is to remove Palm OS from your PC as instructed by the Palm manual and then install the new Palm/Treo desktop. After synching at list once then go to the Team50\Install\PILOT folder and run the PPSetup.exe.

You will be asked to turn off the HOTSYNC manager before getting into the setup selection windows where you can choose which conduits (connections) you want enabled, e.g. Appointments, To Dos and Contacts or any combination of those.

As you finish this installation of the links select to turn on the HOTSYNC manager and now go to HotSync icon next to the clock lower right corner the blue and red arrow (in the system tray), right click on it and select Custom ...

If every thing went well (assuming that you choose all the three conduits) here you will see three new entries starting with Amicus. If you have Amicus V and you don't see the Amicus entries you will need to contact Gavel & Gown tech support to obtain a patch that will add the entries in the registry.

Double click on any of the Amicus Attorney entries to choose how you want Amicus and your Treo to exchange the information. Remember to check the default box so that the changes will apply to every HotSync you do.

Once you start the HotSync the first time with Amicus you will be asked about mapping categories for example Business with Clients, Private with Private and so on.

The first time you sync your Treo with Amicus Attorney will take sometime according to the amount of data you have in the Amicus database. After that it will take only a couple of minutes.

That should do the trick.

If you still have problems contact me directly.

Installation of Palm link on Amicus Attorney 7 is very different.

Paolo Broggi, Information System Engineer
Premier Amicus Attorney Consultant and traininer since 1997
2b1 inc.
San Francisco, CA
www.2b1inc.com

About Answers to Questions
Posts like the one above appear exclusively in Answers to Questions, 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. You can subscribe here.

Daniel A. Mengeling, Tip: Using Bar Codes with Your Trial Presentations

TechnoLawyer member Marc B. Hankin asks:
"I saw a trial lawyer flipping through pages in a 3 ring binder to find a document he wanted.  When he found the document image, he swiped the light pen over a bar code next to the image, and the related Acrobat file went up on a screen.   Does anyone know where I could find a program that does that?"

The type of bar code you are talking about is placed on documents by trial presentation software. The bar code is an electronic annotation, a unique number in bar code format, that can be placed on the document on the computer screen and can be printed out on the document when the document is printed. I believe all the trial presentation software permits the printing and calling up of documents by bar code. I have worked with and I am most familar with Visionary because it is free and seems to have the same features as TrialDirector and Sanction II, its competitors.

In Visionary, and I assume also in Trial Director and Sanction II, the attorney can also call up and control audio and audio/visual presentations by bar code such as sound recordings and video depositions.

I believe the only advantage to using a bar code and bar code reader rather than just a keyboard entry of a document # or exhibit # into a computer (alternative methods to call up documents in trial presentation software) is to allow an attorney who is not at counsel table or at his computer to call up a document on the fly when he is at the podium etc.  It is a method of remote control.

Pencil bar code readers, such as the Baracoda pencil is a wireless blue tooth device which allows the user to be over 30 feet from the computer.  If you have an assistant at counsel table I can see no advantage for the assistant to call up documents by bar code that would justify the additional expense of the bar code reader.

(Calling up documents by bar code does have the advantage of preventing a mistake under pressure since the bar code is either read or not. The wrong document cannot be called up by a keyboard entry error.)

Scripted presentations with PowerPoint, used most often in direct examination or in opening or closing arguments, do not require the ability to call up a document on the fly or from a remote location.  In addition, if remote operation is necessary, the projectors come with remote controls to start, advance and/or stop the presentation.

Computers are now being sold with remote controls, I think primarily or only with Windows Media Center operating systems, but I have no knowledge if these devices come with software that can be used or adapted to send a document number to the computer keyboard.

Daniel A. Mengeling
Woodstock, IL

[Publisher's Note: In his article Do's and Don'ts of High-Tech Trial Presentations courtesy of Law.com, Andy Seldon specifically recommends "If your case is very document intensive, a bar code system established by [a] consultant will help you to control the presentation with very little effort."

Learn more about Visionary, TrialDirector, Sanction, and the Baracoda pencil. — Sara Skiff]

About Answers to Questions
Posts like the one above appear exclusively in Answers to Questions, 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. You can subscribe here.

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."

Info Select is not a legal specific program, but is advertised as "a Personal Information Manager that organizes Internet data, notes, to-do's, schedules, contacts, addresses, forms, ideas, images, and much more..."   I have, and make limited use of AbacusLaw, which is a legal specific detailed case management system.  However, I am gravitating more and more away from it to Info Select because of the ease of use of the program.

What I like about Info Select is that on one screen I can get an overview of all my cases and clients.  The program is highly customizable.  Down the left side of the screen I have listed all of my cases/clients names.  When I click on the name, the entire right side of the screen becomes active for that case.  Here is where I put my clients' contact information, the opposing attorney contact information and then under that I keep my daily notes of anything I need to document about the case. The program allows you to hit a date key and the date appears for note keeping.  The program allows you to cut and paste almost anything into the space — documents, pictures, links, etc.  Sometimes, I place a link to certain documents in my word-processing program so that when I click it, the document appears.  When a client calls, I can hastily look down the left side to identify the client's name, click the name and all my notes and info are instantly on the right side, so that I can talk with them about the case.

The problem with the larger programs is they are more cumbersome and take longer to maneuver to the data.  Don't get me wrong, the larger programs are o.k., but I like the simple screen in front of me, with an instant view of all my cases and instant availability of the data.  The program also allows me to create an icon under my clients name on the left side, which will open a spread sheet on the right side to record time on the case.  The spread sheet also allows for organization of discovery that has or needs to be done.  The program has a search system that allows you to type a word or part of a word and every file that has that word in it appears on the left side column so that you can open it and look at the words. The program has a calendaring system and alarms.  You can keep a separate calendar for each case and put reminders and alarms for various events. The program allows you to change the color of the files on the left side.  I like to use red on files that are needing attention. When I finish a case, I can just drag and drop it to my retired case folder that I keep toward the bottom of the left screen.

On the left side of the screen, I can keep a to-do list  and files for names and address of service providers, courts, doctors, etc.  Sure, all the large management systems can do all of this and more, but I don't believe any are this simple, customizable, and visually helpful on one main screen. I'm still discovering new ways in which to use it to help me with my cases.  It also has an e-mail program but I still like my Outlook program.  I, also, use the program to organize my personal life in that I can keep all my passwords, etc in a file and the program has a simple but powerful encryption system.  Any of the files can be easily encrypted.  The program is inexpensive and I don't think I could do without it.  I have no monetary interest in the program.

Danny C. Wash
Wash & Thomas, Attorneys
Waco, Texas

[Publisher's Note: Read Alfred Poor's review of the latest version of Info Select courtesy of PC Magazine.

Also, blogger Ananda Sim shares her two cents. — Sara Skiff]

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.

TechnoLawyer member Dana Yaffee writes:
"I bought PCLaw to go with Amicus Attorney and think it is more sophisticated than what is necessary for a solo practitioner. I have been looking for something less complex and the consensus from colleagues is that Quickbooks integrates pretty well with most of the case management software programs. Many bookkeepers are familiar with Quickbooks and Timeslips, if you are planning to farm out your billing activities."

Kent L. Davis responded:
"I agree with TechnoLawyer member Dana Yaffee regarding the depth of features available in PCLaw may be disadvantageous to some firms. I also wish to confirm that QuickBooks Pro and QuickBooks Premier do an adequate job of time and billing and accounting functions.... Unfortunately, some tasks, such as trust accounting and client cost allocation are a bit awkward and require some expertise to configure the "QuickBooks" way to make everything work...."

Stephen P. Wing wrote:
"I am a long time user of PCLaw, but I recently had an opportunity to load and try out the network version of QuickBooks Enterprise. Although I have serious complaints about the immutable and non-modifiable accounting rules built into PCLaw, I still find it much easier to use and more functional than QuickBooks...."

I have used both programs at two different firms within the past two years. I agree with earlier posts — unless you are an expert in QuickBooks (which I quickly became) and know how to run customized reports, the escrow feature was very difficult to use.  Reports on attorney time and profits were also difficult to run without including attorney initials in the client's name, and many times I still ran many reports with my good old calculator.

My current firm uses PCLaw only for bookkeeping and billing, and it has made the process much simpler.  I can assign attorneys to files and run reports on hours and/or disbursements without customizing a report.  I can make a payment from the escrow account to the general account in a few simple mouse clicks.  What used to be very difficult, has become much easier using PCLaw.

I must also say that I did like QuickBooks Payroll Service very much, but I cannot compare that to PCLaw as this firm uses a payroll service. QuickBooks updated tax charts in a timely fashion and I was able to run many reports on employee hours and salaries (again, by maniuplating the customized reports).

Cathy Furlani
Law Offices of Steinberg & Symer, LLP

[Publisher's Note: Learn more about PCLaw and QuickBooks. — Sara Skiff]

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.

William Shilling, What Makes a Happy Lawyer

TechnoLawyer publisher Neil Squillante asks:
"Why are so many lawyers unhappy? What qualities, personal and otherwise, tend to distinguish happy lawyers from unhappy lawyers?"

I think the happy lawyers are the ones that can do an excellent job of lawyering, and also do an excellent job of leaving work at the end of each day and having a great, non-lawyer life. Perspective and the ability to put one's own family before a client on a Saturday morning when your seven year old wants to go shoot off model rockets. It's all about choices; the happy lawyers choose to have a life outside their legal careers.

William R. Shilling
Attorney
Macon County Department of Social Services
Franklin, NC

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.

Dixon Robertson, Review: Windows Remote Desktop with Windows 2000

TechnoLawyer member Benjamin Edwards asks:
"I am interested in accessing my computer when I am away from the office. I have tried various programs for that purpose, including LapLink, but none seems to work. Are there any suggestions?"

Howard Raab wrote:
"I understand there were some serious security problems with GoToMyPC in the not-to-distant past. I don't know if they have been "fixed." However, the Remote Desktop Access program built into Windows DP (both Professional and Home) have worked very well for me..."

Andrew Willinger responded:
"There are two significant problems with using Windows XP's built-in Remote Desktop Access over an Internet connection. The first is cost, and the second is security...."

Christopher Palestro wrote:
"My experience has been that Windows Remote Desktop ("RD") is far superior to GoToMyPC...."

Christopher J. Hayes responded:
"The cleanest, most secure, and most cost-effective way for most small offices to use Windows Remote Desktop is to have desktop PCs with Windows XP Professional, along with a server using Windows Small Business Server 2003...."

I enjoyed Christopher Hayes' May 25 post about Remote Desktop. He wrote that only WinXP computers can access RD. I access my Windows SBS 2003 server console and, when necessary, WinXP workstation (client) desktops, through RWW/RD, using an older ThinkPad running Windows 2000. I have to use Internet Explorer instead of Firefox because Firefox won't handle the ActiveX control RD requires. Otherwise, though, it works flawlessly on a Win2K box.

Dixon Robertson

[Publisher's Note: Learn more about Windows Remote Desktop. — Sara Skiff]

About Answers to Questions
Posts like the one above appear exclusively in Answers to Questions, 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. You can subscribe here.

Cindy Wolf, Tip: How to Reduce Neck Strain When Using Multiple Monitor Set Up

TechnoLawyer asked:
"Did you recently purchase a new desktop PC? If so, please post a review."

Phil Rhodes wrote:
"Our firm has purchased two Compaq PCs in the last six months.... One last question — how many of you use multiple monitors on your desktop? Is your setup worth the money? What size do you recommend?"

Bob Browning wrote:
"I recently went to two Samsung SyncMaster 213T monitors. I work at a built-in desk behind my "client desk" so I mounted both monitors on the wall, one straight ahead of me and the other at about a 15 degree angle on a heavy duty swing arm...."

I use two monitors and will never go back. I use my laptop screen (15") and an extra 17" above it. I found that I couldn't deal with a side by side arrangement because I can't move my keyboard and I would get neck aches looking at the other screen when it was on the side. The stacked view is great. I haven't gone paperless yet but this helps tremendously.

Cindy Wolf, PC
Denver, CO

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.

Richard Bash, Review: Broadband: Worth the Expense?

TechnoLawyer publisher Neil Squillante asks:
"What do you use for Internet access at your firm — a T1 line, SDSL, ADSL, Cable, something else? How fast? How much does it cost? Which provider? How well does it work? Please reply and help your fellow TechnoLawyer members avoid costly mistakes."

I use AT&T/Yahoo to reach the Internet via a DSL modem (supplied by Yahoo). Cost is now $59.99 a month and barely worth the expense. May go back to dial-up. Broadband is not all it is cracked up to be. Lots of slow times.

Richard M. Bash
Attorney-at-Law
Anderson, IN

[Publisher's Note: It sounds to me like you don't have true broadband because there is no comparison to dialup. Before you revert, try another provider. DSL providers in particular are a dime a dozen. Also, make sure you get download speeds of at least 1Mbps in both directions (i.e., SDSL as opposed to ADSL), which I suspect is currently not the case. If you don't need fast upload speeds, you can opt for ADSL with download speeds as fast as 6Mbps. You can check your speed here — Neil Squillante]

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.