TechnoLawyer: SmallLaw

Coming today to SmallLaw: Lawyers like dressing sharp. And they like their documents to look equally sharp. This explains why SmallLaw subscribers voted law firm technology consultant Ben Schorr's article on using Styles for formatting Microsoft Word documents their favorite article of 2012. In today's issue of SmallLaw, Ben revisits this topic, explaining how you can customize Styles, enabling your firm's documents to look consistent and unique. Also, don't miss the SmallLaw Pick of the Week for a a comparative review of Microsoft Office 365 and Google Apps.

How to Receive SmallLaw
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 ensures that you won't miss anything published elsewhere by linking to helpful articles (and podcasts and videos) 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 February 19, 2013 issue of SmallLaw: You're feeling good because you're traveling light with just your iPad. Then you remember you need a document on your office computer — and it's midnight back home. Panic attack? Not if you have a remote control (remote desktop) app on your iPad. In this issue of SmallLaw, legal technology consultant and iPad trainer Brett Burney reviews three remote control apps, including one that can work over both your local network and the Internet. Which app deserves a spot on your home screen? Find out by reading this latest installment in our "Best iPad App" series. Also, don't miss the SmallLaw Pick of the Week for a new breed of cross-platform apps for writing on your iPhone, iPad, and Mac or PC.

How to Receive SmallLaw
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 ensures that you won't miss anything published elsewhere by linking to helpful articles (and podcasts and videos) 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 February 13, 2013 issue of SmallLaw: "Since your husband is a jerk there's a 75% chance of a trial in your divorce so I have to charge you $80,000." Um, yeah. Let's not forget that consultants preaching fixed fees are looking out for number one. The billable hour has endured because it works — if you capture all your time. In this issue of SmallLaw, New Jersey lawyer Edward Zohn reviews Chrometa 4.0, which automatically captures the time you spend working on your computer and smartphone. Version 4.0 adds more granularity via an Outlook plugin plus timesheets and invoices. Edward used Chrometa in his law practice for one month and reports on his experience in this review. Also, don't miss the SmallLaw Pick of the Week for the latest state ethics opinion on the use of cloud computing products by law firms.

How to Receive SmallLaw
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 ensures that you won't miss anything published elsewhere by linking to helpful articles (and podcasts and videos) about solo practices and small law firms. The SmallLaw newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

Coming today to SmallLaw: There's a new technology in town. Meet the Windows hybrid, a so-called "no compromise" computer that you can use as either a laptop or a touchscreen tablet and which runs legacy Windows software. Also, meet Robert Harvey, a small firm lawyer tired of carrying three devices — laptop, tablet, and smartphone. He wants to replace his laptop and tablet so in this issue of SmallLaw he exhaustively analyzes the top three contenders — Sony VAIO Duo 11, Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13, and Microsoft Surface Pro. Can this new breed of computer replace your laptop and tablet? Robert has the answer. Also, don't miss the SmallLaw Pick of the Week for a free PDF ebook on using the latest online marketing tools for lawyers.

How to Receive SmallLaw
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 ensures that you won't miss anything published elsewhere by linking to helpful articles (and podcasts and videos) 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 November 9, 2012 issue of SmallLaw: Could you practice law without a calendar? Not for long. One of the unsung heroes of modern living is that thanks to the combination of services like iCloud, Exchange, and Google Calendar, and mobile devices like the iPad and iPhone, you can access your calendar anywhere. If you use an iPad and find the built-in Calendar underwhelming, legal technology consultant Brett Burney feels your pain. In this issue of SmallLaw, he reviews three alternative calendar apps for the iPad that also work on the iPhone. He deems all three better the built-in Calendar app, but only one of the apps earns a TechnoScore of A. Also, don't miss the SmallLaw Pick of the Week for a portrait of a small law firm that has succeeded without becoming a sweat shop.

How to Receive SmallLaw
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 November 6, 2012 issue of SmallLaw: You walk into a networking event and see one person standing alone, two people conversing, and a group of four. Whom should you approach for client development purposes? RainmakerVT provides the answer to this and many other scenarios along with exercises and tips through its unique online course for solos and small firm lawyers who want to improve their sales and marketing skills. For this issue of SmallLaw, estate planning lawyer Chandra Lewnau took all of RainmakerVT's courses. Is RainmakerVT worth your time and money. Chandra answers this question in her review. Also, don't miss the SmallLaw Pick of the Week for advice on how middle-aged solos and managing partners can reverse a slowly failing law practice.

How to Receive SmallLaw
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 October 31, 2012 issue of SmallLaw: Remember how Mikey hated cereal until he liked one. One product can change someone's mind about an entire category. In this issue of SmallLaw, New Jersey lawyer Edward Zohn reviews Credenza Pro, which transforms Microsoft Outlook into a practice management system. Ed's the perfect lawyer to review this add-on because he loves Outlook but has never used practice management software — pretty much the target market for Credenza Pro. In his review, Ed evaluates all of Credenza Pro's core features as well as some undocumented features that he discovered. Also, don't miss the SmallLaw Pick of the Week for Jim Calloway's guide to equipping a small law firm.

How to Receive SmallLaw
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.

Coming today to SmallLaw: The solo life works just fine for some lawyers, but Gadsden, Alabama lawyer Clark Stewart recently left it behind when he teamed up with a friend to form a partnership. Yes, it's time for another installment of our series, A Lawyer's Life. In this issue of SmallLaw, Clark reviews Line2, his new law firm's iOS-based next-generation telephone system. He also explains why his law firm relies on only two forms of marketing, both of which cost very little. Also, don't miss the SmallLaw Pick of the Week to learn how to calculate numbers in Microsoft Word and thus sidestep Excel.

How to Receive SmallLaw
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 ensures that you won't miss anything published elsewhere by linking to helpful articles (and podcasts and videos) 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 October 23, 2012 issue of SmallLaw: Remember before Caller ID when someone would hang up just before you could answer the telephone. Frustrating. The modern equivalent is sending an email message to a client without an email signature containing your contact information. In this issue of SmallLaw, law firm technology consultant Ben Schorr provides a plethora of power tips for email signatures, including what to include and what to omit, and some caveats about graphic design and legal disclaimers. As a bonus, if you use Outlook, Ben explains how to set up one or more email signatures. Also, don't miss the SmallLaw Pick of the Week for the first hands-on review (including a video) of the iPad mini, which Apple announced earlier today.

How to Receive SmallLaw
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 October 16, 2012 issue of SmallLaw: In August 2012, Pennsylvania litigator and long-time TechnoLawyer member Thomas Groshens published a thoughtful article in the Legal Intelligencer about the future of cloud computing in law firms using Evernote as an example. Though not legal-specific, Evernote is well suited to two common activities among lawyers — taking notes and storing information such as legal research. Because the Legal Intelligencer requires a subscription, both the publisher and Tom were kind enough to permit us to reprint his article in this issue of SmallLaw. Also, don't miss the SmallLaw Pick of the Week for five simple steps you can take to prevent fraud at your law firm.

How to Receive SmallLaw
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.