TechnoLawyer: SmallLaw

Originally published in the April 24, 2012 issue of SmallLaw: You've just written a world-class brief. Time to send it to your word processing department to create a table of authorities. What's that? You work in a small law firm and don't have a word processing department? Okay then just give it to your assistant. She still creates a table of authorities manually? Well, you're in luck. In this issue of SmallLaw, law firm technology consultant and Microsoft Word guru Ben Schorr provides step-by-step instructions for automatically generating a table of authorities in Microsoft Word. Make this article required reading at your firm. Also, don't miss the SmallLaw Pick of the Week for 19 alternatives to hiring your first (or next) law firm employee.

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 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.

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 April 13, 2012 issue of SmallLaw: Lights. Camera. SmallLaw! In this special issue of SmallLaw, lawyer and law firm video producer Gerry Oginski of the Lawyer's Video Studio reviews a video created by Kelly Chang Rickert, a fellow member of the SmallLaw video review team. As Kelly wrote to us a few weeks ago, "I will volunteer to go on the critic's table." Before you get to Gerry's review, TechnoLawyer publisher Neil Squillante provides some context for those of you new to our law firm video reviews, and Kelly discusses the making of her video, including its cost and goals. Also, don't miss the SmallLaw Pick of the Week for a guide to the four types of email users and tips for each of them.

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 April 10, 2012 issue of SmallLaw: Thanks to legal legal technology consultant and iPad expert Brett Burney, you've now have the best iPad stylus, the best note-taking app, and the best signature capture app. In this issue of SmallLaw, Brett continues his series with what may become his most popular article yet — the best iPad app for annotating PDF files (highlights, notes, drawings, etc.). As usual, Brett puts three apps through the paces, and then declares a winner for the specific needs of solos and small law firms. Also, don't miss the SmallLaw Pick of the Week for a complete list of all the apps discussed at the 2012 ABA TECHSHOW'S 60 Apps in 60 Minutes seminar (Brett was among the presenters).

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 April 3, 2012 issue of SmallLaw: Size matters. But less and less each year thanks to the cloud. Until recently, only large law firms could afford to create a client-facing document assembly system for both client development and work product purposes. Released earlier this year, HotDocs Document Services gives this powerful capability to small law firms. But how well does it work? In this issue of SmallLaw, legal document assembly expert Marc Lauritsen puts HotDocs Document Services through a series of tests and renders a verdict — and TechnoScore. Also, don't miss the SmallLaw Pick of the Week for a summary of the 11 six-minute presentations given last week at LexThink (which you can easily read in six minutes, thus saving yourself an hour).

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 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.

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 March 29, 2012 issue of SmallLaw: The forecast for small law firm technology looks … cloudy. Bad puns aside, technology marches on as must your firm. In addition to deciding which products to use, you must now also decide between two different philosophies — cloud versus local software. For this reason, we periodically revisit this debate. In this issue of SmallLaw, we report on the current state of cloud computing in small law firms, including insightful observations from some of world's foremost legal technology experts. Also, don't miss the SmallLaw Pick of the Week for a report on aging baby boomer solos whose law practices are literally a heartbeat away from disaster.

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 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.

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 March 16, 2012 issue of SmallLaw: The world's largest social network — email — got a slow start 40 years ago, but it's way ahead of Facebook and LinkedIn. If you want to contact someone you don't know, email is your best bet as it's much less intrusive than trying to "friend" the person. But what if you don't know that person's email address? In this issue of SmallLaw, email expert Neil Squillante explains his secret techniques for obtaining just about anyone's email address. Also, don't miss the SmallLaw Pick of the Week for a rundown of the pros and cons of the various law firm compensation systems.

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 March 13, 2012 issue of SmallLaw: Has your small law firm cut the cord? No, not your cable service. We wouldn't expect you to practice law without sneaking in some CNBC and ESPN. We're talking about your servers — those computers that house software for billing, email, document management, practice management, and telephone service. In this issue of SmallLaw, law practice advisor Erik Mazzone discusses cloud substitutes for all five that will enable your law firm to cut (most of) its Ethernet cables and reclaim its server room. Also, don't miss the SmallLaw Pick of the Week for a thoughtful essay about how technology can make lawyers less rather than more productive.

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.