TechnoLawyer: TechnoLawyer

Coming September 8, 2006 to Fat Friday: Barron Henley strikes back on the issue of word processing training in law firms, Ron Kahn shares how he uses Time Matters and Zetafax in his paperless workflow, Philip Rhodes discusses cell phone etiquette, and Lawrence King criticizes the pricing of the TechnoLawyer Archive (and we respond). Plus, this issue features links to 5 additional Posts in the TechnoLawyer Archive. Don't miss this issue.

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10. You bought an Xbox 360 rather than a Ferrari 360 when you had a mid-life crisis.

9. You advise your client to litigate rather than settle so that you can use the new versions of CaseMap, FYI, TrialDirector, etc.

8. You ask the judge if you can "televise" the trial on YouTube.

7. You count e-mail newsletters instead of sheep to fall asleep.

6. Your den is full of autographed photos of Wells Anderson, Adriana Linares, Jeffrey Lisson, David Moon, Lynn Packer, Ed Poll, Seth Rowland, and other TechnoFeature authors.

5. Thanks to a restraining order, you're no longer allowed within 100 feet of Dennis Kennedy, but you still e-mail him suggestions for TechnoLawyer NewsWire.

4. You camped out overnight to attend the BlawgWorld launch party.

3. You're still hopeful that LawPro 2 will ship one of these days.

2. You have dual monitors in every room of your house, including your bathroom.

1. You return from a weekend in Vegas with the TechnoLawyer logo tatooed on your ....

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.

TechnoLawyer, the world's leading legal technology newsletter network, and Dennis Kennedy, the world's leading legal technology ...

Oops, sorry about that boring press release introduction — totally out of character. Here's what I meant to say:

Dennis Kennedy + TechnoLawyer NewsWire = Best coverage of new and little-known products and services for legal professionals.

Dennis is a legal technology legend with whom we have often worked. Dennis was one of a handful of experts who helped put our TechnoFeature newsletter on the map way back when. It remains our most popular newsletter. Dennis also helped us launch our IP Memes newsletter in late 2002. Most recently, he authored the TechnoLawyer E-Discovery Cheat Sheet that we gave to those who voted in the TechnoLawyer @ Awards. Speaking of which, Dennis has won more @ Awards than I could possibly list here.

Dennis, of course, has a rich life outside of TechnoLawyer. He writes a popular eponymous blog, co-founded LexThink, which runs innovative "unconferences," and is a much in-demand speaker at legal technology events around the country. Perhaps most importantly, he remains a practicing lawyer focusing in information technology and intellectual property transactional law.

TL NewsWire began its life covering a mix of technology news. In 2000, we began covering new and little-known products and services exclusively. We also began writing the articles in a highly-stylized fashion with clever titles and pop culture references. Notwithstanding this eye candy, our TL NewsWire articles are renowned for their level of detail.

Today's announcement represents a new direction for TL NewsWire. Don't worry — the style and in-depth reporting will remain the same as ever. However, with Dennis at the helm, you can expect more coverage of legal-specific products and services. As both a lawyer and top legal technologist, Dennis will cover these products and services as no one else can.

So please give Dennis a warm welcome, and look for his first issue of TL NewsWire on June 21, 2006. Feel free to send him interesting products and services you come across. You can contact Dennis at

Incidentally, if you do not currently subscribe to TL NewsWire, you can do so here.

You don't have time to track 100 business and technology magazines and blogs. We do. Below you'll find our latest discoveries.

Assessing the Importance of Voice Mail in Discovery

Data Mining on the Internet with Google

How Many Hours Would Elihu Root Bill?

And Your Favorite Blog Is ... Huh?

Is Your Firm Really Marketing?

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.

Below you'll find the official results and complete list of winners and finalists for the 2006 TechnoLawyer @ Awards. Congratulations to all!

THE ONE @ AWARD YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT ...

You voted for 23 of the 24 @ Awards, which means that one has remained a mystery.

Late last year, we published BlawgWorld 2006: Capital of Big Ideas, a wildly successful eBook with 32,604 downloads to date. BlawgWorld certainly achieved its mission of promoting legal blogs.

Many of the bloggers who participated in BlawgWorld helped us distribute the eBook. Thus, we created a new @ Award — Blawgger of the Year — for the blogger responsible for the largest number of downloads.

The winner? Two of them actually — Stephen Albainy-Jenei and Karlyn Schnapp who co-write Patent Baristas, an excellent blawg that covers big pharma patent news. When they're not blogging, Stephen and Karlyn both practice patent law at Frost Brown Todd LLC in Cincinnati.

If you don't yet have a copy of BlawgWorld, download it today.

THE @ AWARDS THAT YOU CHOSE ...

TechnoLawyer has always worked best when it lets a thousand flowers bloom (Ruth Laura Edlund refers to TechnoLawyer as a "collective mind"). The TechnoLawyer @ Awards certainly fits this model — set up a few basic rules and see what happens.

What typically happens is a display of customer loyalty. The winners and finalists tend to have happy customers willing to take the time to vote via e-mail.

Does market share play a role? Sure, but not as much as enthusiastic customers. Among this year's winners and finalists you will find large companies with mature products, startups with new products, and even large companies with new products.

Congratulations to all the winners and finalists! And thank you for voting!

2006 TECHNOLAWYER @ AWARDS — FINAL RESULTS

Congratulations to all the winners and finalists of the 2006 TechnoLawyer @ Awards. (Finalists are listed in alphabetical order.)

1. FAVORITE TECHNOLAWYER CONTRIBUTOR OF 2005

Winner:
Ross L. Kodner, MicroLaw, Inc.

Finalists:
Greg Krehel, LexisNexis CaseSoft
Seth G. Rowland, Basha Systems

2. LEGAL TECHNOLOGY CONSULTANT OF THE YEAR

Winner:
Bill Dertinger, Esquire Consultant Group

Finalists:
There are no finalists for this @ Award.

3. FAVORITE LEGAL WEB SITE

Winner:
LexisNexis

Finalists:
FindLaw
Software Technology

4. FAVORITE LEGAL BLOG (BLAWG)

Winner:
1234Tips

Finalists:
Alextronic Discovery
Ernie the Attorney
Patently-O: Patent Law Blog

5. BLAWGGER OF THE YEAR

Winners:
Stephen Albainy-Jenei & Karlyn Schnapp, Patent Baristas

Finalists:
Dennis Kennedy, DennisKennedy.blog
Evan Schaeffer, Illinois Trial Practice Weblog

6. FAVORITE ACCOUNTING SOLUTION

Winner:
LexisNexis PCLaw/PCLaw Pro

Finalists:
QuickBooks
Tabs3

7. FAVORITE CASE/PRACTICE MANAGEMENT SOLUTION

Winner:
LexisNexis Time Matters

Finalists:
Amicus Attorney
PracticeMaster

8. FAVORITE DOCUMENT ASSEMBLY/AUTOMATION SOLUTION

Winner:
HotDocs

Finalists:
Amicus Attorney
PracticeMaster

9. FAVORITE DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT SOLUTION

Winner:
LexisNexis Time Matters

Finalists:
PracticeMaster
WORLDOX

10. FAVORITE DOCUMENT SECURITY SOLUTION

Winner:
Adobe Acrobat

Finalists:
Metadata Assistant
Workshare Protect

11. FAVORITE ELECTRONIC DISCOVERY SOLUTION

Winner:
Applied Discovery

Finalists:
Concordance
CT Summation iBlaze/WebBlaze

12. FAVORITE LEGAL FORMS SOLUTION

Winner:
LexisNexis Automated Forms

Finalists:
ProDoc
West Legal Solutions Plus

13. FAVORITE LEGAL KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT SOLUTION

Winner:
CaseMap

Finalists:
CaseWorth
NetDocuments

14. FAVORITE LEGAL RESEARCH TOOL

Winner:
LexisNexis

Finalists
LexisNexis QuickLaw
Westlaw

15. FAVORITE LEGAL-SPECIFIC TECH SUPPORT

Winner:
LexisNexis CaseSoft

Finalists:
LexisNexis Time Matters
Software Technology

16. FAVORITE LITIGATION ASP

Winner:
LexisNexis Total Litigator

Finalists:
CaseKnowledge
CT Summation CaseVault

17. FAVORITE LITIGATION SUPPORT SOLUTION

Winner:
CaseMap

Finalists:
Concordance
CT Summation iBlaze/WebBlaze

18. FAVORITE ONLINE CLE PROVIDER

Winner:
LegalSpan

Finalists:
LexisNexis Mealeys
West LegalEdcenter

19. FAVORITE PRACTICE AREA SOLUTION

Winner:
CaseMap

Finalists:
Collier TopForm Bankruptcy
CT Summation iBlaze/WebBlaze

20. FAVORITE TIME-BILLING SOLUTION

Winner:
LexisNexis Billing Matters

Finalists:
LexisNexis Time Matters
Tabs3

21. FAVORITE TRANSCRIPT MANAGEMENT SOLUTION

Winner:
TextMap

Finalists:
CT Summation iBlaze/WebBlaze
LiveNote

22. FAVORITE TRIAL PRESENTATION SOLUTION

Winner:
TimeMap

Finalists:
Sanction
TrialDirector

23. FAVORITE NEW LEGAL PRODUCT OF 2005

Winner:
LexisNexis Total Litigator 1.0

Finalists:
Tabs3 Version 12
TimeMap 4

24. FAVORITE TECHNORELEASES OF 2005

Winner:
CaseSoft

Finalists:
CT Summation
Software Technology

ABOUT TECHNOLAWYER @ AWARDS

The most comprehensive set of awards in the legal market, the TechnoLawyer @ Awards recognize customer loyalty. Every year, TechnoLawyer members vote for their favorite blogs, products, services, and Web sites in a variety of categories. In addition, three @ Awards pay tribute to individuals — Favorite TechnoLawyer Contributor, Legal Technology Consultant of the Year, and Blawgger of the Year.

"TechnoLawyer @ Awards" and its accompanying slogan are registered trademarks of PeerViews Inc. Other trademarks are property of their respective owners.

I thought I'd share some TechnoLawyer @ Awards gossip:

• A fair number of people have voted for TechnoLawyer for Favorite Legal Web Site and Favorite Blawg. Thank you for your support notwithstanding our ineligibility!

• Dennis Kennedy has recused himself from the voted @ Awards since he authored the E-Discovery Cheat Sheet we're giving to all those who vote. Dennis bowed out of his own accord as we have not received any complaints. He remains eligible for Blawgger of the Year, a statistically-determined @ Award.

• One person submitted a ballot not to vote for a product, but to vote against it! Ha! Even better, here's another ballot we received: "I would be diluting the quality of the vote if I opined on any of these products or services." Here's another favorite of mine: "I am a new member and don't have a clue as to any of the answers."

• Here are some interesting statistics: 18% of voters leave their subject line blank. The most popular subject line is "TechnoLawyer @ Awards Ballot" (29%). Some of my favorite ballot subject lines: "Take My Vote, Please," "Voting: Hope I Did This Right," and "Terrible Way to Conduct a Survey"

Regarding that last subject line, I apologize for our retro voting method, but it does a really good job of preventing fraud. Voting ends on May 19th! Vote today and download your copy of the TechnoLawyer E-Discovery Cheat Sheet by Dennis Kennedy.

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.

Below you'll find the final status report. Voting ends this Friday at midnight (May 19th). We'll announce the winners and finalists on June 1st. We'd like to thank everyone who has voted for making this year's @ Awards particularly exciting. If you have not yet voted, you still have plenty of time to do so. Shortly after voting, you'll receive via e-mail the TechnoLawyer E-Discovery Cheat Sheet. Please vote today.

1. Favorite TechnoLawyer Contributor of 2005
Seth Rowland strikes back, moving into first place over Ross Kodner in second, and Greg Krehel in third.

2. Legal Technology Consultant Of The Year
Lee Cumbie has overtaken Mark Spengler, but not by much. A whole bunch of other consultants remain within striking distance.

3. Favorite Legal Web Site
LexisNexis remains in first place with FindLaw close behind. A number of other Web sites are clamoring for third place. The lead could again change with four days of voting left to go.

4. Favorite Legal Blog (Blawg)
1234Tips holds onto first place. Patently-O and ScotusBlog remain neck and neck in a second place tie. Newcomer Ernie the Attorney takes third pushing AlextronicDiscovery into a fourth place tie with Jim Calloway's Law Practice Tips Blog.

5. Favorite Accounting Solution
PCLaw and Tabs3 break past QuickBooks, taking first and second place respectively. This @ Award category will surely be a photo finish come May 19th.

6. Favorite Case/Practice Management Solution
Time Matters still occupies first with PracticeMaster and Amicus Attorney duking it out not far behind.

7. Favorite Document Assembly/Automation Solution
HotDocs/HotDocs Pro maintains its first place lead over PracticeMaster. GhostFill sneaks past Adobe Acrobat for third.

8. Favorite Document Management Solution
First place Time Matters keeps it's eye on PracticeMaster, now in second, while WORLDOX occupies third.

9. Favorite Document Security Solution
This week brings no change — but it's still a close race. First place Adobe Acrobat leads Metadata Assistant by five votes. Workshare Protect remains in third.

10. Favorite Electronic Discovery Solution
First place Applied Discovery stays on top, but CaseVault catches up to Concordance for a second place tie. Fios Prevail is tied with Summation Blaze/iBlaze in third. There's no doubt your vote will make a difference in this hotly-contested @ Award category.

11. Favorite Legal Forms Solution
LexisNexis Automated Judicial Counsel Forms remains in first place. West Legal Solutions Plus sweats it out in second, just one vote ahead of ProDoc in third.

12. Favorite Legal Knowledge Management Solution
CaseMap remains on top in first place while CaseWorth climbs into second leaving West KM in third.

13. Favorite Legal Research Tool
LexisNexis has a slim lead over WestLaw in second. QuickLaw has a slim lead over LoisLaw in fourth place.

14. Favorite Legal-Specific Tech Support
Software Technology leaps into a first place tie with CaseSoft. inData Corp snatches second from Time Matters, now in third. They'll be fighting for this one till the clock strikes midnight on May 19th.

15. Favorite Litigation ASP
LexisNexis Total Litigator squeezes CaseVault into second but newcomer CaseKnowledge is only one vote away in third place.

16. Favorite Litigation Support Solution
CaseMap remains in first leaving Summation Blaze/iBlaze in second. iCONECT takes a slim lead over Visionary for third place.

17. Favorite Online CLE Provider
LegalSpan ups the ante in first, but the sun hasn't set yet on West LegalEdcenter in second. LexisNexis Mealeys and Fios remain in third and fourth place.

18. Favorite Practice Area Solution
CaseMap is still on top with Collier TopForm Bankruptcy tied with FinPlan for second, and ProDoc, Summation Blaze/iBlaze, and Time Matters tied for third.

19. Favorite Time-Billing Solution
Tabs3 has overtaken Billing Matters for first place by four votes. Timeslips tiptoes into second, leaving PCLaw just one vote back in third. This race is far from over.

20. Favorite Transcript Management Solution
TextMap hold onto first place. LiveNote moves into second, three votes ahead of Summation Blaze/iBlaze in third. RealLegal E-Transcript is close behind in fourth place.

21. Favorite Trial Presentation Solution
TrialDirector, TimeMap, and Sanction remain in first, second, and third place respectively. But four more days of voting could change the outcome.

22. Favorite New Legal Product of 2005
Tabs3 has tied TimeMap 4 for first place with TimeCoder Pro just one vote behind them in third. Will fourth place LexisNexis Total Litigator catch up? Let us know by voting!

23. Favorite Technoreleases of 2005
Software Technology turns down the volume on CaseSoft's first place lead with LexisNexis not far behind.

About TechnoLawyer @ Awards
The most comprehensive set of awards in the legal market, the TechnoLawyer @ Awards recognize customer loyalty. Every year, TechnoLawyer members vote for their favorite blogs, products, services, and Web sites in a variety of categories. In addition, four @ Awards pay tribute to individuals — TechnoLawyer of the Year, Favorite TechnoLawyer Contributor, Legal Technology Consultant of the Year, and Blawgger of the Year. Only TechnoLawyer members may vote in the @ Awards. Join TechnoLawyer now.

Sorry for the late notice, but on May 18th at 9:00 a.m. I plan to attend Adobe's Acrobat Legal Forum at the Westin Hotel in Times Square. If you also plan to attend, e-mail me so that I can look for you there. Rick Borstein will also be there. Learn more about this event.

We're looking for new office space in Manhattan. If you have any tips to pass along — a client looking to sublease space, a broker who handles small deals, a good commercial real estate lawyer, etc. — please e-mail me (our email address appears at the bottom of every page on our site). 

Thank you for your help.

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.

Below you'll find the raw vote status report as of May 10th. Like what you see? Don't like what you see? You have plenty of time to help your favorite blogs, products, services, and companies emerge victorious from these close races. When you vote, you'll receive free of charge the TechnoLawyer E-Discovery Cheat Sheet written by e-discovery expert Dennis Kennedy. Please vote today and get your own copy. Voting ends on May 19th.

1. Favorite TechnoLawyer Contributor of 2005
Greg Krehel edges into first place with a one vote lead over Ross Kodner. Seth Rowland and Rick Borstein are tied for third. Nine more days of voting could once again tip the scales.

2. Legal Technology Consultant Of The Year
Mark Spengler resides in first with no one else in sight, but his lead is not insurmountable. Instead, there seems to be much confusion about this @ Award. Only independent consultants who have not previously won this @ Award are eligible. An independent consultant is someone who works at a consulting firm that helps law firms with an array of products from various vendors.

3. Favorite Legal Web Site
This @ Award heats up with LexisNexis sneaking past FindLaw for first place. DiscoveryResources.org and LexisONE are tied for second. This race is far too close to call.

4. Favorite Legal Blog (Blawg)
1234Tips makes its @ Awards debut with a bang, taking first place. Patently-O finds itself tied with ScotusBlog for second. Legal Underground and AlextronicDiscovery are just one vote behind in third and fourth place respectively. Your vote will likely change the outcome of this category!

5. Favorite Accounting Solution
Look out! PCLaw catches up with QuickBooks for a first place tie. Tabs3 leaps into second, pushing Billing Matters into third place. A close race to the bitter end seems assured.

6. Favorite Case/Practice Management Solution
Time Matters retains its first place lead over Amicus Attorney. PracticeMaster leaps out from the pack and lands in third. There's still nine days left to settle the score for this @ Awards category.

7. Favorite Document Assembly/Automation Solution
HotDocs/HotDocs Pro holds onto first place, but PracticeMaster posts a strong second place debut. Adobe Acrobat and GhostFill are tied for third.

8. Favorite Document Management Solution
The tables have turned! Time Matters leapfrogs over WORLDOX for first place. PracticeMaster slides into third pushing Interwoven Worksite and Hummingbird DM into a tie for fourth. Your vote can make all the difference in this @ Awards category.

9. Favorite Document Security Solution
Still a close race with Adobe Acrobat moving ahead of Metadata Assistant for first place. Workshare Protect has settled into third. Who will win this new @ Awards category? Only time will tell.

10. Favorite Electronic Discovery Solution
Applied Discovery rises to first place with CaseVault close behind in second and Concordance in third.

11. Favorite Legal Forms Solution
LexisNexis Automated Judicial Counsel Forms makes a splash in first place. West Legal Solutions Plus takes second place, forcing ProDoc into third. Anything can happen in this category with 9 days of voting left.

12. Favorite Legal Knowledge Management Solution
CaseMap plants its feet in first with West KM in second, and newcomer CaseWorth one vote behind in third. We might need a camera for this race!

13. Favorite Legal Research Tool
Wow! LexisNexis has tied WestLaw for first place, while QuickLaw edges past Loislaw for second. Your vote will make a difference for this @ Award.

14. Favorite Legal-Specific Tech Support
CaseSoft holds onto its first place lead. But Time Matters is still a force to be reckoned with in second. inData Corp. debuts in third place, two votes ahead of Software Technology. Karnac says: too close to call yet again.

15. Favorite Litigation ASP
A tight race with CaseVault in first place, LexisNexis Total Litigator in second, and third place anyone's for the taking.

16. Favorite Litigation Support Solution
CaseMap holds onto first over second place Summation Blaze/iBlaze. Visionary edges out iCONECT for third place.

17. Favorite Online CLE Provider
Another close race! LegalSpan inches into first place, forcing West LegalEdcenter into second. LexisNexis Mealeys moves into third, one vote ahead of Fios. If you've got an opinion about your favorite CLE Provider, let us know by voting!

18. Favorite Practice Area Solution
CaseMap reigns supreme in first place. BestCase Bankruptcy, Collier TopForm Bankruptcy, FinPlan, ProDoc, and Summation Blaze/iBlaze are in an unprecedented five way tie for second place! Your vote could break the tie.

19. Favorite Time-Billing Solution
Billing Matters jumps into first place. Tabs3 bounces into second, forcing Timeslips into a one vote lead over fourth place PCLaw/PCLaw Pro. Nine days of voting could move this @ Awards category in any direction.

20. Favorite Transcript Management Solution
TextMap remains in first. Summation Blaze/iBlaze catches up with LiveNote for a second place tie. RealLegal E-Transcript continues to occupy third.

21. Favorite Trial Presentation Solution
TrialDirector takes the director's seat with TimeMap falling back into second place, leaving Sanction to settle for third — for now.

22. Favorite New Legal Product of 2005
TimeMap 4 continues its lead, but a strong show of support for TimeCoder Pro has catapulted it into second place. LexisNexis Total Litigator is tied with Tabs3 for third place.

23. Favorite Technoreleases of 2005
CaseSoft remains on top. Software Technology moves into second place with LexisNexis in third. Which Technoreleases did you enjoy in 2005? Vote today and let us know.Stay tuned for the next status report on May 10th.

About TechnoLawyer @ Awards
The most comprehensive set of awards in the legal market, the TechnoLawyer @ Awards recognize customer loyalty. Every year, TechnoLawyer members vote for their favorite blogs, products, services, and Web sites in a variety of categories. In addition, four @ Awards pay tribute to individuals — TechnoLawyer of the Year, Favorite TechnoLawyer Contributor, Legal Technology Consultant of the Year, and Blawgger of the Year. Only TechnoLawyer members may vote in the @ Awards. Join TechnoLawyer now.

Voting in the 2006 TechnoLawyer @ Awards began last week!

If you vote, you'll receive free of charge the TechnoLawyer E-Discovery Cheat Sheet. This two-page PDF file written by e-discovery expert Dennis Kennedy can serve as a valuable educational tool for you and especially your new hires and clients.

Here's what some voters have said about the cheat sheet:

"Thank you. The e-discovery cheat sheet is very informative."

"Covers the basics and highlights the risks of screwing up."

"I found it very concise and helpful. In my practice, I often function as a Litigation Support Manager. This is a great tool to share."

Voting ends on May 19th. Please vote today and download the cheat sheet.