TechnoLawyer: TL NewsWire

Today's issue of TechnoLawyer NewsWire covers the first iPad-specific word processor (see article below), an iPhone VoIP app, an online contract review platform, eDiscovery processing software, and a suite of services for enhancing and protecting your online reputation. Don't miss the next issue.

Touch the Future of Word Processing

Dominant products rarely survive paradigm shifts, and those that do tend to become also rans in the next era. Take word processing for example. WordStar got caught flat-footed with DOS, WordPerfect with Windows, and some say Microsoft Word with the Web — though the jury remains out on that last shift. But what if the Web isn't the next paradigm shift like we once thought? What if Google Docs is out of luck before it even becomes dominant?

Pages … in One Sentence
Apple's Pages is a word processing app for Apple's iPad.

The Killer Feature
Pages is the first word processor designed for a capacitive multitouch screen — a screen you use with one or more of your fingertips.

You can use Pages in portrait or landscape mode. You enter text, numbers, and symbols using the iPad's virtual keyboard or an external keyboard (Bluetooth wireless or dock-connected). What you would normally control with your mouse — formatting text, setting margins, etc. — you control via the touch interface with your finger(s).

Other Notable Features
You can access documents to work on in three ways — via iTunes, email attachments, and iWork (a Web-based workspace). Pages can open Microsoft Word files and export in PDF and Word formats.

Pages ships with 16 templates for common documents such as letters and reports. You can import into a document any images that reside on your iPad. Pages automatically saves every change you make and also provides unlimited undo even after closing a document.

What Else Should You Know?
On the Mac, Pages is part of Apple's iWork suite. For the iPad, Apple sells it alone, but its counterparts also exist — Numbers for spreadsheets and Keynote for presentations. In Numbers, the virtual keyboard contains keys for creating formulas. You can give Keynote presentations from an iPad using a VGA adapter. Pages costs $9.99 as do Numbers and Keynote. Learn more about Pages.

How to Receive TechnoLawyer NewsWire
So many products, so little time. In each issue of TechnoLawyer NewsWire, you'll learn about five new products for the legal profession. Pressed for time? The "In One Sentence" section describes each product in one sentence, and the "Killer Feature" section describes each product's most compelling feature. The TechnoLawyer NewsWire newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

Today's issue of TechnoLawyer NewsWire covers a solution for online meetings, remote access, and remote support (see article below), a Web-based decision tree application for predicting litigation outcomes, email conversion software, a computerized pen that captures your handwriting, and an iPhone billing app that syncs with Timeslips. Don't miss the next issue.

Teaming With Possibilities

You've had it with business travel. So you look into online meeting solutions. You'd also like to access your file server at work from home. And your IT department wants to deploy software and provide technical support from the comfort of their cubicles. Suddenly, you're looking at three different products, nay services, each with a monthly fee. Whatever happened to the concept of a software suite

TeamViewer … in One Sentence
TeamViewer is a desktop application for online meetings, remote access, and remote support.

The Killer Feature
Back in the day, you only had to endure four recurring bills — car payment, mortgage, telephone, and utilities. Then came cable TV. Then your Internet connection. And for some of you alimony. But you could still count your monthly expenses on both hands. Nowadays, your credit card statement rivals the tax code in length — blog hosting, Web site hosting, online backups, online accounting, online case management, etc.

TeamViewer harkens back to simpler time. You pay one price one time and receive a lifetime license, including all future updates. The Business edition ($749) enables you to use TeamViewer on one computer. You can add additional computers for $139 each. It lacks some advanced features.

The Premium edition ($1,499) runs on an unlimited number of computers. The Corporate edition ($2,690) adds priority support and more flexibility regarding concurrent sessions (the number of people who can use TeamViewer at the same time).

Other Notable Features
TeamViewer only needs to be installed on your computer. For example, if you want to give a presentation or collaborate on a document with a client, they need only download a lightweight Web applet. TeamViewer works through firewalls and creates a secure connection — secure enough for a VPN through which you can transfer files.

Presentation mode include video streaming, voice over IP, application sharing (rather than showing your entire desktop), multiple monitor support, virtual whiteboards, and time tracking.

Remote administration tools include remote reboot, monitor deactivation, and the ability to see all the computers available for you to access.

What Else Should You Know?
TeamViewer runs on Mac OS X and Windows. TeamViewer Portable enables you to run TeamViewer on any computer from a USB drive. TeamViewer Host enables you to control unattended servers. An iPhone app also exists. Learn more about TeamViewer.

How to Receive TechnoLawyer NewsWire
So many products, so little time. In each issue of TechnoLawyer NewsWire, you'll learn about five new products for the legal profession. Pressed for time? The "In One Sentence" section describes each product in one sentence, and the "Killer Feature" section describes each product's most compelling feature. The TechnoLawyer NewsWire newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

Today's issue of TechnoLawyer NewsWire covers a document and records management system (see article below), a secure file transfer service, a souped-up address book for BlackBerrys, a litigation support iPhone app, and a hosted blog service. Don't miss the next issue.

Document Management Without Trade Offs?

Even the good things in life typically involve trade offs. For example, suppose you marry a beautiful vegetarian. You'll never step foot inside a barbecue joint or steakhouse again unless you can make a persuasive case for side dishes as a main course. In law firms, document management systems can perform miracles, but getting them up and running is often expensive and time consuming. But maybe not anymore.

Alfresco Enterprise 3.2 … in One Sentence
Alfresco Enterprise 3.2 is an open source document and records management system.

The Killer Feature
Email messages often contain incredibly important client-related information. Most document management systems offer tools for saving email messages, but they involve multiple steps.

Alfresco Enterprise integrates with any IMAP email client, which means that the client/matter folders in Alfresco appear in your email program. Thus, you can save messages to Alfresco from within your email program using drag and drop.

Because email messages often arrive with attachments, Alfresco enables you to save the attachments separately from the message if you wish.

Other Notable Features
Alfresco Enterprise offers all the document management technologies you would expect — check in/out, version control and audit trails, search, and integration with Microsoft Office. It also offers an interface that looks like a shared network drive, enabling you to drag and drop documents.

You'll also find collaboration tools. For example, if you give clients access to specific documents, they do not need the application in which the document was created. Instead, they can view them using Flash in a Web browser. Alfresco Enterprise offers RSS feeds for just about everything so you can selectivity monitor activity you care about such as new or modified documents related to a specific matter.

What Else Should You Know?
Alfresco Enterprise integrates with Microsoft SharePoint. Even without SharePoint, Alfresco Enterprise offers its own tools for creating an intranet and your own Web applications. Alfresco Enterprise does not involve any up-front software costs (though you may need to purchase hardware). Instead, you pay a subscription fee, which varies depending on your specific needs. Learn more about Alfresco Enterprise 3.2. system.

How to Receive TechnoLawyer NewsWire
So many products, so little time. In each issue of TechnoLawyer NewsWire, you'll learn about five new products for the legal profession. Pressed for time? The "In One Sentence" section describes each product in one sentence, and the "Killer Feature" section describes each product's most compelling feature. The TechnoLawyer NewsWire newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

Today's issue of TechnoLawyer NewsWire covers an online Flash-based office suite (see article below), software for comparing Excel spreadsheets, document management software, software for accessing your firm's litigation docket via Outlook, and a gadget that transforms your iPhone into a universal infrared remote control. Don't miss the next issue.

Not Your Father's Office

You can't swing a pair of "7" skinny jeans in New York City's East Village without hitting a trendy restaurant featuring exposed brick walls, servers with nose rings, deconstructed dishes, and cocktails that require an ingredients search on your smartphone. It's fun to be hip, but hip doesn't work so well when it comes to word processing, spreadsheets, and presentations. As a result, most law firms have eschewed hip online suites such as Google Docs, preferring to stick with dowdy but feature-rich and reliable Microsoft Office (think Cheesecake Factory). But a newcomer to the world of online office suites claims to have the functionality law firms need.

Live Documents … in One Sentence
InstaColl's Live Documents is an online Flash-based office suite consisting of Live Writer, Live Spreadsheets, and Live Presentations.

The Killer Feature
Unless every organization with which you work switches to Live Documents, you'll still have to deal with Microsoft Office files. And even if that happens, what about all your existing Office files?

Live Documents features what it calls non-lossy Microsoft Office round tripping, which offers two benefits. First, you can import Office documents without losing any existing formatting. Similarly, you can export to Office formats.

Second, if an Office document contains a component that Live Documents does not support such as a macro, Live Documents will preserve the functionality of that element throughout the importing and exporting process.

Other Notable Features
Each of the applications in the suite include collaboration tools. For example, multiple people can work on a document simultaneously. Changes appear instantly. You can also review every change made to a document, including who made each change and when. Your clients do not need a Live Documents subscription of their own. You can either export and email them a Word file, or send them a password-protected link for reviewing the document online. You can specify permissions such as view only.

Live Documents also offers document management. You can tag documents with a client/matter number and keywords, and organize documents using workspaces — similar in concept to folders but with more flexibility. For example, you might place a brief in two workspaces — one for the matter to which it pertains and another for model briefs.

But what about document creation? InstaColl claims that its applications offer the most critical features. For example, the word processing application Live Writer supports rich text, lists, tables (including rules and shading), images, charts, and comments. Also, what you see is what you get in terms of printing (you need not export to print your documents).

What Else Should You Know?
Live Documents works in any Web browser that can run Adobe Flash Player 10. You can use Live Documents for free if you can stay within the limits imposed — 60 documents and 100 MB of storage. Otherwise, Live Documents Premium costs $13.99/month per author (people who can create new documents). An unlimited number of people can edit and review documents. Alternatively, you can host Live Documents on your own server at a customized price depending on your needs. Learn more about Live Documents.

How to Receive TechnoLawyer NewsWire
So many products, so little time. In each issue of TechnoLawyer NewsWire, you'll learn about five new products for the legal profession. Pressed for time? The "In One Sentence" section describes each product in one sentence, and the "Killer Feature" section describes each product's most compelling feature. The TechnoLawyer NewsWire newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

Today's issue of TechnoLawyer NewsWire covers an eDiscovery program designed to shorten the document review process (see article below), two other new litigation support programs, an automated time capture application, and an iPhone app for attending online presentations. Don't miss the next issue.

A Discovery Document Reviewer's Best Friend

What's worse — being laid off or assigned to review discovery documents? That you can now review documents on your computer while lying in bed with your dog and a glass of wine has not exactly transformed it into a desirable activity. In fact, it has become more of a chore than ever thanks to the explosion of electronic documents collected nowadays. Yet it remains a critically important task (mum's the word on that glass of wine). Your dog can't help you, but some new technology can.

iQ Review … in One Sentence
Epiq Systems' iQ Review is an online eDiscovery application designed to shorten the document review process.

The Killer Feature
Litigation has and has not changed. Even in the largest cases you're likely to focus on no more than a few hundred key documents if that. Usually fewer. But the number of documents has skyrocketed so finding that dirty dozen has become incredibly challenging.

iQ Review's Prioritized Review technology enables you to find the relevant documents more efficiently. Someone on your team starts by reviewing a random sample of the entire document collection, and rating the responsiveness of each document.

This process repeats about 20-50 times (15-25 hours) until iQ Review can rank the responsiveness of every document in the collection. At this point, iQ Review re-orders the document collection with the most critical documents to review at the top of the list.

Other Notable Features
iQ Review also incorporates Epiq Systems' eDataMatrix and DocuMatrix technologies.

eDataMatrix enables you to review documents in their native format, eliminating the need to convert to PDF or TIFF formats while preserving metadata.

DocuMatrix offers a number of tools to further shorten document review, including email threading, near-duplicate analysis, and document categorization. DocuMatrix also enables you to monitor the progress of document reviewers and assign projects to them.

What Else Should You Know?
When you finish reviewing your client's documents, DocuMatrix facilitates review by opposing counsel. Learn more about iQ Review.

How to Receive TechnoLawyer NewsWire
So many products, so little time. In each issue of TechnoLawyer NewsWire, you'll learn about five new products for the legal profession. Pressed for time? The "In One Sentence" section describes each product in one sentence, and the "Killer Feature" section describes each product's most compelling feature. The TechnoLawyer NewsWire newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

Today's issue of TechnoLawyer NewsWire covers document assembly software (see article below), a legal hold compliance service, an online service for obtaining digital signatures, an online survey creation tool, and a remote control app for iPhone. Don't miss the next issue.

Document Assembly for Mere Mortals

Lawyers often find themselves too busy to figure out how to streamline their workload. They know software can help them, but find the learning curve daunting — especially document assembly software, which often requires programming knowledge. However, in recent years, a new breed of document assembly products have emerged with tools that novices can use in addition to the more advanced programming tools.

XpressDox … in One Sentence
O2Smart's XpressDox is a document assembly system that integrates with Microsoft Word.

The Killer Feature
XpressDox offers a gradual learning curve, enabling you to start using the software without any prior document assembly experience or technical ability beyond knowing how to use Microsoft Word.

XpressDox adds template creation tools to to Microsoft Word's ribbon or toolbar. You can create templates for letters and other documents by inserting and defining Fields.

Once you become comfortable with the basic fields, you can explore the "XpressDox Template Author's Toolkit," which contains more advanced document assembly tools such as choosing items from a list.

For advanced users, XpressDox offers an application programming interface (API) for customization and integration with other software such as practice management systems. You can also create standardized templates for use by everyone in your firm.

Other Notable Features
In addition to its document assembly tools, XpressDox also includes several productivity tools. For example, the Clause Library enables you to add frequently-used text to documents. Also, you can convert numbers to words.

With the Apply Formatting utility, you and your colleagues can apply your firm's predefined formatting requirements with one click — font, spacing, letterhead, etc.

What Else Should You Know?
XpressDox works with Microsoft Word 2003 and 2007, and runs on Windows XP/Vista/7. You can try it for free. Pricing starts at $149 for a single copy. Learn more about XpressDox.

How to Receive TechnoLawyer NewsWire
So many products, so little time. In each issue of TechnoLawyer NewsWire, you'll learn about five new products for the legal profession. Pressed for time? The "In One Sentence" section describes each product in one sentence, and the "Killer Feature" section describes each product's most compelling feature. The TechnoLawyer NewsWire newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

Today's issue of TechnoLawyer NewsWire covers an online billing application (see article below), a tool for creating your own Android and iPhone app, a PDF-to-Word conversion utility, a service for logging your mobile calls and archiving your text messages, and software that tracks the time you spend working on matters on your PC. Don't miss the next issue.

Don't Just Bill, Get Paid

It's easy to invoice, but hard to collect, especially when clients can blame the economy (never mind their new Z4 parked right outside your office window). While we don't recommend showing up to your client's office with an offer they can't refuse, you might want to think about using technology to make your invoices easier to review and more difficult to avoid paying.

Ballpark … in One Sentence
Ballpark is an online application for estimate and invoice creation and management.

The Killer Feature
Because your clients must log into Ballpark to view invoices, Ballpark records their activity. Thus, you'll know when your client viewed your invoice. You can attach documents to your invoices such as your client's retainer letter.

Clients can pay your invoice directly from Ballpark using PayPal. Alternatively, they can download your invoice in PDF format for submission and processing.

Below each invoice is a discussion thread for communicating with your client. Thus, your clients can ask questions about their invoice and you can respond. When you or a client posts a message, you receive an email alert.

Other Notable Features
Ballpark's Dashboard enables you to review all activity across your firm, including estimates and invoices sent, payments received, and new messages. You can collaborate on estimates and invoices with colleagues before you send them to clients.

Ballpark works in your Web browser, but you can install a companion desktop program (Mac only) that notifies you of new activity so that you need not keep your browser open. Also, Ballpark has an iPhone-friendly version of its site.

What Else Should You Know?
Ballpark offers four plans — Freelancer ($6/month), Studio ($24/month), Agency ($49/month), and Corporate ($99/month). The plans differ regarding the number of users who can use Ballpark and the number of invoices you can create each month (Corporate has no limits). Learn more about Ballpark.

How to Receive TechnoLawyer NewsWire
So many products, so little time. In each issue of TechnoLawyer NewsWire, you'll learn about five new products for the legal profession. Pressed for time? The "In One Sentence" section describes each product in one sentence, and the "Killer Feature" section describes each product's most compelling feature. The TechnoLawyer NewsWire newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

Today's issue of TechnoLawyer NewsWire covers the new editions of a practice management system (see article below), a new social network that integrates with Gmail, an online lawyer video directory, an online discovery project management system, and a VoIP mobile app for BlackBerry and iPhone. Don't miss the next issue.

Work Smarter, Not Harder

Each day has 24 hours. This was true when you were younger. So then why do the days seem shorter as you grow older? Probably because you're busier than ever. You cannot lengthen the day (physics is such a drag), which leaves only one option — work more efficiently. To do that, you'll need a number of software tools, chief among them practice management software.

Amicus Attorney 2010 … in One Sentence
Gavel & Gown's Amicus Attorney 2010 provides you with tools to manage all aspects of your practice, including billing, contacts, calendars, documents, and tasks, as well as collaborate with your colleagues.

The Killer Feature
A lawyer who doesn't use a calendar is like a unicorn — a myth. But not all calendars are created equal. And each year, new versions of practice management software like Amicus Attorney 2010 up the ante.

Both editions of Amicus Attorney 2010 — Premium Edition and Small Firm Edition — have a number of new calendar features that Gavel & Gown describes as "smarter calendaring."

For example, you can color code appointments and tasks based on categories such as client work, court, arbitration, closing, etc. As deadlines for tasks approach, they can automatically attain a higher priority.

Smarter calendaring also refers to convenience through aggregation. Appointments and tasks on your calendar can link to related email messages. You can also track adjournment history — see the original and rescheduled dates and the reasons for postponement.

Other Notable Features
Gavel & Gown has also made matter management smarter in both editions. You can set up action items that will automatically occur when you open a new matter. Similarly, you can create "precedents" to create a series of events when opening a new matter. These automated events and tasks ensure that your firm performs all necessary work for each type of case — and that you bill your clients for that work.

Amicus Attorney 2010 offers a number of new collaboration tools. The new Firm Member Availability technology makes it easier to connect with colleagues without wasting time tracking them down. For example, when colleagues schedule a meeting, Amicus Attorney automatically tells you that they're not available. You and your colleagues can also manually set your status and whereabouts much like people do on social networks. The Premium Edition also includes a Workload Indicator so that assigning partners can better distribute work.

Other new features include enhanced document automation tools, the ability to require a conflict check for new clients and matters, and single-click cover letter and envelope printing from a business card.

What Else Should You Know?
Amicus Attorney 2010 Small Firm Edition costs $499 for the first license and $399 for each additional license. The Premium Edition costs $999 for the first license and $599 for each additional license. Learn more about Amicus Attorney 2010

How to Receive TechnoLawyer NewsWire
So many products, so little time. In each issue of TechnoLawyer NewsWire, you'll learn about five new products for the legal profession. Pressed for time? The "In One Sentence" section describes each product in one sentence, and the "Killer Feature" section describes each product's most compelling feature. The TechnoLawyer NewsWire newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

Today's issue of TechnoLawyer NewsWire covers a new online legal research service (see article below), a Web-based document assembly tool, an iPhone app for legal research, a content management system for law firm Web sites, and an online forum for anonymous legal product reviews. Don't miss the next issue.

What's Next in Online Legal Research?

The more advanced a technology, the simpler it becomes to use. For example, using an online legal research service once required buying dedicated hardware. That hardware eventually gave way to software. Now, lawyers use their Web browser. So what's next for online legal research? That's what one of the major players asked a few years ago — and answered this week.

WestlawNext … in One Sentence
West's WestlawNext is a "reimagined" online legal research service designed to make it easier and faster to find what you need.

The Killer Feature
In case you hadn't noticed, West has given its iconic legal research service a new name to underscore the improvements it has made. "This is no mere cosmetic redesign," writes Bob Ambrogi of Lawsites. "WestlawNext completely changes the search interface and the search engine behind it."

A global search box enables you to enter a broad search using natural language or Boolean search terms. WestlawNext returns all documents and information ranked by relevance. You can then drill down into specific data sets such as statutes, cases, secondary sources, news, etc. You can also filter results by West key number, topic, court, judge, party, etc. In other words, you no longer have to select what to search before you search.

"We recognize that an attorney's worst nightmare is being surprised by a piece of information that they could have found through a legal search," WestlawNext's vice president of product development Mike Dahn told us. "We've created a new legal research system that delivers the confidence that when legal research is complete, it's complete."

Other Notable Features
When you know what you want to search, you can just enter it along with any other search terms. For example, the parties of a case, the name of a treatise, a jurisdiction, the title of an article, etc.

As you work in WestlawNext, you can customize your screen. For example, if you're researching cases, WestlawNext displays a "case summary" for each opinion that summarizes the case and shows your search terms in context. When you click on a case, WestlawNext lists negative citations if any and related secondary sources for you to explore. The "reading mode" removes all these tools so you can focus on the document.

WestlawNext tracks your search history for up to one year so you can retrace your steps. You can save searches by client/matter, and search within searches to narrow them. You can also save the documents you find in folders (My Research Folders), as well as annotate documents and highlight important passages. When you paste from a document, WestlawNext includes the citation in Bluebook or another standardized format of your choosing.

What Else Should You Know?
West offers WestlawNext in a variety of configurations to suit your needs. It works in all major Web browsers on Macs and PCs. Learn more about WestlawNext.

How to Receive TechnoLawyer NewsWire
So many products, so little time. In each issue of TechnoLawyer NewsWire, you'll learn about five new products for the legal profession. Pressed for time? The "In One Sentence" section describes each product in one sentence, and the "Killer Feature" section describes each product's most compelling feature. The TechnoLawyer NewsWire newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

Today's issue of TechnoLawyer NewsWire covers Apple's latest mobile marvel (see article below), and a ton of LegalTech-related product announcements. Don't miss the next issue.

The Legal Pad Reinvented?

What lies between a smartphone and a laptop? Apple attempted to answer this question today at a closely-watched press event. Everyone knew Apple would announce a tablet, but what would it look like and what would it do?

iPad … in One Sentence
Announced today, Apple's iPad is a multi-touch tablet computer based on the iPhone operating system.

The Killer Feature
New operating systems need third-party applications or else they usually fail. The iPad runs a new operating system, but because of its iPhone OS roots, it can run most iPhone applications either at the original size in a black box or in full screen mode (expect some fuzziness).

Apple hopes this ability to run the existing 140,000 apps in its App Store will help sell iPads while developers begin working on apps designed specifically for the iPad.

As you would expect, the iPad will ship with a number of native apps created by Apple, including Calendar, Contacts, iPod, Mail, Maps, Photos, Safari, and YouTube. Apple will separately sell a trio of productivity apps — Keynote (presentations), Pages (word processor), and Numbers (spreadsheet) — for $9.99 each.

Other Notable Features
Measuring 9.56 x 7.47 x 0.5 inches thick and and weighing 1.5 pounds, the iPad sports a 9.7 inch multi-touch, LED-backlit glossy screen. Apple designed its own CPU for the iPad — the 1 GHz Apple A4. The iPad offers 10 hours of battery life.

Like the iPhone, the iPad features a software keyboard that appears when needed. However, unlike the iPhone, Apple will sell an optional external keyboard ($69) that plugs into the iPad's dock connector.

Thanks to the accelerometer, you can hold the iPad in any position and the screen will re-orient. Other hardware features include an ambient light sensor, VGA out (requires an adapter), Bluetooth, a speaker, and switches for home, power, mute, and volume.

As with the iPhone and iPod touch, you can access the App Store and iTunes from the iPad. In addition, you can purchase books from the iPad-only iBooks app, which is essentially an electronic bookstore.

What Else Should You Know?
Apple will offer two models of the iPad — WiFi only or WiFi and 3G with the 3G data provided by AT&T in the United States. The WiFi model will sell for $499 (16 GB), $599 (32 GB), and $699 (64 GB). The three 3G models cost $130 more each respectively. AT&T will offer 3G service without a contract for $14.99/month (250 MB) and $29.99/month (unlimited). The iPad ships in March. Learn more about the iPad.

How to Receive TechnoLawyer NewsWire
So many products, so little time. In each issue of TechnoLawyer NewsWire, you'll learn about five new products for the legal profession. Pressed for time? The "In One Sentence" section describes each product in one sentence, and the "Killer Feature" section describes each product's most compelling feature. The TechnoLawyer NewsWire newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.