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Just Posted from ABA TECHSHOW 2008: All 60 Sites in 60 Minutes

All 60 Sites in 60 Minutes from ABA TECHSHOW 2008 are now posted on the TECHSHOW website. I was pleased to be one of the three presenters at this signature TECHSHOW finale with Tom Mighell and Craig Ball, and I think you will be pleased with the breadth and depth of the websites we selected this year: Many sites are new, some obscure, a few are classic repeats, but all are helpful to busy lawyers. And, yes, we made sure there were more than a few sites that are fun and humorous--all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy!

This is one of the few TECHSHOW sessions posted for those who did not attend. Thanks to the ABA for making this article available for all lawyers!

Enjoy!

White House Blackberry Breach Yet Another Lesson for Lawyers

USA Today reports that several Blackberries belonging to White House aides were stolen by a Mexican diplomat in what may be the most audacious bit of espionage in a long time. The Blackberries were left unattended on a table outside a meeting room during a conference in New Orleans. It is yet another example of what can happen to mobile devices if their owners are not careful. That is to say, your smartphone will probably not be stolen by a Mexican diplomat, but thieves come in all shapes and sizes. As lawyers, we need to be sure we password protect all mobile devices, and encrypt any client documents we might choose to carry on the device, among other precautions.

I spoke to a fantastic crowd of lawyers on Tuesday in San Francisco on this very topic. I wish I had this story to put an exclamation point on my presentation, then again I never like to hear stories like this, especially when they happen to lawyers. For more information about securing your mobile technology, read the A Lawyer's Guide to Mobile Computer Security. And let's be careful out there!

Pay Less in Taxes, Sleep Better at Night, and Enjoy Life a Little More

I have forgotten to post this article I authored for GPSolo magazine last year, but with the April 15 tax deadline looming, I remembered to post it now. The title may sound a bit overly-ambitious, but it has many useful tips that will help you save tax dollars this year, sleep better, and enjoy life as a busy lawyer.

An Ethical View of the Business of Law

Thanks to DePaul Law second-year, Megan Bosau, for pointing me to DePaul's upcoming symposium Lawyers, Law Firms, and the Legal Profession: An Ethical View of the Business of Law, being held on Thursday, May 1, 2008 at the law school in Chicago.  The day-long symposium includes a morning session on the billable hour, following up on Scott Turow's widely-read ABA Journal article. The afternoon sessions address lawyer mobility, and a look at the state of ethics and professionalism. The faculty is equally drawn from private practice and academia, and includes ABA ethics author and commentator, Will Hornsby. Kudos to the DePaul Business & Commercial Law Journal for developing the symposium, and I encourage lawyers and law students alike to attend.