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Attorney at Large: The New Must-Have Field Guide for Lawyers

The folks at Attorney at Work have published Attorney at Large, a terrific new resource for lawyers to help make business and leisure travel more productive and less of a hassle.  Filled with first-hand tips from frequent travelers in our profession, including yours truly, this free guide is well worth downloading and keeping on file to help make travel easier, but to help make your work easier and more productive when on the road.

No longer is it necessary to leave the office behind when on business or leisure travel. With many of the tools and ideas in this guide, you can be more efficient dealing with matters back at the office, and won't feel as frustrated when you do. Furthermore, when you are on leisure travel, you can be connected as much or as little as you want without worrying whether there is an emergency back at the office. 

Although I have read the Guide--and commend it to you--it is now in my Dropbox for further reading via my iPad on my next flight. Buffalo, Los Angeles, and Chicago all coming up in the next month!

Finally, a Real Beer App for your iPad

Where was this during Beer for Blawgers at ABA TECHSHOW 2012? I want one!

What is ABA TECHSHOW?

    For more than 25 years, ABA TECHSHOW has been the premier national conference for lawyers to share and learn about current and emerging technology for the legal profession.

    ABA TECHSHOW 2012 (March 29-31 in Chicago) comes at an important juncture in time where the confluence of societal, economic and technology trends are changing how we practice law and deliver legal services. Now, more than ever, ABA TECHSHOW 2012 is about your future in the legal profession.

    Although computer technology has been in law offices for over 30 years, it has finally achieved a tipping point. Lawyers now have more technology tools at their disposal than ever before: Affordable, reliable, and simple tools that can change the way you communicate with clients or transform your entire way of doing business.

    Lawyers can practice wherever it is most convenient, meet with clients via video from almost anywhere, remotely collaborate and draft documents in real-time, and market legal services any time, day or night. Lawyers can now deliver the services their clients want, yet in a manner that gives them the freedom to have the lifestyle they want.

    Does your firm have the right technology and do your lawyers and staff members have the necessary technology skills to compete in this new future?

    To help you, ABA TECHSHOW 2012 will offer more than 50 educational sessions across three days on the most important technology topics in our profession today: cloud computing, paperless offices, digital advertising, and iPads in the courtroom, to name just a few. All educational sessions are specifically developed for the legal profession by legal professionals. And, if you want to test-drive the latest legal products and services, ABA TECHSHOW hosts a huge exposition hall. You will be able to talk, touch, and learn how these technologies can benefit your firm.

    Don’t be nervous if this is your first ABA TECHSHOW. The Conference is designed for every lawyer and legal professional–from beginner to power user. No question is too basic. No question is too difficult to answer. There are several social events including the Taste of TECHSHOW dinners especially designed to extend the learning, sharing, and fun beyond the CLE sessions and expo hall. 

    And if that isn’t enough, ABA TECHSHOW 2012 is pleased to welcome lawyer, actor, economist, and political commentator, Ben Stein as our keynote speaker.

    Create your future by attending ABA TECHSHOW 2012 at the Hilton Chicago, March 29-31, 2012.

 

Even More 60 iPad/iPhone Apps in 60 Minutes

Several years ago, I created the 60 iPhone Apps in 60 Minutes seminar for the 2010 ABA TECHSHOW, based on the "60 Tips in 60 Minutes" format pioneered at that conference. I was joined that year by Jeff Richardson (iPhoneJD), and when we updated the session at the 2011 TECHSHOW, Tom Mighell (iPad4Lawyers) and Josh Barrett (TabletLegal) joined the faculty (along with the iPad).

We have now presented upated versions of the program to several on-line audiences of over 200 lawyers, most recently this past Wednesday. They audience has some great questions, so we thought we'd publish them across our blogs.

Question #1 from S.F. from Anchorage, AK:  What is the best way for lawyers to use Dropbox or a similar service with an iPhone or iPad, assuming the need to access client information occasionally?

Answer:  Dropbox is a useful service for sharing documents between multiple computers and between a computer and an iPhone and/or iPad.  Because Dropbox is run by a third party, however, you need to be conscious of security issues.  Jeff's solution is that he only uses Dropbox for non-confidential documents, such as copies of pleadings, depositions and exhibits.  For confidential attorney-client documents, Jeff keeps those documents in an app like GoodReader or Quickoffice that allows you to password-protect documents.

Tom also uses Dropbox, but understands that SpiderOak provides better security.  Unfortunately, it doesn’t integrate with as many iPad apps as Dropbox, which limits its utliity.  Tom also recommends GoodReader as a good app for downloading and accessing your Dropbox files - it is relatively simple to connect your Dropbox account to GoodReader, and start downloading files to your iPad.  Tom says "Whenever I download a new app, one of the first things I do is check to see whether it integrates with Dropbox - you may find you have a lot of apps that do so, and it may be easier to download into those apps directly from Dropbox, rather than into GoodReader."

Josh often uses the file manager built into LogMeIn Ignition to grab confidential client files left on the computer back at the office. The transfer from desktop to iPad is encrypted end-to-end and doesn't let the document sit on a cloud based service so the confidentiality concerns some raise about services like Dropbox don't apply. The key to using any cloud based service with your device is setting up a good workflow to help keep track of document revisions, versions and originals.

Reid uses the Dropbox-GoodReader combo, and also uses DropBox to transfer PDFs to the Apple iBooks app for reading. 

Alternate Calendar Apps

Question #2 from J.H. from San Francisco, CA: Does entering an event in Calvetica simultaneously make the entry in the iPhone Calendar app?

Answer:  Yes.  One of the nice features of third party calendar apps such as Calvetica, Easy Calendar or Agenda is that the all use the iPhone and iPad's built-in calendar database.  Thus, you can use one app to enter an event, another app to edit the event, another app to view the event, and they are all working from the same database. 

Question #3 from C.P. from Greenwood Village, CO:  Do the calendar apps interface with Microsoft Outlook calendars?

Question #4 from L.L. from Saint Louis, MO:  Do the calendar apps interface with MS Outlook?  We use an Exchange server to coordinate with our iPhones.

Answer:  Again, yes,  Because all iPhone and iPad calendar apps use the built-in calendar database, if you have your iPhone and iPad configured to synchronize with your office's Exchange server, you can add an event in a third-party app and then the change will be synced to Exchange and will show up in Outlook on your computer.

Stylus

Question #5 from C.McD. from Blue Bell, PA: What stylus do you like for Penultimate?

Question #6 from M.M. from Reno, NV:  What is the name of the suggested stylus?

Answer:  Jeff's current favorite stylus is the Kensington Virtuoso Stylus for Tablet which he reviewed on iPhone J.D. here.  Tom's current favorite stylus is the Adonit Jotpro Stylus.  If you go to the iPhone J.D. website and do a search at the top right for “stylus” you will find lots of reviews pointing out the advantages and shortcomings of many different options. Josh uses the MORE/REAL Stylus cap (http://uncrate.com/stuff/morereal-stylus-caps/) because it has the weight and balance of a regular pen. That said, Josh recommends waiting until version 2 is released with the faster tip. 

Accessing Online Legal Resources

Question #7 from: M.S. from Shawnee Mission, KS: Two general questions regarding the iPad.  First, do you have any suggestions on how to access electronic dockets and pleadings etc. in federal court?  I can access it through my browser on the iPad but cannot scroll within documents that are retrieved.  Do any apps help?  Second, and similarly, I cannot scroll down within the web browser when accessing Lexis on my iPad.  Do any apps help for this?

Answer: When you access PACER from an iPad, once you select a document from the docket, if you click the button to view a document you only see the first part of the first page and cannot scroll down.  However, there is a workaround.  Instead of clicking the button that says "view" click the button that says "download."  This will send a .zip file to your iPad, and your iPad will ask what app you want to open the zip file in.  One such app is GoodReader, an app that Jeff recommended. Josh recommends ReaddleDocs for the same functionality.  Either app will allow you to unzip a .zip file and view all of the PDF files contained in that file.

As for accessing Lexis on the iPad, Lexis is supposed to be updating Lexis.com so that it can be accessed from an iPad.  Moreover, before the end of this year, Lexis will be releasing a Lexis Advance app for the iPad.  For more information on the upcoming Lexis app, see this post from Jeff on iPhone J.D.

Voice transcription

Question #9: S.E. From Draper, UT: Can the Dragon Diction app be download to an iPad?

Answer:  Yes.  The Dragon Dictation app works on both the iPhone and iPad.

Remote access

Question #10 from R.H. from Milwaukee, WI:  Is there an app to allow my iPad to connect to my desktop remotely?  I use Time Matters.

Answer:  Yes, any of the remote access apps that we discussed today will let you do this — Citrix Receiver, LogMeIn Ignition or GoToMyPC.

 Question #11 from P.O. from Austin, TX: Is LogMeIn Igntion better than iTap RDP?

Question #12 from P.dB. from Stuart, FL: Do you recommend LogMeIn more than iTeleport? 

Answer:  None of the presenters have used the iTap RDP, but in Tom’s opinion, it looks like a good option.  It uses Windows’ Remote Desktop Protocol, which is a solid method for remotely accessing your computer.  Tom thinks that LogMeIn might be better for one reason:  ease of configuration.  With LogMeIn, it “just works,” and requires very little configuration.  It looks like the iTap RDP requires a little more work under the hood, which might limit the app’s appeal to more advanced users.  Further, with LogMeIn you can access your desktop from any computer using just a browser, with no configuration; with the Remote Desktop Protocol, you’d have to configure it on any computer you plan to use. 

Likewise, none of the presenters use iTeleport, which also looks like a solid remote desktop application.  However, like iTap, it does not appear that you can use iTeleport on regular computers to remotely access your desktop - LogMeIn’s universal capabilities give it an advantage here.

Reid’s office has a corporate GoToMyPC account, so he has to use their iPad app. He finds it works well on his iPad2, although sometimes a bit balky.

First generation iPad

Question #13 from J.G. from Pocatello, ID: Do most or all of the apps discussed work with the first generation iPad?

Answer:  Very few apps that work with the iPad require the iPad 2, although some do exist.  All of the apps that we discussed work on the original iPad and the iPad 2, although some of these apps are designed for the iPhone and therefore run on the iPad/iPad 2 in iPhone emulation mode.

Accessing Word documents

Question #14 from M.H. from Lubbock, TX: What is the best app to read and edit Microsoft Word documents?

Answer:  The most popular apps for reading and editing Word documents are Documents to Go, Quickoffice and Office2.  Jeff's current favorite is Documents to Go because it is the only app of the three that shows you footnotes and shows you redline edits (although it will not let you create footnotes or create redlines).  But these apps are updated frequently, so hopefully the other apps will add this feature soon.

Apps for transactional law

Question #15 from D.C. from Naperville, IL: I am a transactional lawyer, with a specialty in business law, estate planning, tax and some business litigation.  What are the apps you would consider important for a lawyer with that type of practice to have?

Answer:  As a transactional lawyer you deal with a lot of documents.  If those documents are in PDF format, GoodReader or PDF Expert are essential app's for managing and annotating those documents. Josh prefers PDF Expert because of the easy to use document signing too, the ability to reorder/move/delete pages from a PDF and the ability to fill PDF forms. You also need one of the Microsoft Office compatible app's like Documents to Go or QuickOffice. 

Josh recommends creating a folder on your Dropbox with your principal forms. This will give you access to your key drafting inspirations from anywhere.

If you use a Mac in the Office, also consider TextExpander Touch (with the desktop companion TextExpander) which allows you to expand text snippets into words, sentences or even paragraphs. With this app, Josh types "attfee1" and TextExpander types his preferred attorney fee clause. The snippet "simplemisc" expands into my preferred miscellaneous clauses for a basic contract that I can then edit. "engageltr" expands into the text I start with when drafting my engagement letter or email.  Note that iOS 5 will also provide a shortcut feature like this but it is unclear whether you can sync the shortcuts to a computer.

One key to making the iPad work well for transactional lawyers is to have some flexibility or be willing to try new things in your workflow. For example, Josh does lots of drafting in plain text on the iPad and only worries about formatting when back in front of a desktop computer. Even with the Word compatible apps mentioned here, they aren't WYSIWYG. You will still need to fine tune back at the office on your own or send to an assistant to format. Plain text is also necessary to take advantage of TextExpander since at this time the Word compatible apps do not support it but app's like Elements or Plaintext do support TextExpander.

iPad Impact: Going Where No Lawyer Has Gone Before?

As I passed through airport security last Wednesday, and reached in the gray bin for my iPad as it rolled out the x-ray machine, I realized it was not mine but the traveler ahead of me. Moments later, as several new bins came rolling at me, the passenger behind me reached for my iPad, mistaking it for hers. That never happened with my laptop before! On my flight that day--and on many flights recently, there are quite a few more iPads in use than even just a few months ago. 

Just last week I shared an article on Google+ about the consumerization of enterprise IT by iPad users and smart phone users.  I also tweeted about an article sent to me by Susan Traylor of the Arizona Bar about a personal injury law firm handing out customized iPads to clients to facilitate communication and case collaboration.

Today, I picked up the August issue of Law Technology News that contains an article by Alabama trial lawyer, James Moncus III, about his firm's decision to use the iPad 2 and the TrialPad app in a high profile wrongful death suit of a police officer, instead of more mature and expensive trial technology. The articles details this decision and their use of the TrialPad app to help them win a $37.5 million verdict. 

Two weeks ago I served as faculty with Jeff Richardson, Josh Barrett, and Tom Mighell, on a ALI-ABA webcast, 60 iPhone/iPad Apps in 60 Minutes, that attracted over 200 lawyers to the on-line seminar. We have similar crowds when we do this live at the ABA TECHSHOW.

And there were countless lawyers toting and using iPads in Toronto last week at the ABA Annual Meeting.

In January 2010, I blogged about the iPad being a tipping point in legal technology. It fulfills the need caused by a confluence of economic, technological, and professional changes that are taking place in the world around us. However, the rapid adoption of the iPad as a serious legal tool has even surprised me. From client communication to trial presentation, from reading and marking up depositions on a plane flight to Skyping with a client halfway around the world, the iPad has changed the way we do business as lawyers. That trend will only accelerate: The iPad is allowing lawyers to be more nimble, mobile, responsive, and productive.

About the only thing holding lawyers back are the strictures imposed by IT professionals who are not keeping up with the innovation that is tablet computing. Yes, we have to be mindful of our professional responsibilities, but we also need to keep innovating to keep up with our clients and the ever-present demands to lower the costs of delivering legal services.

Confessions of a TECHSHOW Chair

I am excited to be leading a wonderful group of nine people who are planning the 2012 ABA TECHSHOW next March. It is a small collection of volunteer lawyers and legal professionals who plan all facets of this premier technology conference for the legal profession. We held our second 2-day planning meeting last weekend (the first being in May) to develop the "grid" of over 70 educational sessions over 3 days, review the expo hall for over 100 vendors, select and engage a keynote speaker, and dozens of other details. Despite the work, it is really a terrific professional experience to build the next edition of this twenty-five year tradition.

But it does cut into my freetime, and as you can see from the lack of blog posts in the last few months, it really cuts into my blogging time.

Yet I wouldn't trade the experience. Besides working with my colleagues on the TECHSHOW Planning Board, I am being introduced to many new people who contact me to be a part of the ABA TECHSHOW 2012, mostly as a speaker. It's time consuming, but worth it.  I am corresponding with lawyers from acroos the U.S. and Canada. The planning board works to incorporate up to 30% new speakers each year, so I welcome these inquiries. 

The Board also has its ear to the ground for new ideas, topics, and the Next Big Thing. We continue to keep offering popular topics such as the Paperless Track that are well-attended each year, as well as new tracks and sessions--yep, iPads in the law office (and at trial) will be an expanded topic this year.

We are well into our planning, but always have time for few more good suggestions--in addition to the ones we get from past conference attendees and others. So feel free to email me with your suggestions. And while I can't promise positive results, if you would like to be a speaker, include a brief synopsis of your past technology and speaking experience. We always have the top legal speakers at this conference, so the competition is tough.

Anyway, I'll blog when I can, but be sure to check out the ABA TECHSHOW blog too, for updates throughout the coming months leading to the conference on March 29-31, 2012 in Chicago. 

More iPad and iPhone Apps for Lawyers

Josh Barrett , Jeff Richardson, and I will present 60 iPhone/iPad Apps for Lawyers at the 2011 ABA TECHSHOW in April. I recently highlighted several translation apps, but I am blown away by the 8-part series Josh is blogging on his blog, TabletLegal. He covers the following types of iPad apps:

• File Storage and Access
• Writing
• Calculator
• PDF Annotation
• Presentations
• Microsoft Word and Excel Compatibility
• File Management and Use
• Remote Desktop Connection

Hats off to Josh for a valuable series of posts. We'll cover some of those plus many others at our TECHSHOW presentation. Hope to see you there!

Translation Apps for iPhone Can Help "Lingually-Challenged" Lawyers

Twenty years ago few lawyers needed to know more than plain ol' American English. However, over the past two decades the world has grown smaller and our society more diverse. Dual language skills are quickly becoming an asset as U.S. based lawyers are doing more business worldwide, and a larger share of local clients use English as a second language.

While many of us do not have bi-lingual skills, computer-based translators can be very helpful. A number of those translators have been created or adapted for the iPhone and iPad that can help you get through in a pinch:

Google Translate — This free app allows you to speak or type something in English (or virtually any other language) and then translates it to another language.  For many languages, the app also speaks the translated text, or shows it in large type on the full screen making it easy for you to show another person.  This is a great app for someone traveling to another country, but note that you need to have Internet access for this to work (so hopefully you will be in a Wi-Fi hotspot when you have the need to use this app to communicate with someone who does not speak English).

Jibbigo is a new level in computer-based translators. While many translators translate text to text, and some (like Word Lens) translate text in real time, this is the first iPhone-based app to translate speech and play it back in the selected language. Just speak into the iPhone microphone, then listen for the translation to be read back to you. Unlike Google Translate, Internet access is not needed; the entire translation occurs on the iPhone. The English-Spanish version is great for travelers, and may also help a lawyer with Spanish speaking clients to convey short messages in a conversation. Some reviewers report trouble with the app understanding their speech, but I have had no problems. If you do have some speech recognition problems, those can be edited easily using the keyboard. At a hefty $25 per language library and 210 Mb in size, it may give you pause; however, from my perspective, it is a worthy app in today's world.

Word Lens -— This app really amazes me. It instantly translates printed words from Spanish to English or English to Spanish using the iPhone camera. (Hopefully, it will soon be optimized for the new iPad 2.) Just point the app (which automatically engages the camera) at a sign or document and watch the words change immediately. No snapping and processing a picture—it just works. Great especially for immigration lawyers or those lawyers needing an occasional translation. While the app is free, each language-to-language “dictionary” is $9.99. More languages coming according to the developer.

These apps and 57 other iPhone/iPad apps for lawyers will be part of my presentation 60 iPhone Apps for Lawyers in 60 Minutes presented with Jeff Richardson and Josh Barrett at the ABA TECHSHOW 2011.

Why should you attend ABA TECHSHOW 2011?

The countdown to ABA TECHSHOW 2011 is on! 

If you are unsure if ABA TECHSHOW is for you, download the conference brochure to see everything that is taking place or watch a video explaining why you can't afford to miss ABA TECHSHOW. It has something for attorneys in all practice settings and all level of technical skills. Most of all, it is presented by attorneys for attorneys (and their staff) to become more effective, efficient, and profitable.

ABA TECHSHOW is excited to welcome keynote speaker: Professor Larry Lessig. Professor Lessig is the Director of the Edmond J. Safra Center for Ethics, and a Professor of Law at Harvard Law School. Don't miss his highly-anticipated presentation titled, Code Is Law.

IMPORTANT DEADLINES:

• Registration — the early bird deadline is February 25, 2011 and is the best deal going. Click here to see the rates and register!

• Housing — the hotel reservation deadline is March 10, 2011. Make your reservation before all the rooms at the landmark Chicago Hilton are gone!

• Airfare — Book early for best pricing. I like Kayak.com to find and track the best prices. Don't forget Southwest Airlines for low prices. SWA doesn't participate on airfare aggragation sites, but often has great on-line deals.

Technology changes fast — it's important for attorneys to know the best technology applications and trends that will help them practice better — and that's why ABA TECHSHOW exists!

The Versatile iPad Rings in the Holidays

My brother forwarded the link to this fun musical video featuring musicians playing instrument apps on their iPads. What a great idea--and what a great holiday concert!