Law Firm Essentials

Law Office Law Office Technology EssentialsTechnology Essentials

Law Office Law Office Technology EssentialsTechnology Essentials

Tom O’Connor ([email protected])Craig Bayer ([email protected])

Mississippi Bar Association

1/14/2011 Hattiesburg, MS

HARDWAREHARDWARE

▸ Desktops, Laptops, Tablets ▸ Windows Small Business Server

▸ Scanners▸ Network Printer

▸ Gigabit Switch ▸ USB Hard Drives ▸ Smartphones

Peer-to-Peer NetworkPeer-to-Peer Network

Local Area NetworkLocal Area Network

Cloud Network

WIFI NETWORKING

● Configurations

▸ The most common type is now the faster 802.11g - many laptops come with it already

▸Causes problems running client server applications

● Cost▸WAP - $10 to $750▸WiFi PC Access - $5 to $100▸Wireless Print Servers - $50 to 300

Small Business Server

● Microsoft Exchange (Get Hosted)● Automatic Patching● Fax Server● SQL 2005 (Premium Edition)● Backup Solution● Outlook 2007 to all Users● Monitoring Reports● Access to Workstation And Data

Remotely● Cheaper then Server 2008● Included in the Price of Server

Server

● Choose over Workstation● Choose 64-bit Operating System● 8GB Ram (At Least)● Redundant Systems● Raid 5 Configuration (3 Drives)● Harder to Setup● Must have Warranty

PowerEdge 2900: $2500

DESKTOP PC

● Intel Core 2 Duo● Windows 7 Professional● 4GB RAM● 20 Inch Wide Monitor● DVD-ROM● 80 GB 7200 RPM SATA 3● 3 Year Warranty

Dell OptiPlex 360: $945

NOTEBOOKNOTEBOOK

● Intel Core 2 Duo● 4GB RAM ● DVD-ROM● Encrypted Drive● Bluetooth● Weight/Size● 9 Cell Battery● Docking Station

Dell Latitude E5500: $1300

TABLET PC’sTABLET PC’s

http://www.tabletlawyer.com/

TABLET PCTABLET PC

● Intel Core 2 Duo● 4GB of Ram● 8 Cell Battery● 160gb Hard Drive● No XP, Vista or 7

Thinkpad X200: $1800

LASERJET PRINTERS

●Type ●RAM●Speed●Networkable●Multiple Trays●Brand / Model●Color●Price●Paperless Office

LaserJet 1720DN: $339

Desktop Scanner

●50 Sheets●Duplex●Adobe 9.0 Standard●ABBYY Fine Reader●Scan to Word

Fujitsu ScanSnap S1500: $400

Portable Scanner

●USB Powered●Duplex

Fujitsu ScanSnap S300: $275

Switch

●Gigabit●No Daisy Chains●Cat 5 or 6●Most Critical Piece of Hardware●Need POE (Power over the Ethernet)

PowerConnect 3524P Gigabyte Switch: $715

Backups

●Tape vs. USB, Use USB

●Have an Online Backup as well

●Test Restore at least once a month

USB Travel Hard Drive

●Rugged and Portable

●Have 2 and rotate them offsite

Lacie 250GB: $139

USB On Site Drive

●Raid 0●Have 1 and Leave on Site

Western Digital 2Tb My Book : $219

Smartphones

●BlackBerry●Smartphones (Palm) - DEAD●Smartphones (Palm Web OS) ●Smartphones (Windows Mobile)●iPhone (Apple)●Droid●Windows 7

●Considerations ▸BlackBerry syncs with Outlook and to check more than e-mail,

you need the BlackBerry Enterprise Server software and Exchange Server!

▸Palm Smartphones - 100% Palm devices - maximum sync ability with legal apps - real-time email with software like VersaMail

▸Windows, iPhone, Droid,sync with Outlook and Microsoft apps primarily – Easiest to setup and has Push Synchronization

●Pricing: Anywhere from $200 to $600 depending on the cell service provider and available rebates

Smartphones - Security

●Password Lock

●Remote Wipe

SOFTWARE

▸ Bundled Software▸ Adobe

▸ Billing/Accounting Software▸ Case management Software▸ Document management System

▸ Dictation▸ Antivirus software

BUNDLED SOFTWARE

Microsoft Office Basic – Outlook, Excel, and Word, Adobe Standard (docx v doc)

Adobe Acrobat 9 Standard Edition

Corel WordPerfect X4 Suite Less costly to buy OEM version separately

with any new PC systems

ADOBE

● Pro allows Bates Stamping

Upgrade to Pro: $159

Best Adobe Blog: http://blogs.adobe.com/acrolaw

BILLING & ACCOUNTING SOFTWARE

● Most packages are becoming integrated.

● Timeslips requires you to also have an accounting package like Quickbooks or Peachtree.

● PCLaw, Tabs 3, Juris, and Billing Matters have billing and accounting functions.

● Legal specific accounting software makes it hard to commit malpractice

PRACTICE MANAGEMENT

SOFTWARE● Combines ▸ calendaring/docketing

▸ tickler functions

▸ case information tracking,

▸ address book functionality

▸ conflict of interest searching,

▸ document assembly capabilities

▸ Palm and laptop portability

● Turn wasted time looking for case info and documents into billable time

● Avoid malpractice

● Look at Amicus Attorney, TimeMatters, PracticeMaster, PCLaw and Clio

● Don’t Practice Law Without One!

DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

● Opened Ended vs. Close Ended

● Most Practice Management

Software include an Open Ended DMS

• PCLaw is Open

• Worldox is Closed

DMS – Closed

DMS – Open

Dictation

● Dragon Naturally Speaking ▸ Has a legal edition ($1200)

▸ Get Preferred ($199)

● Vista / Windows 7 has Dictation Software Built into it.

● Tips▸ Must Train Software▸ Use a Quality USB Headset▸ Learning Curve

WINDOWS XP / VISTA / 7

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Buy a new computer with Windows 7

Upgrade to Windows 7

THE CLOUD

CLOUD ESSENTIALS

● Data Escrow – In Case the company goes out of business

● Redundant Locations

● VeriSign or Something Similar

● SaaS 70 Type 2 Certification

SAAS For LEGAL

http://www.goclio.com

http://www.netdocuments.com

http://www.microsoft.com/online/

ANTI-VIRUS

● Trend Micro Client Server Messaging▸www.trendmicro.com▸Includes anti-virus, anti-spam, anti-spyware▸Available in small office and “Corporate” editions

● Norton Anti-Virus www.symantec.com Buy corporate not Internet Security

● McAfee VirusScan: www.mcafee.com

● Microsoft Security Essentials: http://www.microsoft.com/Security_Essentials/

TrendMicro: $330

TRAINING

Top Training Tips

TASK-ORIENTED not FEATURE-ORIENTED

NO GENERIC TRAINING

PROFESSIONAL TRAINERS

TRAIN OFTEN, TRAIN GENTLY

MAKE TRAINING MANDATORY

LIVE IS ALWAYS BETTER, BUT IF NOT TRAIN ONLINE

THE TRAINER’S PHYSICAL LOCATION IS IRRELEVANT

Thank You For Listening! Thank You For Listening!

Gulf Coast Technology Centerwww.gulfltc.org

Law Office Technologywww.lawot.com

Tom O’Connor ([email protected])Craig Bayer ([email protected])

Gulf Coast Technology Centerwww.gulfltc.org

Law Office Technologywww.lawot.com

Tom O’Connor ([email protected])Craig Bayer ([email protected])