The Mac Lawyer : Ben Stevens : Using Macs In The Practice Of Law

Reprinted with permission from my blogging friend, Grant Griffiths:

I have been promoting the use of Mac's in the law office since I switched to the Mac platform August, 2004. As I have stated many times about my switch, why did I wait so long to visit the Apple store? Why did I wait so long to switch.

The Mac OS just works and works great. Since August of last year, my 14" iBook has never crashed. Nor have I experienced the dreaded blue screen of death. Virus worries are non-existent. I don't even have a virus program on my Mac.

When I started to consider the Mac for my office, I researched the switch for roughly 6 months. I looked at word processing programs first. My choice is Microsoft Word for Mac. I am able to do anything with my Mac that you can do with your Windows (windoze) machine. Best of all, I can swap documents with clients and other attorneys who use windoze machines. So, don't let anyone tell you that you can't work in a windoze office with your Mac. And don't let anyone tell you that you can't swap documents with another attorney or client with your Mac.

Next, in my consideration of the Mac, I explored the case management software out there for the Mac. Now I must admit, you don't get the choice of Time Matters. Except perhaps the World Edition that can be used over the internet. But, for me that was not the answer. I am a solo, who has my office in my home. My Paralegal works out of her home. She does nothing with my calendar and I answer my own phone. So, I did not need a program that would support multiple people and staff. But, I needed a program that would do what I needed. Manage my case load. The result of my research brought me to Lawstream. I also must admit that I am just in the process of implementing Lawstream into my office. But, from what I have seen so far, it will do anything and everything you need in case management.

I also use some other great programs with my Mac in my law office. The last one I am going to mention is Circusponies Notebook. I set the notebook up just like one of those trial notebooks you can buy. I set this up for any major case I have and it is wonderful. I put PDF's of all the case documents in the notebook and also use it to organize the case in that fashion. To get my PDF's on my computer I use the ScanSnap scanner.

Besides all that I have explained above. One of the best things about the Mac in the law office is the savings I have experienced. While some may claim the Mac cost more, I would have to argue it actually cost less. Think about it, I don't have a virus program on my Mac. I have experienced no down time due to a virus. How many windoze users can say that. Before I made the switch, I would pay at a minimum of $1,500 per year on IT support. I now spend zero. When it came time to establish a network, I just plugged them in. None of that "stuff" you have to do with a windoze machine. So, in my humble opinion, Mac actually cost less than windoze.

For you 3L's out there, if you have a Mac already, keep it. You will be able to use it in the office you may end up in. I will warn you however, if your future firm is using Timematters or some other windoze based case management program, you may have problems. But, as far as drafting documents, reading PDF's and organizing your cases, you can do anything with your Mac.

Finally, I leave you with the best source for information out there on using Mac's in the law office. Go to MacLaw.org. This is a great group of Mac using attorneys. I actually spent the entire 6 months I was researching Mac for my own law office on the email list for MacLaw.org. Best of all, the members are eager to answer any question you might have. And, this is a great source for information on software and applications for your Mac.

Mac's in the law office, you bet. What are you waiting for?

Source: "Why A Mac?" by Grant Griffiths, published at The Practice blog on October 22, 2005.

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If you live close to an Apple Store, you should learn about and take advantage of Apple's ProCare program. For the low, low price of $99.00 per year, you get the following:

• Personal Training :: From sending your first email to laying down your latest mix, there's no better way to learn more, or to learn it faster, than with one-on-one training from a Mac expert. These sessions last an hour (up to once per week), cover the topics of your choice, and are free to ProCare members.

• Fast Track :: ProCare is your ticket to priority repairs and available same-day service at the Genius Bar. Members get "Next in line, first on the bench" service on all in-store repairs. And if you have a quick technical question, just flash your card, and Apple will work you in as soon as we can.

• Advance Reservations :: Now you can schedule appointments for the Genius Bar and The Studio up to seven days in advance. And since only ProCare members get access to every available time slot, it's easy to get on their schedule at a time that fits your schedule.
  
  
• Yearly Tune-up :: Bring in your Mac and Apple will run system diagnostics, update your Apple software, and even clean your monitor and keyboard. Pretty much everything you need to make sure your Mac is in tip-top condition. And it's free to ProCare members.

• Complete Setup :: When you buy a Mac, Apple will transfer all your existing files to your new computer, organize everything into convenient folders, and set up your system and your new software. All you have to do is turn it on, and you're ready to go.

• Works Worldwide :: Each ProCare card works the same in every retail Apple Store location. So if you find yourself with a software hiccup in London, or just want to take an iMovie class in Tokyo, come by the nearest retail Apple Store and they will help you out.

I can't think of any drawbacks to this program. Where else can you get 52 hours of one-on-one training by a "Genius" for $99.00 per year? I only wish that there was an Apple Store closer to me, so that I could take advantage of ProCare. You can learn about Apple's ProCare program by clicking HERE.

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There are many instances where an attorney might want to create a family tree. Such charts can be useful demonstrative evidence in family court cases and also in probate cases to illustrate the respective relationships within a particular family, and they can include names, pictures, birthdates, and/or any other necessary or relevant facts.

The following three templates can be used to create family trees:

• Family Tree Template (for Microsoft Excel)

• Family History Book (for Microsoft Word)

• Family History Template (for Microsoft Word)

If you just can't bear to use Microsoft software, these templates should work just fine using Zoho Writer, Writely, Zoho Sheet, or even Google Spreadsheet.

Source: "Create Family Tree Charts inside Microsoft Office" by Amit Agarwal published at the Digital Inspiration blog. Thanks also to Wendy Boswell of the LifeHacker blog for her post on this article.

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I am a big fan of Rick Georges' FutureLawyer blog. I read it daily, and he frequently has interesting and informative posts about a wide range of legal technology issues. Yesterday, Rick wrote a post in which he lamented the fact that it took him three days to migrate all his software to his new Dell notebook computer. He also wrote an article, The Agony and the Ecstasy of the Laptop Upgrade, for Law.com today on this same subject.

Rick stated in his article that "Purchasing and configuring a new computer is an adventure. It's somewhat like getting a root canal. You know it's going to hurt, but you'll feel much better when it's over." He went on to describe his "slow and agonizing" process as "two days and nights of file copying (the system stops every time it sees a file with the same name as the one being copied, requiring user intervention)," followed by "reinstalling all the software to get the essential files in the Windows folder."

The worst part is that this agony is not necessary! Mac OS X Tiger makes moving all of your files, music, photos, documents, etc. from your old Mac to your new Mac a simple, quick, easy process. When you're ready to make the "big move," you simply connect the two Macs with a FireWire cable and run the Migration Assistant. Once you double click on this program, it asks you a series of screens with simple questions about what you want to do, and then it will make the move for you (including copying your settings for things like email, bookmarks and more).

When I buy a new computer, I don't want to dread the experience or to compare it to a "root canal" at any time in any way. Fortunately, as a Mac user, I don't have to. At the risk of sounding like I'm making a pulpit call, you don't have to either, my brothers and sisters. Yes, you too can reap this and the other many benefits that Macs offer. Come join the flock -- you too Rick! We Mac users will welcome you with open arms.

You can read more about the Migration Assistant at Apple's Move All Your Stuff to a New Mac -- Quick.

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Apple recently announced a small but significant upgrade to the Mac Mini line: in addition to dropping the low-end Mac Mini Core Solo 1.5GHz and lowering the price of the Mac Mini Core Duo 1.66GHz model to $599, Apple released a new top-of-the-line $799 Mac Mini powered by a 1.83GHz Core Duo processor.

Although the Mac Mini does have some limitations, it's an impressively full-featured system. In addition to built-in AirPort Extreme and Bluetooth 2.0 wireless features, it supports Gigabit Ethernet networking. The top-of-the-line model comes with a DVD-burning SuperDrive, and all Mac Mini models are powered by an internal Serial ATA drive.

You can read in-depth reviews of the updated Mac Mini at

• MacWorld
  
• Engadget
  
• ThinkSecret

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Attorneys practicing in many different areas of the law need to create timelines from time to time. In my family law practice, it is often helpful to make chronological timelines for demonstrative evidence.

You may not know that Microsoft Excel can be used to create nice looking timelines. The Microsoft Education Center makes this process easy with their lesson: Create a Timeline in Microsoft Excel.

Not only does this article have an easy to follow eleven step "how to" for this very purpose, but it also has several different sample timelines for your reference.

Thanks to LifeHacker for their post about this article.

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You may not know that Macs have the built in capability to talk to you. This nifty feature is built in to Mac OS X. You simply highlight the desired text, follow the easy steps below, and away you go. You can also set up a key combination in Speech preferences to hear the text spoken.

This feature is handy not only for the visually impaired, but it can also be used when you'd rather listen to something rather than read it. For instance, you can have your Mac assist with proofreading documents such as Wills or Deeds. I find it helpful sometimes to close my eyes when listening to something to get a different, unimpeded "view" of it.

Here's how you can make your Mac speak selected text :

1. Choose Apple menu > System Preferences and click Speech
   
2. Click "Text to Speech"
   
3. Select the "Speak selected text when the key is pressed"checkbox
   
4. Type one or more modifier keys (Command, Shift, Option, or Control) and another key to set the keys you'll use to hear selected text
   
5. Click OK when the key combination you typed appears in the text field

You can learn more about Apple's Accessibility and Text-to-Speeach features by clicking HERE.

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Mac-using lawyer Ed Siebel has written an article, "Tech Counsel: Solo on a Mac," which explains how he integrates techology into his home-based practice. Mr. Siebel details how his network is set up and also what hardware and software he uses in his practice. His article was recently published in Law Technology News, and it's worth checking out.

Some highlights from his article:

• I've stayed with Macs for a single reason -- they just work. Simply, consistently and at a high quality. They help me work solo or in a small office without worrying about my computer, essentially without the need for tech support.

• The server in my office is a 12-year-old 120 MHz PowerMac with 80MB of RAM and a 500MB hard disk running server software... I would venture to guess that not many law offices could survive with a 12-year-old server at the center their operations.

• I haven't had a system crash in perhaps a year on my desktop machine. Oh, occasionally one of the applications will crash, but it doesn't affect the others.

• Any document from any application can be saved into Adobe's PDF format. You print to a PDF file, instead of a printer, using a drop-down menu -- just like selecting different paper trays. Makes electronic filing or eliminating metadata a snap.

• Because Apple controls both the hardware and the software, all applications use the same conventions. For instance, access to the Print dialog window is always in the File menu of every application, which is always the second menu from the left edge of the menu bar at the top of the screen. The same keystrokes bring up the Print dialog in all applications. So when you learn one application, you already know the basic functions in every other program.

• One of the best advantages of using Apple is that you can just about forget about viruses, because there aren't many that can penetrate Macs.

Thanks to Grant Griffiths of the Home Office Lawyer blog for his post about this article.

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The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has published "Introduction to Apple Mail with IMAP," which is also called "Apple Mail Quick Start Guide v2." This free download is available to everyone, and it covers all the basics of this program, including screenshots and a listing of keyboard shortcuts. Whether you are new to Apple Mail or you just want a refresher course, this resource is worth downloading and reading. You can download this Guide by clicking HERE.

Source: "MIT's Apple Mail Manual" published by Tim Gaden at his excellent Hawk Wings blog.

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If there is one product that can best demonstrate the creative possibilities the Mac allows, it is without a doubt Circus Ponies Notebook. Yes, it is a strange name, but it is a fantastic program. Its website describes it as "a combination outliner and free-form database that lets you clip, annotate, and share unstructured information." Notebook takes advantage of the Mac's simplicity and intuitiveness. When you open the program, it looks like a blank notebook. You can organize and use this program any way you want to, and the best part is that it is so easy that anyone can use it.

Notebooks can contain outline pages, free-form pages, or any combination. Its pages can contain text, graphics, audio, video, imported data -- virtually anything you can imagine. You can copy and paste items into the pages, type information in directly, or even use "clipping services," which allow you to automatically insert data into a specified notebook page, even if you are not using Notebook at the time.

One of the best features of Notebook is its automatic indexing of all information. Yes, all information placed into a Notebook is automatically placed into 14 indexes for easy location and retrieval later. These indices include: text, capitalized words, numbers, web addresses, highlighting, keywords, creation date, due date, etc. There is even a "Super Find" feature, which lets you search using multiple criteria at once.

Notebook can be used to organize information in the office or for use at trial. All of a file's documents can be attached to a specified page, such as correspondence, pleadings, orders, etc. Witness outlines can include links to other pages or items (both within and outside Notebook). For instance, your notes on a given topic can include images, charts, audio clips, video deposition snippets, and other items for quick and easy retrieval. "NoteBook makes it easy to concentrate on what you need to present, rather than on how you should present it."

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Working on a Mac is soooo much easier than using a PC. Using a PC is generally slow and cumbersome, whereas Macs are quick and easy. For a great, useful example, let's take a quick look at text clipping on a PC vs. Mac:

On a PC:
Select the text, right click, and select copy. Then, go to your desktop, right click, and select New / Text file, give the file a name, and click away. Now, double click the file to open it, paste the text in there, and save it. Whew, that was a lot of work, wasn't it?

On a Mac:
Simply select the desired text, click it, and drag it to your desktop. Done. If you want to include this text clipping somewhere else, such as a Word document or an email, you simply drag the file from your desktop into the desired target, and your clipped text is automatically inserted. What could be easier?

Source: "Quick Text Clipping on a Mac" published at LifeHacker.com.

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Internet search maestro Google has many services and software available for Macs, including the following which I believe may be useful to attorneys:

• Mac-Only Search :: allows you to search for Apple/Macintosh-related sites using Google

• Google Notifier :: shows alerts in your menu bar so you can see when you have new Gmail messages or upcoming Google Calendar events without having to open a web browser

• Google Earth :: view maps and locations using satellite technology, now in 3-D

• Search History Widget :: keeps a log of your search history and allows you to search it as well

• Google Toolbar for Firefox :: gives you many useful functions, including a Google Suggest powered search box, Gmail integration, phishing protection, translation, spell check, form auto-fill features, and a lot more

• Google Send to Phone :: allows you to send text messages to any mobile phone

Source: "Everything Google for the Mac" by Devanshu Mehta published at the AppleMatters blog.

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I recently came across the following useful (and free) software:

• GIMP - This is an open source photo editing tool that is comparable to Photoshop, but without the cost.

• iClip - This program gives MacOSX multiple clipboards for copying and pasting.

• Carbon Copy Cloner - Invest in an external hard drive and use this to back up your entire hard drive. As the name implies it makes an exact copy of your hard drive onto a target drive.

• MacTheRipper - Enables you to get around most encryption and rip a copy of any DVD onto your harddrive, from which it can be inserted into presentations or backed up onto another DVD.

Source: "Crucial Mac Software: College Edition" plublished by Willie Morris at his blog, More Willie.

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