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

Did you know that you can download a free pdf version of the Federal Rules of Evidence 2010 from the Federal Evidence Review website? This pdf gives you a number of benefits including:

• Fully searchable text using the Acrobat Reader Search tool;
• Hyperlink (jump links) on the Index page to take you directly to a specific rule;
• Links to online versions of the FRE; and
• Link to the FRE Advisory Committee Notes online.

You can download your free copy by clicking here.  Of course, if you save the link you should be able to get updates as they are made to the document. 

Source:  "Get your FREE PDF of the Federal Rules of Evidence 2010" by Nerino Petro, published at his Compujurist blog.

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It seems like just yesterday that Grant Griffiths and I were discussing the fact that there should be a "better" group for attorneys to discuss how to best use Macs in their practices.  From that discussion, the Macs In Law Offices (MILO) forum was born and it was founded on February 17, 2007.  Today, a mere three years later, MILO has 2,112 members and is widely regarded as the premier online forum for attorneys who want to maximize the use of Macs in their law practices.  If you are not yet a member, you can take advantage of this free resource by clicking HERE.

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Ultimately, you, the user, will have to determine if this “working in the cloud” is for you. Legitimate and less-legitimate concerns about the safety of your data and the security of your confidential information will be a topic for debate in another article. Consider, though, how much of your confidential life is already online—banks, insurance information, credit cards—and realize that security is generally as good as your passwords are. The tools for breaking free of the desktop--safely, securely, inexpensively, and collaboratively—are all there. The question is, do we want to use them.

Paul Meyerson has been a Macintosh consultant in the NYC area for more years than he wants to admit. His new company, www.macsupport.com, aims to take care of any and all Macintosh issues for the home or small business users. Using a combination of telephone support and remote control software, Macsupport.com is able to deal with a variety of home users’ issues quickly, efficiently, and inexpensively.

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Finally, for all the data flotsam and jetsam we accumulate, there’s an application to make your online life searchable. Evernote gives you a central database to keep accounts, passwords, bookmarks, notes, recipes or whatever you want. It stores them securely and keeps it all easily accessible in numerous ways. Evernote is an application you install on whatever platform you’re on (Mac, PC, iPhone, or access it via the web) and, using a free account, synchronize it all together.

Of the three Cloud applications I’ve discussed here, this is the one I use all day, every day. Although there is a free version (ad sponsored), the inexpensive pay account ($45/year) is a must if you intend to use this to its fullest extent. Evernote wants to consider itself your searchable filing cabinet, and its tools do exactly that. Tag notes with tags that you make up on the fly and then sort the whole system via those tags, or search for any text you might have in a note.

Many online applications have the ability to store notes and search them, there are two things that set Evernote apart: Integration into a browser and the ability to take pictures of anything and OCR it automatically. The picture part, although it’s very cool, I don’t use much. You use your iSight or iPhone camera to photograph nearly anything and save it to Evernote. When the item gets to Evernote’s servers they perform some impressive OCR voodoo to make those photos searchable. If there’s text, a general search of all your normal text documents will also find the photos with the text somewhere in them. For example, a picture of a map that had the words “New York” on it would show if you chose to search for the term “New York.”

The second exceptional feature of Evernote puts a small Elephant-shaped button right into your browser bar. Come across a page you want to have available to you later? Click this button and the entire page—pictures, text, whatever (not flash or other embedded things) as well as most of the formatting will pop right into a new Evernote note, along with the Title of the page and the link to the original. Unlike simply bookmarking a page in a browser, doing it this way makes that page completely searchable. Bookmarks are one thing, but this is far beyond.

Paul Meyerson has been a Macintosh consultant in the NYC area for more years than he wants to admit. His new company, www.macsupport.com, aims to take care of any and all Macintosh issues for the home or small business users. Using a combination of telephone support and remote control software, Macsupport.com is able to deal with a variety of home users’ issues quickly, efficiently, and inexpensively.

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If viewing the changes after a document is saved is not fast enough for you, how about an application where people can share a document and see the changes AS THEY HAPPEN? This, among many other things, is a killer feature of Google Documents. Some of the features of this indispensible tool are:

• Totally free.
• Work on the same document at the same time in real-time collaboration.
• Replicate all of the expensive Microsoft Office applications for free with Google versions of Word, Excel and Powerpoint. Save the documents locally if you need to (as either Word, HTML, PDF, or many other formats with no conversion necessary), or leave them in the cloud.
• Give access to any document to anyone you choose, and decide whether they can read/write or delete each document.
• Use a built-in revision history to keep track of multiple versions of the same documents.

Trust me, you haven’t worked on a spreadsheet until you’ve seen the cursor moving around on its own as you’re editing other cells and colleagues are editing their own info at the same time. It’s almost creepy (but in a good way!)

Paul Meyerson has been a Macintosh consultant in the NYC area for more years than he wants to admit. His new company, www.macsupport.com, aims to take care of any and all Macintosh issues for the home or small business users. Using a combination of telephone support and remote control software, Macsupport.com is able to deal with a variety of home users’ issues quickly, efficiently, and inexpensively.

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Dropbox, completely free for 2 GB of space, a pay service if you need more space ($10/month for 50 GB), appears just like any other folder on your local computer. However, the folder is actually a live, shared folder on the dropbox servers. With the help of an integrated menu bar application, you can give read only or read/write access to anything that’s in the box, be it folders or individual files. You can access your own dropbox through the web, iPhone, desktop or laptop, via Mac or PC. Others can access it in the same way if you’ve given them access.

Think of it as file sharing without having to set up the server. Working on a collaborative project? Share out that folder with people and give granular access to files and folders in the project. The folder automatically checks to see what’s been updated locally and updates the folder accordingly. Need to get someone changes to a document or a series of documents? Don’t email them—just work out of the drop box and everyone will see your changes immediately after you save the file.

Paul Meyerson has been a Macintosh consultant in the NYC area for more years than he wants to admit. His new company, www.macsupport.com, aims to take care of any and all Macintosh issues for the home or small business users. Using a combination of telephone support and remote control software, Macsupport.com is able to deal with a variety of home users’ issues quickly, efficiently, and inexpensively.

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The typical model of how people store and access documents is changing as “cloud computing” makes its way to the Mac environment. Basically, cloud computing means that software is stored not on the user’s desktop, but on a server or many servers somewhere on the Internet (hence, “cloud.”)

Alternately referred to as SaaS (“Software as a Service”), the basic concept is the same—you don’t buy your software, you subscribe to it. In many cases, this is a paid service. In some cases, most notably through Google, it’s free. In all cases of Cloud Computing, though, it’s using the tools we’ve taken for granted on the desktop and moved them onto the Internet.

Economically, this makes good sense. Why spend big chunks of money on databases or word processors when the same software is available online for a nominal monthly fee (or, for free!)? Perhaps more importantly, why deal with the headaches that come with locally stored applications, including installation and upgrades when you could just open your browser and do about 98% of what you normally do?

However, with all of these good reasons for using cloud computing, I’d like to discuss a different one: Functionality that is ONLY available in a “cloud.” Three applications specifically exemplify this: Dropbox, Evernote and Google Docs, and each will be addressed in a series of posts over the next week. Stay tuned...

Paul Meyerson has been a Macintosh consultant in the NYC area for more years than he wants to admit. His new company, www.macsupport.com, aims to take care of any and all Macintosh issues for the home or small business users. Using a combination of telephone support and remote control software, Macsupport.com is able to deal with a variety of home users’ issues quickly, efficiently, and inexpensively.

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The Macs In Law Offices (MILO) forum had now surpassed 1,900 members and is closing in on two thousand.  MILO is the premier online forum for attorneys who want to maximize the use of Macs in their law practices, and you can take advantage of this free resource by clicking HERE.

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Blogs are not just for lawyers – there are several excellent blogs aimed at paralegals and legal assistants.  I have listed several below, and I invite you to let me know of others that I can add to this list:

• The Paralegal, published by Ana Pierro
• Paralegal How To
• Practical Paralegalism, published by Lynne DeVenny
• Paralegalese
• Paralegal Pie, published by Kim Walker
• Paralegal Gateway
• The Estrin Report, published by Chere B. Estrin
  
• ICC Law blog
• The Empowered Paralegal, published Robert E. Mongue
• Patti's Paralegal Page
• The Paralegal Mentor, published by Vicki Voisin

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Lawyers are constantly searching, but are we doing it as effectively as possible?  The following tips from the Dumb Little Man | Tips for Life blog will help make your Google searches more efficient and will help you quickly find exactly what you're looking for:

1. Either/or
   Google normally searches for pages that contain all the words you type in the search box, but if you want pages that have one term or another (or both), use the OR operator -- or use the "|" symbol (pipe symbol) to save you a keystroke. [dumb | little | man]


2. Quotes
   If you want to search for an exact phrase, use quotes. ["dumb little man"] will only find that exact phrase. [dumb "little man"] will find pages that contain the word dumb and the exact phrase "little man".


3. Not
   If you don't want a term or phrase, use the "-" symbol. [-dumb little man] will return pages that contain "little" and "man" but that don't contain "dumb".


4. Similar terms
   Use the "~" symbol to return similar terms. [~dumb little man -dumb] will get you pages that contain "funny little man" and "stupid little man" but not "dumb little man".


5. Wildcard
   The "*" symbol is a wildcard. This is useful if you're trying to find the lyrics to a song, but can't remember the exact lyrics. [can't * me love lyrics] will return the Beatles song you're looking for. It's also useful for finding stuff only in certain domains, such as
   educational information: ["dumb little man" research *.edu].


6. Advanced search
   If you can't remember any of these operators, you can always use Google's advanced search.


7. Definitions
   Use the "define:" operator to get a quick definition. [define:dumb] will give you a whole host of definitions from different sources, with links.


8. Calculator
   One of the handiest uses of Google, type in a quick calculation in the search box and get an answer. It's faster than calling up your computer's calculator in most cases. Use the +, -, *, / symbols and parentheses to do a simple equation.


9. Numrange
   This little-known feature searches for a range of numbers. For example, ["best books 2002..2007] will return lists of best books for each of the years from 2002 to 2007 (note the two periods between the two numbers).


10. Site-specific
    Use the "site:" operator to search only within a certain website. [site:dumblittleman.com leo] will search for the term "leo" only within this blog.


11. Backlinks
    The "link:" operator will find pages that link to a specific URL. You can use this not only for a main URL but even to a specific page. Not all links to an URL are listed, however.


12. Vertical search
    Instead of searching for a term across all pages on the web, search within a specialized field. Google has a number of specific searches, allowing you to search within blogs, news, books, and much more:
    
    • Blog Search
    • Book Search
    • Scholar
    • Catalogs
    • Code Search
    • Directory
    • Finance
    • Images
    • Local/Maps
    • News
    • Patent Search
    • Product Search
    • Video
      
13. Movies
    Use the "movie:" operator to search for a movie title along with either a zip code or U.S. city and state to get a list of movie theaters in the area and show times.


14. Music
    The "music:" operator returns content related to music only.


15. Unit converter
    Use Google for a quick conversion, from yards to meters for example, or different currency: [12 meters in yards]


16. Types of numbers
    Google algorithms can recognize patterns in numbers you enter, so you can search for:
    
    
    
    • Telephone area codes
    • Vehicle ID number (US only)
    • Federal Communications Commission (FCC) equipment numbers (US only)
    • UPC codes
    • Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airplane registration number (US only)
    • Patent numbers (US only)
    • Even stock quotes (using the stock symbol) or a weather forecast regarding the next five days
17. File types
    If you just want to search for .PDF files, or Word documents, or Excel spreadsheets, for example, use the "filetype:" operator.


18. Location of term
    By default, Google searches for your term throughout a web page. But if you just want it to search certain locations, you can use operators such as "inurl:", "intitle:", "intext:", and "inanchor:". Those search for a term only within the URL, the title,
    the body text, and the anchor text (the text used to describe a link).


19. Cached pages
    Looking for a version of a page the Google stores on its own servers? This can help with outdated or update pages. Use the "cached:" operator.


20. Answer to life, the universe, and everything
    Search for that phrase, in lower case, and Google will give you the answer.

For more on Google's search syntax, see this guide, and this one. 

Source:  "20 Tips for More Efficient Google Searches" by Leo Babauta of the Zen Habits blog, published at Dumb Little Man.

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Faxes are a fact of life for lawyers, and that’s something that’s unlikely to change in the near future. As long as contracts require amendments and signatures, forms need to be filled out, required documents still exist solely in paper form, etc. lawyers will need a way to send and receive them quickly.

If you’re still using a fax machine, you’ve probably noticed that faxes throw a bit of a monkey wrench into your plans for greening the office. There is another alternative, though: an Internet fax service. These services allow you to send and receive faxes either through your email account or a secure online server. Here are some of the reasons you may want to make the switch now.

• Paperless.  When you receive a fax through an Internet fax service, it arrives as an attachment in your email or the online user interface. Most lawyers use PDFs, although better services will give you a choice of file formats. Once you receive it you can save the attachment to any location you want on your hard drive or network (most likely an individual client folder). That way it’s always available to you without the need to carry around a stack of papers. And you never have to worry about losing or misplacing a fax. On the other side, sending a fax is as easy as sending an email. If it already exists electronically you don’t have to print it first and then run it through a fax machine.
• Greater mobility.  An Internet fax service allows you to send and receive faxes anywhere you can get an Internet connection. That’s a feature Andy Ullucci of Ullucci Law Associates in Rumford, Rhode Island felt was essential in starting his practice. His vision from the beginning was to run the entire business off his laptop instead of having a formal office. With MyFax, Ullucci says he can send and receive faxes from a client’s office, a local coffee shop, a hotel lobby or dozens of other locations. It’s essential in keeping things moving forward while he’s out of his home office – which is most of the time.
• Lower cost. There are a lot of additional costs associated with a fax machine. There’s the machine itself, which you generally have to replace once every year or two. There’s the second phone line needed to have a dedicated fax number. Then there’s the paper and toner, not to mention the electricity to run the machine 24/7 in case you need to send or receive a fax. With an Internet fax service you eliminate the cost of the machine, second phone line, toner and electricity to run it. You also seriously reduce your paper costs because you choose which pages you print – and use your regular printer to do it. Finally, you don’t need extra filing cabinets and space as you do with paper faxes; all the pages are stored electronically.
• Always available. Fax can machines jam, grab two pages at once, run out of paper or toner, lose power, get busy signals or suffer other issues that prevent faxes from being sent or received efficiently. Internet fax services don’t have any of those issues. If you’re sending a fax through an Internet fax service and it gets a busy signal, it will keep trying, usually for 24 hours. If a fax fails to go through for any reason, you receive an email notice so you can remedy the situation right away. Since there’s no paper or toner involved you’ll never run out. And if you have a power loss you can simply go anywhere there’s an Internet connection; if you have your faxes coming in to your smart phone you may not even have to move.

When you look at that list, it really makes you wonder why you’re using that old fax machine at all!

Luc Vezina is product marketing manager for MyFax, a provider of Internet faxing services for individual home users, small businesses, and large corporations. MyFax has won a number of awards in head-to-head competitions for ease of use, reliability, and best overall value. He can be reached at lvezina@protus.com.

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You might know that the Macs in Law Offices (MILO) group is one of the best resources available on the internet for lawyers who use Macs. However, you probably didn't know that it is now the biggest as well.

Let's take a look at the numbers...  The "other" group has been around since May 4, 1999, and as of today, it has 1,597 members.  MILO was founded on February 17, 2007, and as of today, MILO has 1,631 members – with more joining every day.

How was MILO able to grow so quickly and become so successful?  I believe it happened for two reasons:  (1) our great, diverse members, and (2) our commitment to offering a place for open discussions without Draconian rules.  If you are interested in becoming a member or learning more about MILO, simply click here.

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If you are an attorney who uses Macs in your practice and you aren't a member of the Macs in Law Offices (MILO) group, then you are missing out on one of the best resources available on the internet.  

The MILO forum has well over 1,500 members (with more joining every day), including some of today's best legal technology experts (such as Randy Singer, Grant Griffiths, Finis Price, Brett Burney, and Blake Boyd) and software developers (from Rocket Matter, LawStream, Daylite, and many more).

This helpful resource is free, and joining is as easy as clicking here or using the button in the left-hand column of my blog and providing a little bit of information about you and your practice.  If you haven't already done so, I hope that you will check it out today!

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If you are considering using Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) in your practice or if you are just interested in learning more about it, you should check out the following “10 Things Every Lawyer Should Know About Legal SaaS”:

1. What is Software-as-a-Service? A discussion of what exactly Software-as-a-Service is, and how it compares to the more traditional desktop computing model.
2. Why (Or Why Not) Choose a SaaS Solution? Why SaaS offers compelling advantages over traditional desktop software solutions, and some of the compromises that have to be considered.
3. Why Web-Based Practice Management? Why Software-as-a-Service is a perfect fit for practice management, particularly for solos and small firms.
4. Security. An outline key concepts and terminology for web-based security, including SSL, server security, client security, and password security.
5. Privacy. What you should be looking for in a web site’s privacy policies.
6. Data Availability. An outline of the answers you want to be hearing when you ask your SaaS provider “What are you doing to ensure that my data remains available, even in the event of a natural- or human-induced disaster?“
7. Total Cost of Ownership. An explanation of how to compare costs of SaaS to traditional desktop software via a Total Cost of Ownership calculation.
8. Terms of Service. What to look for in the legal agreement describing the services your SaaS provider will provide you.
9. Data Migration. How you can migrate your data from existing desktop software application to the web.
10. Offline Access. Why offline access is important, and an outline of some of the technologies that make offline access to SaaS applications possible.

This series was published by the folks at Clio, and it is available via e-book, Word doc, or PDF doc (thanks to JD Supra),

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If you were not able to attend this year's ABA TechShow (or even if you were), you should check out the excellent video interviews conducted by attorney and legal technology expert Finis Price of the TechnoEsq blog. He interviewed some of the most popular vendors to discuss their products, including the following:

• Larry Port from Rocket Matter about their practice management software (view here)
• Derek Flower from Fujitsu about the ScanSnap S1500 (view here)
• Jack Newton from Clio about their practice management software (view here)

Source: Finis Price's TechnoEsq blog.

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FREE Webinar! Using Macs in Your Law Firm
Date: Thursday, May 21, 2009
Time: 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM EDT
Space is limited! Reserve your Webinar seat now at:
https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/458254538

Description:
Until recently, law firms needed PC's to run their practices. No longer. Scanners, software, printers, are now available to practice law on the Mac, and the iPhone is now a powerful business tool.

Ben Stevens, aka The Mac Lawyer, will get us up to speed on how a firm can transition to Macs for legal work. We'll answer audience questions, conduct interactive polls, and discuss the latest gear and software for the Mac platform.

For those of you on Twitter, follow our conversation with the hashtag "#rmwebinar"!

Your host will be The Mac Lawyer himself, Ben Stevens:
Ben Stevens is a practicing attorney located in Spartanburg, SC. After using Windows machines for over a decade, his office has been all Mac-based since August of 2005. Ben has given presentations on both technology and legal topics at continuing education seminars, and he enjoys speaking on those subjects. Ben’s blog, TheMacLawyer.com, is synonymous with the Mac legal movement as is the Google Group he co-created, Macs In Law Offices (MILO). Ben is also a co-host of the MILO podcast.

After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar.

System Requirements:
PC-based attendees
Required: Windows® 2000, XP Home, XP Pro, 2003 Server, Vista
Macintosh®-based attendees
Required: Mac OS® X 10.4 (Tiger®) or newer

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Larry Port from Rocket Matter and I will be conducting a free webinar next Thursday, May 21, 2009, at 3:00 p.m. entitled Using Macs in Your Law Firm.  The webinar description is listed below.  I hope that you can attend, and if you are interested, you can register by clicking HERE.

Until recently, law firms needed PC's to run their practices. No longer. Scanners, software, printers, are now available to practice law on the Mac, and the iPhone is now a powerful business tool.

Ben Stevens, aka The Mac Lawyer, will get us up to speed on how a firm can transition to Macs for legal work. We'll answer audience questions, conduct interactive polls, and discuss the latest gear and software for the Mac platform.

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Ever wonder how popular your favorite legal blog (or even this one) is?  The folks over at the Avvo blog have created an auto-updating list of over 300 legal blogs ordered by their Alexa traffic ranking.  As of today, The Mac Lawyer is ranked at #74.  You can check out all of the rankings by clicking HERE.

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If you are an attorney who uses Macs in your practice and you aren't a member of the Macs in Law Offices (MILO) group, then you are missing out on one of the best resources available on the internet.  

Our forum has over 1,300 members (and counting), including some of today's best legal technology experts like Randy Singer, Finis Price, Larry Port, Brett Burney, Blake Boyd, and numerous others.  

This helpful resource is free, and joining is as easy as clicking here or using the button in the left-hand column of my blog and providing a little bit of information about you and your practice.  If you haven't already done so, I hope that you will check it out today.

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The Legal Mac section of the February 2009 Law Practice Today features the article "Marketing & Macs" by Victor J. Medina:

Not just for creative types anymore! A long-time staple of the technology needs of designers, ad agencies, etc., Macs are now worthy opponents of PCs when it comes to the needs of "serious" people. Read more about the ever-growing list of applications designed to help you market your business.

Marketing can mean a lot of things when you are dealing with a law practice these days. Technology has given rise to a new class of marketing activities and the flattening of the world has allowed many attorneys to handle most of their marketing from their living room (or office desk). With all of the services offered on the Internet, lawyers can now design and print their own business cards and brochures online - and many are doing so. More importantly, those attorneys who can create things that are decidedly in the talented-amateur level of design will be able to distinguish themselves from their competition. That’s where Macs come in.

It is well-known that Macs have been, and are, the go-to computer choice for people in the creative world. Most of the notable bloggers, ad agencies, and writers all use Mac computers. (Tom Clancy is even credited with saying, “Never ask a man what kind of computer he drives. If it’s a Mac, he’ll tell you. If not, why embarrass him.”) What’s lesser known is the fact that Macs are becoming the go-to computer for “serious” people who want to separate themselves from the pack in business.

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Today, Rocket Matter launched version 1.0 of its web-based legal practice management and time and billing solution for small to mid-sized law firms.  Although this product has been around in beta form since February 2008, it has matured and developed thanks to the feedback of legal technology experts and pilot customers located all over North America.  Version 1.0 includes the following features:

• Contact and Matter Management :: makes current and past case and client information available immediately.
• Calendaring :: lets users track important dates and deadlines in the context of matters.
• Mobile Access :: enables customers to view an optimized version on a smart phone.
• Batch Billing :: allows users to spend their time billing, not generating bills.
• Expense Tracking :: captures costs, easily and quickly.
• Reporting :: helps increase efficiency and profit with reporting functions available.
• Offline Access :: maintains backup copies of firms’ data locally.
• Messages :: provides a powerful message taking and inter-office communication tool.

My law firm, Stevens • MacPhail, P.A., has used Rocket Matter exclusively since mid-2008 as our firm's case management / time and billing solution.  We have monitored all of the products on the market, and we believe that Rocket Matter is the best option for our firm's needs.  We have been very pleased with it, and we congratulate Larry, Ariel, and all the folks at Rocket Matter on their "official" launch today.

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The Legal Mac section of this month's Law Practice Today was published today, featuring the article "Online Legal Practice Management Software Predictions for 2009" by Larry Port: 

Innovations in the use and development of online software have created new opportunities for law firms, and can present cost-effective methods for adoption.

The year 2008 was a transformational one for legal practice management. After years of minimal new product development, the field broke wide open with the arrival of an exciting new option: Online, Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solutions for law firms.

For some time now, SaaS has been successfully applied to sales force automation, HR and payroll, project management, and other mission critical businesses. The legal industry, traditionally slow to adopt technology, was ready for this new option for several reasons. For one, new web technologies, commonly labeled Web 2.0, now allow for a desktop-like experience over a web browser. Also, day-to-day exposure to web applications has become a common and accepted practice, whether via Social Media sites like Facebook or through online banking. And, an increasingly mobile workforce is looking for ways to connect from any location, from any type of computer.

The impact SaaS solutions can have on the majority of legal software consumers, small law firms, can be profound. Before the emergence of SaaS practice management tools, a small firm could: 1) Purchase software directly from the manufacturer and spend time to install it independently, 2) Purchase the software, installation, and training through a value-added reseller, or 3) Forego dedicated legal practice management software in favor of a home-grown solution, typically cobbled together from Outlook, Word, and Quickbooks. However, SaaS applications are zero-install solutions that are simple to use and allow users to eliminate high-overhead setups in favor on monthly subscription fees. In other words, this fourth option greatly expanded choices for the legal technology consumer.

As transformational as 2008 was for legal practice management, it was still mostly a year of “dipping the toes in the water”, so to speak, and beginning a dialog about online options. But as 2009 draws near, web-based legal practice management will no longer be a brand new concept. So what's in store for the coming year? Here are my thoughts:

1. Expect more features.
What you'll most likely see over the course of the next year is increased feature parity among the online legal practice management and time and billing providers. As the online applications begin to approach the functionality of their desktop counterparts, watch for a trend toward standard features, such as document storage and management and increased integration with standard apps. You will also see web-only features gain prominence, such as integration with other online applications (i.e. Google Maps ) and client portals.
One particular challenge for legal SaaS providers is how to maintain a simple, intuitive interface while continually adding more features. A primary goal for online practice management providers will be to enrich their applications while at the same time, avoiding bloat and “feature-itis”.

2. Watch for increased adoption and growth.
Though web-based legal practice management is new, it's no longer cutting-edge. An increasing number of lawyers are comfortable with the concept, and plenty of attorneys know people in other industries who are using a SaaS solution. By one McKinsey & Company study , a majority of companies would consider purchasing an online solution over a locally-installed solution. The higher comfort level with legal SaaS, word-of-mouth, and an increased awareness of products like Rocket Matter will result in tremendous growth in this industry in 2009.

3. Count on more mobility.
Smartphones with full web-browsing capabilities continue to gain market share. Apple's iPhone and Google's Android OS contain browsers capable of providing a full Rocket Matter experience. Full browsers such as Opera Mini and Skyfire continue to open up capabilities on Windows Pocket PC and Blackberry platforms. You may also see the beginning of dedicated mobile applications, fostered by the introduction of strong software development kits (SDKs) from Apple and Google.

4. Expect economic conditions to favor monthly subscription models.
The year 2009 will likely shape up to be a tumultuous one economically, to say the least. Although some law firms may see an uptick in business, other firms may suffer. Such difficult economic conditions may give firms pause when considering the overhead involved in a server-based solution. SaaS products will be an easier pill to swallow because they eliminate up-front costs in favor of monthly fees.

5. Watch for expectations to change.
Online applications are month-to-month subscriptions. Therefore we, as the provider, must keep our customers happy and wanting to use the software. Unlike desktop application vendors, we can't rely on customers who buy a license and then never use the software (which happens surprisingly often). Our products must be easy-to-learn and easy-to-use. Anyone who has either seen cluttered interfaces for existing legal practice management apps or forked over cash for training understands the value of simplicity in legal software.

I think a big change will be how people expect to use their software. Their considerations won’t just focus on features, but in addition: How fast is the application? How simple is it to get started? How intuitive is it to use? How easy and inexpensive is it to train the folks in reception? How quickly can I find information? How easy is it to enter billable information and print an invoice? Does it make our firm more efficient and profitable? How quickly can I get an issue resolved?

So those are my thoughts on 2009 and Online Legal Practice Management. It promises to be an even more exhilarating year than 2008, which was a truly exciting.

Source:  "Online Legal Practice Management Software Predictions for 2009" by Larry Port, published in Law Practice Today.

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What a year for web-based legal practice management!  After so many years of the same desktop-based options, in 2008 the field was broken wide open by Rocket Matter and other new online, Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solutions for law firms.

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The following is the premier The Legal Mac monthly column in the ABA Law Practice Management Section's Law Practice Today webzine:

Macs are everywhere these days, including in an ever-growing number of law offices. In recognition of this trend, Law Practice Today is pleased to announce this monthly column, The Legal Mac, which we hope will be helpful to Mac-using attorneys. These articles will be not only from me, but also from other Mac legal experts, and we hope that you enjoy them.

You’ve seen the commercials. “I’m a Mac ... and I’m a PC.” The Mac guy is calm, cool, and in control, whereas the PC guy is bungling, insecure, and in trouble. The commercials are not only humorous, but they offer a good insight into these two types of computers. Consider the following and decide which one you are (or which one you should be):

• Macs are famous for their reliability. As the saying goes, it “just works” whenever you are ready to do so. Virtually all PC users have experienced “freeze-ups” and/or the “blue screen of death.” For some, the infamous control-alt-delete keystroke is almost second nature. With a Mac, you can put those days behind you forever and get more work done with less headaches.
• You can use your existing peripherals. Macs will work with your existing monitors, printers, scanners, keyboards, and other peripherals. Therefore, you won’t need to start from scratch when you decide to make the switch. Of course, when you see how beautiful and functional Apple’s peripherals are, you may want to replace your existing peripherals anyway.
• If you want a little help, Apple’s support is second to none. AppleCare provides outstanding warranty protection if you encounter any hardware issues, and it also provides answers to any software questions for Apple’s programs. Help is also available in person at all of the Apple Stores through their Geniuses, workshops, and One to One training.
• Macs are a smart investment. In today’s economy, it is more important than ever to make smart purchases. Whereas many PCs are obsolete after a year or so, the lifespan of most Macs typically runs three or more years. Also, Macs hold their value much better than their PC counterparts. If you want proof, go to eBay and see what used Macs are selling for today. Also, you will save most, if not all, of the money that you have budgeted for your computer support/repair. My firm went from seeing our tech guy in our firm on a monthly basis to occasionally bumping into him at the grocery store.
• Sleep easier because Macs are more secure than PCs. Lawyers keep secrets for a living, and security is always a primary concern. Macs are built on a UNIX foundation that provides rock solid security. Viruses, trojan horses, and other malware that plague PCs are simply not concerns for Mac users because of the security features built in to OS X.
• Macs work the way you do. The Mac operating system, OS X, is very intuitive and easy to learn. In fact, most programs are intuitive and do things the way that users would expect them to, without having to waste time searching through manuals. This is just one of the many reasons that Mac users view their computer as a pleasure to use instead of just another necessary tool.
• Only Macs can run both Windows and OS X. Perhaps there is a program that you need that only runs on Windows or perhaps the rest of your office is still using PCs. No problem, because Macs can run all of the Windows operating systems (including XP and even Vista) using one of the several virtualization options available. Also, Macs can be integrated into Windows networks quickly and seamlessly. You can have the best of both worlds!

Source:  "Why Macs and Why Now?" by Ben Stevens, published in Law Practice Today.

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Attorneys who use iPhones now have another reason to rejoice.  Last week, Jeff Richardson launched iPhone J.D., a blog dedicated to the use of iPhones by lawyers.  As I've previously posted, Jeff co-presented a session with me at this year's TechShow, and I believe that he is extremely smart and tech-savvy.

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Law Practice Today, the monthly webzine published by the ABA Law Practice Management Section, has undergone a bit of a facelift, starting with the just released November issue.  Among the new monthly columns are Your Practice Management Advisor, Flying Solo, and The Legal Mac.

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Just a few short weeks ago, I announced that the Macs In Law Offices (MILO) forum had surpassed 800 members in its roughly 18 months of existence.  In the seven weeks since that post, we have now had over a hundred more people join, increasing our membership to over 900 members.  

I believe that MILO is the premier online forum for attorneys who want to maximize the use of Macs in their law practices, and my co-founder Grant Griffiths and I are thrilled that apparently so many others agree.  If you want to find out more about MILO and/or wish to join (it's free), click HERE.

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Have you heard of Wordle?  If not, you may want to check it out.  Wordle generates "word clouds" from text that you provide, with these clouds giving greater prominence to words that appear more frequently in the source text.  You can "wordle" selected text, a whole document, or an entire website / blog. 

In addition to just be a cool toy to play with, I think that Wordle can be an effective tool for attorneys interested in analyzing specific documents.  For instance, if a personal injury attorney sends a demand letter to an insurance adjuster, he might be interested in first seeing what the focus of the letter is from the word cloud produced.

When I plugged in The Mac Lawyer, it produced the following word cloud:

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What exactly do those numbers mean?  As of last week, the Macs In Law Offices (MILO) forum has now surpassed 800 members, and it had its 10,000th post around the same time.  These numbers are pretty impressive, considering that it has been a little less than 18 months since Grant Griffiths and I founded MILO.  During its young lifespan, MILO has become the "go to" resource for Mac-using attorneys, and we are very proud of all of our members and their helpful participation.  If you are interested in learning more about MILO, simply click HERE.

Update:  MILO saw 29 new members join its ranks on Sept. 10th, the date this post was published. A hearty welcome is extended to all our new members, and if you're not yet a member of MILO, don't wait any longer!

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My friend and technologist extraordinaire Finis Price at TechnoEsq has published TechnoEsq Trial Videos as a repository for trial videos of substantial court proceedings.  These videos are provided for educational purposes and free of charge to view or download. 

I believe that this will be a great resource for both new lawyers and experienced attorneys alike, as it's always interesting to watch other attorneys in action. The site is divided into the following categories for easy navigation: plaintiffs, defendants, opening statements, and closing statements.  If you haven't visited TechnoEsq recently, check it out and let Finis know what you think of his video repository.

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The Mac has come a long way in recent years.  Jeffrey Allen's Mac Notes column this month takes a look at how much better Mac-using attorneys have it today than their brethren of the not-so-distant past.  It contrasts the methods that they had to use in the old days (1985-2000) with how great they have it today.  It mentions some of the "old" software programs and some of the ones used today.  It is quite an interesting read, and you can access it HERE.

Source:  "The Best of Times..."  by Jeffrey Allen, published in the ABA General Practice, Solo & Small Firm Division's Technology eReport.

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The Connected Lawyer  published an informative interview with Larry Port from Rocket Matter, which is a web-based practice management and time and billing solution.  Since I am a big fan of Rocket Matter, I have published excerpts / highlights from that interview below for my readers.  However, I urge you to click the link below to read the entire interview for yourself.

What is Rocket Matter?

Rocket Matter is an easy-to-use web-based legal practice management and time and billing solution. It's designed from the ground up to facilitate the practice of law in small and solo firms.  Rocket Matter allows law firms to manage calendars, to-do lists, contacts, matters, and time and billing in one integrated and simple solution.

We created a technology we call "Bill as you Work", which traps billable time as lawyers and paralegals go about their day. The net result is a product that allows firms to operate more efficiently and reduces the amount of time that gets lost for invoicing.  Since we host Rocket Matter on our servers and it's accessed via the Internet, users have ubiquitous access to their information while never having to spend money or time on software installations or upgrades.

Tell me more about Bill as you Work. How does it work? What does it capture?

The whole idea behind "Bill as you Work" is to capture time as you go about your day to day activities, so that at the end of the month when it comes time to bill you don't end up losing all of your precious hours. For example, when you schedule a deposition in your calendar, you can choose to bill for the time spent when you create the appointment. Likewise, your to-do items can be instantly converted from simple reminders into billable items that can end up on your invoice. The application also contains its own stopwatch, so you can time any activity you work on and funnel that directly into billing.

What size of firm is your product ideal for?

Our ideal firm is small, consisting of 1 to 25 total employees. We can scale our application to much larger firms, but we want to focus on the solo and small firm segment of the market, which has been under-served for too long.

What type of security do you use to make sure that the information remains secure?

The security measures we included in Rocket Matter are comprehensive. Every request is encrypted with 128-bit secure SSL, the same encryption used by many major banks and financial institutions. Passwords are hashed (stored in an encrypted format) and known only by you. Threat Modeling, which is the practice of identifying and countering attacks, is a fundamental part of our development process. There are a host of other security measures we have taken to lock down and isolate a firms data, and we'll be conducting ongoing audits with independent security specialist firms.

What type of computer system do I need to access my data?

Rocket Matter runs in an Internet browser, freeing you from the constraints of any particular operating system. Macs, PC's, and Linux systems can all be used, as long as they have a modern browser (Firefox, IE 6 or above, and Safari). Now that full-fledged mobile browsers have been introduced, iPhones and Pocket PC's with SkyFire can be used to access Rocket Matter.

Can I access my data in any way if I cannot reach your servers, (e.g., I can't get to the internet)?

Currently, access to Rocket Matter requires an Internet connection. Of course, if you need to access some piece of crucial information and you find yourself without access, you can always call our customer support line.

What happens to my data if I chose to stop using your service?

In the sad circumstance that we part ways, Rocket Matter will offer you a full copy of your data at no charge. Your contacts and calendar data will be exported to industry standard formats, such as vCard and iCalendar, which can be read by applications such as Outlook, iCal, and Address Book. Your matter and time and billing information will be exported to a navigable HTML format, so that you can view and make sense of your information.

Can I backup my data from your servers to a local hard drive?

Rocket Matter is developing an enhanced service plan, in which customers can obtain regular backups of their information. Users participating in this plan will have the option of downloading their data or having it sent to them on a DVD.

Do your offer training with your product? If so, what kind?

Rocket Matter users enjoy free training called CRE, or Continuing Rocket Education. These are live webinars hosted every week, open to all Rocket Matter customers at no additional cost. Furthermore, we offer Online CRE courses, which allow users at any time to watch guided instructional videos on the various features of the program.

What is the pricing for Rocket Matter?

During our Pilot Program, we are charging $50 USD per attorney per month and $15 USD per support staff per month.  Customer support is included for Pilot Program participants. Phone support is available from 9am to 6pm EST. Phone support is handled in the United States and conducted by a native English speaker.

What makes Rocket Matter different from other similar programs?

Rocket Matter's big differentiator is the simple yet comprehensive nature of its features. Simplicity, paired with great customer support and training, will enable our customers to actually use our product and enjoy doing so.

Compared to traditional legal practice management tools, Rocket Matter is a leap forward in ease-of-use. We eliminated the confusing "bloatware", or features people don't require. We've taken the elements that most firms need: calendaring, contact management, matter management, and invoicing, and rolled them into one integrated product.

By creating a web-based solution, we have created another differentiator with existing legal products: there is no need to purchase additional hardware, and no IT consultant required for an install or upgrade. We handle backups, security, and all of the other technical issues so that attorneys and their staffs can focus on the practice of law.

Source:  "An Interview with Larry Port from Rocket Matter" by Bryan Sims, published at The Connected Lawyer.

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Lawyers USA recently published an article addressing Web 2.0 services of interest to attorneys.  The Mac Lawyer was interviewed for this article and cited as a reference with regard to online case management software.  An excerpt containing my quotes is listed below:

Ben Stevens, who practices in a two-lawyer firm in Spartanburg, S.C., touted Rocket Matter's low price and accessibility from anywhere with an Internet connection.

"I think it's a revolutionary product for attorneys," said Stevens, who also blogs as The Mac Lawyer. "It's easy to maintain, easy to access and easy to use."

Stevens said there are other online services that provide billing and other functions, but none that pull together as many features as Rocket Matter.

If you are a subscriber to Lawyers USA, you can access the full article by clicking HERE.  If you are not, you can visit their website for subscription information.

Source:  "User-Friendly Technology Via The Web" by Dick Dahl, published at Lawyers USA.

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A few weeks ago, I posted about Rocket Matter, the recently released web-based case management and time & billing program.  Aaron Pelley has published a more in-depth review of Rocket Matter, and it is well worth a look.  You can read Mr. Pelley's thoughts on this exciting new program by clicking HERE.

Source:  "A Quick Look at Rocket Matter" by Aaron Pelley, published at his Criminal Defense Law with an Apple blog.

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Sheryl Sisk Schelin has published a comprehensive list of resources for lawyers who use Macs or those considering doing so.  The list is certainly worth checking out, and it is broken down into the following categories:

• Law Specific Mac Blogs
• Apple News and Briefs
• Mac Advice and Tips Generally
• Forums and Listservs

Source:  "Macs Practice Law Week: Web Resources for Mac-Using Lawyers and Those Who Want to Be" by Sheryl Sisk Schelin, published at The Inspired Solo blog.

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Yesterday, an exciting new product was formally announced, and it could change the way you practice law.  Rocket Matter has now been launched and is available for you to come aboard.  This product is a Web 2.0 case management and time/billing program, and it looks fantastic. 

Because it is web-based, there is no software to install or load, and it is accessible from anywhere -- including your iPhone.  In my discussions with the developers over the past several months, it is clear to me that (a) they intend to cater to the legal community, (b) they aim to offer the premier legal software possible, and (c) they love the Mac.

I urge you to visit their website at RocketMatter.com, where you can see a preview of their product, or their new blog, where you can monitor the updates to it.  You can also click HERE to view their press release, which contains more details and specifics.  I welcome your feedback about Rocket Matter after you've had a chance to view it.

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Award-winning legal blogger Jim Calloway published an article last week discussing sites for Mac-using lawyers.  He had several nice things to say about this blog, saying it is "not to be missed."  I sincerely appreciate Jim's comments, as I have read his blog for a long time.  I urge you to check out his post for all of his comments about The Mac Lawyer and some other great blogs too.

Source:  "Sites of the Week: Sites for Mac Lawyers" published at Jim Calloway's Law Practice Tips Blog.

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Erik Schmidt of the Mac Law Students blog published an article about a month ago about legal Mac blogs.  I thought that Erik did a great job of listing the major blogs in this area, and I wanted to feature his list here in case any of my readers are not familiar with these other excellent blogs:

• Home Office Lawyer ::  Grant Griffiths

• The Mac Lawyer  ::  Ben Stevens

• MacSparky  ::  David Sparks

• Criminal Defense Law with an Apple  ::  Aaron Pelley

• a mac lawyer's notebook  ::  Kevin Morton

• Apple Briefs  ::  Jeffrey Kabbe

If you are aware of any other blogs devoted to using Macs in the practice of law, please let me know so that this list can be updated.  Also, thanks to Erik for including my blog in his list and for referring to me as an early pioneer of Mac lawyer blogging.

Source:  "Lawyers with Macs are Everywhere" by Erik Schmidt, published at the Mac Law Students blog.

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If you have never checked out Netvibes, you should do so right now!  What is it?  Well, it's honestly a little difficult to describe, but I'll try.  Netvibes is a fully customizable homepage, on which you can add numerous "modules" to view all sorts of information in one convenient location. 

For instance, you can add to do lists, weather forecasts, RSS feeds to read blogs, and hundreds of other types of modules.  Netvibes also integrates with numerous email providers, Google products (Calendar, Notebook, GMail, etc.), and it is super convenient to have everything that you need from the web right in one place on your homepage.

For you mobile warriors, Netvibes now has a "mobile" version that allows you to access your netvibes page on your mobile phone or your iPhone too.  What's the cost for all this convenience?  It's free.  I have been using it for well over a year, and it is a fantastic product that you should look into for yourself.

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If you are an attorney or other professional who is interested in learning more about how to use Macs in your office, you should check out the Macs In Law Offices (MILO) discussion group.  Recent topics discussed on MILO include hardware and software options and ways to most effectively implement them into our practices. Grant Griffiths and I began MILO six months ago to provide a forum where open discussions were encouraged, which unfortunately does not happen in all groups.  If you are interested in visiting MILO, there is a button on the right side of this blog that will take you there.

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Last week, TechnoLawyer published BlawgWorld 2007, a remarkable collection of 77 essays from some of the most influential blawgs.  I am honored to have two of my blogs, The Mac Lawyer and The South Carolina Family Law Blog, featured in this e-book.  BlawgWorld 2007 also includes the 2007 TechnoLawyer Problem/Solution Guide offers a new way for law firms to find answers to management and technology questions.  This outstanding e-book is now available for immediate download, and I urge you to click HERE (or the graphic at right) to obtain your free copy today.

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Apple has opened its Apple Outlet, which was formerly known as the "Special Deals" section of its online Apple Store.  This site is the place to shop for certified and refurbished Apple products at discounted prices.  Apple tests and certifies all refurbished products, and they all include a 1-year warranty.  I have bought products from the Apple Outlet before, and I have always been well satisfied with their products.

The Apple Outlet is organized into the following sections:

• Refurbished Mac  ::  Shop Apple-certified Mac desktops and notebooks at once-in-a-lifetime prices.
• Clearance Items  ::  Get discount prices on new, unopened products from Apple and other manufacturers.
• Big Deals  ::  See special offers, promotions, and other great deals available for a limited time only.
• Refurbished iPod  ::  Find deals on the Apple-certified iPod, iPod nano, or iPod shuffle you've always wanted.

Source:  "Apple Launches the Apple Outlet" published at the Switch To A Mac blog.

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The two most popular and useful Mac web browsers are Safari and Firefox.  You most likely use one or both of these programs on a regular basis.  Wouldn't it be nice if there was a comprehensive list of shortcuts for them?  You're in luck...  Click HERE to download the "Browser Cheat Sheet" and save yourself a good bit of time.

Source:  "Shortcut Cheat Sheet for Safari & FireFox" by Craig Swanson, published at the CreativeTechs blog.

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There is a new resource available for those interested in "Mac websites with quality content, writing and design."  Claire Rottenberg has created the Quality Mac Websites blog to review Mac websites that meet the following criteria:

• accurate and useful information
• original and unique content
• frequent updates of content
• good quality writing, free of grammatical errors
• no distracting commercial ads

Her blog has the following five categories at present:

• Blog  ::  Sites that are primarily blogs
• Established site  ::  Sites that are already familiar to many Mac users
• Specialized site  ::  Sites that center around one particular topic
• Teen Mac user site  ::  Sites that are operated by teenagers
• User group site  ::  Mac user group websites

From the look of the first several posts, Ms. Rottenberg's site is off to a great start, and you may want to add her feed to your newsreader to follow it in the coming months.

Source:  Thanks to Tim Gaden for his post about this new blog.

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The following is a "guest post" by Erik Mazzone that was published on Rick Georges' Futurelawyer blog:

Confession:  I am a Mac dork.  I would say "Mac geek", but the term "geek" implies a little more tech-savvy than I bring to the table.  Dork it is.

I've been using a Mac for my home stuff, more or less consistently since I was a freshman in college in [date redacted].  I've also started using my Mac for work since going into business for myself.  It does very well for most of the stuff I use, with one glaring exception:  the office suite.

For word processing and spreadsheets, I've been stuck between a rock and a hard place:  either suffer through the ridiculous and hateable Appleworks, or pay Bill Gates a princely sum to buy MS Office 1995 For Mac.  I'm optimistic about Google Docs and Spreadsheets, but the Web 2.0 interface is not quite slick enough yet to become my primary office software.

Like I said, stuck.  Until yesterday.

Yesterday I opened my local newspaper (yes, I am one of the 11 people in the U.S. who still subscribes to a print newspaper) and read the technology column which featured an article on a software program called OpenOffice.  OpenOffice is a free software program that works on Windows, Linux or Mac, and looks and feels like Microsoft Office. Check it out here.  It has everything I want:  the look and feel of Microsoft Office without sliding Bill Gates any farther up the Forbes list.

So, I promptly sent an email to my favorite legal-technology blogger to update him on this breaking news.  Rick politely emailed back to say, uh yeah, he's blogged about OpenOffice since, like, last year. (Stupid newspaper breaking year-old stories.)  But if I wanted to write a guest post for those of us slightly more challenged by the innovation adoption curve, I could go right ahead.

Voila.  I have just downloaded OpenOffice and the early returns are promising.  If you, like me, missed out on the early adopter (or even early majority, perhaps) phase of checking this out, here's your chance to get in before the late majority and my personal favorite part of the innovation adoption curve, the laggards.

And if you are a Mac dork enthusiast, here's a chance to throw off the MS Office yoke and get past the fact that Steve Jobs doesn't care if you ever need to make a spreadsheet.

Enjoy!  Erik Mazzone

Source:  "OpenOffice" by Erik Mazzone, published by Rick Georges at his  Futurelawyer blog.

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Apple is offering a free online seminar titled "New to the Mac and Compatibility with Windows".  Apple describes this seminar as follows

The Mac is the best tool for both the office and the home, making it the ideal computer for a business. If you're one of the many businesspeople who is contemplating a move from another computer to the Mac, watch this online seminar to pick up useful tips and valuable information to help you make the transition seamless. Kenny Lee, from Apple's Small Business Marketing group, and Travis Fears from the Apple Store San Francisco present and demo specific content for new Mac business users.

The seminar runs approximately 27 minutes, and it consists of two parts:

• Part One: New to the Mac  ::  Useful tips for starting out on and customizing the Mac, including shortcuts and quick keystroke/mouse commands.  Recommended for small business users who are new to the Mac, or contemplating a Mac for the first time.

• Part Two: Compatibility with Windows  ::  Connecting your Mac to existing workgroups and other office computers. Reviews and demos how to share files, share printers and even instant message with video between Apple and other computers.  Recommended for small business users with a typical office workgroup scenario, who are interested in sharing/interfacing with other users with different computers and peripherals.

You can get more information and/or view this free, on-demand seminar by clicking HERE.

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I posted this article recently at my South Carolina Family Lawyer blog, and I thought that my readers here might find it helpful as well:

"A picture is worth a thousand words." There are many opportunities for family law attorneys to use graphs in presenting their cases at trial.  For instance, graphs can be used to illustrate the nights that a child has spent with each parent, various asset/debt distributions, or even income earned over a given period of time.

The National Center for Eduction Statistics offers Create A Graph, a Web 2.0 graph program available for free.  This program allows you to create 2-D, 3-D, or drop-shadow graphs in pie, bar, line, and area formats.  Better yet, you are able to easily export your graphs to *.pdf, *.jpg , or other image formats.  If you are interested in creating helpful demonstrative evidence for free, be sure to visit this NCES site and give it a try.

Source: "Create a Graph" by Tom Mighell, posted at his Inter-Alia blog.

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If you are like me, you try to avoid typing documents from scratch if possible. I see no need to waste time "reinventing the wheel" if there is a template I can work from and modify as needed. With that in mind, I have just learned that there are over 250 free MS Office templates available on Microsoft's website.

While not law office specific, these templates include many that are useful to attorneys, including:

• Financial Analysis Worksheets
  
• Application for Employment
  
• Balance Sheets and Ledgers
  
• Bylaws, Policies, and Rules
  
• Various Calculators
  
• Flowcharts and Family Trees
  
• Note / Message Forms
  
• Survey Forms
  
• Wills
  
• Various Announcements

Source: "250 Free Office Templates and Documents" published at the Dumb Little Man blog. Thanks also to LifeHacker for its post on this topic.

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Legal information powerhouse, Justia, has introduced BlawgSearch, a combination legal blog search engine and directory. The directory is organized by category/topic, state, and country. I am pleased to have both of my blogs, The Mac Lawyer and South Carolina Family Law Blog, included in their directory. If you are interested in an effective legal blog search engine or a directory, check out BlawgSearch.

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Matthew Hirsch has compiled a list of Extremely Useful Macbook Freeware. There are several interesting and useful programs here, including:

• Adium :: a cross-platform instant messaging program
• Check Off :: simple to-do list that sits in the menu bar
• iAlertU :: remote controlled motion sensitive alarm system for the MacBook Pro
• StuffIt Expander :: open compressed files from various formats

This is just a sampling, as he has approximately 50 different programs listed there. Take a look, and you'll most likely find something that is helpful, useful, or at least interesting to you.

Thanks to Wendy Boswell's post, "Journey To A Well-Optimized Macbook", at LifeHacker.com for finding this resource.

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Mac Talk is a new print magazine that contains articles about running and using your Mac and the associated tasks you do with it. Its inaugural edition contains many helpful items, including tutorials and product selection advice. The first issue has the following articles which are particularly of interest:

• Why I Am A Mac User :: first-person Mac testimonial
• Podcasting In The Real World :: step-by-step guide to creating your own podcast
• External Storage Devices :: review of usb drives and external hard drive options
• Review of Senuti :: program to help move songs from iPod to computer
• War of the Computer Worlds :: observations on the Mac vs. PC debate

This magazine is produced by folks down in Australia, but don't let that discourage you from giving it a look. Oh, did I mention that it can be downloaded online for free? You can download the first issue by clicking HERE.

Thanks to the Silver Mac blog for its post about this new magazine.

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Google announced earlier this week that it has formed a Mac Engineering Team and started the Google Mac Blog. In its first post, that blog states its aim

It means making products that everyone can use - including Mac users. We want to provide great products and services to the tens of millions of Mac users around the world, because it's the right thing to do, and because Mac users inside and outside Google demand it.

Google also has made the following available at www.google.com/mac:

• Dashboard widgets for checking Gmail, posting to your blog, and checking your search history
  
• Google Notifier that alerts you to new Gmail messages and (a Mac-only feature) upcoming Google Calendar events
  
• Safari support for Google Calendar
  
• Mac support for Google Video
  
• Mac version of Google Earth

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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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Would you like to have the ability to turn a web page or a text file into an eBook to use on your iPod? The iPod Notes Packager will handle this transformation for you quickly, easily, and free. You can choose any website or any text file, upload it to this site, and within a few seconds have your very own eBook.

This site could be used for Court rules, statutes, legal outlines, "to do" lists, client names and addresses, or many other uses for attorneys. Even better, it can serve as a legitimate reason to justify purchasing an iPod through your firm. And did I mention that it's free? You can check out The iPod Notes Packager website by clicking HERE.

Source: "Make eBooks for Your iPod" published at LifeHacker.com

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