Okay, I admit it. I fell in love with another PDA/cell phone. My last love was a Motorola MPx200, which I bought from AT&T wireless back in 2005. It had everything I wanted: email, calendar and contacts that sync with outlook, voice recorder, MP3 player, high quality display screen, and a small clam shell design. The only problem was that the cell phone range was limited and calls were often dropped or could not connect, or there was no signal. Not being able to use the phone was a problem!
I don't know if the problem was with the cell phone or the AT&T network. I decided to change both. In 2007, I switched to Verizon Wireless and bought the Motorola RAZR. The RAZR had no PDA functions, it was just a very slim, easy to carry phone that actually worked! I looked at the Palm Treo, which was the most popular at the time, but had no desire to carry such a large device especially with a less than attractive screen display. I also looked at the Motorola Q, which looked too flimsy.
In 2008, I was tempted by the iPhone - the design is beautiful! But it was not designed for business and I don't have that many pictures or songs I need to carry with me. Also, I did not want to switch away from Verizon and take the chance of losing signal quality. The Blackberry looked interesting, but never compelling because of its large keyboard and I didn't want to be tethered to my email Inbox all the time. I'm not interested in texting on a continual basis or having clients think that I am at my computer 24x7.
Finally, Blackberry came out with the Pearl, a slim, attractive device that fits in my pocket and contains all the functionality of my old MPx 200! Not only does it sync with outlook, but it also provides live access to the Internet (extra $30/mo. for unlimited data usage). Now I can receive emails in real time and occasionally browse the web.
I was intially sold on its small form factor, but after using it for a few weeks found that it has a number of surprisingly helpful features:
Email/Fax/Voice Mail - My emails are received in real time. I can easily check for new messages from clients. It also has a great "search sender" feature that makes it easy to locate all the emails from a specific client immediately. My fax and voice mails are automatically forwarded to my email, which makes it "one-stop shopping" for checking all communications. Even my home phone sends voicemail to my cell phone (both work and home are VOIP phones).
Calendar - The cell phone has a calendar application that syncs with Outlook. I use Google to sync with outlook, which I bookmark on my cell phone. Not only does it track my personal calendar, but the office calendar as well.
News - I bookmarked a few websites that I like for news : nytimes.com, boston.com, and cnn.com. It is a great way to stay informed of the latest headlines. You can even request that it automatically update the news hourly and save the information off-line (in case you lose signal).
Maps - The phone comes with a maps program, which provides basic maps, but I don't use it. Instead, I installed Google Maps, a brilliant application that works even better on the phone than it does on my desktop computer. Google Maps shows current location, traffic, directions, and favorites. It also shows a "satellite view" if you want to see an actual picture of the location you are trying to find at street level. It has essentially replaced my need for a GPS. The killer application is the voice recognition. Last night, I was looking for a restaurant called "Cafe Mangal" in Wellesley. I said the restaurant name into the phone without mentioning the city. After a 10-second search, the name, address and map appeared on the phone. It found the right location the first time even though it was three towns away. It even had reviews for the restaurant!
Weather - A constant icon on the phone has the current temperature for my location, which I can click on to get a full weather report. It saves a lot of time every day not to have to check the computer or listen to the radio.
Voice Recorder - I use it to record meetings or presentations. The device automatically saves the files in 10 minute block so they can easily be emailed or uploaded to a website. The microphone is good enough to pick up voices at a 10-foot or more distance.
Camera/video recorder - The built-in camera is only 2MP, but comes in handy more than I expected. You never know when you need a camera (impromptu meeting with a friend, car accident, looking for a new house, etc.). Last week, I rushed to see my son's 5th grade music recital and didn't have time to pick up the digital camera. I was glad I had my cell phone to record on video his first time playing the trombone!
Accessories - The phone comes with many other useful applications like calculator, alarm clock, password keeper, task list, and memo pad. These are not essential, but nice to have. If you are traveling, you don't need to bring a separate alarm clock - it's one less thing to carry! If you are shopping, you can use the calculator to compute discounts, sales tax, or budgets.
The Blackberry Pearl makes it easy for me to stay in touch and be productive whether I am in or out of the office. It has become command central for news, updates and communications. There are a few applications that I have not gotten to work yet (e.g., remote control of my desktop computer), but I expect will be available in the future.
The bottom line is that the Blackberry Pearl allows me to work out my pocket. This is the ultimate in flexibility for being a virtual lawyer.
What kind of cell phone to you use? What cell phone applications do you like best? What computer applications would you like to access from your phone?
[6/14/09 - Update: It is clear that "smart phones" are going to fuel the next major technology boom. Netbooks and Internet-enabled phones reflect a long term convergence of computers, cell phones and PDAs. I have always appreciated the productivity boost from new computers and software applications. But the smart phones seem to go beyond prior innovations in terms of their functionality. My "crackberry" is now an essential devive both personally and professionally.
According to Apple, iPhone now has over 50,000 applications. I don't need that many. The Blackberry has enough that every day I find a new application that seems to enhance my life. The most recent are:
Google Integration: Google is amazing. Not only does it provide a killer voice controlled GPS-like service, it provides seamless integration with information, ratings and reviews. Google maps even integrates with Outlook calendar and contact list. Now, I can open an appointment or contact and make only one click to see a map of the location. It saves having to print out directions and carry them with you!
Banking & Investments: I can check my balance and pay bills from anywhere (very helpful when you leave for vacation and forget to pay that credit card bill). You can check investments or even make trades. Bloomberg, Fidelity, and CNBC all have applications that provide up to the minute news, quotes and stock charts.
Radio & Music: Many major radio stations across the country and around the world provide free Internet broadcasts. You can save your favorite stations and listen to them anytime, whether you are within the traditional broadcast area or on the other side of the country. Pick local news radio to keep up with your old home town, popular music, or national public radio. It's all available!]
Showing posts with label technology. Show all posts
Showing posts with label technology. Show all posts
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Using Technology to Boost a Law Practice
Attorney Sergei Lemberg, who specializes in consumer lemon law and writes the LemonJustice Blog, is sitting in the guest blogger's chair today. Thanks Sergei!
After I graduated from law school, I went the typical route and spent five years working for a series of major law firms. Eventually, though, I reallzed that I wanted to run my own shop, be my own boss, and handle my own cases. After deciding that lemon law would be my niche, I went about the process of building my practice, a process that was helped tremendously by technology and online tools.
Although I started by subleasing an office from another lawyer, my practice is largely "virtual." I have clients from all over the country and rarely see them in person. I use VOIP for my office phone system for onsite and off-site staff, which gives the impression of everyone being under the same roof. I also take advantage of the Web-based Google Docs application for online collaboration, and share practice management software using Citrix.
But one of the most useful tools for building my practice is the Internet itself. I'm a Google AdWords advertiser, and run my AdWords ads in multiple jurisdictions to obtain a highly targeted but diverse clientele. I've also used that cornerstone of Web 2.0, blogging (and guest blogging!), to extend the reach of my practice. I've extensively optimized my website to make it more search engine friendly, and have expanded it to include genuinely useful content. As a result, I've seen my search engine rankings climb.
In today's increasingly connected world, it's easier than ever to succeed in a solo practice. By using online marketing methods and technology, office walls become much less relevant and the practice of law becomes virtually boundless.
After I graduated from law school, I went the typical route and spent five years working for a series of major law firms. Eventually, though, I reallzed that I wanted to run my own shop, be my own boss, and handle my own cases. After deciding that lemon law would be my niche, I went about the process of building my practice, a process that was helped tremendously by technology and online tools.
Although I started by subleasing an office from another lawyer, my practice is largely "virtual." I have clients from all over the country and rarely see them in person. I use VOIP for my office phone system for onsite and off-site staff, which gives the impression of everyone being under the same roof. I also take advantage of the Web-based Google Docs application for online collaboration, and share practice management software using Citrix.
But one of the most useful tools for building my practice is the Internet itself. I'm a Google AdWords advertiser, and run my AdWords ads in multiple jurisdictions to obtain a highly targeted but diverse clientele. I've also used that cornerstone of Web 2.0, blogging (and guest blogging!), to extend the reach of my practice. I've extensively optimized my website to make it more search engine friendly, and have expanded it to include genuinely useful content. As a result, I've seen my search engine rankings climb.
In today's increasingly connected world, it's easier than ever to succeed in a solo practice. By using online marketing methods and technology, office walls become much less relevant and the practice of law becomes virtually boundless.
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Why you should buy a new PC every year!
[REPUBLISHED FORM 9/29/07 TO ALLOW COMMENTS]
The first time I used a computer was in highschool in 1972; it was a teletype terminal connected to a mainframe. It used simple BASIC programming language. I learned to write a simple program that would count from 1 to 10 or generate random numbers, but it was not very useful by today’s standards. In 1973, I purchased the "Bowmar Brain" for about $100, the first inexpensive calculator that was widely distributed; but it was not programmable and, therefore, would hardly fit my definition of a computer. In college, I majored in engineering but still had limited, if any, use for computers. A few classes required writing computer programs to solve trivial math or physics problems. The computers were mostly text-based terminals, and some had the newer graphics-type display. It wasn’t until I entered graduate school in 1980 at Dartmouth College that I first used a computer as a productivity tool. In 1981, I used a brand new “mini-computer” to perform engineering analysis and generate graphical representations of mathematical results. The mini-computer was still a terminal based computer with wired access to a central shared processor. For one experiment, I would submit a set of mathematical equations to be solved by the computer and wait 6 hours for a printout that I had to retrieve from the “computer center” half-way across campus. If there was one misplaced comma or typographical error, the printout (about 50 pages) would be useless and I would have to start-over and then wait another 6 hours. I bought my first computer, a Compaq “luggable” in 1984, while I was in law school (about 12 years after I first touched a computer). Instead of crunching numbers, I used the computer mostly for writing papers; it was a great improvement because I made too many mistakes using the electric typewriter. When I graduated law school in 1986, lawyers did not have computers, only their secretaries did. The fact that I had a computer at home made me an anomaly in the legal profession. It wasn’t until 1992, that I bought my first computer for work, which was a Dell 320N+ notebook (I was always a sucker for portability). The Dell notebook had a black & white display that operated using Dos 6.0 and Windows 3.1 (yes, you had to install them separately!) and a 10MB hard disk. In 1992, I also bought a generic desktop computer and set up my first computer network (using Windows for Workgroups). In 1994, I replaced my Dell with a new more powerful Winbook computer. In 1995, I joined a start-up software company and switched over to the Mac, buying a Powerbook with a color display and a super-friendly graphical user interface using the Mac OS 6.0 that cost about $5000! In 1996 and 1997, I acquired several old Macs using them for networking, back-up systems, fax receivers, graphic editing, spreadsheets, and word processing. By 1999, I had 6 or 7 computers operating in my house. When I joined a venture-backed start-up in 1999, I was forced to go back to the PC, being issued a popular IBM notebook. Being an employee of a computer software company, new computers every year was the rule. Technology was changing so fast that it was essential to keep up with the latest and greatest software applications, and to run those applications, you needed more memory and faster processors. The old Macs, being fundamentally incompatible with the Windows PC, were junked. If you don’t keep upgrading computer technology, the peripheral devices, software, and components all become outdated to the point of being useless within five years. Having worked inside of three computer companies, I got used to buying (or being issued) a new computer every year. When I went back to the practice of law in 2002, I found out that it was essential to buy a new computer every year. According to Moore’s Law, processing speed, memory capacity, and LCD resolution are improving exponentially, doubling approximately every two years. That means that a computer you purchase today for $1000 may be worth only $500 in a year. And, if you are like most people, you need twice as much memory to hold all of your new information (pictures, music, and documents). And with the advent of the Internet, computers are being used by lawyers for more and more functions such as communications, entertainment, and commerce. These new functions require the latest operating systems and networking technologies. A computer is different than a refrigerator, a car, or even a telephone system. Computers are productivity tools, whose technology is changing so rapidly that you must continue to replace (not upgrade) every year. If the value of the computer after one year is only $500, then in two years, it is only $250. It makes almost no sense to spend even $50 to upgrade memory in an old computer (not to mention the cost of the technician to install it). I find it very hard to justify spending money on computer repairs or maintenance services. The computer companies know this as well, which is why they try so hard to sell extended warranties. Every time I buy a new computer, I find that I am significantly more productive. The new computer comes with more RAM (processing memory), a larger hard-disk, and new more powerful software applications. The time savings increases my productivity and billable hours far in excess of the $1000+ that I spend on a new computer. Also, I prefer to buy notebook computers instead of desktop computers because they take up less space, use less electricity, and are more readily adapted to personal use (I typically recycle my old notebooks by giving them to family members). New computers also make the practice of law more enjoyable. The less time that I spend waiting for computer software to load, and the easier it is to use multiple applications, the more I enjoy the practice of law. How often do you buy a new computer? What’s your philosophy on buying computer equipment?
The first time I used a computer was in highschool in 1972; it was a teletype terminal connected to a mainframe. It used simple BASIC programming language. I learned to write a simple program that would count from 1 to 10 or generate random numbers, but it was not very useful by today’s standards. In 1973, I purchased the "Bowmar Brain" for about $100, the first inexpensive calculator that was widely distributed; but it was not programmable and, therefore, would hardly fit my definition of a computer. In college, I majored in engineering but still had limited, if any, use for computers. A few classes required writing computer programs to solve trivial math or physics problems. The computers were mostly text-based terminals, and some had the newer graphics-type display. It wasn’t until I entered graduate school in 1980 at Dartmouth College that I first used a computer as a productivity tool. In 1981, I used a brand new “mini-computer” to perform engineering analysis and generate graphical representations of mathematical results. The mini-computer was still a terminal based computer with wired access to a central shared processor. For one experiment, I would submit a set of mathematical equations to be solved by the computer and wait 6 hours for a printout that I had to retrieve from the “computer center” half-way across campus. If there was one misplaced comma or typographical error, the printout (about 50 pages) would be useless and I would have to start-over and then wait another 6 hours. I bought my first computer, a Compaq “luggable” in 1984, while I was in law school (about 12 years after I first touched a computer). Instead of crunching numbers, I used the computer mostly for writing papers; it was a great improvement because I made too many mistakes using the electric typewriter. When I graduated law school in 1986, lawyers did not have computers, only their secretaries did. The fact that I had a computer at home made me an anomaly in the legal profession. It wasn’t until 1992, that I bought my first computer for work, which was a Dell 320N+ notebook (I was always a sucker for portability). The Dell notebook had a black & white display that operated using Dos 6.0 and Windows 3.1 (yes, you had to install them separately!) and a 10MB hard disk. In 1992, I also bought a generic desktop computer and set up my first computer network (using Windows for Workgroups). In 1994, I replaced my Dell with a new more powerful Winbook computer. In 1995, I joined a start-up software company and switched over to the Mac, buying a Powerbook with a color display and a super-friendly graphical user interface using the Mac OS 6.0 that cost about $5000! In 1996 and 1997, I acquired several old Macs using them for networking, back-up systems, fax receivers, graphic editing, spreadsheets, and word processing. By 1999, I had 6 or 7 computers operating in my house. When I joined a venture-backed start-up in 1999, I was forced to go back to the PC, being issued a popular IBM notebook. Being an employee of a computer software company, new computers every year was the rule. Technology was changing so fast that it was essential to keep up with the latest and greatest software applications, and to run those applications, you needed more memory and faster processors. The old Macs, being fundamentally incompatible with the Windows PC, were junked. If you don’t keep upgrading computer technology, the peripheral devices, software, and components all become outdated to the point of being useless within five years. Having worked inside of three computer companies, I got used to buying (or being issued) a new computer every year. When I went back to the practice of law in 2002, I found out that it was essential to buy a new computer every year. According to Moore’s Law, processing speed, memory capacity, and LCD resolution are improving exponentially, doubling approximately every two years. That means that a computer you purchase today for $1000 may be worth only $500 in a year. And, if you are like most people, you need twice as much memory to hold all of your new information (pictures, music, and documents). And with the advent of the Internet, computers are being used by lawyers for more and more functions such as communications, entertainment, and commerce. These new functions require the latest operating systems and networking technologies. A computer is different than a refrigerator, a car, or even a telephone system. Computers are productivity tools, whose technology is changing so rapidly that you must continue to replace (not upgrade) every year. If the value of the computer after one year is only $500, then in two years, it is only $250. It makes almost no sense to spend even $50 to upgrade memory in an old computer (not to mention the cost of the technician to install it). I find it very hard to justify spending money on computer repairs or maintenance services. The computer companies know this as well, which is why they try so hard to sell extended warranties. Every time I buy a new computer, I find that I am significantly more productive. The new computer comes with more RAM (processing memory), a larger hard-disk, and new more powerful software applications. The time savings increases my productivity and billable hours far in excess of the $1000+ that I spend on a new computer. Also, I prefer to buy notebook computers instead of desktop computers because they take up less space, use less electricity, and are more readily adapted to personal use (I typically recycle my old notebooks by giving them to family members). New computers also make the practice of law more enjoyable. The less time that I spend waiting for computer software to load, and the easier it is to use multiple applications, the more I enjoy the practice of law. How often do you buy a new computer? What’s your philosophy on buying computer equipment?
Friday, August 31, 2007
Don’t Take Technology for Granted!
As a virtual lawyer, I pride myself on being able to integrate technology into my law practice and to leverage technology in ways that improve the efficiency and quality of legal services. I understand that most lawyers are not as focused on technology as I am.
I understand that other lawyers may not send and receive faxes from their PC. I understand that other lawyers may not know how to convert a Word document to a PDF. I understand that they may not send bills to clients electronically. I understand that other lawyers may not know how to connect their wireless laptop to the free wifi at a “hotspot”. I understand that they may not be familiar with the latest web-based applications for time & billing. I understand that other lawyers may not even type their own emails.
However, I do know that all lawyers know how to use the telephone. And, I would be surprised if they have been practicing more than a few years without ever participating in a conference call. Well, imagine my surprise yesterday when I was scheduled to attend a meeting in Boston and they did not have a conference phone!
I have been working on a multi-million dollar transaction with a major financial institution, which is represented by an up and coming mid-sized law firm with brand new offices in Boston. The Boston-based firm organized a meeting in Boston inviting all the lawyers and their clients working on the transaction to attend. The transaction had been going on for months and the costs have been significant and steadily increasing. Since I was pressed for time, and driving into Boston required at least 90 minutes of travel time (or more with traffic), I asked if I could participate by phone. I thought, what a good idea, I can be more productive and save my client about $4-500.
Little did I know that setting up a conference phone would be a major technology hurdle. The lawyer organizing the meeting sent me a message from his BlackBerry the day before confirming yes, I could participate by phone. The meeting was scheduled for 11am at the offices of the above-mentioned financial institution. At 9:30am, I emailed the lawyer organizing the meeting and asked what phone number I should dial into to participate in the meeting. At 10am, I received an email back providing me with a conference service to dial into.
At 11am, I dialed in. Nothing, but music on hold. At 11:06am, I sent an email asking when the meeting would start. At 11:15am, I received a call from the attorney hosting the meeting that they were working on getting a telephone that they could use for the conference call. They tried one phone and the sound was so garbled that the voices could not be distinguished (even my speaker phone at home was better). They then asked me to dial directly into the conference room, but the phone line had severe and the microphone kept cutting out so that the conversation was unintelligible.
When I complained that about the static on the line, the hosting attorney asked everyone in the room, about 10 people, to turn off their cell phones (makes no sense to me). Nothing, still way too much static. I tried dialing in from a different telephone. Still, too much static. Not just a little buzz, but a kind of loud, irritating, crackling noise that makes you think no one could ever use that phone. And, the static wasn’t just due to the phone equipment because I could hear it on the line before the phone was even answered. By 11:30am, the room full of lawyers and their clients, whose time was worth at least $5000 an hour, had reached a level of frustration that caused one of them to interrupt and state that they had tried everything including turning of their cell phone.
This reminds me of a story told by my professor in law school. He said that President Lyndon Baines Johnson was once holding a press conference outside at the Lincoln Memorial. The noise of the airplanes flying overhead was so loud that he called the FAA and told them to stop all planes from flying in and out of Washington National airport until the press conference was finished.
Well, I am not LBJ, and when the conference phone didn’t work, the room full of lawyers and clients were not going to wait for me to get connected by conference phone. Midway through the process of trying to find a working conference phone, the hosting lawyer said, couldn’t you just come down here in person (as if I worked in Boston). I said no and that I thought conferencing was not new technology. The long and the short of it is that I did not participate in the conference call.
Conference phones have been around for more than thirty years. You would think this is standard equipment for law firms and financial institutions. The moral is no matter how much you think technology has been standardized, never take it for granted.
What technology do you think is standard equipment for lawyers? How about the fax machine, email or Microsoft Word? Have you ever been surprised when the other attorney says…that doesn’t work?
I understand that other lawyers may not send and receive faxes from their PC. I understand that other lawyers may not know how to convert a Word document to a PDF. I understand that they may not send bills to clients electronically. I understand that other lawyers may not know how to connect their wireless laptop to the free wifi at a “hotspot”. I understand that they may not be familiar with the latest web-based applications for time & billing. I understand that other lawyers may not even type their own emails.
However, I do know that all lawyers know how to use the telephone. And, I would be surprised if they have been practicing more than a few years without ever participating in a conference call. Well, imagine my surprise yesterday when I was scheduled to attend a meeting in Boston and they did not have a conference phone!
I have been working on a multi-million dollar transaction with a major financial institution, which is represented by an up and coming mid-sized law firm with brand new offices in Boston. The Boston-based firm organized a meeting in Boston inviting all the lawyers and their clients working on the transaction to attend. The transaction had been going on for months and the costs have been significant and steadily increasing. Since I was pressed for time, and driving into Boston required at least 90 minutes of travel time (or more with traffic), I asked if I could participate by phone. I thought, what a good idea, I can be more productive and save my client about $4-500.
Little did I know that setting up a conference phone would be a major technology hurdle. The lawyer organizing the meeting sent me a message from his BlackBerry the day before confirming yes, I could participate by phone. The meeting was scheduled for 11am at the offices of the above-mentioned financial institution. At 9:30am, I emailed the lawyer organizing the meeting and asked what phone number I should dial into to participate in the meeting. At 10am, I received an email back providing me with a conference service to dial into.
At 11am, I dialed in. Nothing, but music on hold. At 11:06am, I sent an email asking when the meeting would start. At 11:15am, I received a call from the attorney hosting the meeting that they were working on getting a telephone that they could use for the conference call. They tried one phone and the sound was so garbled that the voices could not be distinguished (even my speaker phone at home was better). They then asked me to dial directly into the conference room, but the phone line had severe and the microphone kept cutting out so that the conversation was unintelligible.
When I complained that about the static on the line, the hosting attorney asked everyone in the room, about 10 people, to turn off their cell phones (makes no sense to me). Nothing, still way too much static. I tried dialing in from a different telephone. Still, too much static. Not just a little buzz, but a kind of loud, irritating, crackling noise that makes you think no one could ever use that phone. And, the static wasn’t just due to the phone equipment because I could hear it on the line before the phone was even answered. By 11:30am, the room full of lawyers and their clients, whose time was worth at least $5000 an hour, had reached a level of frustration that caused one of them to interrupt and state that they had tried everything including turning of their cell phone.
This reminds me of a story told by my professor in law school. He said that President Lyndon Baines Johnson was once holding a press conference outside at the Lincoln Memorial. The noise of the airplanes flying overhead was so loud that he called the FAA and told them to stop all planes from flying in and out of Washington National airport until the press conference was finished.
Well, I am not LBJ, and when the conference phone didn’t work, the room full of lawyers and clients were not going to wait for me to get connected by conference phone. Midway through the process of trying to find a working conference phone, the hosting lawyer said, couldn’t you just come down here in person (as if I worked in Boston). I said no and that I thought conferencing was not new technology. The long and the short of it is that I did not participate in the conference call.
Conference phones have been around for more than thirty years. You would think this is standard equipment for law firms and financial institutions. The moral is no matter how much you think technology has been standardized, never take it for granted.
What technology do you think is standard equipment for lawyers? How about the fax machine, email or Microsoft Word? Have you ever been surprised when the other attorney says…that doesn’t work?
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Virtual Lawyer Test #2 – It keeps getting better!
I just returned from two days in NYC. My experience as a "virtual lawyer" keeps getting better. All I brought with me was a cell phone (Motorola RAZR), a laptop (Compaq v2000), and an iPod mini. Despite two days on the road, I felt almost as comfortable working out of the office as I do working in the office.
This trip was so much better than previous trips. First, there was less to carry with me. Second, it is easier to find Internet access. Third, software and web-based services are getting easier to use and more feature rich.
There was less to carry because I downsized my phone (from a Motorola MPx200 smartphone) and eliminated the PDA device. I now rely on the laptop as my PDA. It just makes life simpler. For my next laptop, I may downsize to an ultralight model. The smaller the devices, the easier it is to have a portable office.
I have also moved to the paperless office, religiously scanning documents as they come in and minimizing paper documents or returning paper copies to the client (after scanning them). Scanning documents means that I don’t have to drag any client files with me.
Traveling from Boston to NYC, I took the Limoliner bus. The Limoliner has wireless Internet (via Satellite), 120V AC for plugging in the charger for computer and cell phone, and fold-up tray tables (like the air lines). The leather seats are more comfortable than my office chair. I can work on documents, respond to emails, and listen to music. I can forward office calls to my cell phone and voila, it feels like I’m still in my office (except for the occasional bump). The ticket cost (which includes a meal) was only $158 round-trip.
I didn’t go to NYC for business; I just wanted to join my wife who was attending a conference for work (which meant I got to stay in a free hotel room). We spent a romantic evening in NYC, walking around Times Square and having dinner at Gabriel’s on W60th Street. I got almost as much work done on the bus as I usually get done in a full day (fewer distractions on the bus) and I was able to enjoy the evening in the city. I also met a friend for lunch that I hadn't seen in 30 years and I got a tour of the gold vault at the Federal Reserve (worth about $150B). As I rode the subway to meet my friend, I listened to a legal seminar on my iPod.
We stayed at the Crown Plaza, which provides wireless Internet ($14.95/day). I paid for one day access which included a 24-hour period. After we checked out, I waited in the lobby for my wife’s conference to finish. I could have gone to Starbucks, but I managed to piggy back off the Lehman Brothers conference for some free wireless. While I waited for my wife’s conference to finish, I watched a great webinar from LexisNexis on Software-as-a-Service (SaaS). I used the ear phones from the iPod to plug into my computer to listen to the webinar. I also used my cell phone for a conference call with a client addressing questions about the document I emailed to her on the bus ride down.
We planned to return on the 3pm Limoliner. However, the bus had a strange mechanical problem and was delayed. So, we left our bag on the bus and ducked into the MOMA (modern art museum), which was only one block away. We saw some great paintings (by Andrew Wyeth and Edward Hopper). When the bus was ready to go, they called me on the cell phone and we headed back. Although there was traffic on the way back, I plugged in my computer and managed to crank out a few more documents. The four and a half hour ride went by without notice.
It is not surprising that you can work while you travel. What is amazing is how easy and enjoyable it is to work while you travel. There are a few things I would improve (like having a smaller laptop), but overall the Virtual Lawyer Test #2 was a great success.
What would make work on the road easier for you? What kind of “virtual lawyer” experiences have you had lately?
This trip was so much better than previous trips. First, there was less to carry with me. Second, it is easier to find Internet access. Third, software and web-based services are getting easier to use and more feature rich.
There was less to carry because I downsized my phone (from a Motorola MPx200 smartphone) and eliminated the PDA device. I now rely on the laptop as my PDA. It just makes life simpler. For my next laptop, I may downsize to an ultralight model. The smaller the devices, the easier it is to have a portable office.
I have also moved to the paperless office, religiously scanning documents as they come in and minimizing paper documents or returning paper copies to the client (after scanning them). Scanning documents means that I don’t have to drag any client files with me.
Traveling from Boston to NYC, I took the Limoliner bus. The Limoliner has wireless Internet (via Satellite), 120V AC for plugging in the charger for computer and cell phone, and fold-up tray tables (like the air lines). The leather seats are more comfortable than my office chair. I can work on documents, respond to emails, and listen to music. I can forward office calls to my cell phone and voila, it feels like I’m still in my office (except for the occasional bump). The ticket cost (which includes a meal) was only $158 round-trip.
I didn’t go to NYC for business; I just wanted to join my wife who was attending a conference for work (which meant I got to stay in a free hotel room). We spent a romantic evening in NYC, walking around Times Square and having dinner at Gabriel’s on W60th Street. I got almost as much work done on the bus as I usually get done in a full day (fewer distractions on the bus) and I was able to enjoy the evening in the city. I also met a friend for lunch that I hadn't seen in 30 years and I got a tour of the gold vault at the Federal Reserve (worth about $150B). As I rode the subway to meet my friend, I listened to a legal seminar on my iPod.
We stayed at the Crown Plaza, which provides wireless Internet ($14.95/day). I paid for one day access which included a 24-hour period. After we checked out, I waited in the lobby for my wife’s conference to finish. I could have gone to Starbucks, but I managed to piggy back off the Lehman Brothers conference for some free wireless. While I waited for my wife’s conference to finish, I watched a great webinar from LexisNexis on Software-as-a-Service (SaaS). I used the ear phones from the iPod to plug into my computer to listen to the webinar. I also used my cell phone for a conference call with a client addressing questions about the document I emailed to her on the bus ride down.
We planned to return on the 3pm Limoliner. However, the bus had a strange mechanical problem and was delayed. So, we left our bag on the bus and ducked into the MOMA (modern art museum), which was only one block away. We saw some great paintings (by Andrew Wyeth and Edward Hopper). When the bus was ready to go, they called me on the cell phone and we headed back. Although there was traffic on the way back, I plugged in my computer and managed to crank out a few more documents. The four and a half hour ride went by without notice.
It is not surprising that you can work while you travel. What is amazing is how easy and enjoyable it is to work while you travel. There are a few things I would improve (like having a smaller laptop), but overall the Virtual Lawyer Test #2 was a great success.
What would make work on the road easier for you? What kind of “virtual lawyer” experiences have you had lately?
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Power of the Internet
The Internet is the world’s first expanding resource. Think about it. Water, air, oil, land, food are all limited despite their being ubiquitous. The pioneers who first came to the US in the 1600’s probably thought those resources were unlimited. However, the more people there are on the planet, the scarcer and more expense those resources become. But the Internet is different. The more people who use it, the more plentiful and powerful it becomes. Is there any other resource like that?
Never has access to information been so easy or inexpensive. Never has there been so many tools and information available for free. Everyday there is a new website providing another free service that is designed to make life easier, more organized, or better informed. As a kid, I remember my family sharing one subscription to Life magazine to see pictures of what was going on in the world. To keep up with the news, we had a subscription to The Boston Globe and occasionally purchased a copy of the Sunday NY Times. TV came along later, but the information could not be stored, indexed, or searched. Once or twice a month, we would go to the town library. Growing up there were relatively few sources of information. Today, the Internet provides news, pictures, video, and research at the touch of a button. Information is everywhere.
Never has the power of the pen been so strong. The Internet enables anyone to speak to the world, to organize and repurpose information. In the old days, you would have to own a TV station or newspaper. Maybe you could write an article or a book. Or you could send out post cards, or make telephone calls. But you could only reach a handful of people and once the phone call was over or the newspaper was thrown out, the words were gone. Only the words of professional writers were immortalized. Today, anyone can publish a website or blog for free and make their thoughts and words available to everyone any time any where, forever.
Never has opportunity been greater. Whether you are building a Web 2.0 application or a Law Firm 2.0 application, the opportunity to make a change in the world is staring you right in the face. Anyone can make an impact on the world. A huge impact. All you have to do is to think about how you want to apply your skills to change and improve the world. And then go do it!
What do I want to do with the power of the Internet?
I want to build a national network of lawyers, one that shares information and resources and fosters a culture of collaboration. I want access to tools and information that facilitates the practice of law and empowers the solo practitioner to work shoulder-to-shoulder on par with lawyers in large firms. I want a system that encourages continual improvement of the quality of legal services. I want the quality of life for lawyers to go up and the cost of legal services to go down. By applying the power of the Internet, I think all this is possible.
From an IT (Information Technology) standpoint, we currently live in a golden age of opportunity. What do you want to do with the power of the Internet? How do think the Internet can help or improve the legal profession?
Never has access to information been so easy or inexpensive. Never has there been so many tools and information available for free. Everyday there is a new website providing another free service that is designed to make life easier, more organized, or better informed. As a kid, I remember my family sharing one subscription to Life magazine to see pictures of what was going on in the world. To keep up with the news, we had a subscription to The Boston Globe and occasionally purchased a copy of the Sunday NY Times. TV came along later, but the information could not be stored, indexed, or searched. Once or twice a month, we would go to the town library. Growing up there were relatively few sources of information. Today, the Internet provides news, pictures, video, and research at the touch of a button. Information is everywhere.
Never has the power of the pen been so strong. The Internet enables anyone to speak to the world, to organize and repurpose information. In the old days, you would have to own a TV station or newspaper. Maybe you could write an article or a book. Or you could send out post cards, or make telephone calls. But you could only reach a handful of people and once the phone call was over or the newspaper was thrown out, the words were gone. Only the words of professional writers were immortalized. Today, anyone can publish a website or blog for free and make their thoughts and words available to everyone any time any where, forever.
Never has opportunity been greater. Whether you are building a Web 2.0 application or a Law Firm 2.0 application, the opportunity to make a change in the world is staring you right in the face. Anyone can make an impact on the world. A huge impact. All you have to do is to think about how you want to apply your skills to change and improve the world. And then go do it!
What do I want to do with the power of the Internet?
I want to build a national network of lawyers, one that shares information and resources and fosters a culture of collaboration. I want access to tools and information that facilitates the practice of law and empowers the solo practitioner to work shoulder-to-shoulder on par with lawyers in large firms. I want a system that encourages continual improvement of the quality of legal services. I want the quality of life for lawyers to go up and the cost of legal services to go down. By applying the power of the Internet, I think all this is possible.
From an IT (Information Technology) standpoint, we currently live in a golden age of opportunity. What do you want to do with the power of the Internet? How do think the Internet can help or improve the legal profession?
Saturday, March 24, 2007
Building Law Firm 2.0
The current revolution of new applications and uses of the Internet has frequently been termed Web 2.0. In thinking about how this revolution will affect the practice of law, the term “Law Firm 2.0” came to mind. Based on a quick google search, I see that I am not the first to use this term.
What is Law Firm 2.0?
Law Firm 2.0 is a way to describe the impact that technology and the web will have on the next generation of law firms.
In October 2005, I heard Carly Fiorina, former President and CEO of Hewlett-Packard Co., speak at MIT’s convocation. Having just revitalized one of the worlds leading technology companies, she had a very clear understanding of how technology was reshaping the world. She believes that we are at the beginning of a new era dominated by the power of the individual, driven by technology that is digital, mobile, virtual, and personal. (And I would add a fifth characteristic for law firms: secure).
Last month, I wrote that Knowledge Management will drive the law firm of the future. The core platform for managing knowledge will be web-based applications. The Law Firm 2.0 concept requires rethinking the web as the lawyer’s primary control center. Are lawyers using the web as their primary control center now? No. Not by a long shot!
Today, I use the web mainly to visit specific web sites, read news, and do occasional google searches. My central focus is on email. If anything, MS Outlook is my control center. First thing in the morning I check email, then calendar events, and then todo lists. I use PC-based word processing to draft and revise documents. My day tends to be interrupt-driven with telephone calls, email messages, and calendar alerts continually resetting my priorities.
In the future, I expect to use my web browser as my control center. I envision working virtually, relying more on online systems than PCs. I want to be able to work anytime anywhere without carrying my office with me. I want to have access to people, information, and tools that enhance and facilitate the practice of law, automate mundane tasks and allow me to leverage my time. The web-based tools are more suited to the style of practice I envision.
Note: I did not mention building computer networks or network storage systems. I worked in the computer networking industry and I was President of a networking software company. Although networking and storage are critical technologies, they have no place inside the law firm of the future, any more than an electrical generator or telephone switching station does. Networking and storage technologies should be provided by utilities like electricity, heat, and water. Law firms need to have these resources, but they do not need to build or manage them.
I don’t mean to offend anyone, but building a large IT department is a mistake! Instead, build a large KM department. Law Firm 2.0 is about leveraging technology and systems to facilitate the practice of law. It is not about building technology and systems.
Getting to Law Firm 2.0 takes a lot of work and a willingness to change. You have to constantly adapt and upgrade tools without disrupting work flow and client priorities. (As you can see by my sporadic postings of late, I am still fine tuning that balance).
So, what are some of the changes I envision?
Digital – paperless office; all documents scanned and stored electronically (except where original signatures are required),
Mobile – working anytime, anywhere; information should be accessible over the web and compatible with pdas, cell phones, and the latest messaging applications.
Virtual – access to people, information and tools, working in the office is an option; systems must be designed with the assumption that people may be working next door or on the other side of the globe; systems must facilitate communications and sharing of knowledge without assuming the traditional in-person contact.
Personal – the power of the individual; lawyers are extremely intelligent and each have their own style of practice; tools must allow sharing of knowledge without constraining individual preferences or inhibiting individual contributions.
Secure – trust is a foundation of legal practice; lawyers must preserve client confidentiality and maintain the integrity of the profession; systems must have access control, encryption, off-site back-up, and automated processes.
What do you envision for the law firm of the future? What technologies are critical for Law Firm 2.0?
What is Law Firm 2.0?
Law Firm 2.0 is a way to describe the impact that technology and the web will have on the next generation of law firms.
In October 2005, I heard Carly Fiorina, former President and CEO of Hewlett-Packard Co., speak at MIT’s convocation. Having just revitalized one of the worlds leading technology companies, she had a very clear understanding of how technology was reshaping the world. She believes that we are at the beginning of a new era dominated by the power of the individual, driven by technology that is digital, mobile, virtual, and personal. (And I would add a fifth characteristic for law firms: secure).
Last month, I wrote that Knowledge Management will drive the law firm of the future. The core platform for managing knowledge will be web-based applications. The Law Firm 2.0 concept requires rethinking the web as the lawyer’s primary control center. Are lawyers using the web as their primary control center now? No. Not by a long shot!
Today, I use the web mainly to visit specific web sites, read news, and do occasional google searches. My central focus is on email. If anything, MS Outlook is my control center. First thing in the morning I check email, then calendar events, and then todo lists. I use PC-based word processing to draft and revise documents. My day tends to be interrupt-driven with telephone calls, email messages, and calendar alerts continually resetting my priorities.
In the future, I expect to use my web browser as my control center. I envision working virtually, relying more on online systems than PCs. I want to be able to work anytime anywhere without carrying my office with me. I want to have access to people, information, and tools that enhance and facilitate the practice of law, automate mundane tasks and allow me to leverage my time. The web-based tools are more suited to the style of practice I envision.
Note: I did not mention building computer networks or network storage systems. I worked in the computer networking industry and I was President of a networking software company. Although networking and storage are critical technologies, they have no place inside the law firm of the future, any more than an electrical generator or telephone switching station does. Networking and storage technologies should be provided by utilities like electricity, heat, and water. Law firms need to have these resources, but they do not need to build or manage them.
I don’t mean to offend anyone, but building a large IT department is a mistake! Instead, build a large KM department. Law Firm 2.0 is about leveraging technology and systems to facilitate the practice of law. It is not about building technology and systems.
Getting to Law Firm 2.0 takes a lot of work and a willingness to change. You have to constantly adapt and upgrade tools without disrupting work flow and client priorities. (As you can see by my sporadic postings of late, I am still fine tuning that balance).
So, what are some of the changes I envision?
Digital – paperless office; all documents scanned and stored electronically (except where original signatures are required),
Mobile – working anytime, anywhere; information should be accessible over the web and compatible with pdas, cell phones, and the latest messaging applications.
Virtual – access to people, information and tools, working in the office is an option; systems must be designed with the assumption that people may be working next door or on the other side of the globe; systems must facilitate communications and sharing of knowledge without assuming the traditional in-person contact.
Personal – the power of the individual; lawyers are extremely intelligent and each have their own style of practice; tools must allow sharing of knowledge without constraining individual preferences or inhibiting individual contributions.
Secure – trust is a foundation of legal practice; lawyers must preserve client confidentiality and maintain the integrity of the profession; systems must have access control, encryption, off-site back-up, and automated processes.
What do you envision for the law firm of the future? What technologies are critical for Law Firm 2.0?
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Testing my virtual strength
On Monday, I had my first real test of virtual strength. I didn’t plan it that way, it just happened.
Every year, my son and I go away for a weekend in March to go skiing. There are two kinds of skiing. Winter skiing and Spring skiing. Winter skiing is a test of man against nature. Spring skiing is about man appreciating nature. There’s nothing like floating down a mountain of snow on a warm sunny day.
I digress…my son and I were away for our annual father-and-son spring weekend. As always for solos, getting away, even for a weekend can be difficult. For some reason, several last minute client matters arise that you feel compelled (ethically or contractually) to address before you go away. Of course, this year was no different. I worked right up to the last minute. We were supposed to leave early on Friday, and instead left on Saturday morning.
Rather than rush home on Sunday night, this year I decided to take Monday off and test out my abilities as a virtual lawyer. The skiing on Saturday was excellent (good snow, warm weather, lots of sun). But it rained Saturday night and was icy on Sunday. I looked at the weather for Monday, and it looked perfect. Being so late in the season, you can’t expect too many more days of skiing. The combination of warming temperatures, day-to-day obligations, and previously scheduled events minimizes the chances of enjoying another spring skiing day. Go for it!
But Monday was not Sunday and there was no Partner or Associate holding down the office. Was I able to maintain a professional practice remotely, any time, any where? How strong were my virtual lawyering skills? Well, this was a good test. I hadn’t originally planned to take Monday off, it was more spur of the moment. All I brought was my laptop and a pad of paper with my todo list. I didn’t even bring a pen. I had to use the complimentary pen from the hotel room.
Sometimes, as a solo, you and get away for a day without the phone ringing, and even if it does most client matters can wait 24 hours. Sometimes, you can’t.
Sunday night, I knew there were several projects which had a sense of urgency from the clients’ perspective. From my perspective, they were the typical “hurry up and wait”. You know the financing transaction that has to close this week and then the client sits on it for two or three weeks because something comes up or they’re not really sure they want to go through with it.
First, I made a deal with my son. We can stay an extra day and go skiing (and he gets to miss school), but I had to get my work done Sunday night. We stopped at the local video store rented the Star Wars trilogy for $1.25 and then I was free to work for the evening. The theory was that I could generate enough work to keep my clients busy (and happy) while I was skiing on Monday.
The second thing I did was to call my wife and ask her to forward my office phone to my cell phone (you can only do that if you are a solo attorney). That way, I could take my cell phone with me and, if something came up, ski back to the lodge to get my computer.
Third, I connected to the free wireless Internet at the hotel. I would have been happy to pay for Internet service, which they used to charge for, but this year the hotel made the brilliant decision to make wireless Internet free (probably to avoid technical support). The connection was a little slow, but I could live with it. I could receive emails through Outlook, but I could not send emails without using the web-based interface. Sending emails with attachments was quite a bit slower.
Finally, I set down to work. I read a few weekend emails from clients (I hate those!) and started drafting documents. As I worked, I realized my outstanding projects were bigger than I thought and the critical deadlines were closer than I had expected. The good news was that I was glad to be starting work at 5pm on Sunday evening in my hotel rather than driving home in 3 plus hours of traffic, packing and unpacking the car, and then trying to work at 9pm.
As it got to be midnight, my son fell asleep in the middle of the third trilogy; I was still working. I was determined to get several projects off to clients to free up the next day, even if I had to stay up late. Then, several clients (also working on Sunday night) sent emails raising new issues that could perhaps wait for Monday morning, but not Tuesday. By the time I got to bed, it was 4:30am. No problem, I would get 4 hours of sleep and then go skiing. Skiing in the warm sun would energize me.
At 8:30am, I woke up right on schedule. However, those projects that I sent to clients in the middle of the night, were already generating responses. Rather than keep the clients busy, they confirmed that the critical deadlines really were critical. Now I was in trouble. I had to file a new corporation in Delaware, revise financing documents, confer with outside counsel as well as the client, and get the financing closed by the end of the day.
The first challenge was faxing a document to the Delaware Secretary of State (“DE-SOS”). Yes, I could have called CT Corporation and emailed the document to them. But I try to keep costs down for client and I have gotten used to faxing my filings directly to the DE-SOS. I had no scanner or fax machine. All I had was my laptop. I called the DE-SOS and they said they only accept faxes; they could not accept email. If you know government offices, they were not about to make any exceptions for me or my annual father-and-son ski weekend.
The challenge was how to get an unsigned document out of my computer, signed, and faxed to the DE-SOS. First, I applied my electronic signature to the Certificate of Incorporation. Then, I saved it as a pdf to preserve the formatting. I attached the pdf to an email. All I had to do was to email to an online fax service and I was done.
Well, I had been meaning to sign-up for a PC to fax service, but had not gotten around to it. As a virtual lawyer, my plan was to forward the fax line in my office to an email fax. So, it was a problem I needed to solve anyway. Years ago, I used the free version of eFax, but I disliked having to download special software to read faxes written in a proprietary format. I assumed the fax services were better today, but I didn’t have time to research it.
So, there I was in my hotel room. The client said, “let’s go forward with the incorporation today.” It was 10am and the fax needed to be received by DE-SOS before 2pm. I can do this…I just need to signup for an online fax search. I did a quick Google search to find the most highly rated fax services. Several reviews came up quickly. One service offered a free trial. Great! Rather than take the time to compare services, I’ll just use the free trial to send out my document now.
In the meantime, there were a number of phone calls and last minute revisions to the financing documents. I still planned to buy a half-day ticket and go skiing in the afternoon. By noon, the sun would soften up the slopes and the skiing would be better.
Don’t forget to read the fine print. I sent out the fax document using the free trial, but nothing happened. No quick “confirmed” status. The website screen just said “processing.” That’s funny, in the real world, I hit the send button on the fax and it either goes through or fails within a minute or two. Instead, it just sat there “processing”. By 12pm, I got nervous and started reading the FAQs for help with the online fax service. In the fine print, I discovered that the free-trial was only good for 10 pages; my pdf document with the filing cover memo was 12 pages. Even when it gets done processing, this document was not going through.
Plan B was to go back to the reviews and, instead of the free trial, sign up for the top rated for-pay fax service. I could always cancel or change services later. I quickly concluded that MyFax and eFax were the most popular. The reviews suggested that they were equally as good, but MyFax was cheaper. I’m always in favor of supporting the underdog and saving a little money. ;-)
I signed up for MyFax, paid by credit card, uploaded my document and within minutes I received confirmation that the transmission was successful. At 1pm, I called the DE-SOS and confirmed the fax arrived. Crisis averted. In the meantime, my son was thrilled to be playing video games rather than skiing. And after two hard days of skiing, he needed the break.
Okay, so grab a quick bite to eat for lunch and then hit the slopes. Right? Nope…more client issues that had to be solved today. Each one passed the test: will a 24 hour delay adversely affect the client? If so, get it done now. By 2:30pm my hopes of catching the last few rays of the new daylight savings time were fading fast.
I finished the critical projects by 4pm. We packed up the car and drove home. No, we didn’t get to enjoy that glorious day out on the slopes. No, technology did not save me time that day. But yes, the virtual lawyer experiment had worked. I could access information, knowledge and tools from a remote location and provide the quality of service that clients deserve.
Maybe I still need to improve my life-work balance, but that will come. Already, I feel more comfortable knowing that I can leave the office spontaneously and I have acquired one more tool (PC to fax) that will facilitate working remotely.
Have you tested your virtual strength lately? What technologies have helped you to work remotely?
Every year, my son and I go away for a weekend in March to go skiing. There are two kinds of skiing. Winter skiing and Spring skiing. Winter skiing is a test of man against nature. Spring skiing is about man appreciating nature. There’s nothing like floating down a mountain of snow on a warm sunny day.
I digress…my son and I were away for our annual father-and-son spring weekend. As always for solos, getting away, even for a weekend can be difficult. For some reason, several last minute client matters arise that you feel compelled (ethically or contractually) to address before you go away. Of course, this year was no different. I worked right up to the last minute. We were supposed to leave early on Friday, and instead left on Saturday morning.
Rather than rush home on Sunday night, this year I decided to take Monday off and test out my abilities as a virtual lawyer. The skiing on Saturday was excellent (good snow, warm weather, lots of sun). But it rained Saturday night and was icy on Sunday. I looked at the weather for Monday, and it looked perfect. Being so late in the season, you can’t expect too many more days of skiing. The combination of warming temperatures, day-to-day obligations, and previously scheduled events minimizes the chances of enjoying another spring skiing day. Go for it!
But Monday was not Sunday and there was no Partner or Associate holding down the office. Was I able to maintain a professional practice remotely, any time, any where? How strong were my virtual lawyering skills? Well, this was a good test. I hadn’t originally planned to take Monday off, it was more spur of the moment. All I brought was my laptop and a pad of paper with my todo list. I didn’t even bring a pen. I had to use the complimentary pen from the hotel room.
Sometimes, as a solo, you and get away for a day without the phone ringing, and even if it does most client matters can wait 24 hours. Sometimes, you can’t.
Sunday night, I knew there were several projects which had a sense of urgency from the clients’ perspective. From my perspective, they were the typical “hurry up and wait”. You know the financing transaction that has to close this week and then the client sits on it for two or three weeks because something comes up or they’re not really sure they want to go through with it.
First, I made a deal with my son. We can stay an extra day and go skiing (and he gets to miss school), but I had to get my work done Sunday night. We stopped at the local video store rented the Star Wars trilogy for $1.25 and then I was free to work for the evening. The theory was that I could generate enough work to keep my clients busy (and happy) while I was skiing on Monday.
The second thing I did was to call my wife and ask her to forward my office phone to my cell phone (you can only do that if you are a solo attorney). That way, I could take my cell phone with me and, if something came up, ski back to the lodge to get my computer.
Third, I connected to the free wireless Internet at the hotel. I would have been happy to pay for Internet service, which they used to charge for, but this year the hotel made the brilliant decision to make wireless Internet free (probably to avoid technical support). The connection was a little slow, but I could live with it. I could receive emails through Outlook, but I could not send emails without using the web-based interface. Sending emails with attachments was quite a bit slower.
Finally, I set down to work. I read a few weekend emails from clients (I hate those!) and started drafting documents. As I worked, I realized my outstanding projects were bigger than I thought and the critical deadlines were closer than I had expected. The good news was that I was glad to be starting work at 5pm on Sunday evening in my hotel rather than driving home in 3 plus hours of traffic, packing and unpacking the car, and then trying to work at 9pm.
As it got to be midnight, my son fell asleep in the middle of the third trilogy; I was still working. I was determined to get several projects off to clients to free up the next day, even if I had to stay up late. Then, several clients (also working on Sunday night) sent emails raising new issues that could perhaps wait for Monday morning, but not Tuesday. By the time I got to bed, it was 4:30am. No problem, I would get 4 hours of sleep and then go skiing. Skiing in the warm sun would energize me.
At 8:30am, I woke up right on schedule. However, those projects that I sent to clients in the middle of the night, were already generating responses. Rather than keep the clients busy, they confirmed that the critical deadlines really were critical. Now I was in trouble. I had to file a new corporation in Delaware, revise financing documents, confer with outside counsel as well as the client, and get the financing closed by the end of the day.
The first challenge was faxing a document to the Delaware Secretary of State (“DE-SOS”). Yes, I could have called CT Corporation and emailed the document to them. But I try to keep costs down for client and I have gotten used to faxing my filings directly to the DE-SOS. I had no scanner or fax machine. All I had was my laptop. I called the DE-SOS and they said they only accept faxes; they could not accept email. If you know government offices, they were not about to make any exceptions for me or my annual father-and-son ski weekend.
The challenge was how to get an unsigned document out of my computer, signed, and faxed to the DE-SOS. First, I applied my electronic signature to the Certificate of Incorporation. Then, I saved it as a pdf to preserve the formatting. I attached the pdf to an email. All I had to do was to email to an online fax service and I was done.
Well, I had been meaning to sign-up for a PC to fax service, but had not gotten around to it. As a virtual lawyer, my plan was to forward the fax line in my office to an email fax. So, it was a problem I needed to solve anyway. Years ago, I used the free version of eFax, but I disliked having to download special software to read faxes written in a proprietary format. I assumed the fax services were better today, but I didn’t have time to research it.
So, there I was in my hotel room. The client said, “let’s go forward with the incorporation today.” It was 10am and the fax needed to be received by DE-SOS before 2pm. I can do this…I just need to signup for an online fax search. I did a quick Google search to find the most highly rated fax services. Several reviews came up quickly. One service offered a free trial. Great! Rather than take the time to compare services, I’ll just use the free trial to send out my document now.
In the meantime, there were a number of phone calls and last minute revisions to the financing documents. I still planned to buy a half-day ticket and go skiing in the afternoon. By noon, the sun would soften up the slopes and the skiing would be better.
Don’t forget to read the fine print. I sent out the fax document using the free trial, but nothing happened. No quick “confirmed” status. The website screen just said “processing.” That’s funny, in the real world, I hit the send button on the fax and it either goes through or fails within a minute or two. Instead, it just sat there “processing”. By 12pm, I got nervous and started reading the FAQs for help with the online fax service. In the fine print, I discovered that the free-trial was only good for 10 pages; my pdf document with the filing cover memo was 12 pages. Even when it gets done processing, this document was not going through.
Plan B was to go back to the reviews and, instead of the free trial, sign up for the top rated for-pay fax service. I could always cancel or change services later. I quickly concluded that MyFax and eFax were the most popular. The reviews suggested that they were equally as good, but MyFax was cheaper. I’m always in favor of supporting the underdog and saving a little money. ;-)
I signed up for MyFax, paid by credit card, uploaded my document and within minutes I received confirmation that the transmission was successful. At 1pm, I called the DE-SOS and confirmed the fax arrived. Crisis averted. In the meantime, my son was thrilled to be playing video games rather than skiing. And after two hard days of skiing, he needed the break.
Okay, so grab a quick bite to eat for lunch and then hit the slopes. Right? Nope…more client issues that had to be solved today. Each one passed the test: will a 24 hour delay adversely affect the client? If so, get it done now. By 2:30pm my hopes of catching the last few rays of the new daylight savings time were fading fast.
I finished the critical projects by 4pm. We packed up the car and drove home. No, we didn’t get to enjoy that glorious day out on the slopes. No, technology did not save me time that day. But yes, the virtual lawyer experiment had worked. I could access information, knowledge and tools from a remote location and provide the quality of service that clients deserve.
Maybe I still need to improve my life-work balance, but that will come. Already, I feel more comfortable knowing that I can leave the office spontaneously and I have acquired one more tool (PC to fax) that will facilitate working remotely.
Have you tested your virtual strength lately? What technologies have helped you to work remotely?
Monday, February 26, 2007
Information Overload!
There is too much information available over the Internet. There are news sites, newsletters, search engines, blogs, message boards, podcasts, news readers, news feeds, and wikis. I am constantly finding and checking new sources of information like widgets for weather. And, that doesn't include all the old sources of information like calendar alerts, favorite lists, voice mails, faxes, IM, and cell phone messages, not to mention newspapers, postal mail, and my favorite "post-it memos". What is the best strategy for information management?
First, you have to organize. What information is critical vs. interesting? Which are news sources vs. reference sources? Which form of communication is most efficient? How can I find the information I need quickly?
Second, you have to find the best tools. By "best", I mean which tools are best for the way you work. If someone wants to get my attention, email is still my first priority. I do everything I can to filter out nonessential email (by using the Rules and Alerts feature in Outlook) into separate mail boxes. That way only clients and personal contacts appear in my Inbox.
Third, you have to customize your news sources. I like the notion of having a personalized newspaper by selecting my favorite news feeds and favorite blogs. The only problem is that I need a personalized editor (the old fashioned newspaper kind) to avoid all the less interesting information that inevitably gets mixed in.
Fourth, you have to be inventive. There is just too much information and too many different tools. You have to continually think of new ways to use existing (meaning "free") tools that will make your life easier.
I was intrigued by Erik Heel's suggestion to use the "shared items" feature in Google Reader, which makes it easy to tag news items and share them with your friends (or your blog readers). So, I tried it. You will notice in the lower right hand column of this blog a section called "News" where I quickly tagged a few articles I thought were interesting. It's a nice alternative. Rather than post a news feeds with random articles, I simply tag the articles I want to share as I browse through my morning newspaper.
The new Google Reader made me realize that RSS feeds are essential to the distribution of blogs. No one has time to check a blog site every day. I would expect in the near future, if a blog doesn't make its content available by an RSS feed, no one will read it. Even traditionals news websites need to make available by feeds. The days of "surfing the web" may be numbered.
Today, there are more and more ways to filter out information on the Net. One example is Dave Taylor, who uses Newsgator to do sophisticated keyword searches to track the buzz about the book he authored. The blog and the newsreader may be fast converting users from actively going out and searching the web to passively specifying what information and waiting for it to be brought back from the web.
For my law practice, what I would like to do is to create a customized news readers for each different legal subject matter. For example, a customized newsreader for finding new articles on LLC formation or software licensing. I can imagine the newsreaders of the future would allow me to specify key words, author ratings, content ratings, and various style settings with smart logic that over time more and more reflect my preferences.
How do you keep track of all that information? What kind of customized news sources can you envision?
First, you have to organize. What information is critical vs. interesting? Which are news sources vs. reference sources? Which form of communication is most efficient? How can I find the information I need quickly?
Second, you have to find the best tools. By "best", I mean which tools are best for the way you work. If someone wants to get my attention, email is still my first priority. I do everything I can to filter out nonessential email (by using the Rules and Alerts feature in Outlook) into separate mail boxes. That way only clients and personal contacts appear in my Inbox.
Third, you have to customize your news sources. I like the notion of having a personalized newspaper by selecting my favorite news feeds and favorite blogs. The only problem is that I need a personalized editor (the old fashioned newspaper kind) to avoid all the less interesting information that inevitably gets mixed in.
Fourth, you have to be inventive. There is just too much information and too many different tools. You have to continually think of new ways to use existing (meaning "free") tools that will make your life easier.
I was intrigued by Erik Heel's suggestion to use the "shared items" feature in Google Reader, which makes it easy to tag news items and share them with your friends (or your blog readers). So, I tried it. You will notice in the lower right hand column of this blog a section called "News" where I quickly tagged a few articles I thought were interesting. It's a nice alternative. Rather than post a news feeds with random articles, I simply tag the articles I want to share as I browse through my morning newspaper.
The new Google Reader made me realize that RSS feeds are essential to the distribution of blogs. No one has time to check a blog site every day. I would expect in the near future, if a blog doesn't make its content available by an RSS feed, no one will read it. Even traditionals news websites need to make available by feeds. The days of "surfing the web" may be numbered.
Today, there are more and more ways to filter out information on the Net. One example is Dave Taylor, who uses Newsgator to do sophisticated keyword searches to track the buzz about the book he authored. The blog and the newsreader may be fast converting users from actively going out and searching the web to passively specifying what information and waiting for it to be brought back from the web.
For my law practice, what I would like to do is to create a customized news readers for each different legal subject matter. For example, a customized newsreader for finding new articles on LLC formation or software licensing. I can imagine the newsreaders of the future would allow me to specify key words, author ratings, content ratings, and various style settings with smart logic that over time more and more reflect my preferences.
How do you keep track of all that information? What kind of customized news sources can you envision?
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Thinking about sharing documents over the web?
In the spirit of collaboration, I have been looking at various technologies that would allow lawyers to share information over the web. How should lawyers share documents in cyberspace?
I am familiar with Wikipedia, but I don't know how to set up my own wikipedia page (and I'm not sure I want to collaborate with the whole world, just yet). Wikipedia has some information about contract law (e.g., Integration Clause), but I don't who is writing this stuff or for what jurisdiction.
Also, I have seen software demos and presentations conducted over the web using online services such as www.GoToMeeting.com and www.webex.com, but I don't use these services often enough to want to pay for them. I am more of the occasional user of document sharing tools. Once in a while I may want to share a document with another lawyer or review a contract with a client while talking over the phone.
One document sharing tool that I liked was "Conferral" because it was integrated with Microsoft Word and made it easy to share a document that was open on your desktop. Conferral has a number of features that allowed you to control what information was shared and when it was being shared. However, it made me nervous to be sharing my desktop over the Internet.
Today, I tried a new product called "Google Docs" that allows you to quickly share and edit documents over the web (for free!). You can limit the document sharing only to those people you select by sending email invitations or you can share the document with the whole world.
I just uploaded a document that I have been working on (it is still a work in progress and I disclaim that any of the information is accurate). The document is a Choice of Entity chart intended to help lawyers guide their clients through the various factors affecting the choice of entity for a new business. I posted the document to the web using the new Google Docs tool. You can find the Choice of Entity Chart at http://docs.google.com/View?docid=dhntjthf_4g5t663.
I would like to hear your comments on the Choice of Entity chart. Is it useful? How can it be improved? What do you think of the Google Docs sharing tool? What do you use for sharing documents over the web?
I am familiar with Wikipedia, but I don't know how to set up my own wikipedia page (and I'm not sure I want to collaborate with the whole world, just yet). Wikipedia has some information about contract law (e.g., Integration Clause), but I don't who is writing this stuff or for what jurisdiction.
Also, I have seen software demos and presentations conducted over the web using online services such as www.GoToMeeting.com and www.webex.com, but I don't use these services often enough to want to pay for them. I am more of the occasional user of document sharing tools. Once in a while I may want to share a document with another lawyer or review a contract with a client while talking over the phone.
One document sharing tool that I liked was "Conferral" because it was integrated with Microsoft Word and made it easy to share a document that was open on your desktop. Conferral has a number of features that allowed you to control what information was shared and when it was being shared. However, it made me nervous to be sharing my desktop over the Internet.
Today, I tried a new product called "Google Docs" that allows you to quickly share and edit documents over the web (for free!). You can limit the document sharing only to those people you select by sending email invitations or you can share the document with the whole world.
I just uploaded a document that I have been working on (it is still a work in progress and I disclaim that any of the information is accurate). The document is a Choice of Entity chart intended to help lawyers guide their clients through the various factors affecting the choice of entity for a new business. I posted the document to the web using the new Google Docs tool. You can find the Choice of Entity Chart at http://docs.google.com/View?docid=dhntjthf_4g5t663.
I would like to hear your comments on the Choice of Entity chart. Is it useful? How can it be improved? What do you think of the Google Docs sharing tool? What do you use for sharing documents over the web?
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Power tools for lawyers?
Some guys want to own a Hummer. Other guys want twin 500HP boat engines. Others want to own superfast computers. The truth is men (and women) like power tools. The tools I dream about (yes, this may sound strange) are power tools for lawyers. I enjoy being able to handle complex business transactions and being able to crank out piles of documents quickly and efficiently. The problem is that most tools for lawyers are pretty poor.
Why do legal publishers still call me by phone, trying to get me to “review” their latest book for a free 30-day trial? Is it because they know once they send it to me, I will forget to return it within the 30-day deadline?
Frankly, I don’t want any more books on paper. What I want is an online resource that is cheap, easily downloaded, and up to date. I want content that changes so frequently that it is not worth my time to download copies. I want to be able to search legal sources quickly to find answers before I forget my question. I want to be able to easily locate sample documents drafted (and used) by experienced attorneys actually practicng in my jurisdiction.
I also want to know what other lawyers use as primary tools in their specific areas of practice. I want checklists and document assembly systems. I want to do less typing and editing and more creative thinking and problem-solving. Why is it that these tools and information don’t exist in one nice easy to find resource accessible by a web browser?
I think the problem is with the centralized publishing model. Legal publishers don’t actually use most of the materials they sell. If they did, they would realize their materials are pretty poor (however, there are a few exceptions like Massachusetts Corporate Forms by Bohnen and Coggins). Yet, the best lawyers usually don’t share their “tools” with other lawyers, except on a limited basis as a “courtesy” or in the course of delivering the final work product to opposing counsel.
Too many lawyers think that sharing information means they are giving away their expertise. Well, I think the opposite. We all can benefit by sharing knowledge. If one lawyer shares information, that will encourage other lawyers to do so as well. One notable example is John Hession of McDermott Will & Emery (formerly with Testa Hurwitz and Thibeault). He and his firms have consistently shared and updated their venture capital financing documents with the MCLE. I'm not expecting lawyers to provide free legal advice, just to share with other lawyers the tools that they use in their practice.
Here is my challenge… if there is any document or information that you would like me to share with other lawyers, send me an email. I will post it on a site made available only to lawyers. The challenge for you is to either (1) provide thoughtful and critical feedback that helps to improve my document or (2) you offer to send me a document of yours that I am interested in seeing.
If you are interested in this challenge, send email to v-lawyer@lexpertise.com.
Why do legal publishers still call me by phone, trying to get me to “review” their latest book for a free 30-day trial? Is it because they know once they send it to me, I will forget to return it within the 30-day deadline?
Frankly, I don’t want any more books on paper. What I want is an online resource that is cheap, easily downloaded, and up to date. I want content that changes so frequently that it is not worth my time to download copies. I want to be able to search legal sources quickly to find answers before I forget my question. I want to be able to easily locate sample documents drafted (and used) by experienced attorneys actually practicng in my jurisdiction.
I also want to know what other lawyers use as primary tools in their specific areas of practice. I want checklists and document assembly systems. I want to do less typing and editing and more creative thinking and problem-solving. Why is it that these tools and information don’t exist in one nice easy to find resource accessible by a web browser?
I think the problem is with the centralized publishing model. Legal publishers don’t actually use most of the materials they sell. If they did, they would realize their materials are pretty poor (however, there are a few exceptions like Massachusetts Corporate Forms by Bohnen and Coggins). Yet, the best lawyers usually don’t share their “tools” with other lawyers, except on a limited basis as a “courtesy” or in the course of delivering the final work product to opposing counsel.
Too many lawyers think that sharing information means they are giving away their expertise. Well, I think the opposite. We all can benefit by sharing knowledge. If one lawyer shares information, that will encourage other lawyers to do so as well. One notable example is John Hession of McDermott Will & Emery (formerly with Testa Hurwitz and Thibeault). He and his firms have consistently shared and updated their venture capital financing documents with the MCLE. I'm not expecting lawyers to provide free legal advice, just to share with other lawyers the tools that they use in their practice.
Here is my challenge… if there is any document or information that you would like me to share with other lawyers, send me an email. I will post it on a site made available only to lawyers. The challenge for you is to either (1) provide thoughtful and critical feedback that helps to improve my document or (2) you offer to send me a document of yours that I am interested in seeing.
If you are interested in this challenge, send email to v-lawyer@lexpertise.com.
Saturday, February 17, 2007
Why is LinkedIn a good tool for lawyers?
Business development is one of the five themes that The Virtual Lawyer will discuss. In thinking about the "law firm of the future," I have to believe that having an Internet presence will be essential to business development. But how do you create an Internet presence, especially for those of us who grew up in the real world (not the virtual world)?
The short answer is: "I don't know, but I need to start somewhere." The Internet presence of lawyers will evolve over time. How lawyers can create (or recreate) their business image online will be a subject for future blogs. What I know today is that creating an Internet presence online is critical. Just the way people shop for music, books, and electronics online today, they will shop for legal services in the future. Now is the time to experiment with creating a "virtual" presence before everyone else figures it out.
To start building an Internet presence, I submitted my profile to LinkedIn. Many people have invited me to join and I cautiously started to "accept" their invitations. There are many different networking tools and social networking sites, but here is why I selected LinkedIn:
First, I believe that professionals and other service providers, like product businesses need to have a strong presence on the Internet. Whether you think of it as being listed in the "Yellow Pages" (before the Internet), or whether you think of it as joining the Chamber of Commerce, professionals need ways to market their services and generate new business contacts. For business professionals, LinkedIn is one of the leading websites for this purpose.
Second, I selected LinkedIn because it is a leader in the market and it's business model depends on adherence to privacy concerns and they have a strong privacy policy (that is more than just boiler plate). See: http://www.linkedin.com/static?key=privacy_policy&trk=ftr_privacy.
Third, a longtime friend, Erik Heels started using LinkedIn as a networking tool and invited me to join his network. Erik is an extremely thoughtful and talented intellectual property lawyer, who is an innovator in his own right within the legal profession. I took great comfort in knowing that Erik was using it despite the privacy concerns. Also, I thought that if Erik was using LinkedIn as a networking tool for lawyers, then I should consider using it as well.
Fourth, I am using LinkedIn as a way to maintain contact with colleagues and friends and to develop professional business relationships. Today, people frequently change email addresses, move away, or change jobs without sending new contact information. Also, I find it rather time consuming to maintain contact information for everyone I know and I often wonder where people currently work. LinkedIn makes it much easier to keep in touch.
Fifth, LinkedIn is a referral-only network with "gated access". The only way users can be connected is if someone they know forwards a contact request to them and the other user accepts the invitation to make a connection. It's okay if people prefer not to make a connection; I just hope they keep me informed of their change of addresses/professional status.
Sixth, the features and connections made using LinkedIn are quite powerful. You can easily find people, share connections, and identify who may help you to make an important introduction. LinkedIn also provides the user with numerous configuration settings that control what information the user shares with the public.
What I like the most about LinkedIn is knowing that regardless of how my business or career changes, I know that people will always be able to find me and it makes it much easier for me to find them. Since joining, I have reconnected with many colleagues that I worked with at previous employers, who now work in other parts of the country.
If you would like to connect with me on LinkedIn, send me an invitation via my profile at <http://www.linkedin.com/in/rogerglovsky>.
What do you think of LinkedIn as a networking tool for lawyers?
The short answer is: "I don't know, but I need to start somewhere." The Internet presence of lawyers will evolve over time. How lawyers can create (or recreate) their business image online will be a subject for future blogs. What I know today is that creating an Internet presence online is critical. Just the way people shop for music, books, and electronics online today, they will shop for legal services in the future. Now is the time to experiment with creating a "virtual" presence before everyone else figures it out.
To start building an Internet presence, I submitted my profile to LinkedIn. Many people have invited me to join and I cautiously started to "accept" their invitations. There are many different networking tools and social networking sites, but here is why I selected LinkedIn:
First, I believe that professionals and other service providers, like product businesses need to have a strong presence on the Internet. Whether you think of it as being listed in the "Yellow Pages" (before the Internet), or whether you think of it as joining the Chamber of Commerce, professionals need ways to market their services and generate new business contacts. For business professionals, LinkedIn is one of the leading websites for this purpose.
Second, I selected LinkedIn because it is a leader in the market and it's business model depends on adherence to privacy concerns and they have a strong privacy policy (that is more than just boiler plate). See: http://www.linkedin.com/static?key=privacy_policy&trk=ftr_privacy.
Third, a longtime friend, Erik Heels started using LinkedIn as a networking tool and invited me to join his network. Erik is an extremely thoughtful and talented intellectual property lawyer, who is an innovator in his own right within the legal profession. I took great comfort in knowing that Erik was using it despite the privacy concerns. Also, I thought that if Erik was using LinkedIn as a networking tool for lawyers, then I should consider using it as well.
Fourth, I am using LinkedIn as a way to maintain contact with colleagues and friends and to develop professional business relationships. Today, people frequently change email addresses, move away, or change jobs without sending new contact information. Also, I find it rather time consuming to maintain contact information for everyone I know and I often wonder where people currently work. LinkedIn makes it much easier to keep in touch.
Fifth, LinkedIn is a referral-only network with "gated access". The only way users can be connected is if someone they know forwards a contact request to them and the other user accepts the invitation to make a connection. It's okay if people prefer not to make a connection; I just hope they keep me informed of their change of addresses/professional status.
Sixth, the features and connections made using LinkedIn are quite powerful. You can easily find people, share connections, and identify who may help you to make an important introduction. LinkedIn also provides the user with numerous configuration settings that control what information the user shares with the public.
What I like the most about LinkedIn is knowing that regardless of how my business or career changes, I know that people will always be able to find me and it makes it much easier for me to find them. Since joining, I have reconnected with many colleagues that I worked with at previous employers, who now work in other parts of the country.
If you would like to connect with me on LinkedIn, send me an invitation via my profile at <http://www.linkedin.com/in/rogerglovsky>.
What do you think of LinkedIn as a networking tool for lawyers?
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