Random Thoghts

Please, please, please LEARN TO USE EMAIL, Pretty Please

Can we all agree that email has been around for a while? And so has the horrid Reply to All feature. And so has the ability of businesses to just turn off email boxes of employees and not monitor who might be contacting the departed.  Have we learned nothing in all the years email has been a part of our lives?… Read the rest

Technological Incompetence – It’s Scary

Last night I lectured to the Barbieri Inn of Court – a specialty group of lawyers in the Philadelphia area who primarily handle workers’ compensation cases – about the requirement that lawyers be technologically competent. I discussed everything from cellphone security to ransomware.

But today I realized that for some lawyers the bar for technological competence is much, much lower, perhaps below ground level.… Read the rest

Survey Finds Lawyer Satisfaction With Remote Work – Not Necessarily What We Hear

A National Survey on the New Normal of Working Remotely

A study by the Red Bee Group found that lawyers working remotely were somewhat or very satisfied with the systems in place to allow them to work remotely. That’s not what we are hearing at Integrated Technology Services, LLC, where we hear that many solo and small firm attorneys weren’t ready for the dramatic upheaval caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and its forced closure of firms.… Read the rest

When you stick your head in the sand, you get a lousy tasting “sand”wich

The almost overly stale cliché that it is not good to stick your head in the sand applies to so many topics. But for lawyers, or at least a large number of them, mention technology and they want to scream “na na na na na” and ignore you. But more and more, sticking their heads in the sand won’t help lawyers.… Read the rest

Passwords & Security – It’s Truly Time to Think About Them

Passwords – we all hate having to deal with them. After all, we’re supposed to have different passwords for every website. Plus, they must be complicated. How in the world can we create all of these passwords and still remember them? Instead, it’s easy to just use ABC123 or Password or some other generic phrase. The problem is that those among us with less than stellar motives can easily hack those passwords and access all of our confidential information.… Read the rest

Cell Phones are Computers – The Evolution of Technology

For most people, the word “computer” conjures up images of a traditional desktop computer and monitor, or perhaps a laptop or even a netbook. Few, if any, would associate the word with their cellular phone. However, it is undeniable that modern cell phones are, more and more, performing tasks for which we would ordinarily use our computers. We can check our email, surf the web, stream music and videos, and download software, all with a little device that fits in our pocket.… Read the rest

Websites Can Impact a Law Firm’s Malpractice Insurance Rates

Clients look at websites, other counsel look at websites and – not surprisingly – so do legal malpractice carriers. In fact, they use the sites as a way of verifying that the information contained in a law firm’s applicable for malpractice insurance is accurate and consistent with their marketing statements. According to an article, “The Underwriter Speaks, How Your Professional Liability Insurance Carrier Looks at Law Firm Websites,” published in the January 2011 newsletter from Minnesota Lawyers Mutual Insurance Company, “The website can be a great resource for underwriters to gather data such as lawyer’s bios and avoiding the need to go back to the applicant to obtain the description.… Read the rest

27 Inch Monitors Come Down in Price, Improve Productivity

For years, I have written and lectured about the bump-up in productivity that results when you use a large monitor. But, like many people, I’m not a big fan of dual screens, and the price difference between 22/23 inch and larger monitors has been dramatic. But not anymore. I just purchased a 27 inch Samsung monitor for $259.99 at BJ’s, and the display is gorgeous.… Read the rest

History Repeats Itself – Don’t Let it Happen to You

In February 2009, I was contacted by a potential client, who was opening a law office. I recommended that he purchase case management software, Adobe Acrobat Professional and a scanner; he also needed time and billing software. Because he was just starting and wanted to focus on the time and billing software, I explained that the ideal product for him was one I did not support and offered to refer him to another consultant who is an expert on that product.… Read the rest

When Tech & Ethics Collide

The latest issue of Lawyers USA has a interesting (albeit brief) summary of an ABA program, Dangerous Curves Ahead: When Legal Ethics and Technology Collide,” presented by Catherine Sanders Reach, Director of the ABA Legal Technology Resource Center. Knowing Catherine, I am sure that the program was interesting and thoguht-provoking. It covered issues, including the Model Rules, Metadata, Email, Social Networking, and Data Security.… Read the rest