LOMA Resources

PMA Tip of the Week (08/30/10): (This tip is from the LPM Practice Management Advisors Task Force)

Can't Read It!
Would you like to read articles on the web without the surrounding clutter? Would you like to control the relative size of the text in web page articles? Would you like to print only the article in a format that is truly readable? Explore the options for Internet Explorer,
Firefox and Safari at the following websites:

Readability for IE
“Readability™ is a simple tool that makes reading on the Web more enjoyable by removing the clutter around what you're reading. Follow the steps below to install Readability™ in your Web browser.” Copied from: http://lab.arc90.com/experiments/readability/. This site has a short video to help you set up Readability on your Favorites Bar.

Readability for Firefox
“Readability is a new Firefox add-on that makes reading web pages simpler and more enjoyable. The system strips the superfluous information and shows the main content in a single column of easy-to-read text. It is also a precious tool for printing the web pages in less.” Copied from: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/46442/

Safari Reader
“Safari Reader removes annoying ads and other visual distractions from online articles. So you get the whole story and nothing but the story. It works like this: As you browse the web, Safari detects if you’re on a web page with an article. Click the Reader icon in the Smart Address Field, and the article appears instantly in one continuous, clutter-free view. You see every page of the article — whether two or twenty. Onscreen controls let you email, print, and zoom.
Change the size of the text, and Safari remembers it the next time you view an article in Safari Reader.” Copied from: http://www.apple.com/safari/whats-new.html#reader

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SOCIAL MEDIA RULES
The Virtual Marketing Officer Blog has a good post of 20 things law firms need to have in their social media guidelines.

KMSpace
Another excellent set of rules for social media for law firms is at the blog KM Space. This site gives very specific rules and wording for blogs and social media sites.

DO YOU YOUTUBE?
At TechnoLawyer Blog, they highlight YouTube "ads" by practitioners and point out why it works effectively. In this entry, they review a video by the The Chinese Dry Wall Lawsuit Lawyer (I am not making this up) Richard J. Serpe, a small firm lawyer in Virginia. You can view the video and read the review which can be helpful if you are considering using YouTube at http://blog.technolawyer.com/2009/04/youlaw-richard-serpe-drywall.html

METADATA: WHAT IT IS AND WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT?
Hidden within the word processing and spreadsheet documents that lawyers use all day long are telltale signs that can reveal potentially confidential or privileged information. Understanding what metadata is and how to properly find it and remove it from your documents is a critical skill for practicing law in the twenty-first century.
http://www.llrx.com/features/metadata.htm

STEPS ALONG THE PAPERLESS PATH - Keys to a Successful Scanning Implementation
Without a doubt, the first step to a "paperless" office is scanning. This article from the ABA LPM Magazine discusses in detail all the information for establishing the strategy for getting this first step correct. It is a whole lot more than "Which scanner should I buy?"
http://www.abanet.org/lpm/magazine/articles/v35/is2/pg39.shtml

GOOGLE VOICE: IS THERE ANYTHING IT CAN'T DO
Google is beta testing its newest product, Google Voice, which is supposed to deliver a high end digital phone system to everyone for free. According to a number of blogs, it is going to be a great product. Two blogs, TechCrunch and LifeHacker provide two good reviews:
Tech Crunch - http://tinyurl.com/bpwypk
Life Hacker - http://lifehacker.com/5173793/a-first-look-at-google-voice

LEGAL TECHNOLOGY DECISIONS MADE SIMPLE
For solo and small firm practitioners sometimes making the decisions about technology can be even more complicated than the technology itself. In an excellent free podcast from the ABA, Simplifying Technology Decisions for Solo and Small Firms, three excellent legal tech experts have done a good job discussing how to make decisions. Sharon Nelson and John Simek were keynote speakers at the 2006 Solo and Small Firm Conference and were well received. The podcast is available at http://www.abanet.org/abastore/books/inside_practice/2009-04.html#podcast

I-PHONE APPS FOR LAWYERS
In an article from TechnoLawyer. Jeffery Allen, a California lawyer and tech guru, lists his favorite smartphone apps for lawyers.

ZEPTOLINER
Software for using outlines for taking notes, preparing arguments, etc. ($7.99)

MY EYES ONLY
Stores your passwords, credit card number, and other sensitive information in an
encrypted state on your iPhone. ($8.99)

MOBILEFILES PRO
enables you to move documents on and off your iPhone for easy portability. ($9.99)

SPREADSHEET
Enables you to handle relatively simple spreadsheet work on your iPhone and to transmit
a file readable by Excel. ($5.99)

TIMEWERKS
Provides a basic time recording and invoicing system for use on your iPhone. ($4.99)

TWITTER WOES
And finally, if you are like many people who can't figure out the fuss about Twitter and have 5 minutes to spare then view The Twouble with Twitter.

ONLINE BANK DEPOSITS
Scans checks and makes secure same day bank deposits. Works with Quickbooks