TechnoLawyer

Originally published in the August 31, 2012 issue of SmallLaw: Still jotting down random notes on scraps of paper or stickies? What happens when you're not in your office and need some information on a stickie? In this issue of SmallLaw, law firm technology consultant Ben Schorr unveils "Daily Journal," a note-taking technique he recently developed as a result of the questions he often receives from lawyers about Microsoft OneNote. With Ben's tip, you'll transform OneNote into a knowledge management tool available everywhere you go. Also, don't miss the SmallLaw Pick of the Week for a sales tip on how to persuade prospects to retain your law firm.

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Small firm, big dreams. Written by practicing lawyers who manage successful small firms and legal technology and practice management experts who have achieved rock star status, SmallLaw provides practical advice on management, marketing, and technology issues in small law firms, as well as comprehensive legal product reviews with accompanying TechnoScore ratings. SmallLaw also links to helpful articles in other publications about solo practices and small law firms. The SmallLaw newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

Originally published in the August 30, 2012 issue of SmallLaw: Last year in TL Research, lawyer and appellate legal writing expert Joshua Auriemma explained the process he created for his firm's assessment of practice management systems. Today in SmallLaw, Josh reviews the product his small law firm chose Needles. In doing so, he provides not only his thoughts but also those of his colleagues, including the firm's office manager and paralegals. It's rare for a software review to encompass one year of use. Accordingly, this is the definitive review of Needles. Also, don't miss the SmallLaw Pick of the Week for a review of the Canon imageFormula DR-C130 scanner.

How to Receive SmallLaw
Small firm, big dreams. Written by practicing lawyers who manage successful small firms and legal technology and practice management experts who have achieved rock star status, SmallLaw provides practical advice on management, marketing, and technology issues in small law firms, as well as comprehensive legal product reviews with accompanying TechnoScore ratings. SmallLaw also links to helpful articles in other publications about solo practices and small law firms. The SmallLaw newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

Originally published in the December 14, 2012 issue of TL NewsWire. Instead of reading TL NewsWire here, sign up now to receive future issues via email.

In 2012, we reported on 205 new products in TL NewsWire. In what has become an annual tradition, today in this year's last issue of TL NewsWire we present to you the TL NewsWire Top 25 Products of 2012. You'll find commentary on the Top 10 products, a list of the next 15 products, and links for all 25 products.

How do we determine the winners? We don't. You do. Each TL NewsWire article about a new product contains a link to that product's web page. We anonymously track everyone's clicks on these links to help us figure out which types of products most interest TL NewsWire subscribers, and also to create the annual TL NewsWire Top 25 Products.

THE 10 HOTTEST TL NEWSWIRE PRODUCTS OF 2012

Congratulations to the 10 hottest products in the TL NewsWire Top 25!

1. Total Attorneys App Store

After raising a significant round of capital, Total Attorneys came out swinging this year with two cleverly framed blockbuster announcements.

Several companies announced "application programming interfaces" or APIs this year, which enable other products to more easily integrate with theirs. To its credit, Total Attorneys chose not to use this term given that most lawyers are not programmers and therefore don't know what it means.

Instead, Total Attorneys announced an app store. Thanks to Apple, everyone knows what that means! Using this colloquial term vaulted Total Attorneys App Store to the top of the TL NewsWire Top 25. So congratulations to Total Attorneys not only for the add-ons it announced, but also for how the company framed this announcement.

2. Total Attorneys

Before launching its app store, Total Attorneys relaunched its cloud practice management system. This alone would have likely earned it a spot on the TL NewsWire Top 25. But Total Attorneys also announced an incredibly low price of just $1 per user per month, which explains its second place ranking.

Total Attorneys isn't crazy. Instead, like Amazon's strategy of selling its Kindle tablets at or below cost and later earning a profit on ebooks and other content, Total Attorneys essentially gives away its practice management system with the hope that you'll purchase apps such as credit card processing.

3. CitePin

When we reported on CitePin, we called it the "Evernote of the Legal Industry" as it's a cloud application designed to keep track of legal information such as legal research in a freeform manner but with legal-specific features.

CitePin clearly excited many of you. Just one caveat. This company reminds me of the Pink Floyd song, Is There Anybody Out There? We could not find an email address. We filled out the contact form requesting a screenshot to no avail (our thanks to LawSites for letting us use one of its screenshots).

4. TheFormTool PRO

According to the CEO of TheFormTool, the TechnoLawyer Network, including TL NewsWire, enabled the company to grow much faster than it originally anticipated.

TheFormTool PRO adds document assembly functionality to Microsoft Word without the need for programming skills. Because of the intense interest in TheFormTool PRO, we reviewed it twice from two perspectives in our BigLaw and SmallLaw newsletters.

5. MobileScan Pro 100

It would shock me if a scanner didn't make the TL NewsWire Top 25. In many law firms, scanners have become as essential a peripheral as printers. In fact, many law firms find that they need several types of scanners — high-volume, network, desktop, and mobile.

Ambir's new scanner garnered so much attention from TL NewsWire subscribers because it's the Batman of scanners — highly mobile with a dual personality. It functions as both a sheet-fed scanner and as a wand scanner. Also, it can scan without any cables to a Micro USB card.

6. Workshare PDF Professional Plus 2.0

Workshare PDF Professional 1.0 ranked second in last year's TL NewsWire Top 20. And here is version 2.0 ranked sixth in this year's TL NewsWire Top 25. Acrobat XI Pro also made the list this year but it's further down. That's because while PDF software is a hot topic, PDF software designed specifically for lawyers is an even hotter topic.

You probably found Workshare PDF Professional's support for PDF/A and its file size shrinking technology of interest given that many courts require this format and have file size limits. Version 2.0 also offers integrations with Autonomy Worksite and Microsoft SharePoint, two popular document management systems used by midsize and large law firms.

7. eBillity

eBillity has interesting origins. One of its co-founders used to work at Bill4Time, a cloud legal billing software pioneer. As a result, the two products share a number of features, chief among them an iPhone app as well as desktop widgets for Mac and Windows. Also, the pricing for Bill4Time and eBillity is identical.

Perhaps because of its late entry into the marketplace, eBillity has teamed up with larger companies. For example, it powers Thomson Reuters' new Time and Billing product. And when Intuit abandoned its cloud billing product, it recommended that its customers switch to eBillity.

8. Harvest

Harvest serves the billing needs of several industries, including legal. It offers both iPhone and Android apps, thus covering the majority of TechnoLawyer members (49% use an iPhone; 28% use an Android smartphone). For law firms with three or more timekeepers, Harvest costs less than rival products.

9. CaseFox

Clearly, TL NewsWire subscribers like cloud billing software as CaseFox also falls into this category. We cited CaseFox's ability to accommodate temporary contract lawyers as its Killer Feature. CaseFox also falls on the less expensive end of the pricing spectrum.

10. PDF Converter 8

We covered three new Nuance products this year. Not surprisingly, its PDF software received the most attention.

PDF Converter 8 is practically a word processor given its editing capabilities. That's why you'll find some of Nuance's Dragon speech recognition technology built into the software. Like Workshare PDF Professional, PDF Converter 8 integrates with a number of products popular among lawyers, including CaseMap and Worldox.

THE NEXT 15 HOTTEST TL NEWSWIRE PRODUCTS OF 2012

Congratulations to the 15 remaining products in the TL NewsWire Top 25 Products of 2012!

11. OmniOutliner for iPad

12. Leap

13. Amicus Attorney Premium Edition 2012

14. Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard Cover

15. HoverBar

16. Acrobat XI Pro

17. Apollo

18. Standzfree

19. TranscriptPad

20. Disconnect

21. DocMoto

22. Amicus Cloud

23. Samsung ML-2165W Mono Laser Printer

24. iPad 3

25. SwingHolder

How to Receive TL NewsWire
So many products, so little time. In each issue of TL NewsWire, you'll learn about five new products for the legal profession. Pressed for time? The newsletter's innovative articles enable lawyers and law office administrators to quickly understand the function of a product, and zero in on its most important features. The TL NewsWire newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

Coming today to TL Research: TechnoLawyer publisher Neil Squillante answers the following question: Can the iPad mini make you and your law practice more productive? Unlike reviews in the mainstream media, Neil's in-depth TL Research report evaluates the iPad mini as a serious productivity tool, including extensive reviews of several productivity apps with accompanying screenshots. For example, Neil wrote this TL Research report on his iPad mini so that he could tell you which plain text word processing app works best. Download your free copy of TL Research Guide to the iPad mini as a Serious Productivity Tool (Second Edition) now.

How to Receive TL Research
Our flagship newsletter offers in-depth buyer's guides and other helpful research reports for everyone in the legal profession. Written in plain English by leading experts, these reports combine exhaustive research with sound statistical techniques to provide you with reliable analysis, data, and insights. Just as importantly, TL Research reports often include benchmarks, charts, and other visuals that bring the information to life. TechnoLawyer members regularly use TL Research reports at strategic planning meetings. The TL Research newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

Originally published in the August 21, 2012 issue of SmallLaw: Google's Chrome recently became the world's most popular web browser. Law practice advisor Erik Mazzone is such a big fan, he even uses it on his iPad and iPhone instead of Safari. In this issue of SmallLaw, Erik shares four useful Chrome features and four must-have Chrome extensions, all of which will save you time and one of which will save you money. Increased web browser productivity here you come. Also, don't miss the SmallLaw Pick of the Week for questions to ask before you fire an underperforming employee.

How to Receive SmallLaw
Small firm, big dreams. Written by practicing lawyers who manage successful small firms and legal technology and practice management experts who have achieved rock star status, SmallLaw provides practical advice on management, marketing, and technology issues in small law firms, as well as comprehensive legal product reviews with accompanying TechnoScore ratings. SmallLaw also links to helpful articles in other publications about solo practices and small law firms. The SmallLaw newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

Originally published in the August 17, 2012 issue of SmallLaw: Early refrigerators lacked freezers. We now take this integration for granted. Software products for small law firms have followed this same path. Clio, a cloud application, is one such product as it offers integrated legal billing, practice management, document management, and more. In this issue of SmallLaw, Oakland lawyer Jeffrey Allen reviews Clio, which he has used for several years. Thus, Jeffrey has a unique perspective, having seen Clio evolve in functionality. Also, don't miss the SmallLaw Pick of the Week for a buyer's guide to VoIP telephone systems.

How to Receive SmallLaw
Small firm, big dreams. Written by practicing lawyers who manage successful small firms and legal technology and practice management experts who have achieved rock star status, SmallLaw provides practical advice on management, marketing, and technology issues in small law firms, as well as comprehensive legal product reviews with accompanying TechnoScore ratings. SmallLaw also links to helpful articles in other publications about solo practices and small law firms. The SmallLaw newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

Originally published in the August 16, 2012 issue of SmallLaw: Here's an idea for a movie — Paperless in Seattle starring estate planning lawyer Chandra Lewnau. While we finish casting, we present to you the newsletter on which it will be based. In this issue of SmallLaw, Chandra reviews the Canon imageFORMULA DR-C125, a desktop scanner with a unique vertical design that saves desk space. She discusses setting up the scanner, the CaptureOnTouch software, the quality of the scans, and more. Below the review you'll find a brief response from Canon. Also, don't miss the SmallLaw Pick of the Week for a comparative review of three iPad styluses by lawyer Bill Wilson. Now that's an action packed issue of SmallLaw. On second thought, forget the movie. The newsletter is always better anyway.

How to Receive SmallLaw
Small firm, big dreams. Written by practicing lawyers who manage successful small firms and legal technology and practice management experts who have achieved rock star status, SmallLaw provides practical advice on management, marketing, and technology issues in small law firms, as well as comprehensive legal product reviews with accompanying TechnoScore ratings. SmallLaw also links to helpful articles in other publications about solo practices and small law firms. The SmallLaw newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

Originally published in the August 7, 2012 issue of SmallLaw: In the famous children's game, scissors beats paper. When you grow up and become a lawyer, you realize that it's really a scanner that beats paper. But which scanner? If your small law firm processes a lot of paper, Canon's imageFORMULA DR-M140 looks promising thanks to its specifications and small size. To evaluate how the DR-M140 actually performs, New Jersey lawyer and SmallLaw senior product reviewer Edward Zohn tested the DR-M140 in his law firm for a few months before writing this review and giving the scanner a TechnoScore. In other words, it's the most reliable review of the DR-M140 you'll find. Also, don't miss the SmallLaw Pick of the Week for two essential law firm management tips.

How to Receive SmallLaw
Small firm, big dreams. Written by practicing lawyers who manage successful small firms and legal technology and practice management experts who have achieved rock star status, SmallLaw provides practical advice on management, marketing, and technology issues in small law firms, as well as comprehensive legal product reviews with accompanying TechnoScore ratings. SmallLaw also links to helpful articles in other publications about solo practices and small law firms. The SmallLaw newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

Originally published in the August 3, 2012 issue of SmallLaw: Life in prison? More like death in prison. Welcome to another installment of "A Lawyer's Life," our ongoing series in SmallLaw in which Gadsden, Alabama lawyer Clark Stewart reflects on ups and downs of his solo practice. In this installment, Clark discusses the downsides of sharing office space with other lawyers, an uplifting story involving his church that brought him a client, and how he helped a client avoid death in prison — plus a review of Notability for voice-tagged note-taking on the iPad. Also, don't miss the SmallLaw Pick of the Week for Lee Rosen's advice on which type of online marketing works best for small law firms.

How to Receive SmallLaw
Small firm, big dreams. Written by practicing lawyers who manage successful small firms and legal technology and practice management experts who have achieved rock star status, SmallLaw provides practical advice on management, marketing, and technology issues in small law firms, as well as comprehensive legal product reviews with accompanying TechnoScore ratings. SmallLaw also links to helpful articles in other publications about solo practices and small law firms. The SmallLaw newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

Originally published in the July 31, 2012 issue of SmallLaw: In TL NewsWire in January 2012, we were the first to report on a new document assembly add-on for Microsoft Word called TheFormTool PRO. Since then, the company has shipped a new version. In this issue of SmallLaw, Microsoft Office expert Jeanette Otis, who works for a Bloomington, Illinois personal injury lawyer, reviews TheFormTool PRO. Jeannette used it for several months on real documents to find out if it's a worthwhile investment for a small law practice. In her review, Jeannette walks you through the installation, basic features, and advanced features — and also bestows a TechnoScore. Also, don't miss the SmallLaw Pick of the Week for good advice about how to escape a trap in which many managing partners find themselves.

How to Receive SmallLaw
Small firm, big dreams. Written by practicing lawyers who manage successful small firms and legal technology and practice management experts who have achieved rock star status, SmallLaw provides practical advice on management, marketing, and technology issues in small law firms, as well as comprehensive legal product reviews with accompanying TechnoScore ratings. SmallLaw also links to helpful articles in other publications about solo practices and small law firms. The SmallLaw newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.