TechnoLawyer

Today's issue of TechnoLawyer NewsWire covers an online billing application (see article below), an iPhone app for Shepardizing, a Microsoft Word add-on for creating a table of authorities, a new Twitter feature, and a BlackBerry app that helps you find a restaurant. Don't miss the next issue.

Semi-Automatic Billing

Someday, software will completely eliminate administrative jobs. For example, if a client owes you money, your billing system will hash it out with his banking software. You will only get involved when your software cannot close the deal. You'll then pick up your holographic phone and start yelling at your deadbeat client. Well, not really because none of us will live long enough to witness such smart software. In the meantime, you can at least seek billing software with more automation than what you use now.

Smart Invoice … in One Sentence
Acumantra Solutions' Smart Invoice is a Web-based billing system.

The Killer Feature
The biggest news in billing software this year? Credit card processing. With bankruptcy filings up, suddenly those credit card fees don't seem so bad. They certainly beat not getting paid at all.

Smart Invoice has jumped on this trend. It integrates with Authorize.net, 2CO, PayPal, and Google Checkout. You can embed these payment options in the invoices you send so that clients can click and pay. Smart Invoice notifies you when it receives a payment.

Other Notable Features
Smart Invoice integrates with QuickBooks, which you can use for your general and trust accounting. You can also import client information from Outlook and other programs into Smart Invoice.

Smart Invoice offers a time tracking widget. Once you capture or enter time, you can create an invoice. Smart Invoice also handles other billing methods such as flat fees, and can add taxes and late fees.

You can customize your invoices using CSS, a simple programming language that all Web designers know how to use. You can also use domain mapping to send invoices from your own domain. In addition to emailing invoices, you can export them as PDF files or print them.

In addition to invoicing, Smart Invoice also features estimates, which you may find helpful for flat fee services. As you would expect, Smart Invoice offers a number of reports, which you can customize. Smart Invoice's API enables other companies to develop add-ons for Smart Invoice such as a desktop or mobile application.

What Else Should You Know?
You can select from three versions of Smart Invoice — Free, $14/month, and $39/month (the latter two plans don't have names). The Free plan does not offer domain mapping or PDF invoices, and limits you to three clients. The other two plans offer 25 and 5,000 clients respectively. Learn more about Smart Invoice.

How to Receive TechnoLawyer NewsWire
So many products, so little time. In each issue of TechnoLawyer NewsWire, you'll learn about five new products for the legal profession. Pressed for time? The "In One Sentence" section describes each product in one sentence, and the "Killer Feature" section describes each product's most compelling feature. The TechnoLawyer NewsWire newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

Coming today to BlawgWorld: Our editorial team has selected and linked to 59 articles from the past week worthy of your attention, including our Post of the Week. Here's a sample:

How to: Redact in Acrobat 9 Pro

Motorola Droid vs. iPhone vs. BlackBerry for Email

What Makes Laterals Run?

Have LinkedIn Groups Lost Their Appeal?

This issue also contains links to every article in the November 2009 issue of Law Practice Today. Don't miss this issue or future issues.

How to Receive BlawgWorld
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Originally published on November 9, 2009 in our free SmallLaw newsletter.

1. Does every prospect call receive the same level of attention?


2. Do we call prospects and clients back within 24 hours? 48 hours?


3. Do my clients see me as a problem solver or as a salesperson?


4. Do clients recommend my services to their friends and family?


5. Would I sacrifice or partially refund fees to maintain goodwill?


6. Do I educate clients about their case? Do I answer all questions?

1. Does my practice inspire followers or detractors among clients?


2. Do clients boast about working with me or complain about me?


3. Do clients complain about how much they paid to work with me?


4. Do clients brag about how much they got out of the relationship?


5. Do I have to emphasize pricing or value to get a prospect's business?

Written by Mazyar M. Hedayat of M. Hedayat & Associates, P.C.

How to Receive SmallLaw
Small firm, big dreams. Published first via email newsletter and later here on our blog, SmallLaw provides you with a mix of practical advice that you can use today, and insight about what it will take for small law firms like yours to thrive in the future. The SmallLaw newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

Coming today to Fat Friday: James Reed shares the secrets of his law firm's success during the recession, Bob Leonard reviews MobileMe for syncing LexisNexis Total Practice Advantage with his iPhone, William Tait explores whether your law firm should switch to Macs, David Long shares his two cents on the healthcare coverage debate, and Harry Steinmetz has a few choice words regarding Mazy's Solo Practice Still Stinks SmallLaw column. Don't miss this issue.

How to Receive Fat Friday
Our most serendipitous offering, Fat Friday consists of unsolicited contributions by TechnoLawyer members. You'll no doubt enjoy it because of its mix of interesting topics and genuinely useful knowledge, including brutally honest product reviews and informative how-tos. The Fat Friday newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

Coming today to Answers to Questions: Paul Tredoux reviews Dragon NaturallySpeaking and shares several tips for using it successfully, Miriam Jacobson explains how she uses retainers to improve collections and client satisfaction plus she also reviews the Steelcase AirTouch desk, Roger Massengale reviews the Olympus DS-5000 with the StartStop transcription system, and Lisa Peterson explains how she avoids paying for an expensive dedicated fax line for her home office. Don't miss this issue.

How to Receive Answers to Questions
Do you believe in the wisdom of crowds? In Answers to Questions, TechnoLawyer members answer legal technology and practice management questions submitted by their peers. This newsletter's popularity stems from the relevance of the questions and answers to virtually everyone in the legal profession. The Answers to Questions newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

Coming today to BlawgWorld: Our editorial team has selected and linked to 65 articles from the past week worthy of your attention, including our Post of the Week. Here's a sample:

Creating a Click-thru Agreement in a PDF

Verizon Droid Meta-Review: A Killer Phone

So You Want to Go Solo? You Sure?

Add Value to Your Legal Services With Changed Perception

Don't miss this issue or future issues.

How to Receive BlawgWorld
Our newsletters provide the most comprehensive coverage of legal technology, practice management, and law firm marketing, but not the only coverage. To stay on top of all the noteworthy articles published in blogs and other online publications you could either hire a research assistant or simply subscribe to BlawgWorld. The BlawgWorld newsletter has received rave reviews and is free. Please subscribe now.

Watch the Video

TechnoScore: 3.5
1 = Lowest Possible Score; 5 = Highest Possible Score

Jason Diamond, a founding partner of the Traffic Ticket Team offers some useful and compelling information to anyone pulled over and given a traffic ticket. Diamond and his team claim to have handled over one million traffic tickets collectively. If that's not impressive enough, he promises a money back guarantee if you receive points on your license or have to attend traffic school.

From a content standpoint, the video is excellent. Most people who get a traffic ticket don't know what to do. Most municipalities rely on that lack of information to generate income from their tickets. Attorney Diamond clearly dispels the need to pay the ticket in full and to immediately plead guilty to whatever traffic infraction you are charged with.

Having received a traffic ticket myself a few weeks ago, this video hit home. I haven't received a traffic ticket in over 20 years, and was tempted to immediately pay the fine since I did not want to waste hours in a village court for my case to be heard. However, after consulting with a traffic ticket lawyer, he confirmed my belief that I should plead not guilty and proceed to trial.

From a technique standpoint, the video is lacking. He has a nice introductory graphic with background music when the video starts. Inexplicably, it then comes to an abrupt halt, like screeching tires immediately before impact. You are then treated to a video that is washed out, most likely because he appears to be shooting the video directly in front of a window. The audio is also poor and sounds like he's in an echo chamber.

I like how he introduces himself and explains immediately how he can help you. He addresses a frequently asked question that is on the mind of every driver who receives a traffic ticket. He also does something that I have never seen any attorney do -- offer a money back guarantee. Kudos to Mr. Diamond for using this technique.

Tip #1: Don't Shoot Video in Front of a Window

The reason? Your video camera thinks that the light shining through the window is the primary light source, and will, therefore, make everything else darker. The surrounding colors become washed out. Instead, close your shades, turn on the lights and shoot your video.

Tip #2: Use a Lapel Microphone

Your camcorder's built-in microphone stinks. Unless you stand 12 inches away from the camera, that built-in mic will pick up all ambient sound and sound awful. I will tell you from experience that online viewers will excuse a poor quality video. They will excuse fuzzy or grainy video. They will not excuse poor audio. If they cannot hear you clearly and well, they will quickly go elsewhere, never to return to your video or Web site again.

Go to Radio Shack and spend $20 for a wired lapel microphone. It is significantly better than using your built-in mic. If you want even better quality, I strongly suggest you invest in a wireless lapel microphone, which cost anywhere from $150-$600.

Tip #3: Watch Your Video Before You Upload It

When you prepare a brief or motion, it is often helpful to put it down and come back to it another day. This way you get a fresh perspective of what you created. The same principle applies to your law firm video. After you have edited, color corrected, created graphics, and background music, you'll want to upload it to YouTube. My advice: Revisit it hours or days later. I guarantee you will want to make some additional changes before going live.

Conclusion

With a reshoot, Jason Diamond's video could become stellar by moving away from the window, adding a lapel mic, and having some satisfied clients on camera talk about how Mr. Diamond successfully helped them fight their traffic tickets. Till next time, see you on video.

The Back Bench

Certified Family Law Specialist and online video producer Kelly Chang Rickert says: "Very nicely done! I would hire this guy in a heartbeat. He is convincing, forthright, and his video flows. The man is very engaging, and he presented answers to questions we all want. He is the ticket-man!"

Lawyer, journalist, and legal media consultant Robert Ambrogi says: "This video makes me wonder how much production values matter on YouTube. The image quality is poor, the sound is tinny, the camera shakes, and the speaker shows no affect. Yet his pitch is quite effective. If I had a speeding ticket, he'd be the guy I'd hire. Two side points: One is that the video is unclear about the jurisdictions in which he practices. The other is that his video and his Web site differ by 500,000 in their claims of how many tickets his office has handled."

TechnoLawyer publisher and online video producer Neil Squillante says: "The Traffic Ticket Team has handled more than one million traffic tickets. How many more must they handle until they can afford a better camcorder and a more talented video editor? The video offers some good information (and a snippet of a catchy Coldplay song), but the poor production detracts from the message."

About YouLaw
YouTube offers law firms a free advertising platform with tens of millions of potential clients. But a poor video can hurt more than help. In this column, lawyer and online video expert Gerry Oginski reviews and rates the latest law firm videos. A panel of fellow experts (The Back Bench) add to Gerry's reviews with pithy remarks. We link to each new YouLaw column and all other noteworthy law firm marketing articles in our weekly BlawgWorld newsletter, which is free. Please subscribe now.

About Gerry Oginski
New York trial lawyer Gerry Oginski has created more than 150 informational online videos for his medical malpractice and personal injury practice. Realizing that most video producers don't have a deep understanding of the practice of law and what potential clients look for, Gerry launched The Lawyers' Video Studio, which provides free tutorials and video production services. If you need help producing a video, please contact Gerry now.

Contact Gerry:
T: (516) 487-8207
E: lawmed10@yahoo.com

How to Receive Fat Friday
Our most serendipitous offering, Fat Friday consists of unsolicited contributions by TechnoLawyer members. You'll no doubt enjoy it because of its mix of interesting topics and genuinely useful knowledge, including brutally honest product reviews and informative how-tos. The Fat Friday newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

Coming today to Answers to Questions: Charles Stokes reviews Acrobat Pro's OCR capabilities, Dragon NaturallySpeaking, and more, David Stuckel discusses his firm's switch to digital dictation, Elizabeth Markus reviews PaperPort Professional, Susan Topp wonders about Billing Matters and LexisNexis responds, and Bobby Abrams likes our suggested use for Google Voice (plus we provide the details on a new feature). Don't miss this issue.

How to Receive Answers to Questions
Do you believe in the wisdom of crowds? In Answers to Questions, TechnoLawyer members answer legal technology and practice management questions submitted by their peers. This newsletter's popularity stems from the relevance of the questions and answers to virtually everyone in the legal profession. The Answers to Questions newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.

Today's issue of TechnoLawyer NewsWire covers a Web application for collaboration and project management (see article below), a Microsoft Word add-on for automating the creation of legal documents, a reminder system that works with BlackBerrys and iPhones, illustration software with legal and medical graphics, and a wireless print server. Don't miss the next issue.

Clear Your Mind in the Cloud

See that pile of paper on your desk? No, that one behind the other three. You can't continue to manage your cases like that. Don't feel bad. You're not the only lawyer who needs professional help. Seeking assistance does not suggest weakness. Think of it as the first step to a better you. Will it cost money? Of course, but it'll make you more money … or at least bring you some peace of mind. In the meantime, you may want to hide those piles. Your client just arrived for his meeting.

WizeHive … in One Sentence
PivotPoint Software's WizeHive is an online collaboration and organizational application.

The Killer Feature
Have you noticed how social networks such as LinkedIn and Facebook rely heavily on email? They know that if something isn't in your inbox, it's invisible.

Recognizing that online life revolves around email, WizeHive integrates with any email program using a special address and a notation system. By sending a message to this address with the name of the workspace (see below) in the subject you can create new notes or tasks without having to use the Web interface.

Similarly, you can receive WizeHive communications from your colleagues via email. So why not just use email? Because WizeHive organizes everything for you with threaded messaging, search, large file sharing, and more.

Other Notable Features
WizeHive organizes your information into workspaces. You'll probably want to create a workspace for every client. Within a workspace you'll find sections for people, tasks, data, files, notes, and questions. You can further organize a workspace with pages, which you might create for each matter.

Through the Activity window, you can track all communications across all workspaces and pages that apply to you. Other system-wide views enable you to manage Tasks, People, and Files across all workspaces. The Tasks view offers filtering. For example, you can view tasks assigned to you or to others. Regarding file management, you can edit Word and Excel files within WizeHive without downloading and re-uploading them.

WizeHive also includes an iCal-compatible calendar that displays all date-specific tasks. You can also schedule meetings and events on the calendar.

What Else Should You Know?
You can customize WizeHive with your firm's logo and preferred colors. Another setting enables you to receive all email alerts in a single daily digest. You can choose from five versions of WizeHive — Free, Basic ($9/month), Plus ($24/month), Premium ($39/month), and Enterprise. The versions differ with regard to workspaces, pages, storage, and features such as a vanity URL. Learn more about WizeHive.

How to Receive TechnoLawyer NewsWire
So many products, so little time. In each issue of TechnoLawyer NewsWire, you'll learn about five new products for the legal profession. Pressed for time? The "In One Sentence" section describes each product in one sentence, and the "Killer Feature" section describes each product's most compelling feature. The TechnoLawyer NewsWire newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.