TechnoLawyer

Watch the Video

TechnoScore: 2.5
1 = Lowest Possible Score; 5 = Highest Possible Score

"I am a business attorney" is how lawyer Bill Godfrey of Godfrey Legal opens this video. Godfrey is clean-cut; his beard is closely cropped; he's wearing a nice suit, and he is sitting in front of a nice-looking bookcase. The video has nice B-roll footage, he clearly has a penchant for pocket watches, and the background music is pleasing.

From a technique standpoint the video is excellent. The quality is crystal-clear, and shows scenes of his office, him talking on his cell phone, and also looking at a law book standing in front of a bookcase. For technique, I give this video a TechnoScore of 5, but I must take into account the content and sidebar, which is nowhere near as gratifying.

From a content standpoint, the video is lacking, and garners a score of 1.0. The sidebar doesn't contain any content, which means no search engine indexing. (How then can I explain how this video has garnered 300 views? This video also resides as a link on the video production company's Web site.) Averaging both scores out leaves this video with a TechnoScore of 2.5.

The video is a verbal resume describing what type of law Godfrey practices. I got the clear impression that this attorney knows exactly how to handle business matters. Being in business for over 35 years, he seems extremely competent and knowledgeable about his area of expertise.

However, I actually counted the number of times the attorney said the word "I," and was shocked to hear him say it 13 times in one minute. Included within the short video were references to "me" (3), "my" (2), and "we" (2). It reminded me of the Beatles song "I Me Mine."

Most people searching for a lawyer don't care about "you." I know some video producers disagree with my opinion. They feel that viewers want to learn about what the attorney does, where they came from, and what schools they attended.

I disagree with this assessment. In my experience, people looking for an attorney online make a number of assumptions:

1. The attorney is licensed in the state in which they practice.
2. The attorney has gone to law school.
3. The attorney has taken and passed the bar exam.
4. The attorney has experience in the area in which they practice.

Most people do not care where the lawyer went to law school. Nor do they care whether you were on law review or participated in moot court competition. They want to know how you can help solve their problem.

This lawyer clearly states the type of law he practices. However, the constant references to "I handle this, I handle that, I do this," distract from the educational message that he can achieve using video. All we learn is the particular type of law that he practices. Once I know that, my next question is, "What information does he provide that other lawyers do not?"

Tip #1: Let Your Clients Talk for You

If you have tremendous experience, have a former client describe it in a video testimonial. Let your former client talk about you, so you don't have to refer to yourself.

Tip #2: Ask and Then Answer FAQ's

If you have tremendous experience, ask a question that is frequently on the minds of people who seek legal advice in your practice area. Then use the video to answer that question. Doing so establishes yourself as an expert, without ever having to say "I'm an expert."

Tip #3: The Sidebar Is Your Friend

Use it to take advantage of Google, Bing, and other search engines, enabling prospective clients to find and watch your video.

Conclusion

Telling a viewer what type of law you handle is a good first line. But you should use your video to explain how you have helped clients in the past, and/or provide answers that demonstrate your knowledge. This approach will make you much more persuasive, and result in more leads from your video.

Till next time, see you on video!

The Back Bench

Certified Family Law Specialist and online video producer Kelly Chang Rickert says: "I liked this video a lot! Godfrey really emphasizes his "business" acumen by placing symbolic objects throughout his introduction. I thought the video was extremely classy, down to the finishing touches on the selected music! Godfrey is also articulate and humble — someone I would trust to make a deal for me. I'm sold."

Lawyer, journalist, and legal media consultant Robert Ambrogi says: "This well-produced video is effective in conveying three key points: what he does (business law), what qualifies him to do it (experience in practice and in-house), and how he does it (personal attention tailored to clients' goals). My one minor criticism is that the frequent images of timepieces distracted me. I could not decipher the message they were meant to convey. His Web site makes the point that he strives to save clients valuable time they could use elsewhere. Perhaps in a future video he should tie in this message. But overall, an A-."

TechnoLawyer publisher and online video producer Neil Squillante says: "Bill Godfrey's video looks sharp and his smooth performance makes him persuasive, but the video never explains all the visual references to timepieces. Does he practice law efficiently, give his clients a free pocket watch when they hire him, or moonlight hawking antique clocks on the Home Shopping Network?"

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

Coming today to Answers to Questions: John Heckman compares Worldox and Interwoven WorkSite for document management, Toby Brown reviews Casemaker for online legal research, and Paul Mansfield offers two tips for keeping your law firm's scanner running smoothly. Don't miss this issue.

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Originally published on September 14, 2009 in our free SmallLaw newsletter.

Some of you might remember The Perils of Solo Practice, my SmallLaw column about the departure of my long-time Associate Attorney and the harsh realities of practicing alone for the first time in 10 years. The piece chronicled the disappointment and frustration I felt running through over a dozen subpar employees over the next 18 months while fending off stomach-churning instability and fighting to regain focus.

At the end of the piece I concluded that despite the problems inherent in growth and even working with a partner, remaining solo was a losing proposition. Being solo runs headlong into human limitations like sleep (not enough), work (too much), and money (not nearly enough). Not exactly a controversial conclusion. Except that it was, judging by reactions in TechnoLawyer's Fat Friday newsletter, on the ABA's Solo Sez bulletin board, posts on Twitter and around the blawgosphere, and personal messages emailed directly to me.

The Controversy

Many comments took issue with the observation that, as a solo, I felt overworked, underpaid, and continuously exhausted — something I wagered that other solos were going through as well. A number of messages theorized that I was projecting, because I was lazy and unprepared myself. Others insisted the piece was a spoof. But the majority of comments had little to do with the article. Instead they described fulfilling solo practices and comfortable lifestyles. Apparently being solo was the most preferable way to practice, if only I understood.

A House Divided

At first I was surprised by these reactions. But after looking more carefully I realized that the responses pretty much broke down along generational lines among Baby Boomers, Gen-X, and Gen-Y much the same way that the profession has resolved itself over the last decade into distinct camps. The overall picture looks like this:

Age Group: Boomers
% of Lawyers: Highest
Key Technology: Email, BlackBerry
Key Online App: AOL
Status: Highest
Collaboration: Lowest

Age Group: Gen-X
% of Lawyers: Middle
Key Technology: Web 2.0 (SaaS)
Key Online App: Blogs
Status: Middle
Collaboration: Middle

Age Group: Gen-Y
% of Lawyers: Lowest
Key Technology: Social Networks
Key Online App: Facebook
Status: Lowest
Collaboration: Highest

Gen-X lawyers, by and large, agreed with my conclusions. Some offered to help. Some were gratified to know they were not alone. Ultimately their comments reflected the same frustration that I felt.

Gen-Y lawyers had no opinion, or at least they didn't share any. Of course many law school graduates didn't pass the bar until last month and older members of the group were probably too busy looking in vain for work.

Boomers however, led the charge against the article. One well-known blogger called it "completely useless." High praise indeed.

Statistically, most sole practitioners are Boomers and most Boomers are sole practitioners. So why did my piece strike such a nerve? Boomer sole practitioners should agree with me. Could it be that despite riding the profession's economic peak in the 80's and 90's, dominating the bench, ruling the lives of law students and associates, deciding what is legal and ethical, and setting the cultural agenda for decades, Boomers are insecure and defensive? That would explain a lot …

What It Might Mean

Look at it this way, a 50-ish sole practitioner or small firm attorney has made their mark, bought their home, taken their vacations, raised their kids, and established stable relationships with clients. They've outlasted the skeptics, learned the tricks of the trade, and have become comfortable with themselves. In short, Boomers are at the peak of their careers and may even have crossed the threshold into retirement. Who could complain about being his or her own boss under those circumstances? And who in that group would have the least bit of empathy for someone still trying to get the balance right?

By contrast however, if you entered the profession in the 90's or later you've never known true income security, have no idea what the future holds, haven't had time to think of retirement, and may have been wiped out financially twice by now — the first time in stocks and the second time in real estate. Not only that, but a student-loan nut the size of a mortgage shadows your every move. For members of Gen-X it's fair to say the profession hasn't been what it was cracked up to be.

Finally, I'm not sure it even makes sense to talk about Gen-Y sole practitioners because for the most part they've simply left the profession or hung out a shingle under protest. They are terrified of going solo, but with jobs scarce and the Internet commoditizing law practice, what choice do they have? The End of Lawyers indeed — thank you very much Richard Susskind.

I'm Sorry … So Sorry

Granted, when I'm under pressure this column can sound a little strident. Since I was feeling pressed earlier this year when I wrote my controversial piece, it was bound to come off as aggressive. And I'm not afraid to say I'm sorry to everyone who thought it was an insult to their cushy way of life.

I apologize for publicly revealing the truth. But it was the truth after all. It wasn't an exaggeration and the points made in the piece remain valid. Want proof? Today I again employ an Associate Attorney, a Paralegal, and an Office Manager. My Associate is great at keeping the small stuff from overwhelming me, my Paralegal works wonders with billing, and my Office Manager keeps the whole setup humming so I can write these little vignettes. In short, everybody's happy. Who says that practicing solo is the way to go? Not me.

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

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Coming today to Fat Friday: Aaron Craft reviews MXLogic for spam filering and shares his thoughts on challenge response software, Beverly Michaelis discusses the "File, Save As" feature of Outlook, Stephen Seldin discusses the most important feature of a scanner, David Long explains why he may not switch to a Palm Pre, and Jay Geary discusses push Gmail on his BlackBerry. Don't miss this issue.

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Coming today to Answers to Questions: Patrick Gann reviews Time Matters 9.0 and subsequent Service Releases, W. James Slaughter reviews FileCenter and shares some document management tips, Paul Mansfield reviews Fujitsu's ScanSnap S1500 and discusses PaperPort and the Visioneer Strobe 450 scanner, Scott Peitzer explains how to create a Macro using the Visual Basic Editor in Word, and Patricia Konstantinou discusses the benefits of digital dictation. Don't miss this issue.

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Today's issue of TechnoLawyer NewsWire covers a document workflow solution (see article below), a browser-based automatic time capture application, a service that provides daily case summaries, a utility to organize multiple windows, and an iPhone app for investors. Don't miss the next issue.

Add a Little Magic to Your Legal Documents

With clients pressuring law firms to increase efficiency, you must distinguish between true legal work and administrative work — and automate the latter if possible. This dichotomy exists in virtually every legal document, which consists of legal work product (the words) and administrative work (style, file format, etc). Once you develop this sixth sense, you can figure out which automation technologies to employ.

pdfDocs Desktop 3.1 … in One Sentence
DocsCorp's pdfDocs Desktop 3.1 helps law firms automate their document workflow, including creation, sharing, and organizing.

The Killer Feature
Arthur C. Clarke noted that "any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." DocsCorp hopes you see magic in the pdfDocs Desktop's new Organizer Projects.

Organizer Projects act like a drop box. Once you import related documents, you can edit them, apply annotations, redact confidential information, and more. When you finish, you can apply predetermined "output settings" and export them with one click.

For example, you can enable security, add watermarks and Bates numbers, remove metadata, and then export the documents in PDF, PDF/A, JPEG, or TIFF format. You can then send the documents to clients or opposing counsel, and also upload them to your document management system or Microsoft SharePoint portal.

You can create matter-centric and task-centric Organizer Projects, each with their own output settings, and place them in a network folder for use firm-wide.

Other Notable Features
pdfDocs Desktop's Binder feature enables you to automate the process of creating closing books and other such deliverables for clients, courts, etc. Version 3.1 offers new Binder functionality. For example, you can import an entire matter folder, maintaining file and folder structure into pdfDocs Desktop.

When you drag in documents from folders or your document management system, pdfDocs Desktop enables you to check the document management system for the latest version of the source document. Also, you can now burn Binders to an auto-launching CD-ROM. You can save single PDF Binders (or multiple PDF Binders) as a link to your document management system or SharePoint portal or both.

Speaking of SharePoint, pdfDocs Desktop now offers dual integration, serving as a gateway that ties together your document management system and your SharePoint portal.

What Else Should You Know?
As you would expect, pdfDocs Desktop's docu-centric features remain intact from previous versions — PDF creation and annotation, file-splitting, PDF form creation, Microsoft Office integration, Bates numbering, metadata removal, and much more. Learn more about pdfDocs Desktop 3.1.

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Coming today to TechnoFeature: New business strategies always begin with a debate, but once such strategies become widely accepted, the debate shifts to how to best implement the strategy. The paperless office has made the shift from new idea to mainstream practice, but the debate over the best scanner for law firms continues. In this TechnoFeature, California lawyer Philip Rhodes reviews the Canon imageFORMULA DR-2010C after using it in his office for about five weeks — a much longer period of time than professional journalists typically spend evaluating products. As a result of this quality time with the imageFORMULA DR-2010C, Philip has a good read on how well it works in a law firm setting, making his review a good read for lawyers and law office administrators.

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Coming today to BlawgWorld: Our editorial team has selected and linked to 60 articles from the past week worthy of your attention, including our Post of the Week. Here's a sample:

Review: Redact-It by IGC

The Digital Lawyer Crosses the Border

Management Lessons for Law Firms (PDF)

Law Practice Building Idea: Join a Nonprofit Board

Don't miss this issue or future issues.

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Coming today to Fat Friday: Paul Purdue explains how to capture billable time on a smartphone in Tabs3, Leslie Shear and John Kennedy discuss the future of US health care, Jonathan Nystrom discusses the pros and cons of new technology, and Raymond Bottomly explains how to adjust your microphone's sleep setting in Dragon NaturallySpeaking Professional. 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: Edwin Bideau reviews Fujitsu's ScanSnap and Konica's bizhub multi-function printer, Mike Agron discuses the challenges he faced with Microsoft Exchange after he switched to a Mac, Jesse Farr reviews Loislaw for legal research, Neal Rogers shares some tips for using iTunes on a Vista PC, and Terry Rosenthal shares her thoughts on Timeslips' current customer support and product management teams. 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.