TechnoLawyer

Coming June 9, 2006 to Fat Friday: Howard Raab reviews his favorite iPod car accessories and provides a can't miss iPod upgrade tip, Brad Jensen shares his thoughts on the recent feud between bloggers and USALaw.com, Andrea Cannavina provides an interesting twist on the continuing software training debate that will likely spark another debate, Edward Brooks discusses the problems with legal software and tech support, and Britt Knuttgen compares Norton AntiVirus to AVG. Don't miss this issue.

How to Receive this Newsletter
Published on Fridays, Fat Friday is a weekly newsletter that features a grab bag full of genuinely useful product reviews and tips on a wide variety of topics. Like all of our newsletters, it's free. Please subscribe now.

Below you'll find the official results and complete list of winners and finalists for the 2006 TechnoLawyer @ Awards. Congratulations to all!

THE ONE @ AWARD YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT ...

You voted for 23 of the 24 @ Awards, which means that one has remained a mystery.

Late last year, we published BlawgWorld 2006: Capital of Big Ideas, a wildly successful eBook with 32,604 downloads to date. BlawgWorld certainly achieved its mission of promoting legal blogs.

Many of the bloggers who participated in BlawgWorld helped us distribute the eBook. Thus, we created a new @ Award — Blawgger of the Year — for the blogger responsible for the largest number of downloads.

The winner? Two of them actually — Stephen Albainy-Jenei and Karlyn Schnapp who co-write Patent Baristas, an excellent blawg that covers big pharma patent news. When they're not blogging, Stephen and Karlyn both practice patent law at Frost Brown Todd LLC in Cincinnati.

If you don't yet have a copy of BlawgWorld, download it today.

THE @ AWARDS THAT YOU CHOSE ...

TechnoLawyer has always worked best when it lets a thousand flowers bloom (Ruth Laura Edlund refers to TechnoLawyer as a "collective mind"). The TechnoLawyer @ Awards certainly fits this model — set up a few basic rules and see what happens.

What typically happens is a display of customer loyalty. The winners and finalists tend to have happy customers willing to take the time to vote via e-mail.

Does market share play a role? Sure, but not as much as enthusiastic customers. Among this year's winners and finalists you will find large companies with mature products, startups with new products, and even large companies with new products.

Congratulations to all the winners and finalists! And thank you for voting!

2006 TECHNOLAWYER @ AWARDS — FINAL RESULTS

Congratulations to all the winners and finalists of the 2006 TechnoLawyer @ Awards. (Finalists are listed in alphabetical order.)

1. FAVORITE TECHNOLAWYER CONTRIBUTOR OF 2005

Winner:
Ross L. Kodner, MicroLaw, Inc.

Finalists:
Greg Krehel, LexisNexis CaseSoft
Seth G. Rowland, Basha Systems

2. LEGAL TECHNOLOGY CONSULTANT OF THE YEAR

Winner:
Bill Dertinger, Esquire Consultant Group

Finalists:
There are no finalists for this @ Award.

3. FAVORITE LEGAL WEB SITE

Winner:
LexisNexis

Finalists:
FindLaw
Software Technology

4. FAVORITE LEGAL BLOG (BLAWG)

Winner:
1234Tips

Finalists:
Alextronic Discovery
Ernie the Attorney
Patently-O: Patent Law Blog

5. BLAWGGER OF THE YEAR

Winners:
Stephen Albainy-Jenei & Karlyn Schnapp, Patent Baristas

Finalists:
Dennis Kennedy, DennisKennedy.blog
Evan Schaeffer, Illinois Trial Practice Weblog

6. FAVORITE ACCOUNTING SOLUTION

Winner:
LexisNexis PCLaw/PCLaw Pro

Finalists:
QuickBooks
Tabs3

7. FAVORITE CASE/PRACTICE MANAGEMENT SOLUTION

Winner:
LexisNexis Time Matters

Finalists:
Amicus Attorney
PracticeMaster

8. FAVORITE DOCUMENT ASSEMBLY/AUTOMATION SOLUTION

Winner:
HotDocs

Finalists:
Amicus Attorney
PracticeMaster

9. FAVORITE DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT SOLUTION

Winner:
LexisNexis Time Matters

Finalists:
PracticeMaster
WORLDOX

10. FAVORITE DOCUMENT SECURITY SOLUTION

Winner:
Adobe Acrobat

Finalists:
Metadata Assistant
Workshare Protect

11. FAVORITE ELECTRONIC DISCOVERY SOLUTION

Winner:
Applied Discovery

Finalists:
Concordance
CT Summation iBlaze/WebBlaze

12. FAVORITE LEGAL FORMS SOLUTION

Winner:
LexisNexis Automated Forms

Finalists:
ProDoc
West Legal Solutions Plus

13. FAVORITE LEGAL KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT SOLUTION

Winner:
CaseMap

Finalists:
CaseWorth
NetDocuments

14. FAVORITE LEGAL RESEARCH TOOL

Winner:
LexisNexis

Finalists
LexisNexis QuickLaw
Westlaw

15. FAVORITE LEGAL-SPECIFIC TECH SUPPORT

Winner:
LexisNexis CaseSoft

Finalists:
LexisNexis Time Matters
Software Technology

16. FAVORITE LITIGATION ASP

Winner:
LexisNexis Total Litigator

Finalists:
CaseKnowledge
CT Summation CaseVault

17. FAVORITE LITIGATION SUPPORT SOLUTION

Winner:
CaseMap

Finalists:
Concordance
CT Summation iBlaze/WebBlaze

18. FAVORITE ONLINE CLE PROVIDER

Winner:
LegalSpan

Finalists:
LexisNexis Mealeys
West LegalEdcenter

19. FAVORITE PRACTICE AREA SOLUTION

Winner:
CaseMap

Finalists:
Collier TopForm Bankruptcy
CT Summation iBlaze/WebBlaze

20. FAVORITE TIME-BILLING SOLUTION

Winner:
LexisNexis Billing Matters

Finalists:
LexisNexis Time Matters
Tabs3

21. FAVORITE TRANSCRIPT MANAGEMENT SOLUTION

Winner:
TextMap

Finalists:
CT Summation iBlaze/WebBlaze
LiveNote

22. FAVORITE TRIAL PRESENTATION SOLUTION

Winner:
TimeMap

Finalists:
Sanction
TrialDirector

23. FAVORITE NEW LEGAL PRODUCT OF 2005

Winner:
LexisNexis Total Litigator 1.0

Finalists:
Tabs3 Version 12
TimeMap 4

24. FAVORITE TECHNORELEASES OF 2005

Winner:
CaseSoft

Finalists:
CT Summation
Software Technology

ABOUT TECHNOLAWYER @ AWARDS

The most comprehensive set of awards in the legal market, the TechnoLawyer @ Awards recognize customer loyalty. Every year, TechnoLawyer members vote for their favorite blogs, products, services, and Web sites in a variety of categories. In addition, three @ Awards pay tribute to individuals — Favorite TechnoLawyer Contributor, Legal Technology Consultant of the Year, and Blawgger of the Year.

"TechnoLawyer @ Awards" and its accompanying slogan are registered trademarks of PeerViews Inc. Other trademarks are property of their respective owners.

In today's issue of TechnoLawyer NewsWire, tech expert Jill Bauerle covers a new and improved version of a case analysis tool, conversion software for PDF and other files, and a handy utility for magnifying items on your screen. Don't miss the next issue.

Below you'll find one of the three articles from today's edition:

Litigation Software that (Almost) Does the Thinking for You
By Jill Bauerle
Behind every open and shut case is a lot of hard work. To help litigators and litigation teams save time while producing even better results for their clients, LexisNexis CaseSoft has released CaseMap 6, the latest version of its popular litigation analysis tool. CaseMap 6 sports many new user-requested features and a "faster," "retooled" database engine that accommodates hundreds of custom fields. Also, its new look will make users of Microsoft Office 2003 feel right at home. Among the new features is the Intake Interview Jumpstart, which enables you to e-mail clients a questionnaire about their case. When you receive their completed questionnaire, you can import it into an existing or new CaseMap case file and even generate a ReportBook. Such automation seems to be everywhere in CaseMap 6, which also includes document index creation, bulk e-mail importing, and tight integration with the new CaseMap Bates Stamper. The revamped Issue Analysis Mode helps you decide when to file for summary judgment, and the MSJ Statement of Fact Creator helps you create the accompanying brief. Similarly, new tools exist for identifying privileged documents, and then creating a privileged log. Other new features include links to CaseMap Webinars for on-demand learning, the ability to create a fact from a document, batch copying of linked PDF files, and bulk updating of linked file paths and field values. LexisNexis CaseSoft has also enhanced existing features, For example, more options exist for creating and formatting ReportBooks, and you can now link to more applications than ever, including CaseLogistix, Interwoven WorkSite, Hummingbird DM5, and iCONECTnxt. Pricing for CaseMap 6 starts at $595; upgrade pricing starts at $199.  Learn more about CaseMap 6.

How to Receive this Newsletter
Published on Wednesdays, TechnoLawyer NewsWire is a weekly newsletter that enables you to learn about new technology products and services of interest to legal professionals. Like all of our newsletters, it's free. Please subscribe now.

Coming May 30, 2006 to TechnoFeature: First came the e-mail revolution, and then the information-sharing phenomenon known as the World Wide Web. Soon your teenagers found new ways to gab about their latest crush with instant messaging and chat rooms. Now, lawyers and their clients increasingly use such tools for telephone calls and videoconferences on the cheap. In this article, legal technology consultant Adriana Linares and attorney Ernie Svenson discuss the latest communications services, all of which fall within the quirky and goofy sounding acronym: VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol). Find out if one of these services will work for you.

How to Receive this Newsletter
Published on Tuesdays, TechnoFeature is a weekly newsletter that contains in-depth articles written by leading legal technology and practice management experts. Like all of our newsletters, it's free. Please subscribe now.

Coming June 2, 2006 to Fat Friday: Gerald McNally shares some tips for a semi-paperless office, Kurt Walberg discusses the technology tools he uses in his solo practice, Caldwell Hancock reviews his new 21" Gateway monitors while Thorne D. Harris III reviews the Samsung SyncMaster 244T monitor, and Brent Blanchard reviews the Time Matters AIC Listserver. Don't miss this issue.

How to Receive this Newsletter
Published on Fridays, Fat Friday is a weekly newsletter that features a grab bag full of genuinely useful product reviews and tips on a wide variety of topics. Like all of our newsletters, it's free. Please subscribe now.

Coming June 1, 2006 to Answers to Questions: Marilyn King explains how to override PCLaw defaults to accommodate unique retainer free accounting such as that which exists in New Jersey, Britt Knuttgen compares the Dragon NaturallySpeaking Pro and Legal editions to the Preferred and Standard editions, Caren Schwartz explains how to address Timeslips performance issues, Robert Blumberg offers up a solution for printing will backers (covers), and John Feeney discusses CD printing solutions. Don't miss this issue.

How to Receive this Newsletter
Published Thursdays, Answers to Questions is a weekly newsletter in which TechnoLawyer members answer legal technology and practice management questions submitted by their peers (including you if you join TechnoLawyer). Like all of our newsletters, it's free. Please subscribe now.

In today's issue of TechnoLawyer NewsWire, tech expert Jill Bauerle covers a hot new bates stamping technology, a Web-based time-tracking application, and a virtual mall for malware-free software. Don't miss the next issue.

Below you'll find one of the three articles from today's edition:

A Bates Stamper on Steroids
By Jill Bauerle
Once upon a time, lawyers manually affixed bates stamps to documents. Thanks to xerography, copy machines eventually replaced the hand stamps of old. Last week, LexisNexis CaseSoft announced the latest in bates stamping technology — CaseMap Bates Stamper. This nifty utility plugs into Acrobat Standard or Professional 6 or 7, and enables you to apply bates stamps to one or more PDF files. A wizard walks you through the bates stamping process, providing options along the way. You can use any combination of letters and numbers for the bates stamp (prefix plus number — up to 34 characters total), and then store that particular format for future use. You can use any font, position the bates stamp anywhere in the document, and even add a white background to ensure that the bates number will be visible. When batch processing, you can have the CaseMap Bates Stamper ignore documents that you've already stamped. This way, you won't have to select only the new files, which kind of defeats the purpose of batch processing. When you finish applying bates stamps, you can use the Send PDFs to CaseMap wizard to incorporate the documents into CaseMap. A new addition to this wizard enables you to list the documents in CaseMap by bates number. Once in CaseMap, you can create facts and issues from the documents along with the corresponding bates numbers and hyperlinks. As with all LexisNexis CaseSoft products, the CaseMap Bates Stamper comes with one year of free support. CaseMap Bates Stamper sells for $149, but the company is offering it for $99 until May 31, 2006. Learn more about CaseMap Bates Stamper.

How to Receive this Newsletter
Published on Wednesdays, TechnoLawyer NewsWire is a weekly newsletter that enables you to learn about new technology products and services of interest to legal professionals. Like all of our newsletters, it's free. Please subscribe now.

Michael Proctor, Review: Fujitsu ScanSnap fi-5110EOX2

TechnoLawyer member Charles West ask:
"I'd like to hear opinions from users of the Fujitsu ScanSnap fi-5110EOX2 for its application in a solo law office. What is the impact of no TWAIN or WIA drivers and does the 600 pixels of the ScanSnap (versus 1200 pixels of its competitors) matter significantly?"

This shet-fed scanner has been effortless to use, and was, you'll pardon the pun, a "snap" to install and setup. The software allows easy organization of all images. As for the TWAIN problems — for those who need that (whatever it is), it is a simple matter to continue to use a flat bed (better resolution for SOME things) machine, just as I have elected to do. The little ScanSnap is no doubt the best tech/office purchase I have made in years. I have no complaints about the 600 resolution — and with a decent printer — the end result is very, very good quality. As always, it depends on what you are scanning and why. If you just want to move toward the "paperless" office, this is the way to go.

Mike Proctor

[Publisher's Note: Learn more about the Fujitsu ScanSnap fi-5110EOX2. — Sara Skiff]

About Answers to Questions
Posts like the one above appear exclusively in Answers to Questions, a weekly newsletter in which TechnoLawyer members answer legal technology and practice management questions submitted by their peers (including you if you join TechnoLawyer). Like all of our newsletters, it's free. You can subscribe here.

Eric Imperial, Ten Minutes of Your Time Could Yield a Huge Return

TechnoLawyer publisher Neil Squillante asks:
"What is the best advice you ever received regarding your legal career? How have you put it to use?"

Despite all of the technological advances that have benefited lawyers — whether practicing solo or in a large firm — clients still appreciate the simplicity of a handwritten note. Few things provide the same personal touch for clients who, like us, are besieged by e-mails, voicemails and faxes. The tenth of an hour you invest in writing a note could yield a huge return one day.

Eric H. Imperial
The Law Offices of Eric H. Imperial
Washington, DC
www.imperiallaw.com

About Fat Friday
Posts like the one above appear exclusively in Fat Friday, a weekly newsletter that features a grab bag full of genuinely useful product reviews and tips on a wide variety of topics. Like all of our newsletters, it's free. You can subscribe here.

Coming May 22, 2006 to IP Memes: You'll learn about some of the hottest new IP lawsuits (the mainstream media doesn't even know about them yet), why the Apple v. Apple verdict will likely become a law school case study, and the surprise eBay v. MercExchange opinions unleashed by the Supreme Court. Plus, we introduce IP Memes Theater — a creative take on the eBay v. MercExchange opinions.

How to Receive this Newsletter
Published on Mondays, IP Memes is a biweekly newsletter that explores emerging technology-related intellectual property issues — or "memes" as we call them. Like all of our newsletters, it's free. Please subscribe now.