TechnoLawyer

In today's issue of TechnoLawyer NewsWire, tech expert Jill Bauerle covers a new litigation support tool for mobile litigators, a new and improved version of a popular practice management application, and a powerful e-discovery search tool. Don't miss the next issue.

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

Discovery on the Go
By Jill Bauerle
Litigation never sleeps. The same is apparently true of the programming wizards at Dataflight Software. Hot on the heels of FYI 2.0, released in late 2005, comes FYI 3.0. FYI enables litigation teams to securely access their Concordance and Opticon databases remotely over the Internet.

FYI 3.0 has two components — FYI Core Server and FYI Reviewer. FYI Core Server is the brain — it resides on your firm's server. FYI Reviewer serves as the eyes and ears — the front-end application (you can also use Concordance and Opticon to access FYI Core Server).

FYI Reviewer now sports a simple Google-style search while retaining Advanced Search for power users. FYI 3.0 also works with Syngence's new "Synthetix" technology, which ranks your search results by relevance without any slowdown. Once you find relevant facts and documents, you can "tag" them and add "issue codes" and annotations. New multi-level tagging enables you to place a fact/document in more than one group. You can also send tags and their related facts and documents to CaseMap with one click.

When you pull up a document, the new image viewer enables you to view the scanned image and its text side by side. FYI Reviewer also handles transcripts and electronic discovery. You can import transcripts in ASCII, LiveNote, PTF, or PCF format, and then manage and annotate those transcripts as you see fit.Regarding e-discovery, you can review everything, including e-mail, in its native format with its metadata intact.

FYI Core Server also boasts a number of new features, including true SSL encryption, and separate firewalls for the server and the database. You won't need a Web server to run FYI Core Server, and you won't need weeks to get it set up. FYI Core Server runs on Windows 2000 or higher.

Learn more about FYI 3.0.

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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.

Below you'll find the raw vote status report as of May 10th. Like what you see? Don't like what you see? You have plenty of time to help your favorite blogs, products, services, and companies emerge victorious from these close races. When you vote, you'll receive free of charge the TechnoLawyer E-Discovery Cheat Sheet written by e-discovery expert Dennis Kennedy. Please vote today and get your own copy. Voting ends on May 19th.

1. Favorite TechnoLawyer Contributor of 2005
Greg Krehel edges into first place with a one vote lead over Ross Kodner. Seth Rowland and Rick Borstein are tied for third. Nine more days of voting could once again tip the scales.

2. Legal Technology Consultant Of The Year
Mark Spengler resides in first with no one else in sight, but his lead is not insurmountable. Instead, there seems to be much confusion about this @ Award. Only independent consultants who have not previously won this @ Award are eligible. An independent consultant is someone who works at a consulting firm that helps law firms with an array of products from various vendors.

3. Favorite Legal Web Site
This @ Award heats up with LexisNexis sneaking past FindLaw for first place. DiscoveryResources.org and LexisONE are tied for second. This race is far too close to call.

4. Favorite Legal Blog (Blawg)
1234Tips makes its @ Awards debut with a bang, taking first place. Patently-O finds itself tied with ScotusBlog for second. Legal Underground and AlextronicDiscovery are just one vote behind in third and fourth place respectively. Your vote will likely change the outcome of this category!

5. Favorite Accounting Solution
Look out! PCLaw catches up with QuickBooks for a first place tie. Tabs3 leaps into second, pushing Billing Matters into third place. A close race to the bitter end seems assured.

6. Favorite Case/Practice Management Solution
Time Matters retains its first place lead over Amicus Attorney. PracticeMaster leaps out from the pack and lands in third. There's still nine days left to settle the score for this @ Awards category.

7. Favorite Document Assembly/Automation Solution
HotDocs/HotDocs Pro holds onto first place, but PracticeMaster posts a strong second place debut. Adobe Acrobat and GhostFill are tied for third.

8. Favorite Document Management Solution
The tables have turned! Time Matters leapfrogs over WORLDOX for first place. PracticeMaster slides into third pushing Interwoven Worksite and Hummingbird DM into a tie for fourth. Your vote can make all the difference in this @ Awards category.

9. Favorite Document Security Solution
Still a close race with Adobe Acrobat moving ahead of Metadata Assistant for first place. Workshare Protect has settled into third. Who will win this new @ Awards category? Only time will tell.

10. Favorite Electronic Discovery Solution
Applied Discovery rises to first place with CaseVault close behind in second and Concordance in third.

11. Favorite Legal Forms Solution
LexisNexis Automated Judicial Counsel Forms makes a splash in first place. West Legal Solutions Plus takes second place, forcing ProDoc into third. Anything can happen in this category with 9 days of voting left.

12. Favorite Legal Knowledge Management Solution
CaseMap plants its feet in first with West KM in second, and newcomer CaseWorth one vote behind in third. We might need a camera for this race!

13. Favorite Legal Research Tool
Wow! LexisNexis has tied WestLaw for first place, while QuickLaw edges past Loislaw for second. Your vote will make a difference for this @ Award.

14. Favorite Legal-Specific Tech Support
CaseSoft holds onto its first place lead. But Time Matters is still a force to be reckoned with in second. inData Corp. debuts in third place, two votes ahead of Software Technology. Karnac says: too close to call yet again.

15. Favorite Litigation ASP
A tight race with CaseVault in first place, LexisNexis Total Litigator in second, and third place anyone's for the taking.

16. Favorite Litigation Support Solution
CaseMap holds onto first over second place Summation Blaze/iBlaze. Visionary edges out iCONECT for third place.

17. Favorite Online CLE Provider
Another close race! LegalSpan inches into first place, forcing West LegalEdcenter into second. LexisNexis Mealeys moves into third, one vote ahead of Fios. If you've got an opinion about your favorite CLE Provider, let us know by voting!

18. Favorite Practice Area Solution
CaseMap reigns supreme in first place. BestCase Bankruptcy, Collier TopForm Bankruptcy, FinPlan, ProDoc, and Summation Blaze/iBlaze are in an unprecedented five way tie for second place! Your vote could break the tie.

19. Favorite Time-Billing Solution
Billing Matters jumps into first place. Tabs3 bounces into second, forcing Timeslips into a one vote lead over fourth place PCLaw/PCLaw Pro. Nine days of voting could move this @ Awards category in any direction.

20. Favorite Transcript Management Solution
TextMap remains in first. Summation Blaze/iBlaze catches up with LiveNote for a second place tie. RealLegal E-Transcript continues to occupy third.

21. Favorite Trial Presentation Solution
TrialDirector takes the director's seat with TimeMap falling back into second place, leaving Sanction to settle for third — for now.

22. Favorite New Legal Product of 2005
TimeMap 4 continues its lead, but a strong show of support for TimeCoder Pro has catapulted it into second place. LexisNexis Total Litigator is tied with Tabs3 for third place.

23. Favorite Technoreleases of 2005
CaseSoft remains on top. Software Technology moves into second place with LexisNexis in third. Which Technoreleases did you enjoy in 2005? Vote today and let us know.Stay tuned for the next status report on May 10th.

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, four @ Awards pay tribute to individuals — TechnoLawyer of the Year, Favorite TechnoLawyer Contributor, Legal Technology Consultant of the Year, and Blawgger of the Year. Only TechnoLawyer members may vote in the @ Awards. Join TechnoLawyer now.

Tom Raftery, Review: Ergonomic Split Keyboards; Microsoft Natural

TechnoLawyer asked:
"What advice can you give TechnoLawyer subscribers considering an ergonomic split keyboard? These keyboards always seem to generate praise, but do they have any drawbacks?"

After a shoulder operation ten years ago my left arm was in a brace. The only keyboard I could use was the split variety which I would prop up on the brace for my left hand. After the brace came off I continued to use the split keyboards. They are by far easier on the wrists and, in my case, the shoulders. I have tried several, but my favorite is still the Microsoft Natural Keyboard with the bevy of buttons above the function keys. I believe that Microsoft discontinued the version that I use, so I find them in various places who still have them in stock.

Thomas J. Raftery
Carlisle, MA

[Publisher's Note: Learn more about Microsoft's Natural Keyboard series. — Sara Skiff]

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.

Sean Fosmire, Review: Correlate for Outlines and Flow Charts

TechnoLawyer member John P. Starkweather asks:
"I'm interested in creating flow charts for my practice. Ideally, it would closely resemble MindManager with its ability to incorporate Web sites and documents and its integration with Microsoft Office. However, MindManager doesn't map a process or a decision tree in the same way a flow chart can. For example, I'd like to map the process of taking a case from filed lawsuit to closure. One map could deal with service of process. We could check service by linking the chart to the court Web site. If service is effected, then the flow chart would link to our form motion to default; if not, it would link to our forms for appointing a special process server and creating an alias summons. Once service is effected, that piece of the chart would be completed. Any thoughts?"

In my opinion, an excellent candidate for this type of process is Correlate. Correlate allows you to create outlines that show relationships between things and to connect those with URLs, files on the network, or other linked items as needed. One sheet can contain one or many "trees" of outlined items, placed where you want them, so there is some degree of unstructuredness allowed.

M. Sean Fosmire
Garan Lucow Miller, P.C.
www.garanlucow.com
Marquette, Michigan

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.

Coming May 12, 2006 to Fat Friday: David Munn reflects on this year's LegalTech New York, Carroll Straus reviews Voo2do for task management, Douglas Folk discusses Tumi's laptop cases, Georgina Macdonald reviews her Belkin and Altec Lansing iPod accessories, and Gregory Miller dissects Ross Kodner's recent musings on legal blogs. 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 May 11, 2006 to Answers to Questions: Jason Havens compares Windows Desktop Search to Google Desktop Search and reviews an Outlook archival utility, William Burt reviews Xerox Documate scanners in a law office, Alan Press reviews his Fujitsu ScanScap, Sandra Adams reviews QuickBooks for legal billing and accounts receivable, and Carol Bratt discusses her free document assembly system. 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.

Coming May 09, 2006 to TechnoFeature: Ever wonder how some law practices run so smoothly? In this article, attorney and legal technology enthusiast Bryan Sims discusses the technology he finds invaluable in his litigation practice. From hardware to software, Bryan covers it all. Find out how one lawyer increased his productivity by stepping up his tech savvy — and how you can too.

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.

Voting in the 2006 TechnoLawyer @ Awards began last week!

If you vote, you'll receive free of charge the TechnoLawyer E-Discovery Cheat Sheet. This two-page PDF file written by e-discovery expert Dennis Kennedy can serve as a valuable educational tool for you and especially your new hires and clients.

Here's what some voters have said about the cheat sheet:

"Thank you. The e-discovery cheat sheet is very informative."

"Covers the basics and highlights the risks of screwing up."

"I found it very concise and helpful. In my practice, I often function as a Litigation Support Manager. This is a great tool to share."

Voting ends on May 19th. Please vote today and download the cheat sheet.

The 2006 TechnoLawyer @ Awards is shaping up to be the most competitive ever with all 23 categories still in play. Below you'll find the raw vote status report as of today. Voting doesn't end until May 19th.

If you have not yet voted, please do so soon. When you vote, you'll receive free of charge the TechnoLawyer E-Discovery Cheat Sheet written by e-discovery expert Dennis Kennedy. So far downloads of the cheat sheet are running three times the number of votes, which means people are sharing it with their friends. Please vote today and get your own copy.

1. Favorite TechnoLawyer Contributor of 2005
Greg Krehel, Rick Borstein, and Seth Rowland are in first place in a three-way tie. Dennis Kennedy, Jeff Lisson, Ross Kodner, and Yvonne Renfrew are close behind. Which TechnoLawyer contributor do you enjoy reading the most? Your vote could tip the balance in this worthy category.

2. Legal Technology Consultant Of The Year
This lifetime achievement @ Award is wide open. Please vote for your favorite independent legal technology consultant. Please do NOT vote for those listed on the ballot. These past winners are NOT eligible.

3. Favorite Legal Web Site
FindLaw.com has a small lead over DiscoveryResources.org and Law.com, both tied for second. LexisNexis.com is two votes away in third. Your vote can make all the difference in this @ Award category.

4. Favorite Legal Blog (Blawg)
AlextronicDiscovery, DennisKennedy.Blog, and ScotusBlog are tied for first place, but this category is still up for grabs. Let us know which blawg you like best.

5. Favorite Accounting Solution
QuickBooks sits comfortably in first place with PCLaw in second and Billing Matters, Elite, and Tabs3 tied for third. A lot can change in this category in the next 16 days.

6. Favorite Case/Practice Management Solution
Time Matters has edged past Amicus Attorney for first place. AbacusLaw, Client Profiles, and ProLaw are tied in third. It looks like this race will go down to the wire as usual.

7. Favorite Document Assembly/Automation Solution
HotDocs/HotDocs Pro has settled into it's annual first place lead with no one else in sight. But victory is by no means assured with 16 days of voting left.

8. Favorite Document Management Solution
A close race! WORLDOX pulls into first, just ahead of Time Matters in second. Hummingbird DM, Interwoven Worksite and Summation Blaze/iBlaze round out third place with a three way tie.

9. Favorite Document Security Solution
Get out the vote! Adobe Acrobat and Metadata Assistant are tied for first. Second and third place are anyone's for the taking.

10. Favorite Electronic Discovery Solution
Fios Prevail is beating Concordance for first place. iCONECT and LexisNexis Applied Discovery are just a few votes behind in third. Anything can happen between now and May 19th.

11. Favorite Legal Forms Solution
ProDoc is just a few votes ahead of West Legal Solutions Plus with no one in third place (yet).

12. Favorite Legal Knowledge Management Solution
CaseMap has jumped into first place with West KM tied in second. Third place is up for grabs. Your vote could help a product bring home the gold!

13. Favorite Legal Research Tool
A tight race with WestLaw taking first place, just two votes ahead of LexisNexis in second. Loislaw.com inches into third place, one vote ahead of QuickLaw in fourth.

14. Favorite Legal-Specific Tech Support
CaseSoft has taken an early lead in this popular category, forcing LexisNexis to settle for second. Time Matters and WORLDOX are tied for third place. Show your favorite tech support team you care by sending in your vote.

15. Favorite Litigation ASP
Hardly anyone has voted in this @ Award category. Don't be shy. Tell us your Favorite Litigation ASP ASAP!

16. Favorite Litigation Support Solution
CaseMap sits comfortably in first place over Summation Blaze/iBlaze in second. iCONECT, Concordance, and Visionary are tied for third. This hotly contested race is way too close to call!

17. Favorite Online CLE Provider
West LegalEdcenter is beating out Fios and LexisNexis Mealeys, tied in second place. Kroll Ontrack occupies third.

18. Favorite Practice Area Solution
CaseMap bounds into first place, over ProDoc in second, and Collier TopForm Bankruptcy in third. Victory remains 16 days away so vote today!

19. Favorite Time-Billing Solution
This @ Award category positively sizzles with competition. Timeslips slips into first place, only three votes ahead of Billing Matters in second. PCLaw/PCLaw Pro and QuickBooks Pro aren't far behind in their third place tie.

20. Favorite Transcript Management Solution
TextMap jumps into first place with LiveNote in second and RealLegal E-Transcript in third, and Ringtail Legal in fourth. Who will win? That's up to you.

21. Favorite Trial Presentation Solution
TimeMap has a small lead over Sanction with TrialDirector close behind in third place.

22. Favorite New Legal Product of 2005
TimeMap 4 is the only new legal product making a difference so far, but we know other products were launched last year. Will they make a showing? Time will tell.

23. Favorite Technoreleases of 2005
CaseSoft (whose CEO writes every TechnoRelease) sits atop this final category with Fios in second, and LexisNexis in third. Send in your vote today.

Stay tuned for the next status report on May 10th.

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, four @ Awards pay tribute to individuals — TechnoLawyer of the Year, Favorite TechnoLawyer Contributor, Legal Technology Consultant of the Year, and Blawgger of the Year. Only TechnoLawyer members may vote in the @ Awards. Join TechnoLawyer now.

On my recent trip to Chicago, I didn't bother bringing my laptop. Instead, I loaded my presentation onto my iPod Video in a special QuickTime format (.m4v). I found the iPod an excellent tool for rehearsing my presentation. I've just done you a huge favor — you can now justify an iPod for business use! Learn how to load your presentations onto your iPod.

As for my actual presentation, it was preloaded on the conference's official laptop. I could have used my iPod if the projector had a composite video input except that the 320x240 pixel resolution would not have looked very good on a large screen. As storage capacity increases, iPods should someday feature high-resolution video that will look great when projected on a large screen.

To keep my iPod juiced while traveling, I bought Sonnet's iPod charger, which is smaller and cheaper than Apple's charger and works just as well (it lacks the fit and finish of an Apple product, however). You can buy it at Comp USA for $11.

Also worth noting, I rented a car from Hertz with a Magellan NeverLost GPS navigator. Although I had never before traveled to Chicago, thanks to this gizmo I drove from O'Hare to the John Hancock Center to the Hyatt Regency in Rosemont to the Lincoln Park Zoo and back to the Hyatt without one wrong turn.

If you travel frequently, I recommend buying your own GPS navigator, which you can use in any car, including your own. In addition, the latest models have much faster chips that can immediately create a new route if you take a wrong turn. The Garmin nuvi 350 has received favorable reviews.

About TechnoEditorials
A TechnoEditorial is the vehicle through which we opine and provide tips of interest to managing partners, law firm administrators, and others in the legal profession. TechnoEditorials appear first in TechnoGuide, and later here in TechnoLawyer Blog. TechnoGuide, which is free, also contains exclusive content. You can subscribe here.