Legal iPad

FREE Webinar: Solo & Small Firms -10 Ethics Red Flags You Need To Know

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 11:21:39 -0400

(Photo credit: rvw)

Sign up for a free webinar, hosted by MyCase, on June 27th, 2013 at 11am PDT / 2pm EDT. At the webinar, Carolyn Elefant and I will discuss the top ten ethical red flags your firm should consider when taking on new technology.

Covered topics will include:

Confidentiality and security considerations when using cloud and mobile solutions
Attorney-client relationships, advertising, and other challenges when using social and online platforms
Virtual law office ethical issues, such as avoiding the unauthorized practice of law
Escrow account issues, alternative billing, outsourcing, and more.

» RESERVE YOUR SEAT TODAY

The Presenters:

Carolyn Elefant is the Founder and Principal Attorney with the Law Offices of Carolyn Elefant in Washington D.C. She is also an ABA-published author. She wrote “Solo By Choice” and is the co-author of “Social Media For Lawyers.”

Nicole Black is an Attorney in Rochester, New York, the Business Development Director at MyCase, ABA-published author of “Cloud Computing For Lawyers” and co-author of “Social Media For Lawyers.”

CLE Accreditation Pending – MyCase is currently working with the California State Bar to be able to provide free CLE credit to webinar attendees.

The latest in Android apps for lawyers

Mon, 10 Jun 2013 15:42:27 -0400

This week’s Daily Record column is entitled ”The latest in Android apps for lawyers.”

A pdf of the article can be found here and my past Daily Record articles can be accessed here.

*****

The latest in Android apps for lawyers

A while ago I wrote an article that focused on resources for Android-toting lawyers and promised that I’d follow up with an article on Android apps for lawyers. Well if you’re a lawyer who loves Android devices but haven’t yet figured out which apps will help you in your law practice, you’re in luck! What follows are some great Android apps that will help you to stay on top of your law practice no matter where you are.

And before I start, I’d like to extend my thanks to Rochester attorney Steven Feder, an avid Android user, for sharing his favorite list of Android apps from a recent presentation that he gave on this very topic. His list was a wonderful resource and helped me tremendously in drafting this article.

First, let’s focus on the substantive legal apps developed for lawyers using Android devices.

For conducting free legal research on the fly, look no further than the Fastcase app. Another great resource is dLaw, which provides free access to federal statutes and rules along with access to Google Scholar’s legal research capabilities, and also offers paid access to various state statutes and rules.

For a functional legal dictionary, there’s LawGuide. Another great resource is the NYSBA’s ethics app, which provides full, searchable access to all New York ethics opinions.

For specific practice area tools, there’s Karl’s Mortgage, a mortgage amortization app and QuickTax, an app that is chock full of tax-related information.

Picture it Settled is an app that is currently free, although that may start charging an access fee down the road. This app aids in settlement negotiations by using predictive analytics — including vast amounts of settlement data — to assist lawyers during negotiations.

And of course, there are apps devoted to legislative and Supreme Court topics, including We the People (the full text of the U.S. Constitution), Congress (everything you ever wanted to know about Congress and pending bills), and PocketJustice (everything you ever wanted to know about the U.S. Supreme Court).

If a mobile office is what you seek, the following apps will help you achieve that goal. First, there’s Documents to Go, which is a great, albeit somewhat pricey ($24.95), word processing app that allows you to create Word documents.

Next, ScanToPDF is a really handy app that turns your Android device into a scanner. EFax is a mobile fax app that is a really useful tool, but you have to sign up for their eFax service in order to use it. Finally, there’s SignEasy, an app makes it easy to sign a document using your finger or of stylus and then share the executed document via email.

And last but not least, a few apps that turn your Android device into a personal assistant. First there’s SpeakToIt, an app that allows you to speak to your phone in order to obtain all sorts of information and also performs tasks and notifies you of important events. And, finally, DictaDroid ($1.99) is a dictation app that transforms speech into text.

So there you have it. A great list of Android apps for the mobile 21st century lawyer. Download a few and see how much you can get done using just your Android device.

Nicole Black is a Rochester, New York attorney and Director of Business Development and Community Relations at MyCase, an intuitive cloud-based law practice management platform for the modern law firm. She is also a GigaOM Pro Analyst and is the author of the ABA book Cloud Computing for Lawyers, co-authors the ABA book Social Media for Lawyers: the Next Frontier, and co-authors Criminal Law in New York, a West-Thomson treatise. She is the founder of lawtechTalk.com and speaks regularly at conferences regarding the intersection of law and technology. She publishes four legal blogs and can be reached at niki@mycase.com.

An infographic on mobile use by lawyers and a giveaway!

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 14:13:00 -0400

First, the giveaway. Head on over to the MyCase blog to enter to win a free copy of the JuryPad app, compliments of the good folks at Bench&Bar, LLC. The JuryPad iPad app is designed to streamline the jury selection process by assisting lawyers during voir dire. Using this app you can create voir dire templates and then keep track of potential jurors’ demographics and voir dire responses using a customizable seating chart. Enter to win today!

Next, check out this great infographic that we created and published at the MyCase blog that is chock full of useful and interesting statistics about lawyers use of mobile law practice management tools. It offers lots of insight into how attorneys are communicating with their clients and managing their busy law practices while mobile and on the move.

New Mobile Apps for Lawyers

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 12:05:42 -0500

Over at the MyCase blog, I wrote about a number of new apps for lawyers that were recently released. Check it out here.

Best PDF Annotation and Storage apps

Fri, 01 Feb 2013 14:44:12 -0500

In case you missed it, I recently wrote a post over at the Lawyerist blog about the best iPad PDF storage and annotation apps. Head on over, check it out, and add your favorites in the comments.

Win a Copy of the TrialPad APP

Fri, 01 Feb 2013 14:34:00 -0500

Over at the MyCase blog, we’re holding a giveaway for 2 free copies of TrialPad app, compliments of the good folks at Lit Software. Learn how you can enter to win a copy of this app here.

Why you want it: TrialPad is one of the leading iPad trial presentation apps. It’s designed to provide an affordable alternative to expensive trial presentation software or trial consultants. The idea is that using TrialPad, lawyers can organize, manipulate, and annotate documents for presentation at trial using only an iPad.

So head on over to the MyCase blog and enter to win!

Cloud Computing for Lawyers Community on Google Plus

Wed, 09 Jan 2013 10:00:16 -0500

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Join me at the “Cloud Computing for Lawyers” Google Plus community! Stay on top of legal cloud computing issues and developments. Share your thoughts on how cloud computing will be implemented in the legal field. Analyze the way that cloud computing will change the way that lawyers do business and run their firms.

Come one, come all! Hope to see you there!

Legal technology predictions for 2013

Tue, 08 Jan 2013 16:12:48 -0500

This Daily Record column is entitled “Legal technology predictions for 2013.”

A pdf of the article can be found here and my past Daily Record articles can be accessed here.

*****

Legal technology predictions for 2013

Each year, I take a stab at predicting the legal profession’s reaction and implementation of 21st century technologies. And this year is no different. I’m not always correct, but I often have a good sense of the pulse of the legal profession when it comes to its perception and adoption of technology into the practice of law.

So let’s start with mobile devices. Last year I predicted that lawyers’ use of tablets would increase dramatically and that iPads would be the tablet of choice. According to the American Bar Association’s Annual Legal Technology survey, my predictions were correct. The percentage of lawyers using tablets for law-related tasks in 2012 nearly doubled to 33 percent and 91 percent of those lawyers who use tablet devices preferred the iPad.

I believe that trend will continue in 2013, with the percentage of lawyers using tablets nearly tripling, with iPads leading the way. And, at least 15 percent of new iPads purchased will be iPad minis. Eventually, at least half of lawyers who choose to buy iPads will prefer the iPad mini, in large part because its lighter weight and smaller size make it more easily transportable in a handbag, briefcase or suit pocket.

Last year I also predicted that smartphone use would continue to increase in 2012, with iPhones in the lead, Androids coming in at a close second, and that BlackBerrys would quickly fall into disfavor.

Again, my predictions were borne out, with the ABA’s survey indicating that BlackBerry use declined significantly, dropping from 46 percent of smart phone users in 2011 to just 31 percent this year. Additionally, most lawyers who stopped using the BlackBerry switched to the iPhone, with iPhone use increasing from 31 percent in 2011 to 44 percent in 2012. My prediction regarding Android use was a bit off, with Android use increasing only 1 percentage point, from 15 to 16 percent.

I expect that these trends will continue in 2013, with BlackBerry use continuing to decline. During that same time, Android use will increase by at least 10 percent, as will iPhone use.

Next up, social media. Last year I predicted that the percentage of lawyers using of social media would remain relatively stagnant, with some lawyers abandoning their accounts and others jumping into social media for the first time. The ABA survey’s results supported this, with the percentage of lawyers using Facebook increasing to 38 percent, which is only a 4 percent increase from 2011 to 2012. Similarly, the percentage of lawyers reporting that they had a LinkedIn presence was 96 percent, representing only a 1 percentage point increase from 2011.

Once again, I predict that social media use will largely plateau in 2013. The only wild card is Google Plus. Last year I predicted that lawyers’ use of this social network would begin to increase in late 2012 and it’s unclear to me whether that is actually happening. That being said, Google Plus appears to be gaining traction and it will be interesting to see how it develops in 2013 and whether it will be of any benefit to lawyers.

Finally, as I’d expected, cloud computing use by lawyers increased slowly in 2012, with 21 percent of respondents to the ABA’s survey indicating that they used cloud-based software — an increase of only 5 percent from last year. Similarly, the cloud computing backlash from ethics committees that I’d expected also occurred, with the issuance of the Massachusetts Bar Association’s Ethics Opinion 12-03, which requires Massachusetts lawyers to obtain client consent prior to using cloud computing platforms to store confidential client information.

That being said, I also predicted last year that in mid-2013 cloud computing use in law firms will begin to show a marked increase and I stand by that prediction. The reason for the increase is simple: lawyers are becoming more familiar with cloud computing technology. Their concerns regarding security risks are slowly dissipating, while the many benefits offered by cloud computing — affordability, convenience, flexibility, secure client communications portals, and built-in back up and disaster plans — are beginning to outweigh any perceived security risks. As this shift in perception occurs, lawyers will increasingly take advantage of cloud computing services and the many benefits that they offer.

So, those are my legal technology predictions for 2013. Only time will tell if I’m right or if I’m wrong. But either way, it’ll be interesting to see what the next year brings.

2012: The year of the mobile lawyer?

Fri, 04 Jan 2013 09:00:22 -0500

This week’s Daily Record column is entitled “2012: The year of the mobile lawyer?”

A pdf of the article can be found here and my past Daily Record articles can be accessed here.

*****

2012: The year of the mobile lawyer?

Like it or not, we are now living in a mobile world, made possible in large part due to rapid advances in mobile and cloud technologies. The effect of these tools on the legal profession is becoming increasingly apparent, especially as these technologies improve and the prices drop, making mobile devices more accessible and more affordable than ever before.

Proof that the legal profession is embracing mobile tools can be found in the results of the American Bar Association’s 2012 Legal Tech Survey. According to the survey, laptop use increased significantly, with 38 percent of lawyers reporting that they switched from desktops to laptops as their primary computer of choice. And, a whopping 89 percent of lawyers reported using smart phones in 2012. Finally, over the past year, the number of lawyers using tablets more than doubled.

When it comes to smartphones, BlackBerry, once the preferred mobile device for lawyers, fell out of favor dropping from 46 percent of smart phone users in 2011 to just 31 percent this year. Meanwhile, the number of lawyers using iPhones went up in 2012, with that number increasing from 31 percent in 2011 to 44 percent in 2012. The number of lawyers using Android phones was the smallest, with Android use increasing only 1 percentage point in 2012, from 15 to 16 percent.

Tablet use was also on the rise in 2012. The iPad was released in the United States less than three years ago in April 2010. Since that time, lawyers have quickly acclimated to tablet use and the number of lawyers using tablets has risen dramatically every year. For example, according to the ABA’s survey, in 2011, 15 percent of lawyers reported using tablets for law-related tasks, but in 2012, that number increased to 33 percent.

Not surprisingly, as lawyers’ use of mobile tools increased, so too did lawyers’ use of mobile apps. One of the most popular types of apps used by lawyers are PDF annotations tools, which facilitate the storage and organization of PDFs and also allow the user to fill out PDF forms and annotate PDF documents by striking text, adding text, highlighting text and more. Some of the most-used PDF annotation apps for iPads include PDF Expert (my preferred app), Good Reader and iAnnotate.

And, of course, with the rise in the number of lawyers using mobile devices, the number of apps developed specifically for lawyers has increased rapidly, with new ones being rolled out all the time. These apps aid lawyers at every stage of the litigation process, including legal research, depositions, jury selection and trial presentation. The list of iPad apps for lawyer includes, but is not limited to: TranscriptPad, TrialPad, JuryStar, ExhibitView, Jury Duty, Mobile Transcript, The Deponent App, Exhibit A, iJuror, iPleading, iJury, iTestimony, MobiLit, JuryPad, TouchTax, FastCase and LawStack.

So, it seems that lawyers and mobile commuting were made for each other. Although traditionally the legal profession has sometimes been hesitant to embrace new technologies, mobile computing appears to be an exception to this pattern. Lawyers understand that mobile technologies make their jobs easier and provide a level of convenience and flexibility never before seen, while simultaneously offering innovative and affordable ways to better serve their clients. And, at the end of the day, isn’t that what lawyering is all about?

Review: Typi Folio Case for iPad2 and iPad3

Tue, 13 Nov 2012 10:00:07 -0500

In October, I reviewed the IPEVO Typi Folio iPad case and bluetooth keyboard for iPad3 and iPad2 for the ABA GPSolo Division’s eReport.

From my review:

You may recall that I reviewed an earlier version of this case last May, concluding that aside from the fact that my iPad didn’t fit as snugly into the case as I would have liked, I found it to be an attractive, highly functional case and keyboard.

Shortly after I wrote that review, the folks at IPEVO released an updated and improved Typi Folio Case and keyboard and offered to send it to me for my review. Like its predecessor, this case retails for $79 and is very similar to the prior version that I reviewed, with a few very notable improvements.

Before I highlight the improvements, let’s cover the basics. It continues to offer a magnetized QWERTY keyboard that can easily be removed by gently lifting it up from the case. Like the keyboards that accompany most iPad cases, it is not a full-sized keyboard, but instead is a slightly smaller, more compact version.

Bottom line: it’s a very nice iPad case/bluetooth keyboard combo and is much more attractive than most of the others out there. You should definitely check it out!

WIN a Free Geminus Genius iPad Case!

Thu, 08 Nov 2012 10:00:30 -0500

Image via CrunchBase

Each month at the MyCase blog, we hold a giveaway. Last month
two copies of the JURYSTAR iPad app were up for grabs from the good folks at Litigator Technology.

This month you can enter to win 1 of 2 Geminus Genius iPad cases. This case is reminiscent of the leather bound paper calendar cases that lawyers used to (and some still do!) take with them to court. It offers multiple viewing positions, includes numerous credit card and business card pockets, and there’s room for earbud and cord storage, among other things.If you’d like a chance to win, head on over to the MyCase blog and sign up!

And, while you’re at it, check out my past posts there about law practice management and legal technology issues, including mobile computing and cloud computing for lawyers.

Pre-Trial iPad Apps for Lawyers

Wed, 07 Nov 2012 10:00:09 -0500

This week’s Daily Record column is entitled “Pre-trial iPad apps for lawyers.”

A pdf of the article can be found here and my past Daily Record articles can be accessed here.

*****

Pre-trial iPad apps for lawyers

As I discussed in last week’s column, iPad apps for lawyers is a burgeoning arena and there are new apps released every day. For that reason, I figure it was high time to highlight both newer apps and some of the more popular standbys that have been around for a few years now.

Last week, I wrote about litigation and trial iPad apps for lawyers. This week, I’ll focus on pre-trial iPad apps for lawyers, starting with the lowest priced apps first.

First, there’s the DocketLaw app. This is a free iPad calendaring tool that allows litigators to easily determine court deadlines. Using this app you can calculate based on the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. Events can be created based on a trigger, a review of actual rule text, and via calculation logic. Once you calculate the date you can then email the results, add events to your calendar, and assign a matter description.

Mobile Transcript is another app that is free at its most basic level, although you can upgrade to more advanced versions for $29 or $39 depending on the features that you desire. This app facilitates the review and annotation of deposition or court transcript files. With this app, you can highlight important text and then share either the highlighted text or the entire transcript via email.

The iPleading app is another interesting pre-trial app, which costs $4.99. This app is a mobile litigation template generator which makes it easy to create litigation documents on the fly. Using this app you enter your name, bar number, address, phone and fax.

After you’ve done this, you select an email address to which you would like to send the completed templates. You’ll then receive an email attached to which is a custom template that includes a fillable PDF template for the first page of the pleading, and a second, which is the remainder of the document formatted as a proper pleading. You then use this to draft the rest of the pleading.

Next, there’s the Deponent app, which costs $9.99. This app aids lawyers in preparing for depositions by providing an interface designed to facilitate the creation of question and exhibit outlines. The app provides over 150 categories of deposition questions and you can also customize this feature by creating categories of your own choosing. Another useful feature is that each question that you draft can be linked to an exhibit.

Finally, there’s TranscriptPad, which costs $49.99. TranscriptPad makes it easy for lawyers to review and organize transcripts, right on their iPads. Using the app you can create color-coded designations, search for specific phrases, flag important sections, generate reports, and share the reports or flagged portions of the transcript via email.

Just like the apps I covered last week, these apps are wonderful tools for the busy litigator on the go. Using these apps you can handle pre-trial matters from virtually anywhere as long as you have an Internet connection and your iPad. So if you have an iPad, make sure to take a look at these apps and see which ones will fit best into your practice and allow you to join the mobile computing revolution.

Nicole Black is a Rochester, New York attorney and the Vice President of Business Development and Community Relations at MyCase, an intuitive cloud-based law practice management platform for the modern law firm. She is also a GigaOM Pro Analyst and is the author of the ABA book Cloud Computing for Lawyers, co-authors the ABA book Social Media for Lawyers: the Next Frontier, and co-authors Criminal Law in New York, a West-Thomson treatise. She is the founder of lawtechTalk.com and speaks regularly at conferences regarding the intersection of law and technology. She publishes four legal blogs and can be reached at nblack@nicoleblackesq.com.

MyCase Acquired by AppFolio

Fri, 02 Nov 2012 10:00:10 -0400

Earlier this week, it was announced that the company for which I work, MyCase, which provides an intuitive cloud-based law practice management platform for lawyers, was acquired by AppFolio.

Words cannot express how excited I am by this news! Appfolio, a company backed by $30 million in venture capital and which provides cloud computing services for a number of verticals, including property management andsecure virtual data rooms, is an amazing company made up of amazing people. It was founded bythe very same people who created GoToMeeting and GoToMyPC.

The MyCase team will remain intact, with fellow attorney Matt Speigel at the helm, and we will work just as diligently as we always have to improve our product and exceed our customers expectations. The only change will be that we now have more resources to grow and develop the MyCase platform.

Needless to say, I am thrilled to be a part of this tremendously talented team and am looking forward to making MyCase the best it can be!

Litigation and Trial iPad App for Lawyers

Thu, 01 Nov 2012 15:47:06 -0400

This is a Daily Record column is entitled “Litigation and trial iPad apps for lawyers.”

A pdf of the article can be found here and my past Daily Record articles can be accessed here.

*****

Litigation and trial iPad apps for lawyers

Although I’ve written about iPad apps for lawyers in the past, the number of apps designed specifically for attorneys is always increasing. For that reason, I figured it was high time to revisit this topic so that I could cover most of the legal apps available, including some of the more recent releases.

One of the most popular and rapidly growing categories of apps for lawyers are those developed for use in trial and litigation. Within this subset of apps, there are generally two different types: apps for use during trials and apps for use during the pretrial discovery phase. In this article, I’ll highlight apps developed for use during trial and next week I’ll discuss the pretrial apps.

First, there are the apps that assist with jury selection. At the most basic level, these apps allow you to keep track of jurors’ responses and reactions during voir dire.

The least expensive of the bunch, at just $4.99, is the Jury Tracker app. This app was created by an attorney and is designed to aid lawyers during trial by providing an easy way to keep track of observations regarding jurors by organizing notes and predictions regarding each juror throughout the course of the trial.

Next up is iJury at $14.99, an app that facilities the analysis of juror responses. After inputting the jurors’ voir dire responses into the app, you can score their responses as either negative or positive and then the app generates metrics about your prospective jury.

Not to be confused with iJury is the iJuror app. This app costs $19.99 and allows you to add jurors to a configurable seating chart. You then add information and notes about the jurors by tapping the juror’s location on the seating chart. When jurors are dismissed from the panel, you simply drag them off of the seating chart.

Another voir dire app is the JuryStar iPad app, which was developed by an attorney and costs $29.99. This app has a number of built-in features designed to make it easy to assess your jury panel at a glance, including color codes for the gender of jurors and the ability to add a custom color code for another category of your choosing. It also allows you to create custom fields so that you can easily track the factors that are most important to your case.

Finally, JuryDuty is another app designed to assist with voir dire. This app costs $39.99 and allows you to enter unlimited data about each juror. Once you’ve entered notes about a juror, that juror’s icon changes from white to blue, thus making it easy to determine which jurors you’ve already addressed.

Now, on to the trial apps. First, there’s the newly released TrialDirectory app, the only free app in the bunch. With this app you create case folders and then add exhibits via your Dropbox or iTunes accounts. You then work with your evidence using the annotation and presentation tools.

Next up is the Exhibit A trial presentation app, which, at only $9.99, is also a bargain. This app allows you to import your documents, photos, etc., via Dropbox, iTunes, WiFi, FTP or email. You then organize your files into “projects” and can highlight and mark your exhibits, which are shared with the jury using your iPad and an external monitor or by a projector using a VGA or HDMI adapter, or by connecting wirelessly using AirPlay and Apple TV.

Finally, there’s the ever-popular TrialPad app, which costs $89.99. TrialPad was one of the first trial presentation apps to be released and has thus had time to fine tune and perfect its app based on user feedback. With TrialPad you import files into the app via a large number of interfaces, including Dropbox, WebDAV, email, iTunes, Photos app, or other iPad apps. You can highlight, annotate, redact and zoom in on your documents and compare documents side by side. There is also a whiteboard available so that you can draw freehand as you speak.

The wonderful thing about all of these apps is that they are both affordable and innovative. The jury selection apps streamline and simplify the process of voir dire while the trial apps level the playing field and offer all lawyers access to tools and features that were once only available to large firms with thousands of dollars available to spend on costly trial presentation software programs.

So, just as the iPad is revolutionizing the consumer content consumption experience, it is likewise improving the experiences of trial lawyers and jurors alike. Not bad for a device that many naysayers used to call an unnecessary and unimpressive oversized iPod. Not bad at all.

WIN a copy of the JURYSTAR iPad app!

Fri, 28 Sep 2012 10:29:00 -0400

Each month at the MyCase blog, we hold a giveaway. Last month the two IPEVO iPad cases were up for grabs. This month it’s two copies of the JURYSTAR iPad app from the good folks at Litigator Technology. This app was nominated by the National Law Journal as the 2012 Best Trial Prep iPad app. It was created by an attorney and is designed to offer lawyers a 21st century alternative to the traditional method of selecting jurors.

If you’d like a chance to win, head on over to the MyCase blog and sign up!

And, while you’re at it, check out my past posts there about law practice management and legal technology issues, including mobile computing and cloud computing for lawyers.

IPEVO Origami Folio iPad Case Review

Thu, 13 Sep 2012 08:59:00 -0400

In August, I reviewed the IPEVO Origami Folio iPad Case over at the Lawyerist blog. (The good folks at IPEVO were kind enough to provide me with a case for the review). Learn how you can win this case below!

From my review:

Well now that I’ve tried the Origami Folio case, I’m a convert to fitted cases. I really like this case. It’s made of a very soft, smooth microfiber material and comes in a variety of attractive colors: black, azure, honeysuckle, lemongrass and tangerine.

The only criticism I can come up with for this case is that it takes some getting used to in the beginning in terms of figuring out the proper way to manipulate the cover so that it folds inward correctly.

Aside from that I love it. It’s an attractive, practical case and as long as it holds up over time, and it’s a relative bargain at $39.00.

Bottom line: it’s my new favorite case. And guess what? You can enter for a chance to win it (or IPEVO’s Typi Folio Case with wireless bluetooth keyboard). Submit your entry at the MyCase blog here. But hurry, your chance to win ends soon!

Reference apps for the mobile lawyer

Wed, 12 Sep 2012 12:36:34 -0400

This week’s Daily Record column is entitled “Reference apps for the mobile lawyer.”

A pdf of the article can be found here and my past Daily Record articles can be accessed here.

*****

Reference apps for the mobile lawyer

These days it seems as if we’re always on the go. The good news is that for the mobile lawyer, there are lots of ways to get things done on the road, with smart phones and tablets leading the way.

Of course, one things that busy lawyers always need access to is information. Fortunately, there are a vast assortment of useful mobile apps that make it easy to get whatever information you need, no matter where you are.

So, to get you started, here’s just a sampling of some of the better reference apps available. Most of these apps are available for both Apple devices and Android devices, but for the purposes of this article I’m going to focus on the apps for Apple devices.

First off, there’s the Wolfram Alpha app ($1.99). This app gives you full access to the Wolfram Alpha database, right from your smart phone or tablet. Among other things, you can perform complex calculations, obtain date and time zone information, convert units and measures, obtain geographical information, locate weather information and much, much more.

And, if the regular Wolfram Alpha database isn’t as legal-specific as you’d like, there’s always the Wolfram Alpha Lawyer’s Professional Assistant app ($4.99). It offers, among other things, a full legal dictionary, statutes of limitations for every state, financial computations, and investigative information, including including weather, company information, IP lookup and a blood alcohol calculator.

Next up, apps to aid in the writing process. Because lawyers write. A lot. So it’s good to know that there are a number of useful writing apps. First, there’s the Merriam Webster dictionary app (free). And, for those lawyers seeking to interpret street slang, there’s the Urban Dictionary app (free). Finally, the iThesaurus app (free) will help you find that elusive word that’s on tip of your tongue but that you just can’t access no matter how hard you try.

Now let’s move on to a language app that’s useful for lawyers representing clients who speak another language or for lawyers who simply need to translate a document. For these lawyers, the Google Translate app (free) will no doubt come in handy. Using it you can translate words and phrases from over 60 languages. For most languages you can simply speak a phrase and then hear the translation.

For access to a vast array of knowledge, there’s the Wikipanion app (free), which allows you to search the entire Wikipedia database. And, for geographical information, there’s the World Atlas HD app ($0.99) from National Geographic. Finally, Google Earth (free) is an app that allows you to virtually navigate far flung locations. Using this app you can browse 3D images of select cities, from aerial views right on down to road views.

Next, if you’re on the road and in need of a phone number or address, the White and Yellow Pages app (free) is all that you’ll need.

Also useful are two apps for medical and anatomical information: WebMD (free) and DK the Human Body ($6.99). The latter app offers a visually appealing and detailed map of human anatomy and includes over 270 full color and zoomable high resolution images.

And, last but not least, two apps that will be useful for litigators. First there’s the Recalls app (free) which, if you upgrade in-app to the Pro version for just $0.99, provides a searchable database of recalls dating back to 1969 from the FDA, the CPSC, the USDA, the EPA and the NHTSA. Finally, there’s the Weather Time Machine app ($1.99), which provides detailed weather conditions dating as far back as 1960 for over 40,000 locations across the U.S. and Canada.

So there you have it: a great assortment of reference apps to get you started. Using these apps you’ll always have the information you need right at your fingertips, no matter the time or place. After all, we live in a mobile world, so why make full use of your mobile devices and take advantage of all the reference tools and apps available.

Nicole Black is a Rochester, New York attorney and the Vice President of Business Development and Community Relations at MyCase, an intuitive cloud-based law practice management platform for the modern law firm. She is also a GigaOM Pro Analyst and is the author of the ABA book Cloud Computing for Lawyers, co-authors the ABA book Social Media for Lawyers: the Next Frontier, and co-authors Criminal Law in New York, a West-Thomson treatise. She is the founder of lawtechTalk.com and speaks regularly at conferences regarding the intersection of law and technology. She publishes four legal blogs and can be reached at nblack@nicoleblackesq.com.

WIN an IPEVO iPad Case!

Wed, 29 Aug 2012 10:38:23 -0400

Image via CrunchBase

Each month at the MyCase blog, we hold a giveaway. Last month theTranscriptPad iPad app was up for grabs. This month it’s one of two iPad cases from the good folks at IPEVO. These are my favorite iPad cases, so if you win, you’re in for a treat!

If you’d like a chance to win, head on over to the MyCase blog and sign up!

And, while you’re at it, check out my past posts there about law practice management and legal technology issues, including mobile computing and cloud computing for lawyers.

iPad Statistics, Resources, and Apps for Lawyers

Tue, 31 Jul 2012 16:21:00 -0400

Have you entered to win the a free copy of the TranscriptPad (normally $49.99) iPad app yet? If not, head on over to the MyCase blog and find out how you can enter to win 1 of 2 copies that are up for grabs compliments of the good folks at LitSoftware. If you’re not familiar with it, TranscriptPad is a really useful iPad app for attorneys that allows you to read, highlight, and share deposition and trial transcripts using just your iPad.

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Image via CrunchBase

And, here’s an excerpt from my latest post at the MyCase blog, iPad Statistics, Resources, and Apps for Lawyers:

Every year the American Bar Association publishes a multi-volume report on technology trends in the legal industry (available for purchase here). One trend that really stood out this year was the tremendous effect of mobile computing on the practice of law. From the statistics, one thing is clear: of all new technology trends, lawyers are embracing mobile computing, first and foremost.

Jeff Richardson over at iPhone J.D. recently reported on the mobile computing statistics from this report and the results were sometimes surprising, but always interesting.

First, smartphone use by lawyers for work-related tasks was up by just 1 percent from last year, with 89 percent of lawyers using smartphones. However, their phone of choice changed dramatically from last year, with Blackberry use declining significantly from 46 percent of smartphone-users in 2011 to just 31 percent this year.

More likely than not, the decline in Blackberry use by most lawyers is linked to RIM’s recent corporate struggles, but even so, BigLaw continues to cling to the dying brand, with 57 percent of large law firms reporting that Blackberrys are their smartphone of choice…

Continue reading for more statistics, iPad resources and a list of legal iPad apps…

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iPad cases, apps and more!

Mon, 23 Jul 2012 09:44:35 -0400

(Photo credit: patrick-allen)

Recently I’ve written about iPad and iPhone apps and cases for lawyers. Here are links to a few different articles or blog posts that you might find useful:

ProductNote: Typi Folio Case and Wireless Keyboard for iPad2 (ABA GPSolo eReport)
PaperPort Notes Review: A Versatile iPad Note-Taking App (Lawyerist)
YouMail and TouchBase Enhance Your iPhone’s Native Calendar and Voicemail (Lawyerist)

Nicole Black is a Rochester, New York attorney and the Vice President of Business Development and Community Relations at MyCase, a powerful and intuitive cloud-based law practice management platform. She is also a GigaOM Pro Analyst and is the author of the ABA book Cloud Computing for Lawyers, co-authors the ABA book Social Media for Lawyers: the Next Frontier, and co-authors Criminal Law in New York, a West-Thomson treatise. She is the founder of lawtechTalk.com and speaks regularly at conferences regarding the intersection of law and technology. She publishes four legal blogs and can be reached at nblack@nicoleblackesq.com.