Law Practice Today

Trial Presentation software is typically used on a "stage" in front of a court, jury, and, well, let’s just say an audience. Make sure to choose it carefully, and with some due diligence.

Need an ally in the battle against information entropy? Try Evernote.

Becoming a solo practitioner can be incredibly rewarding, but also carries a lot of responsibility. Make sure you never miss an appointment or court date by having the right calendar for you.

Uppercase, lowercase, special characters ... is it any wonder we can't remember all of our passwords? Take a look at some options to help you safely sort and store your login names and passwords.

With so many rapid-fire changes in technology, can we really be expected to keep pace? Maybe it's time to return to a few basics before we burn our hard drives at both ends.

Maybe you think you don't need it, but here are a few things that may be worth considering.

The renowned customer service at Apple Stores shows remarkable similarities to a top-notch law firm – learn why!

Two experts share 50 essential resources and links to help solos start up or refine their practice.

Being a solo lawyer doesn't diminish your need for technology, but it may mean you face more limited resources. Here are some things you can do about it.

You set up your remote office, but is it as secure as your clients need it to be?

We've all talked about it. Now, learn how – go paperless!

This Tech Tool Review introduces an excellent application for sharing computer desktops via the Internet.

This Tech Tool Review introduces an excellent application for sharing computer desktops via the Internet.

Get advice for using your Mac as a work tool no matter where you are.

Virtual firms are becoming more and more prevalent. Here are some things to consider before launching your own cyberfirm.

Many attorneys find that working remotely provides a better work/life balance, and here are more reasons to consider it for your office.

From BlackBerrys to netbooks, here are some tips to help you choose the mobile devices right for you.

Dennis Kennedy looks back at technology trends for the beginning of 2009, and he makes predictions about trends for the second half of the year. Are you in the know?

One of the excuses that attorneys give for their reluctance to switch from PCs to Macs is that they “need” Windows for one reason or another. The good news is that Macs can run other operating systems, including Windows, whenever needed.

This article presents some inexpensive and basic, but often overlooked, ways to speed up your computer while increasing its stability and reliability.

Voice-recognition software improved dramatically since its inception. Walk through one lawyer's trial and critique of one of the latest options available.

One of the biggest steps that you can take to increase your productivity is to add a second monitor to your computer configuration, and although Windows has been able to handle multiple monitor support since Windows 95, there is very little you can do to tweak the monitor settings. Fortunately, Real Time Soft has created a utility called UltraMon that allows multiple monitor management.

Still think Adobe is king of the PDF world? Explore one of the latest software options giving Adobe a run for its money.

Increasing billable hours translates into greater job security — that's a no brainer! This excerpt from the new book The Busy Lawyer's Guide to Success: Essential Tips to Power Your Practice, offers advice to help you more accurately capture and bill your time.

This "Best of ABA TECHSHOW®" article was originally presented at ABA TECHSHOW 2008, the World's Premier Legal Technology Conference and Expo. It's just one example of the terrific content offered at ABA TECHSHOW by more than 50 legal technology experts. ABA TECHSHOW 2009 will be held April 2-4, 2009 at the Hilton Chicago.

Technology can be a saving grace whether you are trying to become more organized, increase productivity, or simply make your professional life a bit easier to manage. However, technology can also be quite costly. Learn some tips for using technology to save money in trying times.

Adobe Acrobat continues to change the technology landscape of the legal profession, and Acrobat 9 provides even more to help lawyers make the most of technology to advance productivity.

Smartphones, text messaging, WiFi, and other innovations make ”out of the office” an obsolete phrase. Clients, are often tech-savvy and expect communication from their lawyers to be quick and convenient. Learn about a tool for attorneys that makes client communications a no brainer.

PDF is undoubtedly the preferred medium of legal professionals. With so many options for PDF-creating software, the selection process may seem overwhelming. Take a look at an option that is both reasonably-priced and compatible with most standard office programs.

This "Best of ABA TECHSHOW®" article was originally presented at ABA TECHSHOW 2008, the World's Premier Legal Technology Conference and Expo. It's just one example of the terrific content offered at ABA TECHSHOW by more than 50 legal technology experts. ABA TECHSHOW 2009 will be held April 2-4, 2009 at the Hilton Chicago.

Not just for creative types anymore! A long-time staple of the technology needs of designers, ad agencies, etc., Macs are now worthy opponents of PCs when it comes to the needs of “serious” people. Read more about the ever-growing list of applications designed to help you market your business.

PCs no longer hold the lion's share of outlining and information-organizing tools. In this article by Stephen Chakwin, learn about the large variety of tools available for Mac users.

In planning for the future it is important that you devote sufficient time and money now to developing a file management process. In doing so you will save both time and money in the future in dealing with your files.

Digital photography technology changes all of the time, and quality isn’t determined strictly by megapixils. Learn what you need to know to choose the camera that you need (for your practice and your vacation) from the myriad available options.

This "Best of ABA TECHSHOW®" article was originally presented at ABA TECHSHOW 2008, the World's Premier Legal Technology Conference and Expo. It's just one example of the terrific content offered at ABA TECHSHOW by more than 50 legal technology experts. ABA TECHSHOW 2009 will be held April 2-4, 2009 at the Hilton Chicago.

New technologies are great if they provide the services you need and want. Our authors review two of the hippest new mobile devices and finds them wanting in different ways.

New technologies are great if they provide the services you need and want. Our authors review two of the hippest new mobile devices and finds them wanting in different ways.

In preparation for our latest Web 2.0 column for Law Practice magazine, we're gathering intelligence about the practice of blocking social media websites by law firms. Now is your chance to tell the world (anonymously) if your firm is blocking, which sites are being blocked, and if you are in favor or against the practice.

Recent data suggests that somewhere between 95% and 98% of all business records are originally electronic records produced and stored on personal computers and similar devices, and thus vulnerable to prying. That statistic, along with concerns about hacking, identity theft, our heavy reliance upon the Internet and the daily bombardment of computer viruses, spyware, and other sneaky malicious software, is strong caution to attorneys regarding protection of client interests. The problem with electronic data security is that it’s usually either too little or too much. Striking the right balance between ease of use and Fort Knox style security is difficult, particularly with wireless networks and broadband Internet connections.

This "Best of ABA TECHSHOW" article was originally presented at ABA TECHSHOW 2008, the World's Premier Legal Technology Conference. It's just one example of the terrific content offered at ABA TECHSHOW by more than 50 legal technology experts. ABA TECHSHOW 2009 will be held April 2-4, 2009 at the Hilton Chicago.

Part of the key to collecting fees is your billing process. This article will help you create bills that clients will be happy to pay – and in a timely way.

Keep up to date on the latest trials involving internet fraud, antitrust law, electronic discovery and more. Over twenty brief stories cover various topics of technology in the legal field.

Keep up to date on the latest trials involving internet fraud, antitrust law, electronic discovery and more. Over twenty brief stories cover various topics of technology in the legal field.

Whether you are traveling across the county or globally, securing client data is a critical task.  These recommendations offer best practices on ways to keep client communication safe - no matter where you are going, or how you are storing information.

Joe Kashi discusses recent technology he's tried and found useful to the litigator.

While most lawyers are wedded to the PC, these two lawyers enumerate the advantages of the Mac, for work, for home, and for the pure enjoyment of it. Originally presented at ABA TECHSHOW 2008

Understanding your software can save you time and aggravation. In this article common software myths are explained.

Lawyers often create problems for themselves by focusing too narrowly on certain aspects of a project rather than the big picture. Robert Ambrogi shares the advice of Dr. Cliff Reader to illustrate how an expert with technical and business experience can help a client take a broader view of a problem.

In-house corporate legal personnel were interviewed about concerns that are most important to the professionals that manage litigation throughout corporate America and the impact that e-discovery has on their work. The findings and perspectives from these one-on-one interviews are outlined in this report.

One law firm shares how they successfully implemented new technology systems to their offices coast to coast.

Most American corporations are ill-prepared to respond to electronic discovery requests and go to court. How can they establish a reliable foundation for litigation readiness? Here, an ED advisor proposes a three-step strategy: Assess your technology, map your data and “strengthen your hold.”

Is your firm getting the most it can out of Microsoft Word? Most employees know how to use the program but these more complex tips will help maximize the effectiveness of the program.

There is little doubt that courtroom tech tools assist most cases, criminal and civil. But how do you effectively use complex and costly courtroom technology? In this article originally presented at the 2008 ABA Techshow, Nils Jensen provides guidelines and advice for navigating these complexities.

Blackberries and other smart phone devices are supposed to provide the flexibility to be able to work anywhere but are they really allowing us more freedom? It is important to recognize when your Blackberry has become more of a burden than resource and how to solve this problem.

The information you store on your laptop is as valuable as the computer itself. Steven Berwick shares methods you can use to keep your confidential information secure when using portable technology.

Both law firms and technology vendors are already navigating through early 2008’s rapidly evolving environment. Christy Burke shares some of what is in store for law office technology in 2008.

The internet makes information available to people all over the world, and whether or not you’re wired does affect your practice. Brian Levitt describes how Avvo, a site for legal consumers, can add credibility to your practice.

Client satisfaction can often be more a more difficult undertaking in law than in other industries.  In this article, originally presented at ABA TECHSHOW 2007, Jim Calloway and Nancy Roberts Linder share some tech tips that will help you be up to this challenge.

Visual evidence can be a great advantage in the courtroom. Here are some common problems and suggestions on how to enhance and clarify the presentation and testimony of your expert witness.

Are you too busy to devote time to business development? Streamline your business development strategy with Client Relationship Management (CRM) software. Matching technology with your firm's needs could even out the playing field and establish a competitive advantage.

Track Changes is one of the most common and popular collaborative document preparation tools used in the legal profession. Yet it isn't perfect. Some features could lead to potentially embarrassing, revealing or compromising situations. This column may not eliminate all of your frustrations and difficulties but it should make your life easier next time you use this feature.

Accurate time tracking is important not just for billable time, but for all working time. It seems like a daunting task, but once you set realistic goals and make the process a habit, it could provide significant benefits for you, your firm and your clients. Use a pen and paper, a Blackberry or supporting software, but whatever your method, start by reading these useful tips for tracking your time.

This "Best of ABA TECHSHOW" paper from 2006 will put you on the path to a paper free office.

Take advantage of the persuasive power of multimedia. Modern technology has allowed for increased accessibility and lower costs of resources such as digital cameras, printers and software. As multimedia presentations encourage memory retention, why not take suggestions for some quick and effective approaches.

With the increased use of "wiki" in the legal profession, there is a surprisingly great knowledge gap. What is a "wiki" and how can it prove beneficial to my work? From the basic to expansive side of this recent phenomenon, Mighell and Kennedy provide a useful tool of reference and insight.

It has been said that if you can imagine it you can understand it. As a lawyer, it is your role to help each juror “see” or imagine the case based on your arguments, not your opponent’s. This article explains the importance of communicating with visuals in the courtroom, and its effectiveness on modern juries.

The world's premier legal technology conference, ABA TECHSHOW® comes to Chicago for the 21st year March 22-24, 2007. On the slate are more than 50 CLE sessions presented by the best legal technology speakers, a vendor expo with more than 100 exhibitors and countless opportunities to learn about the latest in legal technology.

Many lawyers are tempted by new technology and its implied promise of speed, efficiency and convenience. Yet once a purchase is made, the transition from box to implementation is often delayed indefinitely. This doesn't need to be the case. Find out how increase the ROI of your next purchase.

In keeping with the theme of this month's Law Practice Today, we thought we would revisit some of our favorite sites that we've mentioned in Strongest Links columns this year. We tried to choose one or two sites from each topic, so what you're seeing here is truly the Strongest Strongest Links -- the best of the best. Enjoy, and we'll see you again in the New Year!

Start off the new year armed with the knowledge of how to avoid the most common causes of malpractice. Read this article today.

The editors of LPT review their technology predictions from last December, discuss what they hope to see in 2007 and predict what might be just beyond the horizon.

You've heard the term. You've seen the RSS icon. Now you're ready to use RSS but you are still not sure how it works. Mighell and Kennedy will help you get started with this brief overview on how RSS resources will make your Web surfing more manageable.

Advances in technology have brought the world to our fingertips. Cell phones, WiFi and the Internet have dramatically changed how and where we communicate. Times have changed and the new rules regarding electronic discovery must change as well. Read more for a synopsis of the amendments along with some observations about their impact.

The date the amended Federal Rules of Civil Procedure will take effect is fast approaching. To learn more about the intricacies of e-discovery Dennis Kennedy and Tom Mighell have collected links to portals, resources, blogs, cases and more on this topic.

Is your firm's web site as effective as it could be? Learn how to avoid and correct the most common flaws in law firm web site design.

This article will explore different definitions and ways of determining the financial payback on your investment in technology. If done correclty, you should be able to forecast potential benefits and avoid the pitfalls associated with the implementation of new technology that is not a good match for your firm's needs.

Proposed amendments to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, approved by the Supreme Court in April, will mark the end of the halcyon days of pre-computer era discovery. Are you prepared?

With today’s technology, you can take it with you (and by "it" we mean your office). Tom Mighell offers links to products and services that will make any road warrior feel at home no matter where they happen to be.

This article covers what you need to know about VoIP and how to get started.

Are you at the mercy of your Inbox? Do you feel like you can't get to the important work because you spend all your time weeding through spam and discussion list messages or trying to effectively organize your case-related e-mail? Learn how to harness your Inbox and make e-mail the workhorse driving your practice forward that it was intended to be.

Joe Kashi offers 15 tips to authenticate your photographs for use in court.

Tom Mighell takes a summer vacation from legal links and offers 10 great sites that help make life just a little bit easier.

A new crop of marketing and client service blogs were launched this year, many of which are updated daily and aimed directly at lawyers. This month's column offers a quick review of some of the most useful.

Flexibility is the name of the game with an Acrobat-based filing system. In Part II of this series on"Litigating with Acrobat"Joe Kashi offers general and specific tips and tricks for using Acrobat 7 in your practice.

The topic of outsourcing is not handled in a very organized way on the Internet. There are thousands of articles on the subject scattered across news sites, IT pages, and human resource portals. So rather than attempt to decide which of these articles and services were the best, this month's Strongest Links will provide you with the sites you need to educate yourself on the topic of outsourcing, as well as a few articles selected by columnist Tom Mighell.

There is a difference in $200 cameras and $1000 cameras; however is it an $800 difference in value? In this article, Joe Kashi continues his evaluation of digital cameras; identifying the pros and cons of specific models.

Joe Kashi offers 17 tips on how to make your filing system searchable, accessible and secure while maintaining its integrity by using Adobe Acrobat.

ABA TECHSHOW is an extraordinary learning experience. It's also somewhat overwhelming with more than 60 sessions, 1,400 attendees and 100 exhibitors. Hit the ground running with these tips.

This year's most popular ABA TECHSHOW presentation has been expanded to four sessions offering 240 of the best tips. Here is your sneak peak.

Before you pull out your credit card or spend a minute downloading the latest upgrade, find out what is worth your time and money by reading this article by Joe Kashi.

Today’s digital cameras are so easy to use, there’s no reason your law office should be without one. Deciding which one to buy, however, is a daunting task. Learn more before heading out to the store.

The digital age in documentation created an environment where authenticity is and should be questioned. Yet authenticity is fundamental to litigation. Read more from ABA TECHSHOW 2006 speaker George Paul.

Security threats to your clients' data and information are greater today than ever before. Are you protected?

Most conference attendees will say they learned as much during hallway conversations as they did in educational sessions. The advent of speakers with blogs has brought some of these conversations online. Learn more on how to join the discussion.

Adobe Acrobat is ubiquitous, yet most lawyers limit their use to the free Reader version. Find out if your firm could benefit from a simple upgrade.

There's a world of human resource information available on the web. Tom Mighell helps you sort it all out.

While disasters, by their very nature, are unpredictable your backup system shouldn't be. Read more to make sure your office is prepared.

What to do whenyourneighborhood volcano blows.

Web 2.0 will change the face of collaboration and how we use the Internet. Make sure you are prepared for the implications on the legal profession.

If your idea of surfing the Internet involves passively viewing Web sites for information, Tom Mighell and Dennis Kennedy have a thing or two to tell you about the new technologies that are making the Internet more interactive than ever before.

Before you pull out your credit card or spend a minute downloading the latest upgrade, find out what is worth your time and money by reading this article by Joe Kashi.

For some, it's their lifeblood. For others, it is the bane of their existence. Find out what technology the LPT editors and other legal technology users actually use and what they hope to see by the end of next year.

The April issue of Law Practice Today focused on malpractice, and covered some of the best ethics sites on the Net. Now that the focus is ethics, the sites haven't changed. So we'll re-run our April column, with a few notable updates.

The technology exists but does anyone utilize it? Find out if ABA Webmaster, Fred Faulkner's early 2005 technology predictions came true or were a bust.

If your last Google search on practice management topics produced zero links to blogs you may have missed out on one of the most useful and up-to-date resources available online. Check out these recommendations from Dennis Kennedy and Tom Mighell.

When looking for that competitive edge, many firms turn to the latest technology. Yet technology is not the panacea for your firm's marketing woes. Author Anne Parys offers important considerations when contemplating the purchase of new technology.

You know you need a disaster plan. You don't need to be convinced. But where do you start? Don't reinvent the wheel. Use these helpful sites to ensure your firm creates a successful disaster plan.

Is your firm prepared to handle a catastrophe with its current backup system? Using an Internet backup system may be the best choice. Do you know where to start?

Technology’s limitations are not always apparent. Find out what technology is truly costing your practice.

When it comes to electronic discovery, TIFF files may often be the best option available. Many firms don’t use this format due to perceived costs, yet the opposite may be true. Learn about the advantages and pitfalls of using TIFFs.

IM is no longer just for teenagers. From recent grads to seasoned professionals, IM has become an important tool in business communications. Learn more about its implications and its potential risks.

The search is over. Well, not quite. But it can be easier, quicker and cheaper than you ever imagined. John Tredennick discusses a free search tool that will accelerate your next pursuit for files or e-mail.

Using technology in the steps that follow the discovery process is important in allowing attorneys to develop well-crafted cases. Cas Campaigne addresses some of the advantages that will simplify the life cycle of a case.

Judges are showing increasing intolerance for spoliation, whether it is the open mockery of the system or the subtler version that results from mismanagement. To avoid hefty fines, make sure your firm is aware of its responsibilities in its preservation of electronic evidence.

Is your law firm operating in a structural straitjacket that creates barriers to innovation? The partnership model, based on committees and consensus, makes for conservative decision-making. Is it time to change the way your organization delivers legal services?

Intimidated by the steps on how to handle and process electronic evidence? Sharon Nelson and John Simek introduce to non-techies how to develop an electronic evidence protocol.

Do you know the single most critical factor in cost-effective computing? Joe Kashi provides some insight on making the most of your existing computer and when it is time to open the wallet.

Jeff Brown offers a humorous take on an“Oscar-worthy”performance in e-Discovery opinions.

How secure is your data? Is your confidential client information at risk of being exposed? Dan Pinnington examines the issues surrounding security and privacy of electronic data in today’s law office. This except from the managing the security and privacy of data in a law office booklet will be presented in three parts.

Are you in the market to purchase a new computer system for youself or your firm? Joe Kashi explains some of his findings when testing performance between 32-bit and 64-bit systems. Read this before you buy!Read more

Are your computer shortcomings sapping your productivity? Joe Kashi offers some great advice on how to tackle your computer frustrations and regain control.

How secure is your data? Is your confidential client information at risk of being exposed? Dan Pinnington examines the issues surrounding security and privacy of electronic data in today’s law office. This except from the Managing the Security and Privacy of Data in a Law Office booklet will be presented in three parts.

Get a sneak peak at one popular session at ABA TECHSHOW. Dan Pinnington shares a few tips to wet your whistle.

All too often lawyers' visual presentations have too many slides, with too many words on them, in boring sequences of repetitive bullets. Then they compound the problem by reading the slides word for word. Dan Pinnington and Simon Chester preview their crash course on making effective presentations.

According to a survey of recent published decisions, negligent e-discovery conduct has been sanctioned in all 12 federal judicial circuits. In this article, Paul Neale uncovers the most common e-discovery errors for which litigants have been held accountable.

One benefit of being in a smaller firm is that you can obtain and use better technology as you—the lawyer—see fit. Congratulations, this is your year.

Andrew Adkins explores some of the reasons why you and your case management software may not play well together and tries to help you determine the right path to follow.

What's worse than a disaster? How about doubling your disaster with a disastrous set of of discovery plans, policies and procedures? Dennis Kennedy previews his ABA TECHSHOW session with steps you can take to improve your planning and procedures.

Not tech savvy? Don’t let that stop you from reading this article and improving your TQ (Technology Quotient). Fred Faulkner identifies the technology trends that will save you time and keep you ahead of the curve.

Do you offer your clients a solid battle plan for a thorough electronic discovery process? Matt Yarbrough outlines a plan that will eliminate the headaches that can occur when clients are required to collect the hundreds of gigabytes and terabytes of data associated with a discovery request.

Current ABA TECHSHOW Chair Jim Calloway polled past chairs about their thoughts on use of legal technolgy.

How secure is your data? Is your confidential client information at risk of being exposed? Dan Pinnington examines the issues surrounding security and privacy of electronic data in today's law office. The excerpt from themanaging the security and privacy of data in a law officeBooklet will presented in three parts.

If you're interested in learning more about blogging, or meeting some of these rock stars of the blog world, read this article and plan to attend the"Meet the Bloggers"discussion roundtable at ABA TECHSHOW 2005.

CaseMap is a thinking tool that is revolutionizing the way that litigators analyze, organize, manage and present their cases by letting them see the forest rather than just the trees. Dennis Kennedy reviews CaseMap.

Extranets offer a real utility to law firms–the ability to communicate better with clients with much less effort. Mark Tamminga explores the various options available to law firms interested in using this technology.

Web sites have proven to be one of the most valuable and cost effective marketing tools that a small firm can employ to better communicate with existing clients, and attract new ones. Discover how to update your firm’s Web site so that it becomes an integral part of your firm’s brand identity.

Are you managing your e-mail or is it controlling you? Reid Trautz offers fifteen tips for making e-mail a beneficial rather than a dreaded part of doing business.

The future of filing court documents is quickly becoming reality. Has your firm taken the necessary stops to integrate e-filing into your law firm?

Leading electronic discovery professionals and experts discuss what lawyers should know and be aware of when it comes to electronic evidence and discovery.

Not completely knowledgeable about electronic discovery? Learn about the four steps of who, what, where, and when. Plus learn how knowledge of these steps will position you to handle electronic discovery more effectively.

You have decided you need to hire an electronic discovery vendor to assist you in your litigation case. Mark Yacano gives his advice on how to select the vendor that is right for you.

The hidden gems, or smoking guns, behind electronic documents can often be found in meta data. Scott Nagel explains the types of meta data, how to preserve it, and its growing importance in litigation cases.

Electronic evidence is not restricted to just word processing documents, spreadsheets, or e-mail messages. It spreads to voicemail too. David Maizenberg explores the next step in electronic discovery, the Unified Messaging System subpoena.

Does your firm or clients have an adequate document retention policy? It is not a one-size-fits-all type of document. Sharon Nelson and John Simek explain the basics of a DRP and provide a sample to get you started.

You are going to litigation that will require you to seek electronic evidence. Lee Neubecker gives a quick checklist of items to ensure you minimize the risk to your case.

As electronic documents continue to become the medium of choice in the business world, Michele Lange raises the question of committing malpractice by not considering them in your litigation cases.

A rundown of Windows utilities that will help secure and enhance your PC's performance.

Dennis Kennedy shares his quick tips from improving Windows folder views to cleaning up your browser to saving space on your hard drive.

When people think of backing up a computer most will think in reference to a desktop. John Tredennick shares his experience with a crashed laptop and why it is just as important to perform regular system backups on them as well.

Dennis takes a look at all the angles on VoIP with his top choice of links on the technology.

Your computer just did something out of the ordinary and you don't know what happened. Dan provides ten steps to troubleshoot the problem.

Could a VoIP system be right for your firm? Christian gives an overview of VoIP, what it is, types of systems available, and how it can benefit your firm in addition to simply being a different type of telephone system.

With the continued adoption of the Portable Document Format, or PDF, in the legal industry, Dennis gives his top PDF resources for the novice and experienced user.

Before you establish a wireless network for your law office you should take a serious look at the security issues that come with it. A proponent of a wired environment, Joe points out some realities of wireless security.

If you missed ABA TECHSHOW 2004, here is your chance to read the transcript from the standing-room-only Keynote address. Lou Andreozzi and Mike Wilens shared their respective visions of the future of legal technology. It is a must read.

Get a sampling of tips that this team presented at ABA TECHSHOW 2004.

This how-to guide takes you through step-by-step on creating an electronic closing binder for your real estate practice.

Dennis Kennedy shares his seven biggest legal technology trends for 2004 and a few more that you should keep your eye on.

Who says you can only catch up on legal technology once a year? Dennis gives you his top picks for year-round legal technology news you can use.

Three members of the ABA TECHSHOW 2004 planning board sit down to discuss what attendees can look forward to at this year's conference.

What would ABA TECHSHOW be without a session or two on gadgets? Most of us play with gadgets, and some of them actually help us practice law. Here is a sampling of the gadgets that will be featured in the My Favorite Gadgets session.

It is a problem we all face. Here is a short look at the new Federal Law and some solutions on how to reduce your inbox overload.

Grab a sneak peak at this face-off between Time Matters and Amicus Attorney. This preview includes one of the four tips that will be presented this year.

Joe put a couple of computers through a barrage of controlled hardware tests to see if the low-end were really that far off from the high-end computers in performance. Joe now has a new outlook on regular hardware upgrades. Check out his results.

The use of dictation software can increase your productivity, allowing you to bill more hours, utilize other staff for tasks other than administration, and more. Andrew Roman shares his experience with dictation software Dragon NaturallySpeaking and how it can benefit you.

Editor-in-Chief John Tredennick shares how his company beat the spam problem.

Dennis Kennedy gives his top list of Web resources when he is looking for more information about what is going on in legal technology.

A look at the idea of the digital law office and an introduction to what you need to consider before implementing one.

Joe Kashi examines several models of how attorneys can leverage new technology to realize the"virtual law firm"as a viable means of organizing law practices.

Moving to the next level of law office efficiency requires abandoning paper files as our basic organizational approach.

We all think about the question,"Do I need to keep this file?"Then comes,"For how long?"Paul French explains what to keep and how to ensure compliance.

With new technology making virtual firms more of a reality, Dennis Kennedy asks some interesting questions about the topic.

Lawyers inch their way toward a paperless practice, out of the"tradition"we were raised on.

Solutions for those who go on the road frequently.

A trial lawyer's greatest enemy is boredom. Craig Ball gives his tips on how to keep your argument engaging using PowerPoint.

Technology spending has grown to comprise 4 to 6% of an average firm's budget. Many firms don't use that budget to their best use, wasting it away on unnecessary projects and upgrades. How many of the following ways to waste your budget apply to you?

How one little pop-up bubble opened a whole new world.

The How-To's and what it all means when looking into a wireless environment.

Don't have access to DSL, Cable, or Satellite Internet access? Just wait, powerline broadband could be just around the corner.

Make sure you understandeverythingBefore you jump into the wireless world.

Dennis Kennedy's survival-of-the-fittest list of links related to wireless resources.

A powerhouse group drawn up of leaders in the federal criminal justice system recently released recommendations for dealing with electronic evidence, at least for the federal criminal bar.

August 2003 was a difficult month for PC users regarding viruses. From Blaster to Sobig, Jim talks about viruses and several new additions under the category of nasty things circulating on the Internet.

The management of electronic evidence is easier for those of use who know how to avoid the most common pitfalls associated with this emerging part of discovery.

Simple word processing tips for both Word and Word Perfect. Dan helps make some tedious processes simpler.

You're no techno-geek when it comes to computers. The thought of changing settings makes you wary because you hear of all the horror stories:"I clicked this one button and the screen went blue."Bruce Dorner shares a few tips he has learned that anyone can use to make his/her daily computing experience a little more enjoyable.

Sixteen useful upgrades that will help you keep your computers and office up-to-speed for the future.

Digital filing. Billing and accounting software. There are tools available and affordable that can help your staff cut hours of administrative work to focus on your clients needs.