Book Review: The 2009 Solo and Small Firm Legal Technology Guide
by Tonya L. Johnson for the ABA Legal Technology Resource Center.
The 2009 Solo and Small Firm Legal Technology Guide, now available for purchase in the ABA Bookstore, is an invaluable guide for both the novice and established law practice. The authors intend this guide to help solo and small firm lawyers find the “sweet spot” of legal tech – the best value for the dollars.” Each chapter includes straightforward, unbiased recommendations by the authors along with pricing information. This is helpful when time is at a minimum and a decision must be made. The second edition of this annual publication covers and expands upon the topics covered in the 2008 edition while adding two additional chapters; More about Macs… and Paperless or Paper LESS: The Quest to Sanely Manage Paper in Practice by special guest contributor, legal technologist Ross L. Kodner, Esq.
The 2009 Solo and Small Firm Legal Technology Guide makes the case for each recommendation with clear illustrations and real life examples of how the equipment and software applications will be used during the course of business. The suggested technology is not based on the best price but rather upon the best value over the long haul in terms of time saved, headaches averted and maximum functionality. Terms are not merely tossed around but explained in a way that makes sense. The glossary provided at the end of the guide puts popular technology terms at your fingertips. The authors have put together a guide that enables legal practitioners to get increasingly comfortable with technology. Each chapter builds upon the other to provide a foundation from which lawyers can grow and develop greater confidence in evaluating and making technology purchases.
The 2009 guide begins with an introduction by guest contributor, Ross L. Kodner that combines the history of computing with that of legal technology. Chapter 1 hits the ground running, making recommendations for a business grade system with all of the hardware components included and explained. There’s also a recommendation for a business grade Macintosh as well as laptops for both the Mac and PC platforms. This information is particularly helpful to the technology novice beginning a practice and needing a baseline from which to begin considering systems.
The 2009 edition updates everything that was covered in the 2008 edition while expanding upon its discussion of the Macintosh computer operating systems in chapter one. The server chapter is expanded to include virtual servers, discussion of peer-to-peer networking as well as Microsoft Windows Server 2008. Networking hardware section breaks down a discussion of routers to include coverage of entry-level and intermediate level routers. Along with updated coverage on security software in chapter 10, recommendations are made for integrated protection, which combine anti-virus, spyware and spam protection in a single application.
Coverage in the previous version doesn’t guarantee inclusion in the next. While the remote access chapter covers an additional application, the case management chapter covered fewer applications. This is due to the authors’ belief in vendor pricing transparency. Vendors that require you to complete a contact form to receive pricing information are excluded.
While the authors don’t seem to be completely sold on the Mac platform as an option for lawyers, they provide information for Mac hardware and software where it is available. Both the 2008 and 2009 editions discuss Apple options but Chapter 11: More about Macs…, which is new to the 2009 edition, is dedicated to Mac specific hardware and software solutions for those considering making the switch from the PC to Mac.
With the increased number of laptop computers purchased by lawyers reported in the 2008 ABA Legal Technology Survey Report, the third annual edition of the technology guide could benefit from a Mobile Computing chapter. Such a chapter could include complementary hardware such as portable scanners, printers and speakers as well as the remote access software that road warriors depend on.
Chapter 14 is a collection of technology treats with lots of new additions to the collection of utilities included in the 2008 edition. In chapter 20 Paperless or Paper LESS: The Quest to Sanely Manage Paper in Practice, Ross Kodner breaks down the cost of being paper-centric in terms of lost dollars per hour, per week, per month and per year for both lawyers and staff. Once you’ve recovered from the shock, he gets specific about becoming paper LESS and the systems that work.
The future of legal technology moves a little closer each year to the Star Trek ideal expressed by the authors in the final chapter of both editions of the guide. While it doesn’t look like the BlackBerry is going anywhere, commentary about the iPhone seems to have been made prior to the explosion of iPhone applications geared toward the legal market. However, as the authors so aptly put it, “At the end of the day, lawyers want to practice law...” Technology is a means to that end and The 2009 Solo and Small Firm Legal Technology Guide is a resource that will help lawyers use technology more efficiently towards that end. Visit the ABA Web Store to take a free look at the Introduction and the entire Table of Contents in detail before purchasing a copy of The 2009 Solo and Small Firm Legal Technology Guide. Discounted pricing is available to ABA members and members of the Law Practice Management Section.
The 2009 Solo and Small Firm Legal Technology Guide makes the case for each recommendation with clear illustrations and real life examples of how the equipment and software applications will be used during the course of business. The suggested technology is not based on the best price but rather upon the best value over the long haul in terms of time saved, headaches averted and maximum functionality. Terms are not merely tossed around but explained in a way that makes sense. The glossary provided at the end of the guide puts popular technology terms at your fingertips. The authors have put together a guide that enables legal practitioners to get increasingly comfortable with technology. Each chapter builds upon the other to provide a foundation from which lawyers can grow and develop greater confidence in evaluating and making technology purchases.
The 2009 guide begins with an introduction by guest contributor, Ross L. Kodner that combines the history of computing with that of legal technology. Chapter 1 hits the ground running, making recommendations for a business grade system with all of the hardware components included and explained. There’s also a recommendation for a business grade Macintosh as well as laptops for both the Mac and PC platforms. This information is particularly helpful to the technology novice beginning a practice and needing a baseline from which to begin considering systems.
The 2009 edition updates everything that was covered in the 2008 edition while expanding upon its discussion of the Macintosh computer operating systems in chapter one. The server chapter is expanded to include virtual servers, discussion of peer-to-peer networking as well as Microsoft Windows Server 2008. Networking hardware section breaks down a discussion of routers to include coverage of entry-level and intermediate level routers. Along with updated coverage on security software in chapter 10, recommendations are made for integrated protection, which combine anti-virus, spyware and spam protection in a single application.
Coverage in the previous version doesn’t guarantee inclusion in the next. While the remote access chapter covers an additional application, the case management chapter covered fewer applications. This is due to the authors’ belief in vendor pricing transparency. Vendors that require you to complete a contact form to receive pricing information are excluded.
While the authors don’t seem to be completely sold on the Mac platform as an option for lawyers, they provide information for Mac hardware and software where it is available. Both the 2008 and 2009 editions discuss Apple options but Chapter 11: More about Macs…, which is new to the 2009 edition, is dedicated to Mac specific hardware and software solutions for those considering making the switch from the PC to Mac.
With the increased number of laptop computers purchased by lawyers reported in the 2008 ABA Legal Technology Survey Report, the third annual edition of the technology guide could benefit from a Mobile Computing chapter. Such a chapter could include complementary hardware such as portable scanners, printers and speakers as well as the remote access software that road warriors depend on.
Chapter 14 is a collection of technology treats with lots of new additions to the collection of utilities included in the 2008 edition. In chapter 20 Paperless or Paper LESS: The Quest to Sanely Manage Paper in Practice, Ross Kodner breaks down the cost of being paper-centric in terms of lost dollars per hour, per week, per month and per year for both lawyers and staff. Once you’ve recovered from the shock, he gets specific about becoming paper LESS and the systems that work.
The future of legal technology moves a little closer each year to the Star Trek ideal expressed by the authors in the final chapter of both editions of the guide. While it doesn’t look like the BlackBerry is going anywhere, commentary about the iPhone seems to have been made prior to the explosion of iPhone applications geared toward the legal market. However, as the authors so aptly put it, “At the end of the day, lawyers want to practice law...” Technology is a means to that end and The 2009 Solo and Small Firm Legal Technology Guide is a resource that will help lawyers use technology more efficiently towards that end. Visit the ABA Web Store to take a free look at the Introduction and the entire Table of Contents in detail before purchasing a copy of The 2009 Solo and Small Firm Legal Technology Guide. Discounted pricing is available to ABA members and members of the Law Practice Management Section.
