Futurelawyer

#WhyIAmASolo - I Will Never Be Unemployed.

Brian H. Potts Book. Law graduates who don't find a job right away can get some tips from this book. The author says: "Here’s the truth: the vast majority of recent graduates who pass the bar and want to work end up employed. If you read my book while sober, and actually plan to do some of the things I recommend, it’s highly likely you’ll land a legal job of some sort within 6 to 12 months of being sworn in as a lawyer of the bar. How else do you think I can guarantee that you’ll get a job after reading my book, or I’ll give you your money back? It’s a numbers game." However, I still think it is possible to do what I and a friend did right out of law school in 1973. Hang a shingle and go. 50 years later, I am still doing it. I don't have, and haven't made, a lot of money. But, I often feel like I have never worked a day in my life. I get scared about a lot of things; but, I have never been scared of being unemployed.

Remote Hearings And Trials - They Are Here. Are The Courts Ready?

NCSC Guidelines For Remote Hearings. I remember, in the Eighties and Nineties, I realized the impact that technology would make on lawyering, wondering when I would be able to sit at my desk in the office, and conduct hearings with the Court online. Every time I got into my car, drove to the courthouse, found the Judge's office, sat in a waiting room for an hour, spent 5 to 15 minutes in a hearing about some minutiae connected with the case, and then drove home, often in Florida humidity and summer heat, wearing a starched collared shirt, and a hot suit jacket, I thought about the waste of time and energy. While I never would have wished it, the Pandemic accelerated the process, and short hearings and some trials are now being conducted entirely online. Even in person trials now often have a hybrid mix of online and in person components. When video technology advanced enough, many depositions conducted in remote locations were played back in courtrooms. We are truly in a hybrid environment today, and the National Center for the State Courts has published a monograph that every lawyer, court administrator, judge and person interested in remote hearing and trial technology should read. The technology can be impossible to navigate for disabled individuals, and it is incumbent upon the court system to provide an even playing field for all participants. As an example, I am now a Remote Notary, and can conduct online notarization with the assistance of technology and the Internet. The structure and platform is provided by Notaryfix.com; but, there are many providers out there. But, if a person doesn't have access to a computer, camera, and adequate broad band Internet, or is too frail, elderly, or otherwise compromised to use it, the tech is useless. All members of the legal system should be helping to solve the problem of access. Read the monograph as a start.

These Men Had Dreams.

What Happen To Your Parrots When You Die?

Florida Pet Trusts - Protect Your Animals And Birds.

Today, I am highlighting Section 736.0408 of the Florida Statutes, which authorizes enforceable Trusts for the care of any animal alive during the Settlor's lifetime. The assets placed in the Trust may only be used for the intended purpose, unless a Court determines that the amount in trust exceeds the amount necessary for the care of the animal. So, if there are any Leona Helmsley clones out there, Florida won't allow you to put Twelve Million Dollars in trust. The statute, which is only 3 paragraphs., legalizes such trusts. Animal trusts, however, can be as complex as necessary to meet the Settlor's needs.

Windows 11 - You Don't Have To Trust It.

Windows 11 Security EBook. If, like the vast majority of computer users, are rocking Windows 11 or later on your computer, you need this free ebook. 70 pages of education, tips and tricks that will help to bullet proof your files and data. No computer system is 100% secure; but, you can make your system the smallest target in a target rich environment. Let the hackers go after the low hanging fruit. Stay above the fray. Read this book.

It's Free. It's Easy. It Gets The Job Done. Google Tasks.

There are all kinds of To Do list and task list apps out there, all designed to keep your day organized. If you use Google Calendar, or any other Google apps, however, you really need to play with Google Tasks. It sits at the right of my calendar every minute of every day, and I add an item to my list whenever it comes up. Since I am no longer doing complex litigation, I don't really need a full function case management system, so, if you are still in an active practice, Tasks may not be for you. However, it is free, and gets the job done, and I use it all the time. I live in my browser, and Google Calendar, Email, Task Management, and various other Google functions are at my fingertips all the time. It really doesn't matter how you get organized. You will be more productive if you do.

 

This Is How We Do Bar Meetings In Florida In August.

Getting ready for the weekend with a Committee on Technology meeting. Guess where I will be.

Law Firms And Online Notarization - NotaryFix

Notary Fix. There is a lot of buzz these days about pandemic inspired interest in Zoom and other videoconferencing ideas. Remote Online Notarization (RON) is becoming more popular as the technology evolves. I was blown away by a young real estate lawyer and entrepreneur, Roxana de los Reyes, in a demo of her creation, NotaryFix, this morning. The cool and different thing about her software is that it is aimed at lawyers. For a reasonable monthly fee, she provides a platform and the technology for every law firm to have an inhouse online Notary. No more looking about on the Internet for a good service. Your firm keeps the Notarization process in house, and under your control. Deeds, Affidavits, and other documents can be notarized anywhere the signer is on planet earth, as long as they have proof of identity, and an ability to use a Zoom connection. They don't need Zoom, as the software handles those details from NotaryFix's site. Zoom is everywhere, so it is a logical system to use. If you, or your firm, have used Docusign, or Simplifile, to sign and record documents, you will be able to negotiate Roxana's system. I am signing up, and will be testing the service. Check out the site for yourself, fellow lawyers. Thanks, Roxana, for renewing my faith in the brilliance, drive, and smarts of our young lawyers. In future posts, I will be posting demos of the product for my readers. While lenders are resisting the trend for now, national standards are being considered that may open up online notarizations for everyone. In the meantime, learn RON tech, grasshopper. It is the future.

This Is The FutureLawyer Coming To You From The Metaverse.

I have joined the metaverse, and my first stop is the room occupied by my friend and AnyLaw free research provider, Steven Tover. If you want to see the future of online meetings, it will look something like this. Like Zoom, a list of participants can be seen on the side; but, the actual event is populated by Avatars walking around in virtual space. You can have one on one or group conversations, and, since you are showing yourself in video, it is much like walking a Convention or Seminar floor in real life. I love this stuff, and predict that it will create more and better communications between humsns. I am going back now to learn about the subject of the day. Steven anticipates doing these webinars once a month.

Yes, Virginia, You Can Practice Law On A Beach.

Michael Wade, of Execupundit, is fond of linking to some of my posts with this image of a beach. The implication is that we Florida lawyers spend our days sitting on a beach, and staring at the Gulf or Ocean. Well, that may be partly true. In fact, you CAN practice law on a beach with modern tech. And, we have a lot of beaches and sun here in Florida. But, many of us prefer practicing law poolside.