Futurelawyer

Competent Legal Research Is Free - Learn How

Google Scholar. The people at MyCase have published a great book on the ins and outs of using Google Scholar. This can be used by lawyers and others to do indepth legal research on case law, parties, judges, lawyers and anyone else. Google provides this research free on the Internet, and you don't have to be the smartest guy or girl in the room to learn how to use it effectively. Did I mention it is free? Why are you paying for legal research? By the way, Google Scholar covers much more than case law. Check it out. It is the first place I go when researching.

Legal Research Tools For The Lawyer - 2020 Edition

Nicole Black  Nikki Black knows what she is talking about. This short article about current research tools used by lawyers surprised me, in the large numbers of older lawyers still using print materials for most of their legal research. I just want to travel around and shake them into the new decade. Oh well. Their loss. This old lawyer will using cloud based research until they nail on the coffin lid. Hey, I wonder if I can convince Diane to put my computer in there with my Smartphone and my Smartwatches? 

#WhyIAmASolo - I Can Practice Law At The Beach

Beach Law. I am often asked why I have been interested in gadgets and tech for so many years. It is true that I love the challenge of new tech, and I enjoy playing with gadgets. But, the more serious reason is that I figured out, as a young lawyer, that technology and computers could automate many tasks that made my law practice drudgery. For instance, before I figured out how to harness computers to type Wills and other documents, I laboriously hand wrote long documents, much of which were repetitive words and sentences. It felt like I was practicing law in quicksand. Then, when the first large, room sized, computer typewriters became available, I stored forms on floppy disk, and later on other forms of computer storage. Suffice it to say that technology and curiosity have resulted in my being able to practice law anywhere in the world; but, I am happy on my own little beach. Michael Wade, of Execupundit fame, likes to link to some of my posts about tech with a picture of a beach. This is a back handed reference to my Florida residence; but, it is in line with this post by Ernie Svenson, in which he makes a strong case for working smarter, not harder, using technology and computers. I owe much both to Ernie and Michael, who have enriched my life as a lawyer. I should also mention that I met both of them online through our blogs. Technology has made a big world as small as a computer and keyboard and Internet connection. What are you doing to do to make your law practice and life better? Your first stops should be to Execupundit and to Law Firm AutoPilot. 

It's All In Your Head - The Effective Lawyer

Why psychology matters more than... - Ernie The Attorney. We used to call it "social engineering". Since lawyers are in the persuasion business, they need to be street smart. That means getting some understanding of how we make decisions, about anything. This post by Ernie Svenson highlights some of the ways in which persuasive people convince others to do what they want. Do you want Judges, juries, employees, and clients to believe you? Well, the first way is to be genuine. But, after that, there are techniques to allow them to come to your conclusion on their own. Because, if they think it was their idea, they will be immovable. I really hate to be using techniques used by con men and grifters. But, using them for noble purposes is okay. And, being a successful lawyer is, in my mind, a noble purpose.

#WhyIAmASolo - I Believe In Miracles

The Miracle of the Solo (reprise) %u2013 My Shingle. There are a lot of things to be said about the benefits and disadvantages of solo practice. However, Carolyn Elefant gets to the heart of it in this inspiring Hanukkah post from 2012. She highlights all the reasons some give for predicting the demise of the solo and small firm lawyer, and correctly concludes that, given all this conventional wisdom, it is a "miracle" that solos survive. But, it is easier than ever for solo lawyers to survive and thrive, and it has a lot to do with the increasing capability of technology and the Internet. Consumers of legal services are technologically capable, and there will always be a place for the "trusted advisor" who can help navigate the increasingly complex world in which we live and work. But, solo practice is also beneficial for the person who isn't in tune with our modern technical world. Many citizens are confused and bewildered by our complicated society, and some of the most satisfying work I have done has been helping fellow humans stop worrying about something that many of us would not give a thought to. Sure, we don't make a lot of money; although, some solos do better than you think. But, the biggest benefit may be the freedom to work or not to work, as much as I want or need to, in order to gain the life I want. My favorite poet, Dylan Thomas, said it best:

"Do not go gentle int that good night

Old age should burn and rave at close of day

Rage, Rage, against the dying of the light."

I can work until the day I leave the planet, if I want to. That is the real miracle. 

Be A Tortoise, Not A Hare

Tortoises, Hares & Kaizen - Ernie The Attorney. Ernie Svenson is making big strides in showing lawyers how to use technology to increase productivity and get clients in law practice. Kaizen is a concept every small law practitioner should adopt. BigLaw has the economy of scale; but, the interminable meetings, the number of hands in the kitchen, and the sheer weight of rules and regulations make many of us run for the hills. Incremental improvement is not only a skill for making law practice better; it is a principle of daily living. Stoicism teaches us to live each day with improvement as a goal. Many Stoics ask that question at the end of every day. What did I do today to be better? Because, of course, we don't know if we even have a tomorrow. So, listen to Ernie. Be like Ernie. Kaizen.

#WhyIAmASolo - I Don't Have To Hire Staff

Hiring Staff Archives | LegalFuel. I often use the Florida Bar's excellent practice resource center website as a place to get good information about practicing law in this century. The site is equally beneficial for lawyers in other States, so don't be shy. Go there and learn something. Today's topic is Hiring Staff, which is good information for law firms that have staff. I don't need it. But, if you are obsessed with creating a law firm for the ages, with dozens of lawyers, secretaries, legal assistants, and various others, you do need it. So, read it and learn.

The Paper Chase - Do It Digitally

The Paperless Law Office [Guest Post] | LegalFuel. Words on paper are the lawyer's lifeblood. We write words, we distribute them, we use them to persuade, we use them to attack, and we need to have a way to get them to other people, lawyers, judges and deciders. I am always intrigued by the Spaceship Earth exhibit at DisneyWorld, which chronicles the history of human communication, from drawings on cave walls, to the invention of paper by the Egyptians, to the development of the printing press, and the modern marvel of the computer. Language is the common denominator of all of this history, and is essential to human communication. So, using the latest technology is always the leading edge of human discourse, and putting our lawyer words into a computer and into the cloud is natural. But, how many lawyers actually make a concerted effort to convert paper documents to digital documents? I use scanners and digital pens and a microphone attached to a computer to be as paperless as I can be. What's your excuse?

It's The Vision, Stupid.

Why you should envision your ideal law practice - Ernie The Attorney. Ernie Svenson really hits the nail on the head, when he talks about having a real life as an attorney. What is your vision? I am pretty sure it doesn't involve long hours in a cubicle doing legal research or drafting briefs about boring subject matter. Technology can free you from many of the mundane tasks associated with our profession, and can free you to live the vision. Don't just dream about it. Do it.

#WhyIAmASolo - I Can Work Remotely And Don't Need Permission

How to Work Remote and Still Run a Successful Law Firm | LegalFuel. This video by Larry Port of RocketMatter shows how law firms can empower employees to work from remote locations. Cloud based law practice management software enables a lawyer with an Internet connection to access all law firm data from anywhere. Just as cloud based computing is trending up, so also cloud based lawyering is becoming more common. I use it because it enables me to practice solo, in an efficient manner, from home or while traveling. I have drafted and filed pleadings from a hotel in Las Vegas, my backyard, my home office, an RV, hospital rooms and a payphone in a National Park. Life happens. Technology can help us to keep the law practice going as it does. Believe it or not, tech can reduce the stress of law practice and help us to live our lives. Where are you practicing law today?