iPad: The Lawyer’s Secret Weapon

I’m 32,000 ft in the air on a flight from Michigan again to Phoenix, eagerly awaiting individuals familiar phrases “accredited to use portable electronics”. With 1 fell swoop, my iPad is eliminated from my bag and onto my tray prepared to create this report…or perhaps view a movie….or examine a e-book. I confess that the iPad delivers up some wonderful distractions from operating, but at the conclude of the day it has grow to be an integral element of my practice of law.

As a tiny firm owner, it is essential for me to be ready to entry and transfer details effectively. I don’t have an army of attorneys at my bidding, nor do I have paralegals that are ready to go through every single document that arrives across my desk. For the most portion, I’m the a single reviewing, sorting, and sending paperwork. Therefore, my want for an “all purpose” assistant is essential. Enter: the iPad.

Heralded as the up coming “major thing”, the Apple iPad has been marketed mostly to buyers for surfing the web, reading through and sending e mail, seeing pictures, studying books, and viewing movies. In other words, the iPad is a lean suggest material consuming machine. The true question is regardless of whether it has any worth to attorneys. The solution depends on how comfy you are with know-how, how your practice is set up, and no matter if you are snug typing on a contact display.

Evolving the Apply of Law? Yea, there’s an app for that.

1st and foremost let me just say that I like my iPad. It has actually transformed the way I apply law. It is, nonetheless, not a substitute for a actual laptop or computer and I am painfully informed of this reality soon after typing a majority of this report on the iPad. So for those solo’s and modest agency practitioners who had been seeking substitute your clunky desktops for the glossy and trendy iPad you will have to wait a bit longer.

For me, the important selling point of the iPad is the device itself as it is lightweight (one.five pounds), portable (matches within briefcase pocket), simple to use (one particular button), and effective. I no lengthier have to carry my cumbersome laptop to court, as the iPad enables me to take my calendar, emails, and files with me. For instance, the other day though in Court I was ready to take rapid notes on the iPad and then quickly swap about to my calendar when the Judge asked for availability dates for hearings. No rummaging by means of your briefcase for pens and paper, or attempting to decipher and transfer your handwritten notes.

Talking of writing notes, there are numerous programs (“apps”) that let you to take notes practically as speedily as with a pen and paper. For word processing and viewing organization documents I use an app called “Pages”. If you are acquainted with any phrase processing software it shouldn’t be get very difficult to get utilised to. It has a spell checker that not only underlines words, but will also provide strategies for your phrase. At times this can be an annoyance, as particular authorized lingo is not in Pages database, but following awhile Pages will routinely understand your persistence and no longer modify it. With Pages you can also:

Generate and modify tables
Daring, underline, italicize
Change the font, font measurement, and shade
Convert and e mail the document to Adobe PDF or Microsoft Word

Although Pages can be a excellent app for modifying and reviewing documents, I use Evernote when it comes to client conferences. Evernote is a no cost software that acts like a giant file folder. With Evernote, you can save WebPages, photographs, textual content, and even audio recordings. Every single note you generate can be saved in a separate notebook, sorted by subject, and even tabbed with sure search phrases. As soon as a be aware is created, it automatically e-mails it to my legal assistant who locations it on our file server.

To me, the two apps I described over highlight the most beautiful element of the iPad: the virtual workplace. Every single single document that comes in and out of my office is scanned with my Fujitsu Scansnap S1500 and stored in its appropriate folder. When saved, I can have entry to these files everywhere and anytime with either 1 of two packages, LogMeIn Ignition or GoodReader. LogMeIn is an app that allows me to remotely entry and handle any dwelling or office laptop, considerably like Pc Wherever or GoToMyPc. Truly, it is the app I use the most and has definitely been a lifesaver even though in Court. For example, I was finding all set to walk into a listening to a couple of weeks ago and realized that a essential document had not been transferred through to my iPad. I utilized LogMeIn to entry my workplace personal computer and transfer the file from the server to the iPad, and inside minutes I was back again to feeling totally ready for the case.

GoodReader, the other app I pointed out above, acts like a PDF library of all of my consumer files. Not only can I keep consumer files in separate folders, but I have access to 1000′s of situations, statutes, and reference products that I have sorted, categorized, and manufactured searchable. As soon as I open a document I can flip by means of 1000′s of pages at the blink of an eye. I say 1000′s due to the fact I am a “kitchen sink” form person, and like to have as a lot details readily available and accessible at a moment’s discover. Rather of having to lug all-around an entire library of consumer files, statutes, or treatises…it’s all appropriate there.

In addition to the above, there are a quantity of other apps that are beneficial for attorneys. For instance, WestlawNext has just launched an iPad app that will enable lawyers to conduct analysis and organize their exploration suitable on the iPad. I can see this getting useful to legal professionals who are researching a matter proper earlier than a hearing, and then rushing out the door and choosing up their study on the iPad when they get to court. As soon as in Court, the iPad can turn into even a lot more resourceful to an legal professional. iJuror is a graphical app that enables the lawyer to decide on the layout of a jury pool, enter details about each and every juror, and then use that info when determining no matter whether to use strikes on each and every juror.

While most of the apps obtainable for the iPad are centered all-around consuming articles, there are clearly some genuine surefire apps that can support the solo practitioner. Simply purchasing an iPad and an app is not ample although, as your time and skills will go to waste except you understand how to use it. This is why I advise that as soon as you download an app, you search at the developer’s internet site for a tutorial so you know how to use it.

Altering the way I Practice

I’ve touched on a number of techniques that programs for the iPad can assist legal professionals, but what about the practice of law helps make the integration of the iPad so desirable? I’ve observed that the iPad has been successful in the two presenting data to purchasers and in managing my apply. In my humble opinion the iPad has the capacity to evolve the apply of law by streamlining the way we current our instances, and eventually ourselves, to the planet.

When a new consumer walks in the door they see a easy convention room with a number of chairs, coasters, law books, and an iPad on the desk. Most barely take discover as I sort absent on it, but grow to be right away a lot more engaged in the conversation when I am ready to hand the iPad to them and inquire them to evaluation an harm photo, verify a document, or play an audio recording of a deposition. I’ve had several individuals remark afterwards that the simple fact I had all of their case information obtainable at the contact of a button produced them trust me extra, and produced the assembly come to feel much more genuine and interactive. I have discovered that the extra interactive I am with my clientele the greater the end result, or at least their feeling as although I gave them the very best achievable representation.

The iPad has also been a excellent management and advertising instrument for my practice. Every time I am out in public at a espresso store or ebook retailer men and women will come up to me and ask me about my iPad. Naturally, the conversation will gravitate in direction of what I do and when I inform them they are surprised. Incredibly number of expect to see a lawyer utilizing anything at all but the antiquated yellow authorized pad. I also not too long ago transitioned to cloud primarily based billing and consumer management software program referred to as Clio. Clio makes it possible for me to entry and enter consumer data, agency financials, and time entries from anywhere in the entire world. With the introduction of “cloud computing” I can see how the iPad will turn into even more resourceful to lawyers.

Ultimate Ideas

Just like any other piece of technologies, the iPad is far from best. It will not immediately make you a far better lawyer. It will not quit you from receiving carpal tunnel following typing on the cramped keyboard. It can, nonetheless, make your existence less complicated and seamlessly let you to produce, edit, and current facts.

The iPad has turn out to be an integral aspect of my law apply. It has modified the way I industry my practice and educate my customers. In this fast-paced digital globe, getting the suitable technological resources like the iPad, coupled with the seamless integration of my firms information is critical. It can mean the difference in between stumbling through a motion listening to and impressing a decide or client with my group and ability to supply quick and accurate outcomes. It genuinely is my secret weapon.

Thanks to Evansville Lawyer for the interview and tips!

Resources:
http://knol.google.com/k/anonymous/-/23fjbdh9bnst5/4
http://stephan33perez.wiki.zoho.com/10-Important-iPad-Apps-for-the-Lawyer.html