Home Office Lawyer

Connected Lawyer - Communication Policy and Vacation

I wish I had read “the world’s greatest balancing act: creating a vacation communication policy” before I went on vacation.

More to follow!!

The "Connected" Lawyer

It is amazing that I still get some strange looks from my fellow lawyers when I pull out my Treo 650 to check my calendar and schedule a court hearing. For most in my area, they still carry along a paper calendar and a pencil to mark their calendars with.

The stares are even worse when I pull out my iBook during a court hearing or trial. Of course it is fun for me to watch while they struggle to find their own document during a hearing or trial. Especially when you consider I already have it pulled up on my computer screen ready for argument.

And if you really want to get them going, have them ask you what that URL is in your signature line of your emails. I guess it is great they even use email.

But, what is even more amazing, why aren't they more connected? Why aren't they taking advantage of the technology available to them each and every day.

YOU HAVE TO BE WIRED

The connected lawyer must be wired with technology. For me I use the Treo 650. I use it to be in constant contact with my clients, colleagues, and the court. I use text messages, emails, instant messages and the phone feature to maintain constant contact. I can send a document with my Treo in a split second to either a client or the court. With it, no matter where I am at, those I need to be in contact with, don't even know if I am in my home office, in the car or on the golf course.

My other wired tool is my Mac iBook laptop which is wifi and bluetooth ready. This enables me to jump on the internet where ever I can find a hotspot.

Our clients and even the courts have come to expect 24/7 services. And you have to have the tools to enable you to do just that.

CONNECTED ATTORNEYS AND MULTIPLE COMPUTERS

For most of us that can be considered wired, we usually work on more than one computer. When I am out of the office I use my iBook. But, I have to have some way to take my files with me and than sync them with my computer in the office. I use a sync'ing program which I use to sync my Mac Mini with my iBook. So no matter which computer I use, both are up to date and ready to go. If I do anything in a client file while out of the office, when I sync back at the office, the file/fax server Mac Mini will also have the work on it.

CONNECTED ATTORNEY AND COLLABORATION AND VIRTUAL MEETINGS

In order to collaborate with colleagues, clients and maybe even the court, we have to be able to come together. For a Mac user, iChat AV is just one answer. With a webcam or for me my iSight, I can hold a video conference with any of those individuals. With high speed internet service in most areas now, I see no reason why we can't use this technology more. And it is so easy. Well, at least if you have a Mac. You just plug in the iSight and iChat will open on its own. And if you have the person who you need to visit with in your buddy list. And they have a webcam or iSight themselves, you could be seeing each other on your computer screens in a matter of seconds. Wouldn't this be nice for those phone conferences with judges and counsel? And why not. And how much courtroom time could we not take up for a simple status hearing if we would use this method.

CONNECTED ATTORNEY AND MARKETING

Some would suggest that marketing takes a lot of time and is hard to do. NOT!!! Of course, you know where this is going. Blog, blog, blog!!! Blogging is one of the best marketing tools for the wired attorney out there. After all, if you have a Treo with any one of the available blogging tools out there, you can post from anywhere. I have even done a post to my blog from the courtroom while waiting my turn to be heard. And if you use a laptop and are at a hotspot, you can post to your blog.

It has also been suggested that seminars are good. The wired attorney should be doing Webinars instead. They are easy to do and they are cheap. Yes, I said it, cheap. And lets not forget podcast. Another tool the wired attorney should be using.

CONNECTED ATTORNEY AND THE VIRTUAL OFFICE

I have already touched on this a little above and in previous post. Do a search of this blog and you will find those earlier post. My virtual office consist of all those items mentioned above and my virtual paralegal. I have a paralegal that I never see in person. We use all the tools I mentioned above. We communicate with IM, email and the phone. We never sit down from each other across from any desk. And just as soon as I convince her, we will use the internet to video conference with each other.

CONCLUSION

The tools are out there and there is really no reason not to use them. If you don't use them, it is really time you consider what you are missing not being wired. Our clients have come to expect almost instant service and results and by using these tools, we can provide it to them. And for me and best of all, by using the tools mentioned, I am not tied down to my home office and my office chair.

Computer on the golf course

While I have not taken it this far, YET. Future Lawyer had an interesting post today called, Golf and the Law - Computer Solution.

I see myself doing this. In fact I take my iBook everywhere I go. So why not the golf course? However, the others I play golf with my not appreciate me doing this. But, our clients have come to expect almost immediate service and results. And technology has enabled even a solo, home office practicing attorney like myself to do just that.

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Telecommute, Solotips

Just in Case: Alternatives to BlackBerry

The fate of your BlackBerry is uncertain. You're worried that one day you'll wake up and the service will be turned off. You're definitely not going back to the old way of reading and sending e-mail on a -- gasp! -- computer. You're ready to run out and buy a Palm Treo or one of these other gadgets that you've heard are going head to head with the BlackBerry.

Remember that BlackBerry is both a device and a service -- and that means switching to an alternative isn't as easy as it might seem. There are plenty of things to consider -- compatibility among devices, e-mail providers, the wireless carriers and other technological restrictions.

READ MORE --->

Wireless Travel Router to Help on Those Out of Town Trips

Here is a great tip from the South Carolina Trial Law Blog. While I don't travel much for my practice. I do take weekend trips to the Kansas City area with my wife. And, yes I do take my trusty Mac 14" iBook along. And I take one of my other Apple products. That being my AirPort Express Base Station. Wonderful piece of equipment. I also use it in my home office to expand my wireless network throughout my house and back yard patio. But, as is indicated below, there are other options for your windoze users.

Wireless Travel Router to Help on Those Out of Town Trips: "I travel frequently for work. When I go to a hotel, they will normally have broadband internet access. Interestingly enough, the nicer hotels in the larger cities charge for the internet access. The standard chain hotels in smaller cities provide..."

(Via South Carolina Trial Law Blog.)

WiFi Hot Spots and How to Find Them

Here is a great article from Frommer's concerning WiFi hotspots.

The article provides some handy links for finding WiFi Hot Spots, including:

Yahoo Mobile
WiFi Free Spot
Hotspot Locations

I use WiFi Hot Spots quite often when I am not in my home office. Since I do travel to different communities around my home for court, I often find myself looking for a hotspot to catch up. For the most part, I utilize coffee shops. Two reasons, most are free and I love coffee. So, why not kill two birds with one shot.

Visit the link above to read the entire article. And if any of you have other tools you use to find those handy WiFi Hot Spots, drop me an email or post a comment.