Low Cost Office Low Cost Office Technology EssentialsTechnology Essentials

Low Cost Office Low Cost Office Technology EssentialsTechnology Essentials

Craig Bayer: cbayer@lawot.comCraig Bayer: cbayer@lawot.com

TYPE WHO YOU ARE SPEAKING FOR HERE

ESSENTIAL BOOKS

●●“How to Start and Build a Law Practice” by Jay Foonberg

●“Flying Solo” – Bill Gibson

●“2008 Solo & Small Firm Legal Technology Guide” –Nelson, Simek & Maschke

●“The Business of Law” by Edward Poll

●Visit www.lawpractice.org for ordering information

HARDWAREHARDWARE

▸ Desktops, Laptops, Tablets ▸ Windows Small Business Server

▸ Scanners▸ Network Printer

▸ Gigabit Switch

Peer-to-Peer NetworkPeer-to-Peer Network

Local Area NetworkLocal Area Network

WIFI NETWORKING

● Configurations

▸ The most common type is now the faster 802.11g - many laptops come with it already

▸ 802.11n (now called “Pre-N”) is the system to buy when it becomes formally available

▸Causes problems running client server applications

● Cost▸WAP - $10 to $750▸WiFi PC Access - $5 to $100▸Wireless Print Servers - $50 to 300

THE CLOUD

SAAS

Small Business Server

● Microsoft Exchange● Automatic Patching (WSUS● Fax Server● SQL 2005 (Premium Edition)● Backup Solution● Outlook 2007 to all Users● Monitoring Reports● Access to Workstation And Data

Remotely● Cheaper then Server 2008● Included in the Price of Server

Server

● Choose over Workstation● 4GB Ram (At Least)● Redundant Systems● Raid 5 Configuration (3 Drives)● Affordable● Harder to Setup● Must have Warranty

PowerEdge 2900: $2500

DESKTOP PC

● Intel Core 2 Duo● Windows 7 Professional● 4GB RAM● Sound● 20 Inch Wide Monitor● DVD-ROM● 80 GB 7200 RPM SATA 3● 3 Year Warranty

Dell OptiPlex 360: $945

NOTEBOOKNOTEBOOK

● Intel Core 2 Duo● 4GB RAM ● DVD-ROM● Encrypted Drive● Bluetooth● Weight/Size● 9 Cell Battery● Docking Station

Dell Latitude E5500: $1300

TABLET PC’sTABLET PC’s

TABLET PCTABLET PC

● Intel Core 2 Duo● 4GB of Ram● 8 Cell Battery● 160gb Hard Drive● No XP, Vista or 7

Thinkpad X200: $1800

LASERJET PRINTERS

●Type ●RAM●Speed●Networkable●Multiple Trays●Brand / Model●Color●Price●Paperless Office

LaserJet 1720DN: $339

Desktop Scanner

●50 Sheets●Duplex●Adobe 9.0 Standard●ABBYY Fine Reader●Scan to Word

ScanSnap S1500: $399

Portable Scanner

●USB Powered●Duplex

ScanSnap S300: $275

Switch

●Gigabit●No Daisy Chains●Cat 5 or 6●Most Critical Piece of Hardware

Gigabyte Switch: $109

USB Hard Drive

●Tape vs USB●Easy to Restore●Rugged●Used with Small Business Server●Test Restore●Have 2 or 3

Lacie 250GB: $139

HANDHELD DEVICES

●BlackBerry●Smartphones (Palm)●Smartphones (Palm Web OS)●Smartphones (Windows Mobile)●iPhone (Apple)

●Considerations ▸BlackBerry syncs with Outlook and to check more than e-mail,

you need the BlackBerry Enterprise Server software and Exchange Server!

▸Palm Smartphones - 100% Palm devices - maximum sync ability with legal apps - real-time email with software like VersaMail

▸Windows MobileSmartphones sync with Outlook and Microsoft apps primarily – Easiest to setup and has Push SynchronizationBEWARE BLUETOOTH SECURITY

●Pricing: Anywhere from $200 to $600 depending on the cell service provider and available rebates

SOFTWARE

▸ Word Processing▸ Adobe Acrobat or other PDF writer

▸ Billing/accounting software▸ Case management system▸ Document management system▸ E-mail software▸ Internet access for research▸ Data backup, security and anti- virus software

BUNDLED SOFTWARE

Microsoft Office Basic – Outlook, Excel, and Word, Adobe Standard (docx v doc)

Adobe Acrobat 9 Standard Edition

Corel WordPerfect X4 Suite Less costly to buy OEM version separately

with any new PC systems

Adobe

● Pro allows Bates Stamping

Upgrade to Pro: $159

Best Adobe Blog: http://blogs.adobe.com/acrolaw

BILLING & ACCOUNTING SYSTEMS

● Most packages are becoming integrated.

● Timeslips requires you to also have an accounting package like Quickbooks or Peachtree

● PCLaw, Tabs 3, Juris, and Billing Matters have billing and accounting functions.

● Legal specific accounting software makes it hard to commit malpractice

PCLaw: $2270 (4 Users)

CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

● Combines ▸ calendaring/docketing

▸ tickler functions

▸ case information tracking,

▸ address book functionality

▸ conflict of interest searching,

▸ document assembly capabilities

▸ Palm and laptop portability

● Turn wasted time looking for case info and documents into billable time

● Avoid malpractice

● Look at Amicus Attorney, TimeMatters, PracticeMaster, PCLaw and ProLaw

● Don’t Practice Law Without One!PCLaw: $2270

DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

● Opened Ended vs. Close Ended

● SharePoint is a DMS

● Most Practice Management Software include an Open Ended DMS

PCLaw: $2270

Dictation

● Dragon Natural Speaking ▸ Has a legal edition ($1200)

▸ Get Preferred ($199) or Pro ($899)

● Vista has Dictation Software Built into it.

● Tips▸ Must Train Software▸ Use a Quality USB Headset▸ Learning Curve

WINDOWS XP / VISTA / 7

=

=

Buy a new computer with Windows 7

Upgrade to Windows 7

LEGAL RESEARCH

● Get it online!

▸ Dump the CD-ROMs

▸ Discontinue books

● There is no single “best” legal research service

▸ Combine Lexis, Westlaw, LOIS and the Internet

▸ Look at the best small firm packages negotiated by your State or County

Bar

● Resources

▸ LLRX.com

▸ “Fact Finding On The Internet”

ANTI-VIRUS

● Trend Micro Client Server Messaging▸www.trendmicro.com▸Includes anti-virus, anti-spam, anti-spyware▸Available in small office and “Corporate” editions

● ZoneAlarm: www.zonealaram.com

● Norton Anti-Virus www.symantec.com Buy corporate not Internet Security

● McAfee VirusScan: www.mcafee.com

● CA eTrust and Trend PC-Cillin: www.ca.com

www.trendmicro.com

TrendMicro: $330

PRICING

Leverage Web-based PC component pricing engines and save a fortune!

Membership Discounts ABA, ATLA , ALA or

other legal association member

Prices change daily

TRAINING

Top Training Tips

TASK-ORIENTED not FEATURE-ORIENTED

NO GENERIC TRAINING

PROFESSIONAL TRAINERS

TRAIN OFTEN, TRAIN GENTLY

MAKE TRAINING MANDATORY

LIVE IS ALWAYS BETTER, BUT IF NOT TRAIN ONLINE

THE TRAINER’S PHYSICAL LOCATION IS IRRELEVANT

Fifty or fewer employees. In business in the state for at least three years,

contributing and in full compliance with state UI tax laws. Training costs cannot exceed $3,000 per trainee per state

fiscal year (July 1 - June 30). http://www.laworks.net/WorkforceDev/IWTP/

IWTP_Overview.asp

Fifty or fewer employees. In business in the state for at least three years,

contributing and in full compliance with state UI tax laws. Training costs cannot exceed $3,000 per trainee per state

fiscal year (July 1 - June 30). http://www.laworks.net/WorkforceDev/IWTP/

IWTP_Overview.asp

FREE TRAININGFREE TRAINING

Thank You For Listening! Thank You For Listening!

Gulf Coast Technology Centerwww.gulfltc.org

Law Office Technologywww.lawot.com

Tom O’Conner (toconnor@legal-edocs.org)Craig Bayer (Cbayer@lawot.com)

Gulf Coast Technology Centerwww.gulfltc.org

Law Office Technologywww.lawot.com

Tom O’Conner (toconnor@legal-edocs.org)Craig Bayer (Cbayer@lawot.com)