Digital Samurai

The 2010 Solo and Small Firm Legal Technology Guide Has Arrived From the ABA

The 2010 edition of our annual legal technology guide is finally here. This year’s version includes updated hardware and software recommendations for Windows and Mac-based systems, case management and billing software, security applications, document management systems and much more.

To look at or purchase our latest book, visit the book’s product page on the ABA’s web site at http://www.abanet.org/abastore/productpage/5110701.

To listen to Sharon and John discuss the latest edition of our legal technology book, you can listen to the latest edition of the ABA Book Briefs Podcast Series at: http://new.abanet.org/publishing/bookbriefsblog/Pages/Podcasts.aspx.

- John and Mike

(703)359-0700
digitalsamurai@senseient.com
www.senseient.com

Lexis and Microsoft are Friends - Today

What’s that new tab on your Office 2007 and 2010 ribbon? Why it’s Lexis research.

Lexis and Microsoft have announced a partnership that has the legal world watching. Lexis has been working on integration with the Office products for over a year now. It demonstrated the new “Lexis for Microsoft Office” product at LegalTech New York the beginning of February. Essentially, the add-on puts the Lexis research tools (including Shepardizing) right where you would find other functions in Word or Outlook. Lawyers spend most of their time in Word or Outlook so it makes sense to have a Lexis tab on the ribbon.

Some folks are less than enamored by the announcement and don’t see it as monumental. Others think the two gorillas will take over the legal research market with this tool. Time will tell. We’re always cautious when we speak of Lexis since they’ve been known to “eat their young,” although we don’t think they’ll acquire Microsoft in the near term.

- John and Mike

(703) 359-0700
digitalsamurai@senseient.com
www.senseient.com

Marketing with Social Media Technology

Should you jump into the social media scene and experiment a little in an attempt to get more clients? Perhaps, but don’t jump too fast. Our friend and colleague, Rob Robinson of Applied Discovery, has written an excellent article titled Leveraging Social Media for High-Impact Marketing. Essentially, Rob takes you through a Marketing 101 class with a 2010 technology twist.

As usual, Rob does an excellent job of explaining the “4 P’s” and what it takes to change behavior over time. Using social media and other online tools are relatively inexpensive ways to reach out and “touch” your potential clients. Great job Rob!

- John and Mike

(703) 359-0700
digitalsamurai@senseient.com
www.senseient.com

Microsoft Office For Macs – The Next Version Right Around The Corner

Finally, Microsoft has announced detailed plans for their next version of Microsoft Office for Mac 2011, nearly three years since the last version was released in 2008.

Some of the major enhancements and features to be part of the new version include renewed support for Visual Basic (why was support ever dropped?), Microsoft Outlook for Mac which replaces Entourage as Office's e-mail client, and additional support for collaboration and cross-platform compatibility across operating systems.

Microsoft Outlook for Mac will support PST file import, allowing for a user to migrate easily e-mail messages from a Windows environment to a Mac environment for the first time. The new e-mail software fully integrates with Time Machine and Spotlight for backups and realtime searching.

It's been reported that Microsoft Office for Mac 2011 will be available for purchase by this upcoming holiday season.

- John and Mike
(703)359-0700
digitalsamurai@senseient.com
www.senseient.com

There’s an App for That

Some phrases just stay with you forever. Thanks to the marketing folks for Apple who gave us the famous line we used to title this post. Now there really is an app for that. If you own an iPhone (we won’t get on our iPhone insecurity bandwagon for now) you are well aware of the variety of applications available from cooking to beer drinking simulators. Now there’s an app from Fastcase that lets you have free legal research on your iPhone. You can search cases and statutes from all federal and state courts.

We are very familiar with the reputation of Fastcase. Fastcase has been providing free legal research (via an Internet browser) to Virginia attorneys as a Virginia State Bar benefit since 2006. And now there’s an app for that.

- John and Mike

(703) 359-0700
digitalsamurai@senseient.com
www.senseient.com