LegalTech – Words I Never Thought I’d Say

Last week, Laura Zois and I finished a five-day jury trial in Frederick County (you can read Ron Miller’s description here).  Now I can say something that I have never said before about any case I have ever tried, from a $10,000 District Court case to a week-long jury trial:

We didn’t use a trial binder.

For me, this was big.  I am not a naturally organized person, and as you have seen from some of my posts on the topic on my own blog, I think trial organization is of the utmost importance.  There are two reasons for this. The first is perception.  The jury sees everything you do during the whole trial.  If you seem disorganized, and your trial table is messy, the jury notices.  And consciously or not, it influences them at least a little.  The second reason is practical.  A trial (especially a long one) can be unwieldy, and requires keeping track of a variety of documents, whether they are exhibits, pleadings, depositions, jury instructions, or a hundred other things. It is very important to be able to locate and use those things at a moment’s notice.

LegalTech – Do-It-Yourself Law Firm Websites, Part II

This post is Part II of LegalTech's 2-part series on "Do-It-Yourself Law Firm Websites." Read Part I here.

Creating Your Own Website

So how do you create a new website?  If you do not need a website right now, and are simply creating one as part of your long-term plan (or back-up plan), then you do not need to pay a company thousands of dollars to do it.  This is a DIY project that is much simpler than changing a car’s oil.  The total cost can be as low as $100.00 per year.    

Choose a Domain Name  

A domain name is the website’s address.  Choosing a domain name is a largely a matter of personal preference, though it is important to comply with the Maryland Rule of Professional Conduct. Lawyers often choose names that reflect their firm name (www.johncordlaw), or specific practice areas, often combined with a geographical location (www.marylandcollisionlawyers.com).  Importantly, you can also choose different top-level domains, such as .net, .info and .org (though, .org might imply a connection with charitable organization, in violation of the MRPC).  

There are a number of services that can help you to find free domain names.  One such site is GoDaddy.com.  The home page allows users to input potential domain names to determine availability.  Several domain names are available for around $10.00 per year, and the site offers discounts with the purchase of multiple domain names.  You can purchase the name for as little as one year, or as many as ten years.  Users who intend to use the site actively should purchase the domain for the maximum amount of time, because the search engines give more credibility to sites that appear to have longevity. 

Choose a Web Host

Users can purchase domain names and hold them without doing anything with them.  When the user is ready to create a website, the next step is to select a web host.  Again, there are a variety of possibilities, but many sources of domain name purchases also provide web hosting.  GoDaddy.com offers hosting for around $5.00 to $10.00 per month.  For users who are just starting out, the smaller amount, which includes less data, is likely fine.  The web host may provide options, including Wordpress or other platform-friendly websites.  Those will help to make website creation simple, even for the novice. 

Design The Website

When a website is linked up with a platform, such as WordPress, Blogger or Typepad, the user can easily select a theme and organize the website by creating menus and adding widgets.  Widgets are applications that customize the site, and include, for example, links to other websites or blogs, an image to be used on every page, a list of recent blog posts and a search bar.  These widgets can be modified to a degree within the theme to create a unique website. 

Add Some Content

Users can create content—web pages and blog posts, though the usually simple interfaces of the platform.  When creating a basic website, users should focus on providing at least five to ten pages of content (a minimum of one page per practice area), a biography page, a home page, and a contact page.

Conclusion

To be sure, a basic, DIY website will not be particularly effective in attracting potential clients.  Remember—the goal is to create a placeholder website that can be leveraged down the road, when or if needed.  When compared to other just-created websites, these older websites will have the advantage of age.  Of course, with a little bit of work (even a few hours a month), a DIY website can grow over time and may become a tool for bringing in new work.  When the time is right, the website can be handed over to a professional website company for fine-tuning and more sophisticated design.

About the Author
John J. Cord (John Cord Law, LLC) graduated from the University of Colorado School of Law. He concentrates his practice on automobile negligence, medical malpractice and workers' compensation.  He provides a wide range of technological services to law firms, including blogging and trial presentation.  Find his firm on Facebook and Twitter. 

LegalTech – Do-It-Yourself Law Firm Websites, Part I

The oft-repeated phrase, “if you build it, they will come,” is simply not a realistic expectation for business.* For a lucky few, a new business or a new product can attract consumers without much fanfare.  For the rest of us, advertising and marketing are integral to success.  In this technological age, internet marketing is one useful way to find clients.

A second problem, particularly in the personal injury field of law, is the lead time required before money comes in the door.  The average small automobile collision case will not settle for at least five months, and if a lawsuit needs to be filed, it could be nine or twelve months before a resolution. Serious auto collisions and medical malpractice cases take much, much longer. 

Some attorneys manage to pay their bills by dabbling in other types of work, often criminal defense, transactional work, or family law, where the lawyer can charge hourly or flat rate fees. I knew that I didn't want to do that work, but I still wanted to find a way to at least break even in the first year and pay rent for my modest Timonium office. So I started writing web and blog content for other personal injury lawyers.

Particularly with the medical malpractice webpages, I research the internet to find out what other lawyers are writing about, both so I don’t miss anything and so I can figure out how to be stand out from the crowd.  After inputting my keywords, Google ranks what it thinks are the most pertinent results for my search terms.  As I click through them, it is quickly apparent that some high-ranking sites are dated and in even irrelevant to my searches. 

Sometimes the firms’ sites are impressive and the amount of effort put into building the sites are clear. In many cases, though, the web content is poorly written, contains very little information and was last updated five or ten years ago. How do those firms get good Google results? Perhaps they are following some of the “black hat” practices that Google is working on weeding out. But for most of them, the age of their website matters. Google and the other search engines have a higher amount of respect for websites that have been around for a while.

You've heard the proverb: “The best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago. The second best time is now.” For lawyers or law students who want to get out in the world and start a practice, join a practice or who have no idea what they will eventually do, my recommendation is simple: start a website or two. The websites don’t need to be extravagant.  It is enough in the initial stages to have a good domain name, general content (with good keywords and phrases) about whatever practice area the lawyer envisions working in, and an automatic contact form (for those who are licensed to practice).

Law students, of course, should avoid giving the impression that they are actually lawyers.  The website could be informative only—providing information about particular practice areas as the student learns through law school, clinics and jobs. 

For those who have passed the bar, any potential clients from the website can be referred to other lawyers in a manner consistent with the Rules of Professional Conduct.  The cases can be used to create a book of business that will help negotiate other jobs, salary increases or bonuses. 

The most important reason to do this now, however, is not the business that will come in immediately.  It is likely that there will be no business unless the website is updated on a regular basis.  Instead, the main reason is to create a website that has some longevity.  Google likes websites that have been around for a long time.  A lawyer starting at a large law firm might tire of BigLaw hours after five years, or might get downsized in the next economic meltdown.  The website could at some point be that lawyer’s lifeline to new clients and a steady stream of income. 

All things being equal, Google states that it prefers websites with better, fresher content.  However, those domains that have been around for a long time will have added “stickiness.” By being around longer, they will likely have had more clicks or links, which (in addition to age), improves the websites’ credibility in the eyes of Google. 

Check back later this week for Do-It-Yourself Law Firm Websites, Part II: Build Your Own Website!

* The phrase is also a misquote. The proper quote is, “[i]f you build it, he will come.” Field of Dreams (Universal Pictures, 1989).

About the Author

John J. Cord (John Cord Law, LLC) graduated from the University of Colorado School of Law. He concentrates his practice on automobile negligence, medical malpractice and workers' compensation.  He provides a wide range of technological services to law firms, including blogging and trial presentation.  Find his firm on Facebook and Twitter.

MAJ Announces 2012 Social Media Seminar

Social Media Seminar

October 8, 2012 • 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Doubletree Hotel, Columbia, MD       

Registration is open! The Maryland Association for Justice will be presenting a seminar dedicated strictly to social media and technology.  This half-day seminar will offer valuable information that you don’t want to miss.

Here is a preview of what the seminar has to offer:

• Judge Ronald A. Silkworth will be giving an in-depth explanation of  Maryland Electronic Filing, coming soon to a court near you. This is a great opportunity for both attorneys and paralegals to learn from the best about a system that is expected to go statewide, and to get answers to all of your questions.
• Hear from our experts on attorney websites and design by FindLaw, experts in online legal marketing.
• Get your Ethics CLE credits with Lydia Lawless from the AttorneyGrievance Commission as she discusses the ethics of internet marketing and social media.
• Trial Considerations: PowerPoint, Computer-Generated Evidence, and Admissibility
• Author and solo-lawyer Carolyn Elefant will discuss social media how-to: Facebook, Twitter and blogs for law firms.

REGISTRATION

Members Log-in to register
President’s Club       Eagle       Founder       Contributor     Regular Member     Law Student     Paralegal     New Admittee	$40 $50 $65 $140 $25 $50 $45
Non-Member	$195

For registration and additional program details, click here.

SPEAKER SPOTLIGHT

Carolyn Elefant has been on the front lines representing and assisting solo lawyers since opening up her own practice in 1993.  She recently published the 2011-2012 edition of Solo by Choice: How to Be the LawyerYou Always Wanted to Be.  Her website, MyShingle.com, is devoted to solos and solo-wannabes, and provides a wealth of resources and information related to small firm management.  Ms. Elefant is based in Washington, D.C. and works on energy regulatory and enforcement law, appellate work, and marine renewable energy.  Follow her on Twitter at @carolynelefant, and contact her by e-mail at carolyn@carolynelefant.com.

Questions? Call MAJ as 410.872.099. or visit our website at www.marylandassociationforjustice.com.

LegalTech – Do-It-Yourself Trial Presentation for Under $1,200 (Part 2)

This post is Part II of LegalTech's 2-part series on "Do-It-Yourself Trial Presentation." Click here to read the Part I.

Software

Adobe Acrobat Pro X  Cost: $449.00

Acrobat Pro is essential to my practice, for so many reasons beyond trial presentations. It can easily bates-stamp documents and move pages within and between documents; it can be used to redact documents, or to type other information in.

For trial presentations, lawyers adhering to the “no bullet points” mantra will create slides that are composed mostly of evidence – medical records, pleadings, transcripts of testimony, photographs and exhibits. Many of those documents are saved in Adobe PDF form, and with Acrobat Pro they can be easily copied into a PowerPoint presentation.  Acrobat also includes some ability to recognize text within a document, and to highlight portions of the document.

Microsoft Home and Student 2010  Cost: $149.95

As useful as Acrobat Pro is, lawyers needing a cheaper alternative can use Microsoft Home and Student 2010, which provides much of the same functionality. Included in the package is PowerPoint 2010, which offers a variety of useful slide designs and templates. Most importantly, the Insert tab features a Screenshot button, which can be used to copy anything on the computer screen—including PDF documents.

The iPad Variant

iPad Cost: $499.00 to $829.00
If using an iPad, you will still need the projector, projector screen and Keynote. You can plug the iPad directly into the projector, but being tethered to it will limit your ability to move around the courtroom, and will hurt the “coolness” factor. To display images wirelessly with an iPad, you will need the following:

MiFi device Cost: $0.00 to $80.00, plus monthly fee (approx. $80.00)
The  MiFi device creates a portable wireless network, and it links the Apple TV to the iPad. These are available from most wireless cellphone carriers for a monthly subscription. They can often be used to connect five or more devices (including cell phones, laptops and iPads) to the internet.

Apple TV Cost: $99.00

Apple TV is a small box that connects to the projector and receives wireless transmissions from the iPad.

HDMI Cable Cost: $19.00

The HDMI cable is what connects Apple TV to the projector.

Miscellaneous Supplies

Speakers Cost: $25.00

If you are planning to play audio, including depositions or deposition clips, an external speaker is mandatory (unless your projector has internal speakers).  The laptop’s speakers are usually insufficient in a courtroom setting.  Speakers are available at a variety of sizes, some only a couple of inches high.

Extension Cord/Power Strip Cost: $30.00

Every courtroom is different, and there may not be enough plugs close enough to your projector and laptop.  Get two long extension cords and one power strip, just to be safe.

Duct Tape Cost: $3.50

To avoid injury (and liability), lawyers should tape down their extensions cords to prevent trips and falls in the courtroom.

Mouse Cost: $25.00

I like to have a spare mouse, one that plugs into the computer just to avoid problems like dead batteries.

Batteries Cost: $10.00

For any devices you use (mouse, laser pointer), have some spare batteries.

Card Table Cost: $15.00

A fold-up table is important because it may not be possible to place the projector on counsel’s table.  It must be small and easy to transport.

Conclusion

There are any number of other devices, accessories and software that you can use to enhance your presentations.  A laser pointer, video recording program (Camtasia Studios), timeline software (TimeMap), and drawing software (SmartDraw), to name a few.

Any lawyer can put a presentation together using these simple tools, carry the equipment to the courthouse, and set it up.  Lawyers uncomfortable going DIY can enlist the help of a paralegal, hire a college or business students (business students are great with PowerPoint), or hire a professional.  The point, though, is that this can be done cheaply, and can enhance even a half-day automobile collision trial.

About the Author
John J. Cord (John Cord Law, LLC) graduated from the University of Colorado School of Law. He concentrates his practice on automobile negligence, medical malpractice and workers' compensation.  He provides a wide range of technological services to law firms, including blogging and trial presentation.  Find his firm on Facebook and Twitter.

LegalTech – Do-It-Yourself Trial Presentation for Under $1,200 (Part 1)

Today’s youngest jurors were born in 1994. Bill Clinton was president, Rodney King’s civil trial concluded with a verdict of $3.8 million, and Star Trek: Generations was in the theaters (the handoff movie from the original series to The Next Generation). These people are considered Generation Y or Generation Z, depending on who you talk to. The technological milestones that occurred in the next few years helped to define this generation. At age 1 the White House launched a webpage; at age 4 the search engine Google Beta was released; at age 5 MySpace came onto the scene; at age 7 the iPod and Wikipedia began their rise; at age 14 Facebook had over 100 million users; at age 16 YouTube had over 2 billion video plays per day; and in their eighteenth year there will be well over 8 trillion text messages sent.

All of this is to say that your youngest jurors are plugged in. They have grown up with smartphones, video games, blockbuster movies, and on-demand video content. They receive much of their information in visual electronic form, often preferring texts, e-mails and blogs to telephone conversations. Many of these jurors have never even read a newspaper, or thumbed a phonebook. As lawyers, we must connect with these jurors, and that means giving them information in a format that they can recognize, understand, and use. They don’t want a lecture—they want to be involved in your case.

So it’s time to turn in the easel. Here’s what you need to create a dynamic, electronic trial presentation for under twelve hundred bucks—probably less, because you may already have some of the tools.

Hardware                    

Laptop Computer  Cost: $450.00
A laptop is the storage device for presentations at trial. It will plug directly into the digital projector. The specifications of a laptop computer are beyond the scope of this article, but as with all technology, buyers should consider the purpose of the purchase. Is it going to serve as an attorney’s primary computer? Is it to be used only for presentations? What software will be downloaded onto it? Will it be compatible with software used in the office? Local computer store salespeople can provide guidance on the type of computer best suited to particular purposes.  When purchasing a new computer, be sure to find out if you can get software (like Microsoft Office 2010) included or at a discount.  Most computers will include at least a basic version of the presentation software you need, whether PowerPoint (Microsoft) or Keynote (Apple).

Projector  Cost: $350.00
The projector is the mechanism that transmits the computer’s image to the projector screen. It will plug into the computer, typically with a RGB cable or a USB cable (which will be included with the projector). It can also transmit an image from a document camera (like an modern overhead projector). Projectors range in price from $350 to about $2,000. Three good brands are Optoma, Epson and ViewSonic. Any new projector should have a minimum of 2,500 lumens (which is quickly becoming the minimum), and should be XGA (as opposed to VGA) or higher. Lumens indicate the total amount of light a bulb is capable of generating. More lumens means the jury will be able to see the presentation, even in a well-lit courtroom. XGA denotes a resolution of 1024 x 768 (whereas VGA denotes 640 x 480). Resolution is the number of individual dots used to create an image, and it is expressed as the number of horizontal picture elements (“pixels”) by the number of vertical pixels. A higher resolution indicates a better picture quality. Of less concern is the type of projector: DLP (Digital Light Processors) versus LCD (Liquid Crystal Display). As a general rule, DLP projectors are better for displaying video (i.e., deposition clips), and LCD projectors produce a sharper image.

Aspect ratio is also a consideration. It is the relationship between the width and height of an image. Most projectors have 4:3 (standard), whereas some have 16:9 (widescreen), and many are capable of both. Finally, many projectors include speakers, which can be useful if playing deposition clips.

Some modern projectors even have a USB port and are capable of displaying images and even PowerPoint presentations without a laptop computer.  Before you go this route, do consult with a technician to ensure that the projector can play any video deposition clips you might need, and PowerPoint slide animation.

Projector Screen  Cost: $100.00 to $350.00
The screen is what the jury will look at during the presentation. The main considerations in any screen purchase are size and portability. Find a screen that folds up easily for transport, and assembles easily. New models simply rise pneumatically from a tubular aluminum case to the desired height (i.e., the Draper RoadWarrior). The size of the screen will depend on the available space and layout of the courtroom, but a width of 72 to 80 inches is standard.

My preference is for a screen that uses a tripod.  These screens are easier to set up in smaller courtrooms, and can be placed at an angle in the gallery for better viewing by the judge and jury.

Coming Wednesday, August 8: Part II – Software.

About the Author
John J. Cord (John Cord Law, LLC) graduated from the University of Colorado School of Law. He concentrates his practice on automobile negligence, medical malpractice and workers' compensation.  He provides a wide range of technological services to law firms, including blogging and trial presentation.  Find his firm on Facebook and Twitter.