Agenda: March/April 2011

COVER STORY

In the Cloud

Cloud computing's silver lining is that it helps law firms cut IT costs while requiring minimal in-house technology expertise. Now, thanks to web-based applications, even small firm practitioners can have the equivalent of BigLaw IT services -- but will want practice management tools that are tailored solely for the legal profession.

Rights of Passage

Technology's crucial role in the Middle East, and in a controversial U.S. Supreme Court ruling, remind us of the importance, and price, of free speech.

Change in the Weather

As law firms fly into the clouds, will CIOs matter?

Breaking Boundaries

Georgia judge allows out-of-state witness to appear
via Skype.

Fios' Revolving Door

CEO Hesse is latest exit, Lyons now leads.

As Good As Its Content

Apersee's true value to users will depend on vendors' candor.

Brain Drain

Are firms prepared for Baby Boomer IT departures?

Easy Does It

Facebook offers a one-button tool to collect user content.

Compare & Contrast: MOBILE DICTATION DEVICES

Sean Doherty reviews the latest digital dictation devices

Global Spotlight

Catalyst Launches Japan Aid

Seek and Ye Shall Find

Socha & Gelbmann launch Apersee, replacing vendor ranking roster.

IT SURVEYS:

The Reality of Perception

Annual poll helps Parker Poe satisfy users

CLOUD COMPUTING:

Complete Cloud Package

World Software delivers a full-featured, web-based document management system for small firms.

Ongoing Survey Helps Bingham Measure IT Satisfaction

How do you measure customer happiness? Boston-based Bingham McCutchen lets internal customers quantify their satisfaction in an ongoing survey of callers to their IT help desk. With the help of BMC Service Desk Express from BMC Software, every fifth caller automatically receives an e-mail with a link to a survey when their IT problem is resolved.

CLOUD COMPUTING:

Misconceptions 2.0

Cloud computing generates the same myths as its forebear, application service providers.

CLOUD COMPUTING:

Team Discipline

Mitratech's TeamConnect Enterprise helps law departments adopt 'collaborative accountability.'

TEST DRIVE:

Good, But Not Good Enough

Like many netbooks, Toshiba's mini notebook is excellent, but doesn't match the iPad.

WEB WATCH:

A La Carte E-Mail Alerts Delivered Free

Court monitoring has many uses -- from keeping you on top of a field of law to helping you track specific litigation. The major commercial legal research services offer e-mail alerts that signal you when a new case matches your search -- for a fee. But now, CourtListener and Google Scholar help you generate free, tailored e-mail notifications about targeted cases.

TECHNOLOGY ON TRIAL:

Frank McCourt Strikes Out

Frank and Jamie McCourt signed multiple copies (and two versions) of a marital property agreement, but the language differed in the two versions about their most valuable asset: the L.A. Dodgers. When the marriage failed, forensic experts and others got to work. Both sides adjusted their presentation protocols -- and treated the media as a de facto jury along the way.

iPad's Rivals

The year is young, but tablet computers are already 2011's hottest mobile products and possibly the hottest technology products overall. So, which models will best help legal professionals work smarter and faster? Freelance writer John Edwards gives his lowdown on the new iPad wannabes.

BEST PRACTICES:

Microsoft 'Eats Its Own Dog Food' for Its Document Management System

Microsoft's Legal and Corporate Affairs department was stymied over how to automatically add e-mails and documents into a document management system so the content could be shared among the company's attorneys and practice groups. A key early decision was the pledge that LCA would "eat its own dog food," technology jargon for using Microsoft's own software to build the program.

BALL IN YOUR COURT:

Double Delete Doesn't Do It

Craig Ball advises readers to avoid the seduction of antiforensics tools that promise privacy protection. Nothing serves to deflect a case from its merits faster than proof a party has intentionally destroyed or altered evidence -- the mere presence of tools such as CCleaner may signal to a forensics examiner a computer's user has something to hide.

EXEMPLARS:

IT Turns Lawyers Into Better Cash Registers

With a little leveraging of existing firm technology, Ulmer & Berne turned reluctant lawyers into effective bill collectors. The trick was integrating its VoIP system with its client relationship management data -- and with its time and billing system. The new setup delivers the bill collection data when lawyers need it most -- when the client calls.

PARADIGM SHIFT:

Social Studies

Facebook and Twitter fuel a revolution. "One surprising result: The army has adopted the tools of the demonstrators."