Tech Based Solutions to Common Practice Needs
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` 2015 WSSFC Technology Track – Session 11 So You Want To . .: Tech Based Solutions to Common Practice Needs Tison H. Rhine, State Bar of Wisconsin, Madison About the Presenter... Tison H. Rhine is the State Bar of Wisconsin’s Practice411™ Law Office Management Assistance Program Manager and Practice Management Advisor. He received his B.S. in Economics and Engineering Science from Vanderbilt University and his J.D. from the University of Minnesota. Previously General Counsel for an Indiana based energy company, Mr. Rhine also has experience practicing in small firm and clinical settings. He now uses his diverse legal and technical background to help Wisconsin attorneys run their practices more effectively and efficiently. So, You Want To . : Tech Based Solutions to Common Practice Needs WSSFC 2015 Materials Tison Rhine Summary: As attorneys, when there is a task we want to perform more efficiently, or an office product that we believe could improve our work lives in some way, visiting stores and scouring the web to determine the best solution doesn’t always make it to the top of our to-do lists. The research can be especially daunting when there are ethical questions surrounding the technology involved. You don’t have to go without, though. With this program, you will learn practical tech products and solutions for common law practice scenarios in a rapid-fire, yet organized fashion. Whether you wish to automate digital tasks, share files with clients and colleagues, be more comfortable at your workstation, or merely find a decent coffee maker for your office, this program has you covered. By centering the conversation on individual law practice tasks and needs, attorneys in attendance will be able to easily take notes, compare current tech offerings, and take actionable ideas home to their practice. These “take-aways” should include: What software, hardware, mobile apps, gadgets, websites, shortcuts, and other tech items and solutions are currently available; How these tech items and solutions can help with specific law practice needs; and Why these specific law practice needs are important to the competent practice of law under current ethics rules. So, You Want To . • Get out of bed more easily o Let’s start at the beginning of you day and face an unfortunate fact: Attorneys don’t get enough sleep. You may think those late nights are a positive reflection of your hard work and competence, but studies show that professionals who get fewer hours of sleep produce lower quality product with less efficiency. Even with this knowledge, sometimes you just won’t get enough sleep and it may be difficult to get up for those early morning appointments. If this sounds like you, try . A natural light alarm clock: • Philips HF3520 Wake-Up Light With Colored Sunrise Simulation ($140) Actually, with modern technology, you may not need to head to the office to get your work done at all. You may be thinking of staying in (or working from somewhere else). So, You Want To . • Read And Edit/Annotate Documents On The Go (Or On Your Couch). o Microsoft Surface Pro 3: Though it is not the best option solely for reading documents (due to cost and weight), attorneys still love the Surface Pro 3 because it manages to combine most of the conveniences of a tablet with the power of a full Windows PC. If replacing your current computer with a device that is also more portable than most laptops, this may be 1 - Rhine your best option. Keep in mind, however, that even though it does in fact work competently as a full-fledged PC, its screen is a bit small and its keyboard “type cover” quite flimsy when compared with larger, more traditional notebook laptops. Price: $699 - $1,849 plus $129.99 for Type Cover o Sony Digital Paper System: In stark contrast to the Surface Pro 3, Sony’s electronic paper replacement, with its sharp, gray scale, 13.3” e-ink display, is designed for one thing, and one thing only: reading and editing documents. You can edit and add text to PDFs as you would on a PC, or mark documents up with the included stylus as if they were actual paper. The Sony has fantastic battery life (up to three weeks) and is thin, light, and easy to read in bright lighting conditions. The Sony is quite expensive for a single purpose device, however, and also has relatively poor screen responsiveness compared to tablets with capacitive LCD or OLED displays. There is a noticeable lag when you drag the Digital Paper’s stylus across its screen. This bothers some more than others (me a lot), so try to find someone that will let you test it out before you buy. Price: $799 o Apple iPad Air 2: The Air 2 is very thin (even thinner than the iPad Mini), very light, and very easy to use. It isn’t as powerful as the Surface Pro 3, but it will do just fine for reading and editing documents and email and offers plenty of apps designed specifically for on the go productivity. It is a bit more expensive than similarly equipped Android tablets, but tends to offer more apps made for attorneys, such as TrialPad. Price: $499 - $829 o Apple iPad Mini Retina (aka iPad Mini 2) or iPad Mini 3: The iPad Mini offers much less screen real estate than the other options on this list, but if you will be spending more time reading documents and less time editing, the reduced weight and size will have you reaching for it far more often. The Mini 3 only added a touch sensor over the Mini 2, so if only get the 3 if you need 64GB or more of storage (the 64GB and 128GB models now are only offered as Mini 3 models). Price: $299 - $729 o Dell Venue 8 7000: If you want android, the Dell Venue has good batter life and a good form factor. Price: $399 - $449 • Carry All Your Devices o As the travelling attorney knows well, lugging a briefcase or shoulder bag around is not always convenient or comfortable. And as attorneys begin to carry fewer documents and more electronic devices – through the airport, on the road, and in the courthouse – the travelling attorney is also probably familiar with battery drain. For an elegant solution to both problems, attorneys should consider something like: . The TYLT Energi+ Backpack with built-in battery ($150). • With separate storage for your laptop, phone, tablet, chargers, and even glasses, the Energi+ will keep you organized. And with its built in 10,400 mAh (removable) battery, which utilizes a convenient cable management system to charge your devices right in their respective resting places, your days of searching for outlets may soon be over. On the negative side, the battery isn’t powerful enough for a laptop, but it should work with most other devices. • At its original price of $200, the Energi+’s construction and zippers are a bit of a letdown when compared to similarly priced or more expensive 2 - Rhine packs. However, it can now often be found for under $150, making the Energy+ is the best battery backpack I have seen so far. o Note: Although I do not think attorneys are too old to use backpacks, when meeting certain clients, you will want to use a more traditional bag. • Protect your data on-the-go with a VPN (Virtual Private Network) o Using a VPN will protect your data as if you were in your office and is probably the single best way to protect yourself while using public wi-fi (see Ethical considerations below) o Recommendations: . VyprVPN . TunnelBear . Cloak (for Mac) . Private Internet Access . CyberGhost . IPVanish Yes, it is convenient to be able to be productive on-the-go, but eventually, you will likely find your way back to your office. While you are there, you want to be comfortable and efficient. So, You Want To . • Type Faster When Creating Your Documents o Not just for gaming, using a Mechanical Keyboard can lead to fewer mistakes, increased speed (for many people), and generally, a more satisfying experience o There are many types of mechanical switches, so here is a rundown of the most common: . Cherry MX Red – linear (less tactile) feel, low force, no added click . Cherry MX Black – like Red, but stiffer (for people who hate accidental presses) . Cherry MX Blue – significant tactile feel with an audible click . Cherry MX Brown – tactile feedback (activated early in keystroke), but no click . I like Brown for offices, because they aren’t too noisy, but give feedback. If you don’t know what you would like, you can order the WASD 6-Key Cherry MX Switch Tester from Amazon ($16) o A few recommendations: . Das Keyboard Model S Professional ($139) (also available for Mac) . Das Keyboard 4 Professional ($169) (also available for Mac) . Das Keyboard 4C (no number keys) ($139) . Rosewill Rk-9000 ($90-$120) • Avoid Hand Cramps From Cheap, Included Computer Mice o You spend enough time on your computer to have a good mouse. I recommend . Logitech Performance MX (or newer MX Master) . Or the smaller, Logitech M705 . Or the ergonomic Evoluent VerticalMouse 4 • Save Your Wrists From Unnecessary Pain 3 - Rhine o Keyboard (and mouse) trays should be close to your body, low enough to allow your arms to rest comfortably at your side, and tilt downward away from the body (negative tilt), not up o Try : . Humanscale 500 / 900 ($250-$300) . Uplift Keyboard Tray ($200) • See Your Work (And Everything Else) With An Ultrawide Or Dual Monitor Setup o LG Curved ultrawide 34UC97-S ($1,099) o Samsung 34” Ultrawide Curved Screen ($999) o Second monitor of your choice ($200 and up) • Have Useful Space Under That New Monitor o Try a monitor stand with a built in usb hub to get more space on your desk for files and notes .