ILLINOIS STATE BAR ASSOCIATION DECEMBER 2016 VOL 22 NO. 3 The Catalyst The newsletter of the Illinois State Bar Association’s Standing Committee on Women and the Law Legal technology resources Legal technology resources for your practice for your practice 1 Proper use of preferred BY KIMBERLEY CRUM KLEIN gender pronouns 1 Do you sometimes wonder how are released that are even better. Our busy we ever lived without those little mini- lives sometimes make it difficult to keep Chair column 4 computers that we all carry around in track of the vast number of new apps that our pockets and briefcases these days? are released constantly, so here is a list of a Hopefully by now you have found many few apps for both iPhone and iPad that can Letting go of guilt ways to use the incredible mobile power 5 help you with productivity in your legal of apps on your device to make your practice more efficient. The technology practice. (All of these are compatible with Upcoming CLE programs world moves quickly, so just when you get Apple products, but they may or may not 7 comfortable using one app, three new ones Continued on next page Proper use of preferred gender pronouns BY SARAH D. ZIGULICH While the English language is include the feminine and the feminine, the generally limited to two pronouns masculine.” Another common boilerplate denoting male and female subjects, is as follows, “Any word in the text of legal writing is even more inclusive and this Agreement shall be read as singular predominantly uses only the male gender or as plural and as masculine, feminine pronouns “he, him, his.” Most contracts or gender neutral as may be appropriate include language under headings such under the circumstances to carry out the as Interpretation and Construction of parties’ intent.” However, said provisions the Agreement that reads, “Unless the may soon be outdated due to the growing context of this Agreement otherwise clearly requires, references to the plural trend of gender neutral pronouns being include the singular and the singular, the used as preferred gender pronouns. plural and references to the masculine Continued on page 3 The Catalyst ▼ DECEMBER 2016 / VOL 22 / NO. 3 Legal technology resources for your practice CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 The Catalyst Published at least four times per year. be available on other platforms.) organization subfolders within each case, Annual subscription rates for ISBA just like a paper file. When you’re in the members: $25. Slack—This is a group collaboration middle of trial you have all of your exhibits To subscribe, visit www.isba.org or call tool that has the tech world buzzing. It at your fingertips within the app and can 217-525-1760. works by allowing you to create what it bring them up and display them in the OFFICE calls “channels” that your team or group courtroom as needed. ILLINOIS BAR CENTER can access to communicate and collaborate 424 S. SECOND STREET on projects. You can also create private SPRINGFIELD, IL 62701 TranscriptPad—This is an excellent PHONES: 217-525-1760 OR 800-252-8908 channels if you have sensitive information app for any attorney who uses an iPad and WWW.ISBA.ORG to which you only want a few people to works with transcripts. In fact, if you are EDITORS have access. The app allows you to share drowning in transcript documents this Cindy G. Buys files, pictures, documents, spreadsheets, might be a lifesaver for you. You can use Kelly Thames Bennett and any other electronic information with MANAGING EDITOR / PRODUCTION it to review transcripts and you can carry Katie Underwood the group. The app syncs with Google every transcript with you at all times within [email protected] Drive and DropBox as well as other the app. It allows you to organize cases in STANDING COMMITTEE ON WOMEN document storage services. You can use folders and then to store transcripts within AND THE LAW it on your phone, tablet, or computer so those case folders so that you can find what Julie A. Neubauer, Chair it is available no matter where you are. Melissa M. Olivero, Vice Chair you need easily and quickly. As you are Lori G. Levin, Secretary There is a free basic plan that you can use reading, you can highlight key sections or Emily N. Masalski, Ex-Officio to see how it works, and then there are Geri L. Arrindell answers in various colors if you want to use Staci L. Balbirer various paid plans if you need something a color-coding system, and you can flag Hon. Patrice Ball-Reed more robust or more extensive features. Jennifer L. Brackett certain answers or pages to return to them Cindy G. Buys This app allows multiple attorneys and/or easily. You can even code certain issues as Tracy D. Douglas support staff to collaborate on a file and to Veronica L. Felton Armouti you read and then generate a code report Emily Ann Hansen communicate with one another about the within the app that gives you a list of those Michele M. Jochner project all in one place. You can even make Jennifer Lynn Kobayashi issues to review or to concentrate on. Hon. Pamela E. Loza a client a user if you have a situation where Margaret A. Manetti you need to collaborate and communicate PDF Reader App—Some type of Jessica C. Marshall Rebecca B. Melzer with the client. (As an aside, it is a good PDF document app is a must-have for Sherry A. Mundorff idea to be aware of this app when you are any lawyer in any type of practice. The Margaret A. O’Sullivan Mary F. Petruchius conducting discovery, as it could hold PDF file format is ubiquitous now, and Kristen E. Prinz relevant documents and communications you must have a way to interact with it. Alice L. Sackett Kelly Thames Bennett just as email or a hard-drive can.) There are several good apps available in Shira D. Truitt the app store for all different platforms Erin M. Wilson TrialPad—This is a powerful and Melissa Burkholder, Staff Liaison and devices. My long-time favorite is PDF Bridget C. Duignan, Board Co-Liaison sophisticated app for trial presentations. Expert, but GoodReader and iAnnotate Hon. Elizabeth M. Rochford, Board Co- You can use this to present evidence to Liaison are both excellent programs as well. These Annemarie E. Kill, CLE Committee Liaison a judge or jury without having to use robust apps allow you to work with PDF expensive presentation software on a documents just the way you would if they computer. You can run it from your iPad were pieces of paper in front of you, but DISCLAIMER: This newsletter is for subscribers’ personal use only; redistribution is prohibited. so it is easy to use with a little practice with a seemingly infinite number of tools. Copyright Illinois State Bar Association. Statements and generally user friendly. You can make or expressions of opinion appearing herein are You can use them to highlight text in those of the authors and not necessarily those of the presentations to a group by connecting numerous ways or you can fill in blanks on Association or Editors, and likewise the publication of any advertisement is not to be construed as an a projector or TV. The app contains a forms. You can use the app to have a client endorsement of the product or service offered unless it is specifically stated in the ad that there is such feature called “Callout” which allows you sign a document, and you can store your approval or endorsement. to enlarge certain sections of text for a own signature as a stamp within the app Articles are prepared as an educational service to members of ISBA. They should not be relied upon as jury or audience to view on a screen or to sign documents. The apps have stock a substitute for individual legal research. projector. You can then manipulate that stamps available or you can create custom The articles in this newsletter are not intended to be text with highlights or notes or animation stamps that say anything you want them to used and may not be relied on for penalty avoidance. Postmaster: Please send address changes to if necessary. Within the app, you can say. You can add text notes or editing notes the Illinois State Bar Association, 424 S. 2nd St., organize your cases in folders with smaller to any document, or you can add exhibit Springfield, IL 62701-1779. 2 stickers and page numbers to documents. having to do the calculations yourself. You Objections to Admissibility. Within each These apps make it easy to add new pages, can put in different scenarios to provide an category, there are subcategories, which to merge multiple documents, and to estimate of the effect that a certain demand include objections like Ambiguous or rearrange and delete pages within a PDF or offer might have on the bottom line. Assumes Facts. Within each subcategory, document. There is also an option to display all of the there are guides to the wording of the results graphically in bold colors so you objection and an explanation of the rule, as ADR Mediation Tool—If you use can see the history and the results of the well as possible responses if your question mediation in your practice, this simple negotiations, which is an excellent way to is the one being objected to by opposing but full-featured app allows you to enter illustrate for a client what has happened counsel.