There are many reasons why a lawyer or firm may wish create a paperless law office. Saving trees might be one, but the best reasons are the selfish ones. For example: having a paperless practice will make your life exponentially easier. The managing of paper has hidden costs and inefficiencies that you should take stock of. … [Read more...]
How to set up your paperless office scanner
Here's the optimal way to set up your paperless office scanner (which should be the Fujitsu iX500 ScanSnap for the reasons detailed in this comprehensive blog article). Getting the right scanner is key if you want to have a smooth-running paperless law practice. Besides having the right paperless office scanner, there are other important steps. … [Read more...]
St. Louis med-mal lawyer touts his paperless law practice
If you yearn for a paperless law practice, listen to what St. Louis attorney Todd Hendrickson had to say in a recent Above The Law article. "You can’t practice law without paper — that isn’t possible,” Todd Hendrickson explains. “But having as little paper as possible just makes things simpler. Obviously, I agree. As I've pointed out before, the notion that a paperless law practice means "zero paper" is a myth. If you're a litigator then I suggest you read the whole interview with Todd. … [Read more...]
Smashing office contraptions feels good
Do you sometimes fantasize of smashing printers? Well, you are NOT alone. Printer smashing is quite popular, actually. Printer rage was first celebrated in the 1999 comedy Office Space. Perhaps you'll enjoy this short clip from the movie (but mute the sound if you're at work, or offended by gangsta rap). In the nearly 20 years after Office Space came out a lot has changed in the world of technology: smartphones, pervasive Wi-Fi, self-driving cars, and personal drones. But, one … [Read more...]
Optimal Scanner Settings for Fujitsu ScanSnap
Small law firms that own the Fujitsu iX500 ScanSnap scanner (click here to learn why it's the best one) should use optimal scanner settings for maximum efficiency. I’ll quickly explain what my optimal scanner settings are. Then I’ll tell you about an exceptional guidebook that you absolutely must have to get the most out of your ScanSnap scanner. I have the iX500 model, which is the latest one. And I use it with my Mac computer. But the setup is basically the same for PCs. Optimal Scanner … [Read more...]
Checklist of PDF Workflows for Lawyers
While writing Acrobat in One Hour for Legal Professionals, I created some checklists for common PDF workflows for lawyers and legal professionals. The litigation workflows are based on my personal experiences, and include the following: Processing documents received for production Preparing PDF for e-filing Processing PDFs e-filed by other parties Responding to Interrogatory requests Preparing a PDF Trial Notebook I'm not a transactional attorney, but I created a checklist for making a … [Read more...]
Annoying PDF Problems
I have tried many different programs for viewing or manipulating PDFs, but in the end, I always stick with Adobe Acrobat. It's not cheap, and its rich feature set makes it daunting for new users. There are some things about Acrobat that annoy veteran users, including me. It occurs to me that perhaps if I start posting some of my frustrations it will prompt others to share their annoyances as well. The goal is not to mindlessly rant, but to collect feedback in an open, transparent way. Perhaps … [Read more...]
Example of paperless workflow involving faxes
The other day I got a fax from my local bar association asking me to confirm by way of a return fax that I would be attending a committee meeting. It would have been more efficient if they had simply asked me to send a response email, but we'll get to that later. The workflow process that I used to respond to the fax illustrates a couple of great features in Acrobat. It also shows how most workflow problems can be handled without any paper whatsoever. The fax from the Louisiana State Bar … [Read more...]
Ethical considerations of online file storage
Last September the New York State Bar Association issued Opinion 842 (link to official site) which addressed the question of 'cloud storage' or online storage of client information. In today's world, where cloud storage is cheap and easy to use, lawyers are increasingly embracing online storage services such as SugarSync and DropBox. The NY Bar opinion is a good starting point for any discussion about the ethical implications of online storage, even if you are located in a state other than New … [Read more...]
How quickly can you find and process information?
Did you know that according to the Wall St. Journal, 1 hour a day is wasted in most offices looking for missing information? This factoid is something I frequently mention whenever I'm giving a talk about 'going paperless.' Everyone nods their head when I say this, and the expressions of the head-nodders are always one of exasperation. Paper is inherently hard to wrangle and so we lose a lot of information just because we can't find the paper that contains it. But that's only part of the … [Read more...]
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