The Definitive Guide for Lawyers that Want to Use Macs in their Law Office
Three years ago I was honored to write “So You Want an All Mac Office?” for the fantastic Attorney at Work blog. The post continued to rack up hits over the years so the editors asked if I would architect an update.
It was published last week: “Still Want an All-Mac Law Office? What You Need and How You Can Do It.” I discuss why lawyers are using Macs, which Mac you should purchase, and a list of software you can run.
But it gets better because I reached out to four Mac-using lawyers to ask how they used their Mac, why they chose the Mac, and what helps them make it through the day – “Lawyers Who Use Macs: Why They Do It and How.” Their answers are incredibly helpful to any legal professional that’s considering the switch from Windows to Macs and how to do it successfully.
Here’s a graphic, courtesy of MyCase, that I included in the piece. This was drawn during the 2014 ABA TECHSHOW session titled, “The Business Case for Going All Mac.” (Click the graphic to enlarge it.)
If you’d like more information, feel free to contact me with any questions.
Throwback Thursday #TBT – DolphinSearch Review – Law Office Computing Magazine
I’ve been reviewing legal technology products for several years now and decided to share some past reviews for your viewing pleasure. I hope you find them as entertaining today as I do.
First up is a review of DolphinSearch for the June/July 2003 issue of Law Office Computing magazine. I wrote several articles for the magazine during it’s lifetime, as did many of my friends and colleagues in the legal technology world.
DolphinSearch was the original brainchild of Herb Roitblat. The technology was acquired by LexisNexis to become part of Applied Discovery when the Lexis was building up their presence in e-discovery. When I reviewed DophinSearch it was still a bit of a standalone product and as I mention in my review, the product didn’t lend itself very well to that arrangement. DolphinSearch was ultimately re-acquired by Herb and a capable team and re-branded as OrcaTec which is still leading the way in predictive coding and text analytics.
Looking at my review from 2003, I realize now that I was looking at one of the predecessors to the analytics tools we use today (e.g. Content Analyst, Recommend, etc.) to parse through large volumes of ESI. DophinSearch was ahead of it’s time, and I’m thrilled to see that Herb and the OrcaTec group are still pushing forward.
You can download the PDF of “Searching with Dolphins” review of DolphinSearch that appeared in the June/July 2003 issue of Law Office Computing magazine.
Lawyers and iPads: What Will Law Firms Do Differently in 5 Years Thanks to Going Mobile?
Brett Burney was interviewed for a blog post entitled “Lawyers and iPads: What Will Law Firms Do Differently in 5 Years Thanks to Going Mobile?” that appeared on the Relativity Blog on July 24, 2105.
kCura is one of the few e-discovery vendors that offers a companion iPad app (Relativity Binders) for their document review product (Relativity). kCura interviewed five legal technology experts to get their ideas on where iPads and mobility will take law firms in the next 5 years.
Read “Lawyers and iPads: What Will Law Firms Do Differently in 5 Years Thanks to Going Mobile?“
Desktop E-Discovery – Ipro Eclipse SE Keeps E-Discovery Local, on the Desktop
E-discovery consultant Brett Burney reviewed the desktop-based Eclipse SE document review software from Ipro Tech Inc. Brett found that the software was an excellent option for law firms looking to replace their legacy document review software:
I failed to find the same limitations in Eclipse SE that burden other similar desktop document review tools. I was constantly impressed with the number of options and capabilities, and the accompanying User Guides are superior in their clarity. You may think a desktop software application is a step backwards in today’s litigation support software environment, but there are many law firms that still need the flexibility and control over their litigation matters. Ipro’s Eclipse SE is one of the first places they should look.
You can read the entire review in the June 2015 issue of Legaltech News.
Ipro Tech Inc. also noted the review and is currently offering a 50% off promotion for your first copy of Eclipse SE.
Update 2015.06.22: Legaltechnews.com has posted Brett’s review of Ipro Eclipse SE online entitled “E-Discovery Software Acts Local, Works Global – Ipro Eclipse keeps e-discovery local, on the desktop.”
“How To Effectively Use The Technology You Own and Make Money While Doing It!” – Kanwaha County Family Law Bench Bar Committee
Brett Burney will present “How to Effectively Use the Technology You Own and Make Money while Doing It!” to the Kawaha County Family Law Bench Bar Committee of the West Virginia State Bar on Wednesday, April 29, 2015. The presentation will offer recommendations on hardware and software along with a multitude of tips and tricks for lawyers to get the most out of the technology that they already own.
Low-Cost E-Discovery Services Target Small Firms, Simpler Cases (aka “E-Discovery on a Dime”)
E-discovery consultant Brett Burney is interviewed for a story for the ABA Journal online entitled “Low-cost e-discovery services target small firms, simpler cases” (entitled “eDiscovery on a Dime” in the June 2015 printed ABA Journal magazine).
The article features Brett Burney discussing some of the tools and services available for smaller firms and smaller cases when it comes to e-discovery.
The learning curve for the entry-level systems (also known as self-service e-discovery) is a snap, says Brett Burney, founder of Burney Consultants of Chagrin Falls, Ohio. “If you can use standard tools found in any law firm—Google, Facebook, Microsoft Outlook, Westlaw, Lexis,” Burney says, “then you will be comfortable using these tools with little training or introduction.” Logging on to the e-discovery results in the cloud is also painless. Just about any PC, laptop or tablet will do. “All you need is a Web browser,” Burney says.
Read the full story of “Low cost e-discovery services target small firms, simple cases” on ABA Journal.
“iPads for Lawyers” Presentation to the Oakland County Bar Association – June 4, 2015
Brett Burney will present “iPads for Lawyers” to the Lawyers of a Certain Age (LOCA) Committee of the Oakland County Bar Association in Bloomfield Hills, MI on Monday, June 4, 2015. The presentation will provide an introduction to the iPad and practical tips on how to incorporate the iPad into your practice.
Reviewing Catalyst for Your eDiscovery Litigation Needs
E-discovery consultant Brett Burney reviews Catalyst Insight and Insight Predict:
Catalyst is one company that’s been on the forefront of the eDiscovery battles for years and they continue to push the boundaries of how technology can help lawyers face the struggling challenges involved in eDiscovery.
Read more on Law Technology Today.
Mac Lawyering: Lawyers Can Use Macs Too
Brett Burney answers the question: Is it really possible to use a Mac in a law practice?
Learn why more lawyers are switching to Macs during this interactive program. We will help you identify the right Mac for your practice as well as things to consider while making the switch. Watch as we provide a visual overview of Mac-specific features you won’t find on Windows along with software for law offices including Microsoft Office for Mac. You will also leave with a collection of tips and tricks even Mac power users can implement.
Monday, May 11, 2015 | 1:30 – 3:00 p.m. Eastern
10 Legal Tech Influencers Weigh In On the State of the Legal Cloud
Brett Burney briefly discusses the state of cloud-based SaaS platforms for e-discovery:
The biggest advantage of SaaS e-discovery tools is that they’re so easy to use. If you can upload a picture to Facebook, you can upload a .PST file to these services. Files are processed on the backend and presented to reviewers so they can filter, search, tag, and produce the files themselves. And these tools come with all the advantages of any other cloud-based platform in that updates and security patches get applied automatically without the firm having to worry about it.
Read more on InsideLegal blog.