May 13, 2011 by Dan Siegel.

Recently, there has been some discussion out of IBM about the possibility of using Watson-like technology for legal research, litigation and discovery. While this sounds like a great idea in the abstract, in reality, it remains to be seen whether Watson is capable of such an undertaking.

For those who have no idea what I’m talking about, Watson is a room-sized computer created by IBM and named after its first president, Thomas J. Watson, that is capable of answering queries phrased in natural language. Watson became famous this past February when “he” prevailed on Jeopardy! against two of the biggest winners in the game show’s history.

According to IBM fellow Guru Rao, IBM is working towards being able to use Watson-like technology “to weed out relevant information from warehouses of data.” For lawyers, the thought of having a machine that can go through a mountain of discovery and almost instantaneously obtain the most relevant documents sounds like a dream come true. This technology could also be useful for pinpointing the perfect case or statute when engaging in legal research.

But will lawyers be willing to take Watson for his word when he is less than 100% confident in a conclusion? While Watson answered many clues correctly on Jeopardy!, he was actually less than 50% confident in many of his responses. Also, Watson’s confidence and accuracy improved with longer, wordier clues, and decreased with shorter clues with fewer words; thus, simple queries like “instances of malpractice” would be the least likely to produce reliable results.

I, for one, am looking forward to seeing where IBM is able to take this technology in order to help lawyers. Watson may be fully capable of winning a game show, but whether or not he will be a winner in the courtroom remains to be seen. 

Further Reading:

http://www.law.com/jsp/nlj/PubArticleNLJ.jsp?id=1202481662966&slreturn=1&hbxlogin=1

http://www.networkworld.com/news/2011/050311-ibm-hopes-to-bring-watson.html?docid=050911i

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February 2, 2011 by Dan Siegel.

Yesterday, my associates, Molly Gilligan, Diana D’Auria and I, spent the date (actually our annual jaunt) at Legaltech, New York, the large commercial legal technology show (not to be confused with the ABA’s Techshow, where I will be speaking in April). As usual, there were many vendors and we were able to visit with friends from our many partners, including LexisNexis TimeMatters, CaseMap and Concordance, Legal Files case and matter management software, AccessData Summation (I have just become a newly-minted Summation Support Specialist, which replaces my prior certification as a Summation Certified Trainer) and Payne Systems (Metadata Assistant). We also visited with our newest partner, Business Integrity, which markets Contract Express, an easy, user-friendly document assembly software program. It was particularly heartening to hear the totally positive feedback for my book, The Lawyer’s Guide to LexisNexis CaseMap. Users love it and apparently so do the people at Casesoft, the Lexis division responsible for CaseMap, TextMap, NoteMap and TimeMap.  Overall, a great day, some new friends made, some old aquaintances renewed.

One minor complaint. One of my associates tried to register online on the first day of the show. Because registration was closed, she was informed she had to register at the show. Lo and behold, the otherwise free registration was no longer available and we were hit with a $50.00 registration fee for attending the show. Nowhere on the Legaltech site can I find mention of this policy, and it’s not apparent (if it exists) on the portion of the site devoted to Legaltech in California. That just didn’t seem fair.

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January 19, 2011 by Dan Siegel.

I am very pleased to announce that I will be presenting a series of monthly webinars about LexisNexis CaseMap, the award-winning litigation management software - the webinars are based on my book The Lawyer’s Guide to LexisNexis CaseMap, which was recently published by the American Bar Association Law Practice Management Section. The series will provide numerous tips designed to help you get the most from CaseMap. There will also be ample time for Q&A. Webinar sessions are designed for beginners as well as longtime users. Register for one or all of the installments—and check back for new segments throughout 2011

Click here to sign up for the webinars.

Click here to read the Table of Contents.

Click here to read an excerpt from the book.

Click here to order the book.

Click here to visit the CaseMap Book website.

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December 21, 2010 by Dan Siegel.

For years, I have written and lectured about the bump-up in productivity that results when you use a large monitor. But, like many people, I’m not a big fan of dual screens, and the price difference between 22/23 inch and larger monitors has been dramatic. But not anymore. I just purchased a 27 inch Samsung monitor for $259.99 at BJ’s, and the display is gorgeous. More importantly, it’s obvious just how much more I can see and how much more productive it makes me (less scrolling up and down and less scrolling side to side) - something I emphasize in my program, How to Do 90 Minutes of Work in 60. In particular, it makes side-by-side viewing (the “snap” feature in Windows 7) extremely useful. 

For some programs - like LexisNexis CaseMap - the ability to see more is a big plus. One of the difficulties with CaseMap on a small screen is the fact that it’s hard to see all the columns and therefore harder to see the “big picture.” When I opened CaseMap on the 27 inch monitor, however, the result was “Wow,” not only by me, but by my associate, Molly Barker Gilligan, Esquire, who had been compiling a CaseMap database on her “puny” 22 inch monitor. Her eyes and mine “popped” at how much better the program looked and how much easier it was to view everything. This gives me a new suggestion in conjunction with my book, The Lawyer’s Guide to LexisNexis Case Map.

 I frequently suggest to clients that they purchase larger monitors but have, until now, generally recommended that 22 or 23 inch is sufficient. Not anymore. Now, with 27 inch monitors so cheap, they are clearly the way to go.

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October 27, 2010 by Dan Siegel.

In February 2009, I was contacted by a potential client, who was opening a law office. I recommended that he purchase case management software, Adobe Acrobat Professional and a scanner; he also needed time and billing software. Because he was just starting and wanted to focus on the time and billing software, I explained that the ideal product for him was one I did not support and offered to refer him to another consultant who is an expert on that product. He declined. Instead, at the recommendation of friends, he purchased a time and billing product from that is designed for mid- to large-sized law firms, even though I explained it really wasn’t for him. He insisted, and I processed the sale.

Now, roughly 18 months later, he has contacted me again. The software he bought, he discovered, isn’t right for him and he isn’t using it. Instead, he wants to know what I know about another product, recommended by his IT person. I don’t know much about the product, except that it probably isn’t right for him, but he wants it because his IT consultant - who does hardware and networks, not legal technology - has used it. He’s headed for more wasted money, at least if history repeats, as DeToqueville has reminded us.

I say it to clients, I say it in lectures, and I’ll say it here. Don’t buy software because your friends like it. That doesn’t mean it will work for you.

Don’t buy software because your IT person likes it. That doesn’t mean it will work for you.

Figure out what you need, then evaluate the products, and then make a decision. If, after that process, your friend or your IT person’s product is the right one - Great. But if not, buy what you need. That’s why we try on clothes, they may look great in a magazine, but not so hot on us.

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April 23, 2010 by Dan Siegel.

Apropos my last post about the Paperless Office, I was reading the March/April 2010 issue of Baseline Magazine, which ran a terrific article, “Disaster-Proofing IT After Katrina,” about how the Gulfport Municipal Court in Louisiana was devastated by Katrina and, as a result, the Court secured a grant from the Department of Justice and digitized the entire office (after the hurricane, they actually tried using Rubbermaid containers for filing). Now — after training — the Court runs efficiently - electronically, with everything scanned, calendars/dockets electronic, etc. No more paper files. As the article concluded:

By streamlining its infrastructure, investing in a digital imaging solution and storing data in multiple sites, Gulfport Municipal Court has created order from chaos. It is now prepared for the worst that hurricane season can dish out, while fervently hoping that nightmare never returns.

As we discussed in the PBI “Paperless Office” course, going paperless (or “less paper” as I call it), improves efficiency and avoids many nightmares. In fact, last week after the seminar I walked past the site of the former Meridian Building, that burned down before the digital age and commented how, if the tenants had access to today’s technology, they might have been up and running in new quarters in just a matter of days. I know it’s a leap, but the sooner you make the jump to “less paper,” the better off you and your staff will be.

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April 20, 2010 by Dan Siegel.

I’m just finished lecturing about “How to Go Paperless” for PBI in Philadelphia with attorneys Rachel Branson, Walter Robinson and Twanda Turner-Hawkins. I demonstrated the various software we support and use. Most positive was the very good attendance, with about 35 people at the program. More and more, lawyers are beginning to recognize the need to reduce their reliance on paper, and the need to focus more on how technology makes them more efficient. We’ll be reprising the seminar next week in Pittsburgh on April 29th. Key discussion points today were backups, restoring backups, security and encryption and social media privacy information.

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February 2, 2010 by Dan Siegel.

Today, my associate, Molly Barker Gilligan, Esquire, and I made our annual pilgrimage to Legal Tech, the mammoth legal technology trade show in New York. What a difference year makes.

Crowds - last year they were relatively sparse, today the aisles were filled with people.

Liveliness - last year the attendees seemed quiet and reluctant to engage the vendors, today, was the opposite.

It’s clearly a sign that, at least for some in the legal industry, the times are changing. What also remains a shock is how many e-discovery vendors there are, and how they can all possibly stay in business, and thrive.

For us, at Integrated Technology Services, LLC, it was an opportunity to meet with our many partners (including Legal Files, Payne (Metadata  Assistant), Time Matters, Sanction, Concordance, and Summation, to name a few), and to discuss the progress of my upcoming book, The Lawyer’s Guide to CaseMap, which is expected to be published this summer by the American Bar Association. Of course, it was great seeing the many support and sales people from LexisNexis CaseSoft.

But mostly, the show is about taking the temperature of legal technology, which clearly is hot and alive. Attendees we spoke with were upbeat about the future and seemed to think the worst is past. We’ll have to see. But certainly, Legal Tech 2010 was a success for Molly and me, and we look forward to the 2011 edition.

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January 12, 2010 by Dan Siegel.

After a roughly nine month hiatus, the  Legal Technology Blog has returned, alive and well. A mix of health issues, a heavy workload, and my campaign for re-election as a Commissioner in Haverford Township (I won re-election by 40 votes), left little time for this blog or my Pennsylvania law blog. But with 2010 here, it’s time for the blogs to return. This blog will continue to comment upon new trends in legal technology, tips to be a more efficient attorney (or support person) and other related topics.

Stay tuned, and thanks for your patience.

Dan Siegel

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March 2, 2009 by Dan Siegel.

A few years ago, I reviewed a book, The No Asshole Rule, for The Philadelphia Lawyer, the Philadelphia Bar Association magazine. Written by Robert Sutton, a Professor of Management Science and Engineering at Stanford University, the premise of the book is that no business should hire, tolerate or perpetuate the employment of “certified assholes,” people who are assholes all the time.

In my review, I wrote (regretfully “tongue in cheek”) that “We are simply blessed that there are no assholes in our legal community and certainly none who fit the moniker of a “certified asshole.” Consequently, Sutton’s premise – that businesses are more productive, more profitable and have a better “atmosphere” when they do not hire, do not retain, and do not promote “certified assholes” – becomes irrelevant. ”

Today, however, brought home just how far my tongue was in my cheek. I circulated my e-newsletter, and sure enough two people opted out (decided they didn’t want to receive the newsletter anymore). And guess what, when I thought of them, I thought of my book review. One is a solo lawyer who didn’t like the idea of paying for my services, so she fabricated stories. For example, she claimed I charged for every phone call when in fact not only didn’t I charge her for phone calls (not once), but I didn’t charge for many other times I assisted her - including once when she cornered me and obtained free training for half an hour at a trade show. The other lawyer hired me for training, I did two sessions and her response was totally positive. She said the sessions were great, never a complaint. Unfortunately, they never paid my bill, and are indignant over the fact that I turned them over to a collection agency. Gee, that I want to get paid is a shock. After all, they claim that they  have “The resources to take on even the largest companies.” It’s easy if you don’t pay your bills.

So, good riddens to each of those subscribers. I should have removed them myself.

If you would like to subscribe to my newsletters, just go to www.techlawyergy.com and fill out the form.

In closing, I must again plug The No Asshole Rule. It is a thoroughly enjoyable quick read that should be on every manager and worker’s mandatory reading list. Although it is unlikely we can ever completely eliminate these venomous vipers from our midst, The No Asshole Rule at least offers hope that more workplaces will adopt the rule and that certified assholes will become extinct. We can only hope.

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