LOMA Resources

PMA Tip of the Week(3/17/10): (This tip is from the LPM Practice Management Advisors Task Force)

Cell Phone Data

If your cell phone has a major failure, the equivalent of a hard drive crash, can you recover all the data that was on the phone? You can do an Internet search for “cell phone backup software” to see the many options available to backup this data. Your cell phone provider may have a product designed to work specifically with their line of phones.
There are even free applications. OxyBook Free 1.1.0 is one example of a free application http://3d2f.com/programs/4-682-oxybook-free-download.shtml . As with many products there are upgrades available for a charge.

We are not recommending a specific product, but recommend that you think about the possibility of losing all the data that is currently stored on your cell phone. Can you afford the time to try and recover all of the data? Do you have documents stored on the phone that are at risk? Have you added a memory card? Is it encrypted?

Do you have any security set on your phone? Do you have a PIN code programmed into your phone with a short timeout set before you have to reenter the code? If your phone is stolen, is there confidential client data on the device? If there is data, and it is lost, what are the ethical implications? Using a PIN on your phone is a pain! Using the full capabilities of the phone can be a great time saver. Weigh the options and make the decisions that protect you and your clients.

View Recent Tips

SOCIAL MEDIA RULES
The Virtual Marketing Officer Blog has a good post of 20 things law firms need to have in their social media guidelines.

KMSpace
Another excellent set of rules for social media for law firms is at the blog KM Space. This site gives very specific rules and wording for blogs and social media sites.

DO YOU YOUTUBE?
At TechnoLawyer Blog, they highlight YouTube "ads" by practitioners and point out why it works effectively. In this entry, they review a video by the The Chinese Dry Wall Lawsuit Lawyer (I am not making this up) Richard J. Serpe, a small firm lawyer in Virginia. You can view the video and read the review which can be helpful if you are considering using YouTube at http://blog.technolawyer.com/2009/04/youlaw-richard-serpe-drywall.html

METADATA: WHAT IT IS AND WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT?
Hidden within the word processing and spreadsheet documents that lawyers use all day long are telltale signs that can reveal potentially confidential or privileged information. Understanding what metadata is and how to properly find it and remove it from your documents is a critical skill for practicing law in the twenty-first century.
http://www.llrx.com/features/metadata.htm

STEPS ALONG THE PAPERLESS PATH - Keys to a Successful Scanning Implementation
Without a doubt, the first step to a "paperless" office is scanning. This article from the ABA LPM Magazine discusses in detail all the information for establishing the strategy for getting this first step correct. It is a whole lot more than "Which scanner should I buy?"
http://www.abanet.org/lpm/magazine/articles/v35/is2/pg39.shtml

GOOGLE VOICE: IS THERE ANYTHING IT CAN'T DO
Google is beta testing its newest product, Google Voice, which is supposed to deliver a high end digital phone system to everyone for free. According to a number of blogs, it is going to be a great product. Two blogs, TechCrunch and LifeHacker provide two good reviews:
Tech Crunch - http://tinyurl.com/bpwypk
Life Hacker - http://lifehacker.com/5173793/a-first-look-at-google-voice

LEGAL TECHNOLOGY DECISIONS MADE SIMPLE
For solo and small firm practitioners sometimes making the decisions about technology can be even more complicated than the technology itself. In an excellent free podcast from the ABA, Simplifying Technology Decisions for Solo and Small Firms, three excellent legal tech experts have done a good job discussing how to make decisions. Sharon Nelson and John Simek were keynote speakers at the 2006 Solo and Small Firm Conference and were well received. The podcast is available at http://www.abanet.org/abastore/books/inside_practice/2009-04.html#podcast

I-PHONE APPS FOR LAWYERS
In an article from TechnoLawyer. Jeffery Allen, a California lawyer and tech guru, lists his favorite smartphone apps for lawyers.

ZEPTOLINER
Software for using outlines for taking notes, preparing arguments, etc. ($7.99)

MY EYES ONLY
Stores your passwords, credit card number, and other sensitive information in an
encrypted state on your iPhone. ($8.99)

MOBILEFILES PRO
enables you to move documents on and off your iPhone for easy portability. ($9.99)

SPREADSHEET
Enables you to handle relatively simple spreadsheet work on your iPhone and to transmit
a file readable by Excel. ($5.99)

TIMEWERKS
Provides a basic time recording and invoicing system for use on your iPhone. ($4.99)

TWITTER WOES
And finally, if you are like many people who can't figure out the fuss about Twitter and have 5 minutes to spare then view The Twouble with Twitter.

ONLINE BANK DEPOSITS
Scans checks and makes secure same day bank deposits. Works with Quickbooks