Trey Apffel, of Apffel Law Firm in League City and immediate past president of the State Bar of Texas, discusses Tech Tips for Lawyers ...… Continue Reading
Attendees at the ABA TECHSHOW 2015, held April 16-18 in Chicago, Illinois, had the opportunity to learn from tech-savvy lawyers and professionals and see the latest products and services from exhibitors. Below is a recap of select sessions, along with tips gleaned from panelists. Online reputation management With the growing number of consumer review sites … Continue Reading
“The world is becoming automated, and law is no exception.” This is an unavoidable reality, according to panelists of the South by Southwest Interactive session “Your Next Lawyer Could be a Machine,” who said that it is a “scary time” for lawyers who don’t embrace the possibilities of a technologically driven future but “an incredible … Continue Reading
By Ivan Hemmans, ABA TECHSHOW Board 2015 For those select few who spend a significant portion of their days drafting, revising, or reviewing documents in Microsoft Word, even the smallest productivity improvement can have a huge impact on how much work gets done. Here are a few simple keyboard combos that can help raise the … Continue Reading
zite.com Zite searches the web to find the most recent publications in subject areas that users select. It is a one-stop shop that allows me to avoid running multiple web searches each day. sethgodin.typepad.com Seth Godin publishes a new post each day on business, marketing, and shipping work that matters. … Continue Reading
Feedly: Feedly is my favorite news aggregator. It allows you to review the latest news from hundreds of sources within just a few minutes. Google Alerts: Google Alerts notifies you when a term is used on the Internet. It is particularly useful if you are handling a case that has garnered media attention or if … Continue Reading
This summer, the State Bar of Texas became the first bar association in the nation to offer its members access to both Casemaker and Fastcase. While this is no doubt exciting for those attorneys who already know the benefits offered by these two legal research products—others might be wondering how it affects their daily practice … Continue Reading
Although many of Texas’s 254 counties have technologically savvy infrastructures, others have not yet implemented modern, digital operations. Some of these communities are small or remote and less “plugged-in,” while others are more populated but satisfied with or accustomed to their current system. But the permanence of the digital age and the Texas Supreme Court’s … Continue Reading
The Law Practice Management Committee of the State Bar of Texas has launched a website, available at texaslawpracticemanagment.com, that features the popular how-to brochures used by solo and small firm practitioners. While much of this content previously was available through the TexasBarCLE website, the LPM website serves as its new home and gathers other relevant … Continue Reading
Searching for the latest on patent law post-grant proceedings? Look no further than your smartphone. Fish Richardson, a global firm with offices in Austin, Dallas, and Houston, has launched the “Fish Post-Grant” app for iOS and Android. The free application features details of post-grant proceedings, with timelines and related articles; archives of webinars; news alerts; … Continue Reading
With the option to hide behind avatars, handles, and screen names, people can be downright mean, even libelous, while communicating online. When defamatory statements are published online and a victim chooses to take action, who is to blame? For websites like Tumblr and Twitter, which provide outlets for anyone with a username to publish content, … Continue Reading
South by Southwest has a tradition of encouraging innovators to push the tech envelope. But with new developments come new legal questions, and technology often moves faster than the legislative process. During the opening days of SXSW Interactive, tech and law experts converged to discuss some of the legal issues currently at play regarding tech … Continue Reading
With the continued implementation of the Texas Supreme Court’s e-filing mandate, attorneys are reminded to include their email addresses on all e-filed documents, including petitions, pleadings, and motions. Documents uploaded to third-party Electronic Filing Service Providers should already have the email address(es) noted. According to Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 21 (f)(2), “The email address … Continue Reading
A courthouse in a West Texas county known for wide-open spaces and dry desert landscapes has just become fully digitized. On Jan. 17, the 394th Judicial District Court in Brewster County unveiled new technological additions, which included several digital inputs and computer monitors at the bench, lawyers’ tables, and jury box. This technology will be … Continue Reading
Today’s issue of The Recorder, an ALM publication in California, includes an article about the Eastern District of Texas ("Big Tech Shouts ‘Yipee!,’ Patent Bar Chattering as Rader Heads to Texas"). To help prepare for his imminent elevation to chief judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, Judge Randall Rader will … Continue Reading
Casemaker, which provides free caselaw for Texas lawyers, has launched a unique case digest service for Texas legal pros. The site kicks the traditional digest up a notch by allowing keyword searches and sorting case summaries by practice area, court, and even judge. Take a look now for free, and starting on September 1st sign … Continue Reading
File this one under "the small things that count." Casemaker 2.1, our free legal research tool, has quietly added some new printing options you’ll find useful. Looking at the full text of a case, you’ll see a print dialogue in the upper right (see below) which now allows you to print the case, save it as … Continue Reading
In May, Bill Medaille of Austin became the 10,000th Texas lawyer to register for Texas Bar Circle, our social and professional network for State Bar of Texas members. Since then, 800 more lawyers have joined the ranks. We’re recognizing user 10,000 because he met a goal of the 2008-2009 State Bar Web Services Committee, which … Continue Reading
Legal technologist Richard Susskind created a huge buzz among attendees of last week’s ABA Techshow with his keynote speech about the future of the legal profession. Susskind’s latest book, "The End of Lawyers? Rethinking the Nature of Legal Services," foretells radical changes to business of law, including a commoditization of nearly every aspect of legal … Continue Reading
