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Work Hacks to Maximize Productivity

Size matters. That was the conclusion from the June 2014 issue of “Optometry and Vision Science” while testing three font sizes among two age groups. Both demographics (18 to 35 and 55 to 65) were tested on how they would be affected by computer glare and font sizes (1.78 mm, 2.23 mm and 3.56 mm). Out of a total of 27 participants, the older users (a total of eight) also had age-related farsightedness (also known as presbyopia). That study revealed that regardless of age, work productivity and accuracy improved with the largest font size. While some users leaned forward due to glare, their productivity and accuracy did not change.

That’s one of many examples that workers can use to make their workdays easier. Here are a few more.

Remove Distractions If you’re an easily distracted reader or someone who prefers a certain font size, choosing the “View” and “Read Mode” in Microsoft 2013 will also tweak the font color, make the document full size and remove the toolbar.

Chart-Building Shortcut If creating a chart sounds overwhelming or time consuming, Microsoft Excel 2013 has an option to simplify this task. Use the “Insert” option and choose “Recommended Charts.” The program will take stock of what data is already included on the spreadsheet and create suggested charts to use for easier reading.

PDF Reading Shortcut While there is software online to convert PDF documents to Word documents, Microsoft 2013 also allows users with the option to use PDF Reflow to be able to read documents and make changes.

CosmoLex Case Management Software Review

CosmoLex is designed to be an all-in-one platform to take care of record-keeping for billing, calendars, client contact information, documents, emails and timekeeping. With minimal time to download, attorneys can set their billing rates, add time entries and create invoices. Unlike Clio, MyCase or Rocket Matter, CosmoLex offers users the opportunity to handle accounting directly in the software as opposed to being redirected to an alternate site or having to use additional software. Fans of Quickbooks may also be impressed by the ease and convenience of using CosmoLex, especially considering that other accounting management software is not always intuitive.

There are already industry critiques about the lack of training in law schools to learn how to properly use interest on lawyer trust accounts (IOLTA). In turn, this may lead to monetary errors and ethical concerns that could not only hurt the attorney’s business reputation but affect the client-attorney relationship, too. Finding software that makes accounting easier to use, more transparent and accessible in a more convenient place is a win-win.

Just add the client name, date, transaction type (ex. “deposit”), the payor, the amount, any additional notes in the Memo section and save it. Ideally these accounting duties should be submitted immediately. Importing bank statements helps CosmoLex software make sure that the amounts are consistent. There’s even a “Money Finder” option as a reminder tool to help attorneys make sure to document all billable hours.

Clients are also allowed to see confidential information on their end, too. The client portal for CosmoLex allows both parties to send and receive secure messages, send and receive documents, and be able to see bills as they are submitted. CosmoLex is a case management system to take seriously.

Have The Courage to Change Your Law Firm

Sometimes change in a work environment is a much-needed result of things that used to work before, but now don’t. Or, maybe there is a work culture where attorneys are just going with the Joneses because that’s what has always been done. Change management is an opportunity for attorneys to brainstorm with each other to come up with innovative ideas to make the firm work smarter, faster and with more value.

Before making any significant changes, feedback is necessary. While it may be easy to believe that certain things at your firm are not working effectively, there is the possibility that some attorneys just may not know how to properly use them. From record keeping to computer software to administrative processes, listen to team members who are passionate about keeping things just the way they are as much as those who want change. It is possible that the changes needed may be in the process as opposed to the actual product.

If/when certain changes need to be made, have thorough documentation laid out for why this product or process needs to change and what are all the factors that need to change within it. For example, if computer software needs to be updated to protect client information, why should you consider the cloud? What are the benefits of two-step verification? Will an unlimited support IT package really increase firm productivity? In all, what are those new upgrades supposed to accomplish?

From the smallest to the most detailed of work procedures, be able to explain to clients why a work system is in place other than saying something as common as “it’s always been this way.” And before making any lasting changes, be sure to get feedback from other attorneys who are currently utilizing these processes, ask for references. This may help your firm avoid the same pitfalls that others have already made.

Law Firm Email & Mobile Device Security

Being ahead of the curve in technology offers attorneys the opportunity to work with a broader audience from various regions and respond much quicker than snail mail, faxes and in-person consultations. Unfortunately it also opens attorneys up to online security breaches regardless of how savvy one may think he/she is when working online.

According to the 2015 Legal Technology Purchasing Survey via the International Legal Technology Association, approximately 60 percent of participants admitted that security management was a top IT challenge. Email management was ranked at 48 percent followed by information governance (40 percent), risk management (33 percent), and a 22 percent tie between cloud-related security risks and change management.

With at least 80 percent of American law firms being hacked since 2011, reevaluating how an attorney works with digital files may help to significantly decrease these numbers. Using an adequate spam filter to avoid opening suspicious email is the first step of many. While attorneys have enough on their hands just dealing with trials and paperwork, one investment that can never be undersold is having a trusted IT resource may they be outsourced or someone on the staff that fully understands just how instrumental data security is. This is the person who can ensure that confidential information is properly stored on the cloud, that two-factor authentication is set up before accessing private information and that Internet providers have quality bandwidth. As with any IT vendor search, make sure that their tech support is reliable and can be easily accessible any time new software technology needs to be installed, removed or verified. The last thing an attorney will want to have is a hacker tricking his way into an attorney’s client profiles.

Regardless of how much is on an attorney’s plate, it never hurts to at least get an overview of new legal technology, learn how to use it, and pick the brain of IT professionals to see how to increase firm security. Whether a tech pro or not, fully understanding why a law firm is using certain accounting software or bookkeeping software over another brand can give the attorney (and the client) a better idea of how safe client information is on each computer and/or mobile device. Also, beware of keeping sensitive information on mobile technology. Just as hackers may be able to access information from unsecured sites & locations, the same can be said for keeping confidential information residing on your Apple & Android device.

3 Popular Law Firm Website Trends

Technology continues to evolve and improve in a broad number of industries, from manufacturing to the legal industry. While some technological ideas are still being met with skepticism (ex. artificial intelligence lawyers, software predicting a judge’s response), others are worth attorneys taking into consideration now. Here are a few tech trends that are making waves.

Making websites accessible to the everyday user gives the client the opportunity to check out an attorney’s website anytime and anywhere. Responsive designs for attorney websites also make the site more visually friendly for the traveling client. Smartphone apps are a given for making sure websites are mobile friendly. While responsive designs may look a little different than the website would look on the website, having this option helps clients to avoid awkward maneuvers to read pages (ex. scrolling to the far right or left of each screen to read text).

Now that the site is easier to read, then comes security and storage. Cloud technology gives law firm website owners the ability to fine-tune digital costs for peak hours versus slower viewing time frames, in addition to disaster recovery. And if/when that information is accessed, having data security (ex. encryption) is helpful for the attorney and the client to make sure no confidential information reaches the wrong people, including other clients.

Because attorneys may work with a plethora of files and clients, legal record-keeping online should require some amount of analytics to be able to quickly and accurately find each client’s information (and vice versa). As previously mentioned, artificial intelligence is in its early stages. But as with automated calls and electronic auto replies, as AI continues to evolve, it may be able to also help clients and attorneys easily access vital information and be warned when there may be a security breach before it’s too late. For now though, both clients and attorneys staying abreast of security measures helps.

2 Factor Authentication & Other Security Methods for Law Firms

Clients are taking an interesting stance when it comes to the legal technology their law firms utilize. They want their legal representation to take a firmer look at keeping confidential information safe and making sure important information is not leaked or lost. A few examples currently securing Rekall law firms include two-factor authentication and SSL encryption.

While two-factor authentication may take slightly longer to view sensitive information, clients are becoming more adamant about this because it adds an extra layer of protection in case the wrong person could potentially access this information. A simple login name and password could be hacked, but sending a separate, private code or encrypted key (different from a password) that will only be accessible via the attorney’s smartphone or email address could help both clients and attorneys breathe a little easier knowing there is an extra layer to access vital documentation. This becomes especially important if/when working on multiple computers that may not have the same security software.

Using a Secure Socket Layer (SSL), which is an encrypted link between the web server and browser, can also improve legal technology privacy. A simple way for clients to recognize whether attorneys are using SSL security is that the link will usually start with “https:” instead of “http:” and/or a lock icon will show up on your browser navigation bar to notify users that they are viewing secure information. While clients do have the ability to run their own vulnerability scans to see if a website is secure enough, without both the attorney and the client using a secure site, there is still the potential for leaked information. Using a secure server can also notify attorneys of open ports or virus application threats.

Law Firms Can Use Technology to Land Clients

In a world of iPhones, Androids, ebook readers and landlines ditched for cell phone numbers, law firms should be able to keep up with technology, too. While clients may not expect attorneys to be pros at advanced technology such as coding or SEO, having working knowledge of the basics of technology can improve the communication in client-attorney relationships.

One primary example of that would be an understanding of how cloud security works. While there are some skeptics who worry about sending confidential information online, working with secure software can significantly improve the turnaround time. Something as simple as asking a client to come into the office to respond to a query versus being able to send that same message through a confidential website can increasingly lower an attorney’s workload and schedule while pleasing the client with timely responses. Immediately mentioning to a client at the start of a new case that certain software is used will not only assure the client that this law firm is tech savvy but also cares about how sensitive information is shared with third parties.

Working with legal technology can also eliminate surprise billing expenses. If a client can see the amount of time it took to find certain documentation for a trial from start to finish, there’s less risk of doubt when that charge shows up. Common tasks such as reviewing a deposition, finding a binder, preparing case summaries and mediation conferences, and keeping track of case reviews all take time. Legal technology gives clients the opportunity to realistically see how much time is spent on a case or project.

Converting WordPerfect files to Word

Do you find that you still have documents in WordPerfect that you need to convert to Word? It’s a nuisance to maintain documents in multiple places or in multiple file types, so let’s take a look at a few ways to convert to Word. Third-party software can convert your files for you. And while this isn’t necessarily a bad choice, it can be costly and third-party software is not going to be infallible, especially when it comes to complex formatting. Saving as Word within WordPerfect might sound like an obvious and simple choice but we actually don’t recommend this option. Formatting issues almost always result because, quite simply, WordPerfect isn’t very good at converting to Word by itself.

Opening a WordPerfect file from within Word will work better than trying to convert to Word from within WordPerfect. I guess Word is just “smarter” software. When you access a WordPerfect document from within Word and save it as a Word document (.doc or .docx), the document should save pretty cleanly. Last but not least, there’s copy and paste. While this is more time-consuming than accessing a WordPerfect document from within Word, this option is going to give you the cleanest results. Simply highlight the text of your WordPerfect document and paste that text into Word. While you may not get fully perfect carryover, this method should yield the fewest formatting errors of the options provided.

Boost Firm ROI with Technology

In today’s competitive business environment, every financial decision has the potential to have major implications on your day-to-day. Obviously, firms want to spend their money wisely and are faced with almost constant choices about how to spend that money. Should it be spent on staff? New office facilities? Technology?

Technology can be expensive, but spending money on technology that supports your business can also yield a powerful return on investment. When selected and used appropriately, technology can allow for the streamlining of work processes. Improved efficiency can not only save time, but also reduce costs.

Technological solutions for law firms exist in the realms of time management, billing, tracking case histories, dictation, document drafting, research, and more. Implementing the appropriate tools can allow you to take on more (and/or higher paying) clients without the need for additional staff. These programs can also increase the accuracy — and thereby increase the value — of your work. A lot of current technology is cloud-based, meaning it is hosted online rather than as software that needs to be installed and updated. This allows for access to information whenever and wherever you need it.

With options abounding, how do you know which investments are worthwhile? That’s where Rekall comes in. We can help you determine what technology is worth investing in and how to get the most for your money. This in turn, will allow you to make the most of your time.

PCLaw Does Document & Practice Management Too

Who doesn’t crave software that’s intuitive and easy-to-use? With PCLaw, this is just what you’ll get. Some software is laden with features so complex you don’t end up using half of them. Some software looks nice but it doesn’t really do much. PCLaw won’t disappoint in either department. The program’s straightforward design will allow you to take advantage of its many assets. With PC Law, you can:

• Easily name documents
• Include document descriptions and comments
• Use auto-generated created dates for ease of saving
• Take advantage of document modification dates for ease of retrieval
• Stay organized with tidy document foldering options
• Streamline your client intake with email generation, conflict checking, and form field imports
• Access email templates to simplify your email communication and billing

Additionally, the newest version of PCLaw features a new dashboard layout that makes managing your business, your clients, and your practice quick and easy. If the features and clean design of the program aren’t enough, perhaps the product’s superior tech support is. There is a reason why mostly all of our law firms choose PCLaw. No matter if they’re Patent firms, Employment firms or Real Estate attorneys, PCLaw offers superior time tracking capabilities and now document and practice management functions, check it out.