In our December 2010 email newsletter, the MS Word tip of the month was how to add "Save to PDF" capability to MS Office 2007 (it is built-into MS Office 2010) even if you don't have Adobe Acrobat installed on your computer. One of our readers asked if the "Save to PDF" function in Word could be used to create the stripped-down PDF/A files that will soon be required by federal courts when efiling documents. The answer is yes. The PDF conversion tool in MS Office 2007 and 2010 can save to PDF/A format. When you select Save as PDF, the dialog box that opens will have an Options button. Click on that button and you will see near the bottom of the next dialog box the choice to pick PDF/A. It is that simple. I wouldn't recommend using PDF/A for general law office use. It strips out many of the useful features of PDF files for the sake of future compatibility, such as hyperlinks. When a document needs to be efiled in federal court, it can be saved to PDF/A at that time.

If you are stuck trying to think of a tech-oriented gift for the lawyer or law firm staff member in your life, we can help. The December 2010 Affinity Consulting Group email newsletter is now available. It contains our top ten gift picks, plus our complete Affinity University schedule for December and January. In fact, all of our 2010 email newsletters are now in our newsletter archive available on our web site. You can also sign up for our monthly email newsletter by visiting our site. That way you will be among the first to see the valuable and timely information we provide.

Attempting to compete directly with Skype's subscription phone calling service (which I use regularly), Google is in the process of rolling out a new feature that lets anyone with a Gmail account make free telephone calls to the U.S. and Canada (for now, and at least through the rest of this year), directly from their computers. It is accessed from the Chat menu in the left column of the Gmail web interface. You just need to download and install the Google voice and video browser plug-in. The phone call feature has not yet rolled-out to all Gmail accounts. Each of the four members of my household has a Gmail account, but as of this morning the feature was available only on my son's account. I tried a few test calls from his account, and it seems to work fine (similar to Skype's subscription-based services that costs about $3 per month for unlimited domestic calling to regular or cell phones). By offering free domestic calls and calls to Europe for as little as 2 cents per minute, it appears that Google is working toward world domination on a variety of fronts. Remember when we used to fear Microsoft's empire building?

A story in yesterday's web edition of the NY Times raises questions about how increases in the speed and accuracy of police surveillance techniques impact the right to privacy. New technology such as GPS trackers, automated license plate readers, red-light cameras, and face-recognition software challenge traditional notions of what is and isn't proper surveillance. The story reports on a decision by the D.C Circuit Court of Appeals reversing a drug trafficking conviction because the evidence against the defendant included tracking data from a GPS receiver that the police hid under his sport utility vehicle without a warrant. The device essentially recorded his whereabouts 24 hours a day for four weeks. The court held that people expect their overall movements to be private because different strangers see only isolated moments and a police department’s surveillance resources are limited. GPS technology, by allowing police departments to inexpensively track someone’s comings and goings, changes that equation. The story reports that a U.S. Supreme Court review of the decision seems likely. It contradicted decisions in three similar GPS-related cases by appellate panels in Chicago, St. Louis and San Francisco.

As a family law appellate practitioner, the issue of relocation of children post-divorce is of great interest - and frustration. Unlike actual custody disputes, where compromise solutions are often possible allowing both parents to have regular substantial contact with their children, relocation cases often result in a clear winner and a clear loser. That sort of winner-take-all result, while inherent in this issue, can further strain already difficult post-divorce relationships. As a technology consultant, I am also interested in ways technology can provide some benefit in litigation, particularly family litigation. Although not a complete substitute for actual physical contact, I've learned as the parent of two college students that video conferencing via Skype can help make long-distance contact more meaningful. Fortunately, the cost is nominal and the technology is easily employed, even by complete novices. All it takes is a broadband Internet connection, a computer with a web cam and microphone (present in nearly all notebook and netbook PC's today or easily added to any desktop PC), and a free download of the Skype software. Although broadband, web cams, and Skype have been around for years, family courts are only now starting to require implementation of this technology to aid in communication between parent and child over significant geographic distances. An example is the case mentioned on the ABA's web site yesterday. In this New York case, the judge required the mother to arrange for and pay for a Skype communication setup as a condition of relocating with the children to Florida. The relocation was permitted over the father's objection because the mother could not find work in New York and could live with her parents in Florida while seeking employment there. Interestingly, Florida has a considerably higher unemployment rate than New York, so presumably the presence of the mother's parents and their willingness to provide shelter was the deciding factor. We will see more of this type of "virtual visitation" as court's catch up with long-existing technology.

Yesterday's TechnoLawyer community AQ (answers to questions) email featured Affinity's Steve Best responding to a question about the stability of practice management software. Steve correctly notes that what users perceive as software bugs are more often environmental problems with local network hardware or issues with one or more of the computers on the network. Most practice management software, such as Amicus Attorney and Time Matters (the two programs mentioned in the TechnoLawyer email), are databases running over a network. One bad network card or cable anywhere on the network can wreak havoc with any networked database, including practice management software, causing the software to behave unpredictably and leading to possible data loss or corruption. Steve's advice for those experience stability problems with their existing practice management software is to find and correct the source of the problem rather than pay the high cost of switching to a different practice management application. A certified consultant in that software can best help resolve these issues. Here is the text of Steve's comment: As a certified consultant for both Amicus Attorney AND Time Matters, I think it is incredibly important to advise everyone that BOTH products essentially do the same thing. They are both fantastic products! Each, of course, has strengths and each, of course, has weaknesses. Mr. Gann complains that Amicus Attorney is unstable, but the fact is that Amicus Attorney is typically a very stable product and my company has proudly installed it in hundreds of firms and supported it for over 10 years. The truth of the matter is that Amicus Attorney, Time Matters and all central database software products can be sensitive to their environment. Because they are reliant on a stable network, any failure on the part of the software is just exposing possible problems on your network. It is much more common to find an environmental problem on the network than to find a bug in a software. In the grand equation, software is the constant; the network, servers and workstations are the variables. Software developers do the very best they can to ensure a stable product. Even the best results in a test or BETA environment couldn't possibly catch every single glitch or bug (yes bugs do exist ... don't get me wrong). I am a FIRM believer in NOT switching from one software product to another based upon stability alone. My good friend and colleague Debbie Foster often reminds us that EVERY software product has ten problems. She correctly advocates the "devil you know theory," and it absolutely applies to software. Switching from one software product for another trades the first software's ten problems for ten different problems. Honestly, if your refrigerator doesn't keep food cold, don't blame the souring milk. I would, quite frankly, stick with what you have until you have mastered every nuance of the product and embraced its best features. And, get the best training you can. If you then feel that you've simply outgrown the product, investigate switching, hire a consultant to help you (don't balk at hiring a consultant ... we are experts ... remember clients don't need lawyers, they can represent themselves, but they hire you because you are an expert ... so practice what you preach ...), and above all do your due diligence. I've gone to firms that abandoned Amicus for Time Matters and went back, and I've worked with firms that left Time Matters for Amicus and switched back. And, kudos to all of you for having case management software. And before you switch, check the software system requirements, evaluate your network, your virus detection software and the like. In all honesty, if Amicus is unstable on your network, what makes you think Time Matters will run any better (and vice versa)? If you are not a member of the TechnoLawyer community, you should be. Join here and sign up for useful emails such as the weekly AQ email.

The Legal Technology Institute (LTI) at the University of Florida's Levin College of Law issued its detailed CASE, MATTER, & PRACTICE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM STUDY earlier this year. An executive summary by the Institute's Director, Andrew Z. Adkins III, can be downloaded here. It is an interesting read for anyone involved in making technology decisions for their firm. Among the "surprising" findings is how few lawyers are using dual monitor setups despite the well-documented benefits of such an arrangement. Less than one-third of lawyers reported using more than one monitor, with the percentage higher in large firms than in small ones. Adkins recommends what we have suggested here and in our newsletter on several occasions, "With costs of an extra monitor less than $200, law firms and legal departments should explore this benefit of increased productivity (and billable time)." Small law firms surged ahead of large firms in the adoption of MS Word 2007, with large firms and corporations continuing to use Word 2003. Perhaps the greatest missed opportunity for law firms of all sizes, including solo practitioners, is the failure to improve productivity by implementation of a Document Management System (DMS). Adkins wrote: It still amazes me that law firms and legal departments have not implemented document management. Our 2000 ASP Study (Legal Technology Institute - iManage, Inc. Application Service reported less than 50% of the legal profession did not use a document management system.This year, our CMS Study reports the same – more than half of the respondents (52%) indicated they do use a document management system. Larger firms and legal departments did, however, report a higher use of DMS (80%) than those in smaller firms and legal departments. Of those that use a DMS, reported a higher use of iManage WorkSite than OpenText/Hummingbird or WORLDOX. Our experience is that law firms of every size realize significant productivity gains from a properly-implemented document management system (DMS). I recall a visit to a public law department approximately six years ago to present the full range of software solutions we thought could help improve the department's productivity. Public budgets being limited, they could afford to purchase and implement only one type of solution. They selected a document management system, in that case Worldox. In their view it was the one addition that would add the most to their overall productivity. It was a wise decision. For nearly all small and mid-sized firms, including solos, the right DMS choice is likely to be Worldox for its reasonable cost, flexibility, scalability as you grow, ability to integrate with other key law office software, and its ease of use. We use it ourselves. If you would like to learn more about Worldox and how it can improve your firm's productivity, contact your Affinity Consulting Group office.

Strategic Legal Technology Consultants Named as Partner in Affinity Consulting Group Affinity Consulting, an alliance of the nation’s leading legal technology consultancies, announced that Strategic Legal Consulting, Inc. based in Miami is the newest Partner in their international consultancy. The Miami office is led by President, Sandra Hernandez Adams, a proven expert in billing and accounting; case management; document management and litigation support. “I’ve been working with law firms and legal departments throughout the US and the Caribbean since 1982,” Adams said, “I’m excited to bring my knowledge to Affinity and work with others who have the same commitment to quality and customer service as I do.” Adams brings not only her expertise to Affinity but also a very talented team that includes Senior Consultant, Michelle Motyka, who divides her time between Miami and Ohio and Atlanta-based Senior Consultant Hazel Segall who focuses on Tabs3 and PracticeMaster clients. “We are very excited to have Sandra join us” says Paul Unger, Affinity Partner and 2011 ABA TECHSHOW Chair, “she is a member of Tabs3 & PracticeMaster President’s Circle and also serves on the LexisNexis CIC Advisory Council. Her experience and knowledge are a perfect fit with the services we offer our clients. To have someone of Sandra’s caliber join us ensures we can continue to offer the very best to our clients across the country.” Strategic Legal Technology Consulting, Inc. will now be known as Affinity Consulting – Miami Office. Clients will continue to receive the same high quality services in: Tabs3 & PracticeMaster; LexisNexis Time Matters/Billing Matters & PCLaw; Worldox; Pensoft; PDFDocs; and Summation. About Affinity Consulting With six offices nationwide, Affinity Consulting offers a variety of legal technology products and solutions in the following areas: document automation; case and practice management; time, billing, and accounting; document management; document scanning and imaging; litigation support; advanced legal training in Microsoft Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, Excel, and Adobe Acrobat; digital dictation and speech recognition; and a wide range of IT services from hardware to help-desk. About Strategic Legal Technology Consultants Based in Miami, FL, Strategic Legal Technology Consultants was founded by Sandra Adams. The firm specializes in working with law firms, legal departments and professional service firms to properly plan, implement and use technology to become more efficient and competitive. SLTC focuses on time/billing and accounting for small firms; practice management systems for law firms and legal departments; document management; document assembly and litigation support. SLTC works with LexisNexis Time Matters®, Worldox and STI’s Tabs3 & PracticeMaster. SLTC was named to the 2010 President’s Circle for Tabs3 and PracticeMaster.

We are fans of Fujitsu's ScanSnap line of document scanners. Depending on your firm's needs, we frequently recommend ScanSnap scanners to our clients. Many of us use ScanSnaps in our own offices. If you have a ScanSnap, or even if you don't, consider subscribing to the ScanSnap email newsletter. The July issue contains tips on avoiding the top five office productivity killers and how to use LexisNexis Time Matters as a Document Management system. Every issue also contains tips on how to more effectively use your ScanSnap scanner and software. This month's tip is how to save time by skipping the document preview when scanning. Subscribe to the ScanSnap newsletter here.

Lawyers tend to be avid readers. Much of what we read is professionally required (statutes, rules, case law, discovery responses, etc.). But lawyers also read extensively for pleasure. Having ready access to a steady stream of reading material is important to many of us. Traditionally, that has meant well-stocked, but also bulky and unwieldy, bookshelves stocked with hard covers, paperbacks, and periodicals. Today, it is just as likely to mean an ebook reader. That is why the news yesterday from Amazon, as reported by Gizmodo, is so interesting. Sales of ebooks for Amazon's Kindle ebook readers have outstripped sales of hardcover books for the first time. This trend may accelerate with the recent substantial price drops in both the standard-sized Kindle and the lawyer-worthy large-format Kindle DX. As revealed by Amazon: Over the past three months, for every 100 hardcover books Amazon.com has sold, it has sold 143 Kindle books. Over the past month, for every 100 hardcover books Amazon.com has sold, it has sold 180 Kindle books. This is across Amazon.com's entire U.S. book business and includes sales of hardcover books where there is no Kindle edition. Free Kindle books are excluded and if included would make the number even higher. So we are seeing with books what we've seen over the last decade with music. Digital media is replacing physical media as the format of choice. Just as the iTunes store and the iPod drove the move to digital music, Amazon and its Kindle are driving the move to ebooks. The Apple iPad will help move that trend forward, although it is a slate or table computer, not truly an ebook reader. Android and Windows 7 slate computers coming later this year will also promote ebook sales. We see another form of this move from physical to digital everyday in our offices where on-line legal research services have effectively replaced a paper library for most research tasks. Also part of this trend is the move from locally installed software on a firm's own servers to web-based hosted applications (software as a service) for everything from time and billing to practice management to word processing. Read Ed Emmerson's recent post on cloud computing for more information. Being in the cloud is especially useful for firms or businesses with multiple offices in different locations or with a mobile workforce. Affinity Consulting Group, for example, with offices around the Eastern U.S., uses a "hosted Exchange" service to better integrate email and calendar functions no matter where a consultant or staff member may be located. It is a cloud-based tool that lets us serve you more efficiently. Moving to cloud-based services from locally installed hardware and software can be a mind-set adjustment that isn't easy for lawyers (or even some consultants). Security and confidentiality concerns are usually at the forefront of the debate. On the other hand, most small and medium-sized firms don't do an adequate job of protecting their physical technology assets. In many cases, moving to the cloud will improve security and reliability. Each firm's situation must be carefully analyzed. We can help with that process.

InTouch Legal, Best Law Firm Solutions and Legal Tech Solutions have officially merged their businesses into one company. All three companies operate as the Affinity Consulting Group but the operating company has been formed as Affinity Consulting Group SE LLC (ASE). Based in Largo, FL, Alpharetta, GA and Naples, FL, ASE will continue the business of all three Affinity partner companies as one company. For more information, contact Steven J. Best ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it )

Check back here often to read the exciting news that Affinity will be announcing in the next few weeks as we build our "dream team".

I had the pleasure of attending and speaking at the triennial Michigan Appellate Bench Bar Conference last week. During the Conference's Tech Tips session, I used my netbook computer to demonstrate efiling of an appeal brief using the Michigan Court of Appeals system operated by WizNet. As a Michigan-licensed lawyer residing over 1,000 miles away from the nearest court I practice in, efiling has been a huge benefit to me and cost saver for my clients. Even those whose office is a few blocks from their local trial or appellate court house will save money and time by efiling. In Michigan, as in most places, efiling is accomplished by converting your Word briefs and motions to PDF format, usually via Adobe Acrobat. Although rules will vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, the Michigan Court of Appeals provides a nice primer on how to adjust the settings of Adobe Acrobat to create PDF files better suited for efiling. For example, setting Acrobat to automatically create Bookmarks from the headings in your Word document and setting the resultant PDF doccument to open with the Bookmarks pane visible can be a time-saver and make the document more user-friendly for the reader. Consider downloading the guide from the Michigan Court of Appeals web site. It will be useful no matter where you practice. And be sure to check our Affinity University schedule for our excellent webinars and in-person seminars on using Adobe Acrobat in the law office.

We write and talk about esoteric hardware and software that may be of use to law firms, but the reality is that the plain old office suite remains the most used tech product in almost any firm. But "plain old" is hardly a fit description of modern office suites from Microsoft, Corel, Lotus, or OpenOffice.org. For example, integration with cloud-based storage and services, the very definition of "hot" in today's tech discussions, is built-into Microsoft Office 2010. This will boost the ability to collaborate with co-counsel, clients, experts, and others in the creation and editing of Office documents. There are also free web-based 2010 versions of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint designed to compete directly with Google Docs. They lack the features of the desktop versions of these apps, yet will suffice for creating and editing many documents used by law firms. Office 201o arrives at retail outlets this Tuesday, June 15. At retail, there will be three editions of Office 2010: Professional ($499.99 for full boxed version for 2 pc's, $349 for license key card for one pc), includes: Excel Outlook PowerPoint Word Access Publisher OneNote (new to suite) Home and Business ($279 for full boxed version for 2 pc's, $199 for license key card for 1 pc), includes: Excel Outlook PowerPoint Word OneNote Home and Student ($149 for full boxed version for 3 pc's, $119 for license key card for 1 pc), includes: Excel PowerPoint Word OneNote In addition to these retail editions, there are volume license editions available to PC manufacturers that they can bundle with the PC's they sell you. As has been true in the past, the cheapest way to buy Office 2010 will probably be to include it in the specifications when you order a new computer. If you decide to buy a retail edition of Office 2010, at this point we recommend the Professional edition. We've encountered problems with the beta version of Outlook 2010 in the Home and Business edition when attempting to integrate Outlook with Amicus Attorney.