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The Top 10 Technological Trends of 2012

By on February 5, 2012

A la David Letterman, here is my own Top 10 2012 Technology Trends and a few concerns:

10. Collaboration: Firms have jumped on the collaboration bandwagon using tools such as Microsoft SharePoint to collaborate both on a firm and client-facing basis. This collaboration enables firms to stay on top of things such as productivity, etc. In the 2010 ILTA Purchasing Survey, 49% of respondents utilize SharePoint internally for collaboration, while 24% use it as a collaboration tool for client and other external communications.
Concerns: Not a lot; perhaps just a continued slow roll-out time and the challenge of keeping the information up to date.

9. Social Networking Increased: With the increased use of social networking, decision making has become easier both for firms and clients.  Almost all companies are socially networking one way or another and it gives firms more exposure overall.
Concerns: This increase has made people and companies more vulnerable. Larger firms want to make sure to control their message; social networking can do just the opposite. We just aren’t sure if attorneys twittering all day are really productive.

8. Technology Creating Technology: Smart technologies are spurring on a new slew of technology that tie in to existing technology to speed up processes. Many organizations are making the creative process to develop this technology more scientific by recording the process.
Concerns: Technology was developed to make lives easier. Sometimes the learning curve and implementation can create more work with a higher degree of complexity.

 7. 360 Degree Security (Accountability): With all of the information flying in and out of organizations, firms are becoming increasingly cognizant of the integrity of their information and how it is being protected, especially within the cloud. A 360-degree security plan is granular in nature and includes doing a lot of small things to ensure the maximum security.
Concerns: None.

 6. Workflow to Save Clients Money:  Workflow applications are a sure bet to improve internal efficiencies and productivity. Firms are looking for ways to reduce their internal costs that then allows them to potentially pass these savings along to clients. This may not mean rate reductions, but possibly lower increases.  
Concerns: Nothing really. Process improvement is smart business.

 5. Green: Going green is in and it will stay in for good reason. Technological advances such as paperless billing and workflow routing are saving countless resources.
Concerns: Going Green is getting a little tired, it’s a process, not a single event..

4. Video Conferencing: This has become a must-have in every larger, multi- office firm. It enables people to engage and communicate on a higher level. Video conferencing encourages collaboration as both firm associates and clients can increasingly meet face-to-face while saving on cost and going green.
Concerns: Video conferencing can be somewhat easier to implement than it was just a few years ago. Firms with VOIP phone systems may be more prone to also implement video conferencing.

 3. Blackberry out iPhone are in: The use of Blackberry’s in law firms is rapidly dropping as attorneys are quickly moving to iPhone and Android devices.
Concerns: IT must support these devices whether they like to or not.

2. Cloudiness: Firms further embraced cloud computing and saved on maintenance and expense both in hardware and in time. The law firms have not embraced cloud computing, in general at the “enterprise” level such as time and billing. However, all other applications have started the move to the cloud.
Concerns: Can I really get my data back if I switch vendors, in what format? These are becoming major issues as firms move from cloud to cloud.

 1. Mobile Apps: Savvy firms are already rolling out mobile apps for iPads, and Android tablets (in some cases). These apps allow attorneys to enter time, inquire on contacts, documents and overall client information.
Concerns: IT needs to quickly get on board with how to handle mobile apps, provide security and support users. This is only going to expand exponentially over the next few years.

 

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Categories: Productivity, Sharepoint, Technology

Law Firm Collaboration Tools – Makes it Happen

By on January 6, 2011

There used to be a Sesame Street song about how “cooperation makes it happen” (don’t ask me how I know this), and I believe it’s true. In the law firm world, collaboration is what really “makes it happen”. 

A few years ago, I started a President’s Advisory Board to get feedback on products and business services designed from a “users prospective”.  We meet off-site a few times a year in a desirable location, and the members are fully engaged with their own ideas and recommendations. When face-to-face meetings aren’t possible collaborating virtually can be very important. As a result, I’ve compiled a few collaborating tools, some are used to view documents online, other share information with the law firm community. A few I’ve used and others I’ve heard of and would like your feedback. Firms can use these to make the collaboration process headache free and to minimize the wasting of time for everyone involved.

Microsoft SharePoint :
This is the de facto collaboration standard for law firm managed portals. There are both free and purchased versions readily available.  SharePoint can serves as a central depository for all firm documents, in addition to those shared with clients. It provides a framework for aggregating information for presentation and collaboration among users, including out-of-the-box templates for easy creation of calendars, blogs, meeting managers, discussion forums, syndicated and custom built widgets, in addition to other collaboration features. It is fairly easy to deploy and can completely integrate with other Microsoft applications.

Windows Live SkyDrive (formerly Office Live Workspace)
Microsoft is in the process of upgrading its Office Live Workspace to SkyDrive, it should include many of the same capabilities available today in Office Live Workspace — with the addition of Microsoft Office Web Apps.  Office Web Apps are online companions to Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote that allow you to view and edit Office documents directly within a Web browser. The SkyDrive service is free for individuals, provides up to 25 GB of storage, easy to maintain contact lists and the sharing of information within groups. The business version requires using Office Web Apps with SharePoint Foundation 2010.

 Scribd:
In addition to being able to view who looked at the document(s), Scribd provides its 60 million readers with the ability to view and upload a wide variety of document types quickly.  Scribd is basically the 800 pound gorilla in the public document sharing world and for good reason.  For the collaboration of non-public documents there is a more secure version of Scribd, called iPaper that provides enterprise-level security and DRM protection around documents. Beyond this level of security is iPaper Secure which provides a per-user security on top of per-document security. Per-user security allows you to grant access to a document to one user, and then later revoke it. So from public to group security, to individual security, Scribd may be a good resource for the firm to consider.   

MediaWiki (not to be confused with WikiLeak):
Using the software behind Wikipedia, MediaWiki is a stalwart option in the collaborative world. This free software can be downloaded and easily installed with little hardware or technology.  Check out how Intel has used MediaWiki to build its collaboration site called Intelpedia, it’s been in use since2005.  Firms can use MediaWiki as an easy way to share knowledge without the expense of re-programming their public web site.

 Google Groups:
This is an especially good resource for a group, like a law firm practice group who would like to both share information and support feedback within a defined community. It enables a group to go back and forth, answer questions and link to helpful resources without software or constraints. Groups can rate posts, and set up a “resource center” for search. It’s a utilitarian collaborative tool that works quickly and efficiently without a lot of bells and whistles, however similar to other Google offering it’s free.

 This is not meant to be a comprehensive list, just some good sites I know of. Please feel free to add on or comment.

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Categories: Best Practices, Productivity, Sharepoint, Technology, The Legal Market

The Top 10 Technological Trends of 2010 (and a few concerns)

By on December 26, 2010

It’s the end of the year. A la David Letterman, here is my own Top 10 2010 technology trends and a few concerns:

10. Collaboration: Firms have jumped on the collaboration bandwagon using tools such as Microsoft SharePoint to collaborate both on a firm and client-facing basis. This collaboration enables firms to stay on top of things such as productivity, etc. In the 2010 ILTA Purchasing Survey, 49% of respondents utilize SharePoint internally for collaboration, while 24% use it as a collaboration tool for client and other external communications.
Con: Not a lot of cons; perhaps time to implement and keeping the information up to date.

9. Social Networking Increased: With the increased use of social networking, decision making has become easier both for firms and clients.  Almost all companies are socially networking one way or another and it gives firms more exposure overall.
Con: This increase has made people and companies more vulnerable. Larger firms want to make sure to control their message; social networking can do just the opposite.

8. Technology Creating Technology: Smart technologies are spurring on a new slew of technology that tie in to existing technology to speed up processes. Many organizations are making the creative process to develop this technology more scientific by recording the process.
Con: Technology was developed to make lives easier. Sometimes the learning curve and implementation can create more work with a higher degree of complexity.

 7. 360 Degree Security (Accountability): With all of the information flying in and out of organizations, firms are becoming increasingly cognizant of the integrity of their information and how it is being protected, especially within the cloud. A 360-degree security plan is granular in nature and includes doing a lot of small things to ensure the maximum security.
Con: None.

 6. Mixed Technology Collaboration: From PDAs to video conferencing to email, etc. mixed technological collaboration are enabling firms to do more in less time.
Con: None.

 5. Green: Going green is in and it will stay in for good reason. Technological advances such as paperless billing and workflow routing are saving countless resources.
Con: None.

4. Video Conferencing: This is becoming a must-have in every forward-thinking office. It enables people to engage and communicate on a higher level. Video conferencing encourages collaboration as both firm associates and clients can increasingly meet face-to-face while saving on cost and going green.
Con: Video conferencing can be somewhat impersonal and may not be right in certain situations. See my blog posting on firing employees.

 3. Smart Machines: Thankfully in 2010, we weren’t overtaken by machines, but companies are working to use smart technology. Smart technology knows how to redistribute energy resources when things are off via wireless. Speed also increases as a result of wireless and smart machines. This will be a major trend in 2011? Maybe
Con: Yet unknown.

2. Streamlining to Save Clients Money: This point goes along with ‘technology creating technology’ but it applies to the billable hour. Firms are utilizing technology to save clients money. In this day and age, this is a huge plus. Utilizing technology to quickly review documents, etc. is being used to hit the bottom line (and this is what technology is meant for).
Con: Nothing really. Saving clients money by working smarter is key.

 1. Cloudiness: Firms further embraced cloud computing and saved on maintenance and expense both in hardware and in time. The mid –large size law firms have not embraced cloud applications at the “enterprise” level such as word processing, email, or time and billing. Some document management has moved there.
Con: Sometimes this model doesn’t always work for firms who are looking for enterprise level products and iron-grid security.




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Categories: Best Practices, Financial Management, Going Green, Practice Management, Productivity, Sharepoint, Technology, The Legal Market
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