Legal Technology Trends for Non-Techies: Topics, Trends, and Tips to Help Your Practice

Back by popular demand!! This four-hour program offers a great opportunity for attorneys to learn how to address ethical issues in technology before they arise! Topics include: certified delivery e-mail services; online document review; digital signatures; encryption; secure and efficient e-communication; practice management software; confidential information; redacting files; and how to use scanners and PDF technology to your advantage. Ethical considerations will also be discussed – from how to avoid malpractice traps to common ARDC complaints and conflicts of interest! The program is designed for all levels of solo and small firm practitioners who have a limited understanding of technology and ethical questions surrounding current legal trends. These presentations were originally offered at the 5^th Annual Solo and Small Firm Conference on October 22-24, 2009 in Springfield, Illinois.*

 

 

This segment shows how practitioners can use Practice Management Software (PMS) to avoid malpractice claims. Some of the most common ARDC complaints—including neglect, failing to communicate with clients, and conflicts of interest—are also discussed.

 

Creating a paperless environment is an emerging trend in law firms today, but with the plethora of available hardware and software tools, choosing the best route for your firm can oftentimes be confusing. This segment examines the use of hardware/software tools and explains how scanning inbound documents decreases the risks of damaging hardcopy files, misplacing important paperwork, and misfiling legal documents – all of which lead to potential malpractice claims.

 

 

Many lawyers discover that while law school may have taught them about the practice of law, it didn’t teach them how to run a legal business. In this segment, the speakers use real-world examples to show how the exposure of confidential information via metadata, e-mail, and electronic documents can hinder a legal business, and how the failure to properly redact information can quickly cripple a law practice.

 

4:15 – 5:15 p.m. Collaboration Tools: Paperless Communication with Clients

There are many areas of technology that help law firms serve clients by communicating more efficiently, effectively, and securely – from certified delivery e-mail services to online document review, from digital signatures to encryption. This segment examines those options in detail and discusses how lawyers can safely exchange information electronically. Ethical and malpractice traps to avoid are also discussed.