Podcast Episode #78: Tech Innovations in Legal Practice: Interview with Karen McDonald from Wise Owls

Karen McDonald is a seasoned office automation expert, assisting busy law firms, attorneys, and lawyers in streamlining the administrative aspects of their business operations. With over a decade of experience, Karen has been dedicated to supporting attorneys in implementing efficient systems to automate their legal practices. She is the founder & creator of Owlwise Legal Practice Management Software, which is tailored for legal professionals to streamline essential tasks such as legal trust accounting, time tracking, billing, and centralized management of matters and contacts. Moreover, designed to meet the needs of today's lawyers, this versatile cloud-based solution ensures your law firm remains agile and prepared for the future across multiple platforms.

Join Karen and me as we discuss the following three questions and more!

1. What are the top three tech tools that attorneys underutilize besides CRMs in their law practice?

2. What are the top three things attorneys should look for in an online CRM?

3. What are the top three tech shortcuts lawyers still need to know at any level of experience?

In our conversation, we cover the following:

[01:32] Tech Talk: Karen's Current Tech Setup

[08:46] The Top Three Tech Tools Lawyers Should Utilize More

[17:16] Backup Strategies: Ensuring Data Security in Business

[22:40] Key Considerations for Choosing an Online CRM: Flexibility, Dependability, and Support

[30:05] Tech Shortcuts Every Lawyer Should Master

[39:13] Uncommon Keystroke Hacks in Microsoft Word

[40:37] Connect with Karen

Resources:

Connect with Karen:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/wisekarenmcdonald/

Website: wiseowllegal.com.au/

Hardware mentioned in the conversation:

•  Bose Speakers: bose.com/c/speakers

•  Fitbit: fitbit.com

• Jabra Headset: jabra.com/

• Curved 27-inch ViewSonic Monitor: viewsonic.com/global/products/lcd/VX2718-PC-mhd

Software & Cloud Services mentioned in the conversation:

• Bitwarden: bitwarden.com/

• Wise Owl Legal: wiseowllegal.com

• Backblaze: backblaze.com

• WordPerfect: wordperfect.com

• TextExpander: textexpander.com

A Humorous BOLO: Windows update renames ALL printers "HP LaserJet"!

What a world we live in when our computers cannot recognize the printers they are connected to!

According to PCWorld, a recent Windows update has left users bewildered as every printer, regardless of brand, transformed into an "HP LaserJet M101-M106". Whether you have an old Canon or the latest Epson, they all proudly bare the HP LaserJet label. This quirky bug, while not causing major technical issues, certainly led to some head-scratching and chuckles. 🤪

It's a reminder that in the digital world, even printers can have an identity crisis!

My Two Cents: Lawyers! Watch Out For Scammers On Amazon/Online When Buying Electronics, As You May Get Something Else!!!

be careful - DIGITAL SCAMMERS WILL TRY TO RUIN YOUR HOLIDAY SHOPPING!

During the Holiday Season in today's digital age, online shopping for lawyers has become a convenient and popular way to purchase various products, including electronics. However, with the rise in popularity of online marketplaces like Amazon, scammers have also found new avenues to exploit unsuspecting buyers. As a result, it is crucial for lawyers to stay vigilant and protect themselves from falling victim to these fraudulent schemes: it is essential to exercise caution and adopt certain preventive measures.

Scammers often employ deceptive tactics such as selling counterfeit or misrepresented electronic devices. They may advertise high-end gadgets at unbelievably low prices or use persuasive techniques to mislead customers into making hasty purchases. Once the purchase is made, customers receive a completely different or counterfeit product instead.

ALWAYS USE SECURE PAYMENT METHODS WHEN PURCHASING PRODUCTS ONLINE!

Another common scam involves sellers who disappear after receiving payment. These fraudsters often create fake profiles and offer attractive deals on high-demand electronics. Once payment is made, they vanish without delivering the purchased item or providing any means of contact.

Some scammers exploit unsuspecting buyers by selling stolen or refurbished goods as brand-new products. These items may come with hidden defects or missing accessories, which significantly diminish their value. Worse yet, you may hear from the authorities about stolen goods you unwittingly purchased. 

Always use secure payment methods like credit cards or PayPal.

😀 ☃️ 🚨

Always use secure payment methods like credit cards or PayPal. 😀 ☃️ 🚨

Always utilize secure payment methods such as credit cards or trusted third-party services like PayPal.

MAKE SURE YOU ARE DEALING WITH A REPUTABLE SELLER BEFORE MAKING ANY ONLINE PURCHASE!

It is always best to buy from reputable sellers or authorized dealers.  Do your due diligence and check the seller's reputation. If there are discrepancies between what is advertised and what is described in reviews or customer feedback, exercise caution before making a purchase. If any information appears vague or inconsistent, consider reaching out to the seller for clarification before making a purchase. Trust your instincts. If something feels off about a seller or listing, it's better to err on the side of caution and choose another reputable source for your electronic needs, even if you are paying more than the questionable “deal.”

Nominations are open for the James I. Keane Memorial Award for Excellence in eLawyering!

Do you know an innovative legal services provider — Consider nominating them for the Keane Award.

ABA Law Division James I Keane memorial award nominations are open!
© AMerican bar association

“This Award is named for James I. Keane, the founding Chair of the Law Practice Management Section eLawyering Task Force. The Task Force was created in 2000, when ABA President William G. Paul, of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, took the unusual and creative step of asking a Section to assume responsibility for an initiative to examine ways that lawyers could use the Internet and other electronic resources to deliver legal services to people of moderate means, more efficiently and effectively.

”ELawyering is doing legal work – not just marketing – over the Web. Pioneering practitioners have found dramatic new ways to communicate and collaborate with clients and other lawyers, produce documents, settle disputes, interact with courts, and manage legal knowledge. ELawyering encompasses all the ways in which lawyers can do their work using the Web and associated technologies. For most lawyering “verbs” – interview, investigate, counsel, draft, advocate, analyze, negotiate, manage, etc. – there are corresponding internet-based tools and technologies.

”ELawyering and its lawyer-less analogs present fundamental challenges for our profession. There are great dangers but also great opportunities for attorneys. To be successful in the coming era, lawyers will need to know how to practice over the Web, manage client relationships in cyberspace, and ethically offer “unbundled” services.

”The purpose of this Award is to give recognition to law offices that have developed legal service innovations that are delivered over the Internet. The focus of the Award is on the innovative delivery of personal legal services, with special attention given to firms and entities that serve both moderate-income individuals and the broad middle class.

Eligibility

Nominees may be any individual lawyer, law firm or other deliverer of legal services to individuals within the United States. The nominee can be a large or small law firm, public or private, or a legal services agency. More than one entry may be submitted, and self-nomination is encouraged.

Additional consideration will be given to projects that focus on the delivery of legal services to individuals of moderate means.

Absence of precedent - The legal service or innovative idea has never been offered before or has not been done quite this way before.

Evidence of action - The innovative idea was transformed into action and not merely reflective of best intentions. The nominee should be prepared to provide evaluation data that document the effectiveness of the legal service in terms of client satisfaction, revenue enhancement, and/or law productivity. The nomination must provide an analysis of the measures used to define success.

Effectiveness of innovation - There is some measurable outcome that would indicate that the innovation is accomplishing what it was intended to do.

Additional Requirements:

1. The project must demonstrate the use of the Internet to deliver legal services.

2. Action must have taken place no more than three years prior to this entry, and the legal service must be operating for at least one year prior to the submission of the Application.

3. Additional consideration will be given to projects that focus on the delivery of legal services to individuals of moderate means.

4. The nomination should describe how the service was developed, how it is managed, and how it has been evaluated.

5. The nomination should describe how the service can be replicated by other law firms in terms of development costs, required technology, people requirements, and ongoing maintenance costs.

Nomination deadline is December 15 and can be made following this link.

Good Luck!

Word of the Week: Hallucinations (in the context of Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Natural Language Processing)?

The term "hallucination" refers to a phenomenon where an AI model generates or interprets information not grounded in its input data. Simply put, the AI is making stuff up. This can occur in various forms across different AI applications:

Remember just like you can’t complain to the judge when your clerk makes a factual or legal error in your brief, you can’t blame ai for its errors and hallucinations! 😮

Text Generation: In NLP, hallucination is often observed in language models like ChatGPT. Here, the model might generate coherent and fluent text, but this text is factually incorrect or unrelated to the input prompt. For instance, if asked about historical events, the model might 'hallucinate' plausible but untrue details. Another example is when attorneys rely on ChatGTP to draft pleadings only to learn the hard way that its cited cases do not exist. (Remember, always check your work!)

Image and Speech Recognition: In these areas, AI hallucination can occur when a model recognizes objects, shapes, or words in data where they do not actually exist. For example, an image recognition system might incorrectly identify an object in a blurry image, or a speech recognition system might transcribe words that were not actually spoken.

I’ll spare you a deep, complex discussion of the problems with AI in this context.  But the three takeaways for attorneys are: 1. The programming for AI is not ready to write briefs for you without review, 2. Attorneys are not being replaced by attorneys (but attorneys who do not know how to use AI in their practice correctly will be replaced), and 3. Always check your work!

Happy Lawyering!

Podcast Episode #77: CLIO Con 2023: Third-Party Apps, CLIO and More, with Shubham Datta

Our next guest is Shubham Datta, the Vice President of Corporate Development at CLIO. As a key figure in overseeing the development and execution of CLIO's strategic growth strategy through acquisitions and investments, Shubham brings forth a wealth of knowledge and a unique perspective on the intricacies of how CLIO collaborates with third-party integrations and more. Shubham is a seasoned Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) professional driving innovation in the legal tech space. With an extensive background in both buy-side and sell-side M&A, he spearheads efforts to align CLIO's product roadmap with cutting-edge companies.

Join Shubham and me as we discuss the following three questions and more!

1. What are the top three criteria to prioritize when evaluating third-party application integrations?

2. How to determine what might be considered unnecessary or incompatible with CLIO platform, possibly without the requirement for specific categories?

3. In what aspects should legal professionals focus on when assessing new third-party applications for use in CLIO or when comparing them to competitors?

In our conversation, we cover the following:

[01:44] The Three Pillars of Effective Third-Party Integration in CLIO's Legal Tech Ecosystem

[05:13] Core Legal Workflows in CLIO's Ecosystem

[06:55] App Adoption and Integration Challenges in Legal Tech

[09:00] Empowering Legal Innovation: Nuanced Challenges in App Integration

[10:42] A Guide for Lawyers in Choosing Third-Party Apps for CLIO and Beyond

[11:25] Future-Forward Legal Tech

[13:12] AI Innovations to Elevate Legal Practice

[14:58] CLIO: Redefining Legal Practice Management

Resources:

Connect with Shubham:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/shubhamdatta/

Software mentioned in the conversation:

CLIO: CLIO.com/

Monday Morning Humor: Remember the First Wireless Remote TV Channel Changer!

I guess child labor laws were different from what I remember?

Do you remember the 1970s, a time when bell-bottoms were the height of fashion, disco ruled the airwaves, and children had the distinguished role of being the family's TV remote control. Yes, fellow lawyers, before the era of smart devices and voice-activated assistants, the most advanced technology in the living room was a youngster with quick reflexes. "Change the channel, would you?" was a common request, met with a groan but executed with the speed of a courtroom stenographer. It's a far cry from today's tech-savvy legal world, where we navigate complex software with ease. But let's not forget our roots — a time when channel surfing required actual surfing across the living room carpet! So next time your legal software takes a few extra seconds to load, remember the good ol' days of manual channel changing. It's all about perspective!

Happy Lawyering!

My Two Cents: Essential Security and Privacy Reminder for Lawyers Using Cloud Software.

Today’s lawyers need to be tech-savvy when it comes to working on the cloud!

Cloud computing has revolutionized the legal industry, providing lawyers numerous benefits, such as increased flexibility, accessibility, and cost-effectiveness. There has been a significant increase in cloud computing usage among lawyers in the United States, particularly solo practitioners. From 2021 to 2022, overall cloud usage among respondents rose from 60% to 70%. Notably, solo lawyers showed the most dramatic increase, with usage jumping from 52% to 84%. This indicates a substantial increase from just a few years ago, when only a fraction of firms had integrated cloud computing into their operations. The study further reveals that small to medium-sized law firms are more likely to adopt cloud technology due to its cost-effectiveness and scalability.

However, along with these advantages come security and privacy concerns that must be addressed to protect sensitive client information. I’ve outlined below some of today’s key security and privacy concerns associated with cloud-based software in the legal industry.

One of the primary concerns for lawyers surrounding cloud computing is data breaches. Storing confidential client information on third-party servers increases the risk of unauthorized access by cybercriminals. A single breach can result in severe consequences, including reputational damage, loss of client trust, and potential legal liabilities. Thus, it is crucial for law firms to carefully assess the security measures implemented by cloud service providers before entrusting them with sensitive data.

The ways people practiced of law has changed from when our grandparent’s worked!

Encryption plays a vital role in safeguarding data stored in the cloud. Lawyers must ensure that their chosen cloud-based software employs robust encryption techniques for their information, whether it is in transit or at rest. End-to-end encryption ensures that only authorized parties can decrypt and access data, minimizing vulnerability to interception or unauthorized disclosure.

Another concern relates to jurisdictional issues and compliance with regulations governing data protection. Lawyers often deal with sensitive information subject to strict confidentiality requirements imposed by various jurisdictions worldwide. Understanding where your client’s data is physically stored and ensuring compliance with relevant regulations can be complex when utilizing cloud services provided by multinational corporations operating across borders.

Data portability is also important when using cloud-based software in the legal industry. Lawyers need assurance that they can easily retrieve their clients' data if they decide to change service providers or migrate back to on-premises solutions. The ability to export data seamlessly without any loss or corruption ensures business continuity while minimizing potential disruptions during transitions.

Your “tech-savvy” lawyer being cybersecure!
* Image created with DALL·E 3.
* Note likeness is not 100% - I’m certainly missing hair in this image! 😜

Transparency regarding how cloud service providers handle user data is essential for maintaining client trust and confidence in their lawyers' use of technology. Law firms should carefully review the terms of service, privacy policies, and data processing agreements provided by cloud vendors to understand how data is stored, accessed, and shared. Clear communication with clients about using cloud-based software can alleviate concerns and foster transparency.

Lawyers must also address the risk of insider threats when adopting cloud computing. Employees or contractors within law firms may have unauthorized access to sensitive client information stored in the cloud. They are implementing strict access controls, including multi-factor authentication (MFA) mechanisms. MFA adds an extra layer of defense by requiring users to provide multiple verification forms before accessing sensitive information. This could involve combining something they know (such as a password), something they have (such as a physical token or smartphone), or something they are (such as biometric characteristics). Ultimately, MFA significantly reduces the risk of unauthorized access even if passwords are compromised.

Lawyers back in the day really did not have worry about cybersecurity
* Image created with DALL·E 3.

Regularly updating software and systems is another essential step in maintaining robust cybersecurity within cloud-based solutions for lawyers. Software vendors frequently release updates that include patches for identified vulnerabilities or bug fixes that can help prevent potential cyberattacks. Lawyers should establish policies mandating regular updates across all devices used within their practice and ensure that their chosen cloud service provider promptly applies patches on their infrastructure.

Lastly, conducting routine security audits and assessments helps identify potential weaknesses within the cloud-based infrastructure. This involves analyzing network configurations, access controls, and security protocols to ensure they are aligned with industry best practices and compliance requirements. By conducting regular audits, lawyers can proactively address any vulnerabilities before malicious actors exploit them.

The concerns outlined above are similar to what attorneys have had when they house their data – and I’ll refrain from repeating them here.  Even though the expense of maintaining servers, i.e., housing and keeping them working, is erased with cloud computing, we cannot forget my 3-2-1 backup rule.  (Remember, “2” stands for two different locations for your backups.) The cloud is only one place to store and back up your files.  It would be best if you had some onsite or even offsite backups (although some may find this redundant, given cloud backups are “offsite,” having an offsite non-cloud backup may be prudent or overkill 🙄, depending on who you ask).

Lawyers working smartly - make sure your work is cybersecure!
* Image created with DALL·E 3.

While cloud-based software offers numerous benefits for lawyers regarding efficiency and productivity, it also introduces security and privacy concerns that must be adequately addressed. Safeguarding client data from breaches, ensuring compliance with regulations, enabling data portability, promoting transparency in data handling practices, and mitigating insider threats are all crucial aspects that legal professionals must consider when utilizing cloud computing solutions. It is important that you work with reputable services.

By implementing robust security measures and working closely with trusted cloud service providers that prioritize privacy protection, lawyers can leverage the advantages of cloud computing while maintaining the confidentiality and integrity of their client's information.

Happy Lawyering!

MTC

Monday Morning Humor: The Perfect Seasoning for your Thanksgiving Turkey! 🦃

Thanksgiving hack:

Forget fancy herbs! This year, I'm seasoning my turkey with the gourmet blend of keyboard crumbs. A year's worth of snack remnants, skillfully collected between the G and H keys, promises an avant-garde flavor. Who knew that chip fragments and cookie dust could redefine holiday cuisine?

Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Lawyering!

🦃💻🌿 #KeyboardGourmet

PS: Disclaimer - I really do not recommend you use this for your seasoning. 🙃

#76: Maximizing Practice Efficiency: Interview with Joshua Lenon at CLIO Con 2023

Join Joshua and I live from the CLIO Con 2023 in Nashville, TN at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center. Joshua serves as the Lawyer in Residence at CLIO. Joshua has dedicated considerable efforts to enlightening legal professionals about the potential of technology to improve their practices, simultaneously educating tech companies about the distinctive requirements of the legal field.

Join Joshua and me as we discuss the following three questions & more!

1. What are the three most common questions attorneys have about cloud computing? And how does CLIO address them?

2. What are the three most common ethical missteps attorneys make with cybersecurity, and how does CLIO help prevent them?

3. As we look into the future, what should attorneys be wary of regarding all things Internet in their law practice?

In our conversation, we cover the following:

[01:09] From PCs to Macs: Embracing a Secure and User-Focused Technological Evolution

[03:25] Decoding Cloud Worries: How CLIO Tackles Attorneys' Top 3 Questions on Cloud Computing

[13:12] Ethical Cybersecurity: Navigating Attorney Pitfalls and CLIO's Defensive Strategies

[16:48] Futuristic Legal Tech: Internet's Evolution in Law Practice

[22:18] Data Migration Dilemmas

Resources:

Connect with Joshua:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/joshualenon

Email: joshua@clio.com