My Two Cents: Presentation In Your Word Documents is Everything!

THe strength of your argument can easily be overshadowed by how it is presented on the document itself.

A Georgia attorney has been disbarred for submitting "a fabricated e-mail" to the bar as part of his defense of a bar complaint.  A complaint had been made against this attorney for lack of proper representation. The details of the complaint and the history of the representation are not important for this editorial.  What is important to this editorial is that the Respondent ... 

"...sent several email exchanges purporting to be between her and [Complainant]. However, the March 9 email terminating Respondent’s representation supposedly sent from [Complainant] was in a different format and font than the others, and, unlike in the other emails, [Complainant] appeared to use perfect diction, capitalization, and punctuation. [Complainant] denied having sent this email, and the State Bar determined that the email was likely falsified by [Respondent]."

First, please forgive me as I set a little background about myself as it relates to this posting. I used to collect comic books as a teen.  I had to buy the perfect comic - no rips, bends, creases, watermarks, etc.  With an eagle eye, I'd make sure I got the perfect comic.  Now, bookend the other side of my skill for detail with my high-school ability to play with font types, sizes, margins, etc., to stretch out a class paper to a requisite number of pages for an assignment - mind you, I don't do that today.  This culminated into a skill where I can look at a document, say generated by a law clerk or opposing counsel, and can tell if the formatting is not right - spacing between pages is not consistent, two spaces between two words or sentences instead of one, font size is off, and so on.

be a super hero to your client with truth, justice and proper document formaTting!

With this background, I can usually tell when something is off on a document. Either in hard copy or on the screen, if the formatting is not correct, I can catch it. But what this attorney did, generating documents so obviously inconsistent in typical formatting (and grammar), aside from the common sense (and bar ethics) of not creating fake evidence, shows a fundamental lack of computer skills - formatting, styles, etc. If it’s not apparent to you that your spacing, paragraph returns, or tabs are off, turn on your non-printing formatting  marks to see how your document is constructed. (Check out this Wednesday's How to learn how to reveal now non-printing characters, the function that shows in your document your spaces, paragraph returns and tabs.)

IMHO, if your document does not look right, regardless of how strong your discussion is, the reader is likely to doubt the veracity of the argument.

Happy Lawyering!

MTC

My Two Cents: Lawyers considering the switch from Windows to Apple computers should take advantage of Apple's Holiday Season Return Policy!

Apple v. Windows: Which one is best for you?

Although The Tech-Savvy Lawyer.Page covers both Windows and Apple hardware and software; there is no secret I am an unabashed Apple enthusiast! For those of you who are or have been considering the switch, now may be a great time to do it!  Apple has started its Holiday Season Return window!

The way the general return program has worked previously is if you bought an Apple product, you could return it within two weeks with no (reasonable) questions asked!  Now, with this🎄🍎 Holiday Program🎄🍎, any purchase "received between November 3, 2023 and December 25, 2023, may be returned through January 8, 2024". This should give you plenty of time to try an Apple computer, iPad, or iPhone.  But if you find your Apple purchase doesn't fulfill your needs, you can return your purchase hassle-free within the designated return period.

For those of you who wonder why you should consider switching to Apple, 🤔 here are some compelling reasons tailored specifically to lawyers like us:

🍎 Unparalleled Performance: Apple computers are known for their exceptional speed. The new silicon chips are running blazing fast and are putting Intel chips to the test!

“I’m a mac v. i’m a pc” commercials!

🍎 Reliability: Remember the old Apple versus Windows commercials?  They just work! Say goodbye to frustrating delays, and hello to a seamless workflow!

🍎 Durability: There are reports that although you may be paying more upfront, Apple products tend to have a long lifespan with little need for repair, i.e., lower total cost of ownership (TCO).  And now that you can get repair service for select products on an unlimited basis (monthly for the time you own your product), you start ownership worry-free of any potential repair issues. The resale value of a Mac usually outpaces that of a Windows’ machine.

🍎 Enhanced Security: As legal professionals, we handle sensitive client information, making security a top priority. Apple's robust security features and built-in encryption help protect your data from potential threats, providing you with peace of mind. Although Apple OS is not immune to viruses, Windows OS tend to be the bigger target of hackers and malware attackers.

🍎 Seamless Integration: If you are already an iPhone or iPad user, switching to Apple computers will create a seamless integration within your ecosystem. Access your files, messages, and important information across devices effortlessly.

🍎 User-Friendly Interface: Apple's intuitive interface makes it easy to navigate through applications and perform tasks efficiently, saving you valuable time that can be better spent on serving your clients. Granted, it may be different than Windows, but they both work on a similar graphical user interface of a mouse and pointer to navigate through the files, folders, and applications. Apple offers a variety of free get-to-know-your-Apple product sessions where you can learn some of these nuances.  Or you could always ask your friendly "Tech-Savvy Lawyer!"

Go to your nearby apple store or authorized retailer to see what could be your firm’s next tech investment!

To take advantage of Apple's holiday season return policy, simply visit your nearest Apple Store or their online store, make your purchase, and experience the incredible benefits of using Apple products for yourself. Remember to keep your receipt and adhere to their designated return period for a stress-free return, if needed.

Don't miss out on this fantastic opportunity to upgrade your legal practice and join the ever-growing community of satisfied Apple users like this Tech-Savvy Lawyer! 🙌💼

PS:  I was not paid by Apple or its affiliates for this post.

#AppleHolidaySeasonReturn #UpgradeYourLawFirm #SwitchToApple #thetechsavvylawyer

2020 - What was the Big Tech advancement that helped attorneys this past decade?

Happy New Year!

Lately, I have been reading many blogs and articles about what was the most significant technological advancement in the past decade. It got me thinking about what has been the best tech advancement for attorneys these past ten years? The advancement of technology has been a constant exponential boom since the transistor and Alan Turing's Machine and clearly has had an impact on the way we practice law.

These devices led us to home personal computers, then smartphones, and now we can have information everywhere, at any time, and on almost any electronic device. Computers, laptops, tablets, and smartphones allow attorneys to be more flexible in how they work, when they work, and where they work. No longer do we have to carry massive files of documents to court, depositions, or even home (when we have to work from home - like that ever happens! 😉). This thinking brings me to what I believe to be the most essential technological advancement was for attorneys this past decade - cloud sync/storage.

The ability to work anywhere can only happen if we have our files with us. Regardless of the number of records we have, they are essential and likely necessary when we work on a client's case. Missing that one crucial document can defeat your plans to work - imagine what happens if you forget it for your client's trial, deposition, or meeting - Malpractice Alert!

Dropbox and Box are two leading cloud sync/storage popular with attorneys. Cloud sync/storage is something that has helped me, many of my friends and colleagues, and possibly you.

Need some tech help, shoot me an e-mail, I may be able to assist!