Tag Archive for: Apps For Lawyers

Legal Research Apps to Consider Downloading

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The phrase ‘there’s an app for that’ is not only for the general population, but for legal professionals as well. Legal professionals and novices can have access to legal research, terminology, court citations and cases, and much more, at their fingertips from their iPhone, iPad, or other mobile devices. These quick reference apps make it easy for those on the go and especially for those in the legal field to garner necessary information in a quick and timely manner. With factual evidence and readily available case laws, anyone with a need for valid legal information can access a number of resources within minutes.

Legal research apps for Apple, Android, and Google are an emerging technological gold mine. New apps continue to develop, and as they become available they will grow in popularity among those in the legal field, and those seeking information on specific legal matters pertinent to them. The more popular legal apps have a small fee to utilize them, while a few remain free, but most have in app purchase options that enable the user to have additional references.

7 Legal Friendly Apps at Your Fingertips

Black’s Law Dictionary: The biggest and best app is also one of the best reference books available in the legal field. Black’s Law Dictionary is cited the most when it comes to law. This app is the most highly regarded legal reference. At $54.00, Black’s Law Dictionary is necessary for anyone needing comprehensive legal terms and citations. You can get Black’s Law Dictionary, 9th edition in the Apple iTunes Store for iOS. For Android users The Law Dictionary features Black’s Law Dictionary.

Fastcase: Fastcase is a comprehensive reference about legal statutes from all 50 states and the federal government. It is free to download and is currently only offered for iPhone and iPad use.

Cite-Checker: The most readily available guide for checking citations and the blue book is Cite-Checker, which is available from the iTunes Store for iOS users. Cite-Checker is also available for Android users from Google Play. For the nominal fee of $2.99, this comprehensive text includes federal and state-by-state cases, statutes, law review articles, and much more.

LawStack: LawStack is available on iOS. It is a complete legal library at your fingertips. You can use this handy reference quickly and with ease while utilizing the most comprehensive legal data within minutes.

OpenRegs: If you need to look up the latest regulations by state or federal statute, OpenRegs is free for iOS users. With OpenRegs, one can browse laws by agency or date, for the latest laws and regulations. This handy app lets you ‘star’ important data and gives users the ability to email ‘starred’ items. OpenRegs is one of the best free legal apps.

TrialEvidence: If you need a guide that gives you the facts on previous trials and their outcomes, TrialEvidence is the source you need. For $1.99 on iOS, this handy reference application shows courtroom evidentiary foundations and reviews predates used in gathering evidence that can be used later in a courtroom setting.

Court Directory: For those who need an informational directory listing of the nation’s judges, courts, and clerks, Court Directory lists them all for handy reference. This guide also gives a breakdown of the federal, state, and territorial courts. For a nominal fee of $9.99, this award winning book is a must have for legal professionals. It is currently only available from the iTunes Store.

Legal Apps Are a Growing Trend

As more apps become available for iOS users and other smart phone and tablet users, legal professionals and those searching for legal advice, will have a surplus of reference materials at their fingertips. Development of user-friendly apps means that anyone needing to look up current statutes, both local and federal, will have the ability to gather necessary information about specific cases. However, even though consumers have a bevy of information, one should consult with an attorney about their legal options before acting on any information from these apps.

The Best Use Of Technology For Your Law Firm

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man holding law firm technologyWith each passing day, the legal industry’s reliance on technology multiplies. If properly utilized, technology can help your law firm’s success in a myriad of ways- from increasing overall efficiency to improving client communication and more.

Make The Most Of Existing Technology

Many believe the incorporation of technology within the law firm is an expensive task, but this isn’t always the case. The internet offers many inexpensive, useful tools that can be a great asset to your firm.

Social Media: As potential clients will first look to the internet when searching for legal information or advice, an effective social media presence is very important. This includes maintaining a Facebook, Google+ page, blog, and any other platform you can think of, such as Instagram or Twitter, as you never know where people will look. Simply having an account is not enough; the most important feature social media can offer is company-client engagement. Update regularly and answer questions in a timely fashion to maintain the interest of your audience. Blog posts should be about more than marketing; anticipate the questions your audience is likely to ask, and answer by creating a blog post regarding the topic. In this way, you can become a reliable, trusted source of information, and people will be more likely to turn to you when seeking legal assistance in the future.

Video Conferencing: While face to face meetings with clients are very important, finding the time within a busy schedule is often difficult, particularly in the midst of travels. However, with so many reliable video chat services available, scheduling a meeting time is less challenging, and the meeting itself won’t be as time consuming for your client. Many attorneys are now using video conferencing technology to host virtual depositions and other important litigation events.

Mobile Applications: There are many applications readily available for your smartphone or iPad that can be extremely convenient in your day to day affairs. Lawyers are buzzing about the following applications:

  1. GoodReader: This application’s utilization of cloud storage allows you to sync files from your computer to your mobile device, making documents and briefs easily accessible on the go.
  2. Black’s Law Dictionary, 9th Edition: Having the world’s most comprehensive law dictionary available at your fingertips is an indispensable point of reference.
  3. LogMeIn: This application allows you to access a remote desktop, such as your work computer, through your mobile device. Forgetting to sync an important document from a remote desktop is no longer an issue.

These are just three examples from hundreds of useful mobile apps for lawyers. When browsing the iTunes App Store, you will find many more.

General Technology Tips

Technology has the potential to greatly benefit your law firm, so don’t let it go to waste. Here are some important tips to keep in mind.

  • Remember that technology is constantly changing and improving. Be conscious of updates, as they foster greater efficiency and quality of work.
  • Be conscious of each employee’s knowledge and familiarity with technology. Even seemingly simple applications can prove troubling upon one’s initial introduction. Though more work at the onset, providing a training seminar may ultimately speed the learning process. Even if an employee has prior knowledge of an application or program, learning the proper way to use it may inform them of the most efficient practices.
  • While calculating your firm’s yearly budget, anticipate for changes in technology and potential glitches.
  • Consider the needs of each individual member of your law firm. When regarding an employee, you should ask yourself what equipment or software will allow him to accomplish a task with the greatest efficiency and ease. The answer will likely be different for each employee, and recognizing this can save you a lot of money, as not everyone needs the same equipment.

 

5 Time Saving Apps For Lawyers

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Regardless of their chosen field of practice, lawyers are always on the go, and they have very little time left over to keep track of everything they have to do. Fortunately, we live in a day and age in which smart phones, tablets, and computers can do the heavy lifting for them, allowing them to save time and effort while becoming more organized and efficient. With the right apps and software, a busy lawyer can get access a wondrous world of information that will help make his or her job easier, less time consuming, and less stressful. Read on to find a list of our five favorite apps to help lawyers save some much needed time.

Our Top 5

  • SpeakWrite – As one of the most effective note taking and dictation apps available, SpeakWrite can be used to transcribe whatever you say in an incredibly efficient manner, allowing you the ability to multitask and focus on other important activities as you redact emails, notes, and schedule appointments in an easy and hands free manner.
  • iJuror – Jury selection can be a complicated affair, especially with the large amount of information a lawyer has to keep track of. To assist in this task, iJuror allows an attorney to take notes that help in the monitoring process of jury selection. It has a capacity for up to 96 jurors at a single time, lending a versatility and practicality few apps can provide. As if this weren´t enough, it incorporates a sharing feature that allows for colleagues to add their two cents, making for an efficient way to keep track of which jurors would be most favorable to the case at hand.
  • The Deponent – Depositions are time consuming and can become tedious and tiring, but they can be made easier with the help of The Deponent, an app that includes 300 different questions that can be used by attorneys during any deposition. Additionally, lawyers can add their own questions, as well as PDF files and Word documents, which allows them to manage the details of a deposition with ease. To make matters better, it also integrates Dropbox and Box.net, which makes The Deponent one of the best apps for lawyers on the market today.
  • LawBox – Nothing can help attorneys save time like having a reference service right at their fingertips, and that is exactly what LawBox is all about. As one of the most complete reference apps available, LawBox will grant you access to a large number of legal codes from various jurisdictions across the United States, together with everything you need to know about procedure in different areas, making it a must have for lawyers around the country.
  • Fastcase – A favorite of lawyers all over, Fastcase is an app that allows the user to access one of the largest online law libraries around. This comes in especially handy when research or a quick reference are required during a negotiation or an argumentation. Fastcase is so versatile it includes a voice search function, as well as the use of keywords, making it an easy to use, time saving app all attorneys should have. The best part is that it can be used on both Android and iOS platforms, covering the complete spectrum of mobile devices.

It’s Only The Beginning

While these are not the only apps available that have the ability to help a lawyer save time and become more efficient, they are the ones that have proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that they can assist an attorney in the most effective way. Efficiency is an important element in a successful lawyer’s career, and with the use of these amazing tools you can become more efficient and save time that will better serve other, more important, endeavors.