Six Mistakes Lawyers Make: Misadventures in technoland that needn't happenAuthor(s): JIM MEYERSource: ABA Journal, Vol. 78, No. 1 (JANUARY 1992), p. 77Published by: American Bar AssociationStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/27830476 .

Accessed: 09/06/2014 18:30

Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at .http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp

.JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range ofcontent in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new formsof scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.

.

American Bar Association is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to ABA Journal.

http://www.jstor.org

This content downloaded from 188.72.96.19 on Mon, 9 Jun 2014 18:30:23 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

H IN RE TECHNOLOGY

Six Mistakes Lawyers Make

Misadventures in technoland that needn't happen BY JIM MEYER

Welcome to "In re Technology," a new column focusing on hardware and software solutions to problems encountered in the day-to-day prac tice of law.

"In re Technology" will offer product reviews, techno tips and analyses of automated systems. We know that lawyers are often too busy to research every product in a

particular category before writing a check. We also realize that in these times of soaring costs, every dollar counts. For these reasons, cost

consciousness and quality will be the bases of our recommendations for technological solutions.

We encourage you to write in with any solutions you may have devised or happened upon. To the extent that you've come up with helpful ways to use technology and are willing to share them, "In re

Technology" can serve as a much

needed forum. Now then, our first column.

Stinting on hardware. Con sidering the importance of technol ogy in operating today's law office, a

surprising number of lawyers opt for the cheapest computer they can find. Most new users don't buy enough hardware, cheating them selves of computer power, speed,

memory and peripherals. Instead, they try to save money by purchas ing outmoded or underpowered PCs from discount vendors.

Avoid false economy when buy ing your system. A minimum config uration for any law firm is a PC with an 80386 chip, commonly re ferred to as a 386. Without it, you'll be incapable of running the latest programs, much less the software of the future. Also, be sure that micro processing speed is adequate, at least 20 Mhz or higher.

Today's programs can require as much as a whopping 12 MB (megabytes) of storage each. With that in mind, you'll need a hard drive of at least 80 to 100 MB to ensure adequate space for all the programs you may need.

The last hardware considera tion requiring an open-wallet policy

Jim Meyer is a free-lance writer in Santa Cruz, Calif, who special izes in technology-related issues.

is memory. Again, because of the huge requirements of current pro grams, 3 MB or more of memory is a safe buy. And if you happen to have

an old 286, don't scrap it. It can come in handy at home or as part of an office network.

Gorging on software. Ironi cally, the same folks who buy cut rate hardware often purchase much more software than they need. Small firms don't need bells and whistles, especially expensive ones. A newly computerized law firm needs only the basics: a word processor, a

time-and-billing program and legal calendar software.

Stay in the mainstream; choose only the best-selling, tried-and true products. Besides the fact that popular programs are probably bug less, using them may cut the need for training new employees, since many will already be familiar with the software.

Another area requiring careful review is practice-specific software, used to automate substantive areas

relating to your specialty. These vertical applications are often very expensive. Before buying one, make sure the program meets your needs. Talk to your peers, study reviews, and ask for a program demo from the company.

Missing the boat on train ing. How much did your firm spend

If you have questions you would like answered in this column, please write: In re Technology, ABA Journal, 750 N. Lake Shore Dr., Chicago, IL 60611, or fax to (312) 988-6014.

on training key people to use new

technologies? None? Well, you're not alone. Failing to provide PC train ing is both short-sighted and a common mistake. Computer pro grams are only as useful as an individual makes them. Class ses sions are a fast track to maximizing the performance of your systems and your employees.

At least 10 percent of your automation budget should be ear marked and spent on a comprehen sive training program. It could be one of the best return-on-invest ment decisions you ever make.

Neglecting to network. Net working sounds more intimidating than it is. All it involves is connect ing your office computers to one another to facilitate sharing of func tions and data. It pays great divi dends for even the smallest firms.

But don't make the mistake of assigning a talented employee to research and install a network; the learning curve is too steep. Hiring an outside specialist to install a

simple network can be a surpris ingly cost-effective way to set up basic file, printer and peripherals sharing.

Failing to back up files. If it's not backed up, don't cry when it's gone. The simple fact is that

most firms don't back up computer files on a regular basis. Here's a

good rule of thumb: Think about how long it would take you to re-create your un-backed-up data. If

the answer is one day, that's how often you should back up.

If you're backing up on disk ettes and that's becoming cumber some, there are other, more efficient

methods (more on that in a later column).

Billing too inflexibly. Most firms that use technology to stream line their operations need to rethink the way they pass costs on to clients.

When a software program can spit out a personalized will after a half hour client consultation, how do you establish a fair fee?

This is an area where law firms need to look at the lessons of industry, and consider incorporat ing overhead, capitalization for gadgetry, depreciation, market condi tions, competition and service value into the billing equation. It may be time to bid a fond farewell to the billable hour.

.o I. i.'i I n joI. I. 1 I i s C-VV.

ILLUSTRATION BY ROBERTA POLFUS ABA JOURNAL/JANUARY 1992 77

This content downloaded from 188.72.96.19 on Mon, 9 Jun 2014 18:30:23 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions