practicehacker

While I’ve tried to make Practicehacker the #1 place to find tools, tips, techniques, and technology for small firms and solo’s, how often do I feature a true practice hack? A better, smarter, faster, or cheaper way of getting things done? Not often enough. But this is the real deal. A genuine hack born out of the need to track contacts (i.e. CRM) using a free tool that doesn’t even seem suited for the task. Software Advice provides the full hack here.

Actually, I’ve used a hack like this one for years, but not in the CRM context. Instead I’ve used it to track the progress of cases and keep my staff informed by having the spreadsheet send automatic updates each time something changes. Simple, free, awesome. Now that’s practice hacking!

Ed. Note: If you have hacks of your own or know anyone that does, please encourage them to contact me at mhedayat@mha-law.com or just add their comment to this post. I’d love to be able to feature one of these hacks every week (or more often if I can). You’ll get full credit of course, and you’ll be helping your fellow lawyers and legal professionals to do things that much better.

Posted via email from practice (redux)

As highlighted recently on Shatterbox and in my discussions with Richard Granat of DirectLaw back at the 2011 ABA Tech Show, LegalZoom is coming into its own big time. Then again, what else would LegealZoom do with the money raised in its IPO but siphon business from competitors; lawyers?

And that’s exactly what it’s been doing and what it continues to do. Even the bell-weather Missouri class action that some thought might slow the LZ juggernaught has fizzled and instead, as Shatterbox points out, LZ is probably even savvier for the experience.

All of which begs the question: Is LegalZoom unstoppable? Is it inevitable? Is it the future of law practice? Is it the end of sole practitioners? Not that I know. I’m just putting it out there.

Before you answer think about this it looks as if we lawyers are in the pot while the water is getting hotter, but we refuse to acknowledge that our collective goose is being cooked… and probably won’t until it’s too late. That sounds just  like a lawyer’s reaction to and impending calamity: waiting until it’s over to react, conduct a post-mortem, and find someone else to blame. Posted via email from practice (redux)

A few weeks ago I posted a video introduction to knowledge-management application GrexIt.

Many people apparently want to know more, so here is a synopsis of what this free tool can do. GrexIt works on the principal that vital information is often custom-crafted for each client, then buried in client communications. The application attempts to solve the problem by breaking down your messages by phrase, concept, even by word, then reorganizes those elements into a searchable knowledge-base. GrexIt’s performance has been documented by such high-profile blogs as GigaOm, TheNextWeb, and ReadWriteWeb. Check it out yourself and let me know if you like GrexIt.

Posted via email from practice (redux)

I generally avoid posting about far-fetched, Jestons-inspired stuff. Sure, someday computers will practice law, instant video conferencing with replace Court appearances and most of the people reading this post will be out of a job.  But until that day, law practice is still a job, more or less. Learning how lawyers might practice in 100 years is of marginal interest.  Of course that simple fact doesn’t stop professors and judges from using euphemisms like “law is a calling” or “the law is a profession.”  That sounds great until I try to pay my mortgage with the gratitude of a non-paying client or the respect of my peers. Then it’s every man for himself. That said, jut just this one time I noticed a conference (=waste of time) in Hong Kong (=expensive) sponsored by the University of Hong Kong (=foreign law with no bearing on real life) and just had to post about it. Feel free to enjoy it for about 10 seconds. Then get back to work. Posted via email from practice (redux)

via sociablelawyer.org

With his breakthrough performance in Kindergarten Cop, Arnold showed us why he would someday be Governor of California and leader of the free-world. Or whatever. In the meantime, here are some “baby steps” (get it, Kindergarten, baby steps?) to using social media in your practice, courtesy of Sociable Lawyer.

1. Do not be afraid to try
2. Share your knowledge
3. Polish your online rep
4. Strength in numbers

Posted via email from practice (redux)