eTechnology and Law ClerksTools That Can Help You in Your Practice

Charles BennettPrincipal Consultant, Triella

www.triella.com 416.269.4368

May 12, 2005 2

Welcome!

Our Purpose1. To increase your awareness of the tools

available from Google

2. To explain what a BlackBerry is and how it can assist you

3. To discuss some of the software products targeted at law clerks

May 12, 2005 3

A Bit of Shameless Promotion

• Technology assessment– Triella takes a holistic view of your system– You get a complete report outlining any gaps– Items are classed from Critical to Warning– We can help correct the problems for you

• We also provide full service technology consulting for the bigger picture view of how technology can help your business

All About Google

From Searching to Mapping and Everything in Between

May 12, 2005 5

The Google home page offers many searching features.

• Web– searches Internet Web pages

• Images– searches images available on the Internet

• Groups– searches news groups

• News– searches news stories

• Maps– a complete mapping system

• More»– Other features and software available from Google

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Image searching is useful for finding corporate logos and graphics.

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Special interest groups can offer insight into almost any topic of interest.

• More useful as alternative support

• Useful for social issues

• Useful for views on a subject

• Less useful for legal information

• Can be a resource for some issues, particularly litigation

May 12, 2005 8

A summary of the daily news can be obtained as well as specific news.

• Search News without a search term– top stories– world news– Canadian news– Business– Science and technology– sports, entertainment, health

• Search with a search term for news on that term

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Google’s mapping feature is revolutionary in its ease of use.

• Locate an address anywhere in North America quickly and easily

• Obtain directions from point A to point B

• Scale and scroll easily

• Look for business services

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Google’s desktop search uses the same technology to search your computer.

• Google Desktop is a download– available under the More» option– indexes files and email– web searches happen at the same time– sidebars provide additional information

• Updates periodically throughout the day

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But Google’s forte is searching. Learn how to refine searches to suit your needs.

• Search pages from Canada only• Search a specific site site:• Search by file type filetype:• Who links to your site? link:• Words in the title? allintitle:• Define words define:• Simple math calculations <expression>

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Use Google Alerts to tell you about the news that you are most interested in.

• Enter your search term

• Enter your email address

• Set the frequency

• Get News as it happens

Email Notification

Link Provided to Article

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Install the Google toolbar to enhance your browsing experience.

Choose the type of searchEnter your search term

Perform a desktop specific searchLook at Canadian newsGoogle’s ranking for the current pageNumber of pop ups blocked by the toolbar

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Check the spelling of any text you type on a pageLink to information such as street addresses, VIN numbers, Fed Ex etcFills in common personal information on a Web formIf you are a blogger, blogs the current web page10

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11 Set the options that control the toolbar

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12 Highlight search terms

All About the BlackBerry

The features, the functions and how it can help you.

May 12, 2005 15

What exactly is the BlackBerry?

• A series of Personal Digital Assistant devices that provides mobile access to information

• Competing devices include– Palm Treo– Windows CE based devices– Motorola Moto Q– Nokia E-Series

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There are three primary models of BlackBerry however each carrier differs.

Rogers - 7290 Rogers - 7700 Rogers - 8700

Bell - 7250 Bell – 7130e Bell – N/A

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BlackBerry devices are feature rich and include all essential communications tools.

• E-mail• Calendar• Contacts• Internet• Instant messenger• Tasks• Notes• Alarm• Calculator

Signal StrengthBattery lifeRemindersApplication AreaApplication Description

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What makes the BlackBerry vital to law firms is push email…

Compose a message on the BlackBerry and Send.

The message is encrypted and then transmitted.

...to the nearest cellulartower. There it travelsby land line to a RIM

email server.

RIM stores the messageand then sends it to thecompany server or the

communications carrier.

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Firm Server

Carrier Server

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…which requires no action on the part of the user to send or receive email.

BlackBerryEnterprise

Server receivesthe message and

passes it to...

… the MicrosoftExchange

Server after decrypting.

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The end user picks up the message from

their mailbox.

Carrier’s server receivesthe message and sends

it to the users POP3 account.

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The end user picks up the message from

their mailbox.

Firm

Carrier

May 12, 2005 20

Integrated phone technology is arguably better than a standalone phone.

• Tied into entire system– call any number from any contact

• supports 8 phone numbers per contact

– call a number from an email– call a number from a web site– your number is displayed– Bluetooth headset are supported– integrated volume control– all calls automatically logged

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Instant messenger allows communication with other BlackBerry users.

• Works even if email is down

• Less formal and very fast

• Can be recorded for future use

• Great for quick answers to questions

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Information in the BlackBerry is synchronized with Outlook.

• Synchronization for– Contacts– Calendar– Email– Notes– Tasks

• With a BES server, synchronization is completely wireless

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Attachments to email messages can be viewed but not edited.

• Word

• WordPerfect

• PowerPoint

• Excel

• PDF

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Internet browsing provides the features you are accustomed to when browsing.

• Hotlinks

• Bookmarks

• Graphics

• Downloadable software

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Downloadable applications expand the utility of the BlackBerry

• Google Maps– Find a location in

Canada or the US– Obtain directions from

A to B– Real time map scrolling

• News feeds

• Games

Software for the Law ClerkSoftware Currently Used and Emerging

LitigationReal EstateFamily LawCorporateEstates

May 12, 2005 27

The software listed in this section do not constitute recommendations.

• Surveyed several firms to understand what they were using

• Spoke to firms that cater to these markets

• Compiled a list of options

• Buyer beware!– test software before you purchase it– test printing and networking capability– rank features against your needs

May 12, 2005 28

Litigation

• Summation– Transcript management– Database management – Secure access to cases– Accessibility over the Internet– Search all eDiscovery documents, electronic

documents, e-mail messages, attachments, HotFacts, images, and OCR documents

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Litigation

• Concordance (Dataflight Software, Inc.)– Collaborative case analysis and organization– Streamlined e-discovery

• import, search, and organize email and other electronic documents quickly and accurately

– Fast, Accurate Searching– Comprehensive Transcript Management– Secure access to cases

May 12, 2005 30

Litigation

• Inform Court Form Creation (Infoware)– Standard court documents creation in Microsoft Word

format.– Save Client and Matter information such as the Style

of Cause to reduce repetitive data entry.

• iCONECTnxt (iCONECT Development, LLC)– Secure worldwide access to electronic and document

discovery for effective collaboration with outside counsel, branch offices, and consultants.

May 12, 2005 31

Litigation

• CaseMap (CaseSoft)– Organize, evaluate, and explore the facts, the

cast of characters, and the issues in a case.– Links facts to issues and the sources of those

facts, whether people, documents, or statutes.

May 12, 2005 32

Real Estate

• Terraview– Perform tasks online that you were once only able to

do at the Land Registry Office. – Perform searches, create and submit title documents

for registration, view and print instruments, plans, official parcel registers.

– Access information outside of regular business hours.• TitlePLUS

– Canadian title insurance product.– Protecting buyers and lenders for title-related

problems that could affect ownership or the marketability of the property.

May 12, 2005 33

Real Estate

• Hotdocs (LexisNexis)– Document assembly program that will prompt

users for required information in a logical sequence.

• Dye & Durham– Provide forms current with legislation and

ensuring that government changes are communicated to clients.

May 12, 2005 34

Real Estate

• The Conveyancer– Complete Polaris forms on-screen, and laser

print them onto blank paper.– Forms include: Deed/Transfer of Land,

Mortgage/Charge of Land, Discharge, Document General, Blank Schedule, Land Transfer Tax Affidavit, LTT Refund Affidavit.

– Transfer repetitive data (parties' names, addresses, legal description, etc.) from one Polaris form into another.

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Corporate

• Monicord– Records management – Access to over 300 federal, provincial, and other

forms, resolutions, documents and reports.– add in your own precedents or reports.

• EnAct (Corporateck)– Corporate records system and workflow– forms, reports and document generation– Corporate Governance, Corporate Compliance,

Corporate Records Management and Document Management

– Web Access

May 12, 2005 36

Corporate

• VIEWnet– Organize and store information in a logical

manner. – Creation, storage, tracking, retrieval and

reporting on a wide range of corporate information.

– New Online service 24/7 world-wide accessibility and secure data safety.

May 12, 2005 37

Family Law

• DivorceMate– create and manage family court forms using

Microsoft Word or Corel WordPerfect – calculated financial statements, merge

repetitive information– checklist format to create a customized and

comprehensive separation agreement– Calculate complicated child and spousal

support situations

May 12, 2005 38

Estates

• Emergent Technologies– "wind-up" an estate– Merge Estate information with all Probate forms– Generate a list of Original Assets – Record all estate disbursements and other transactions – Automatically balance your estate

• Infoware Document Assembly– Document Assembly for estate forms

• WillPowerWeb– create and customize Wills, Powers of Attorney and other

related documents by entering data once into an online Wills template.