The Greatest American Lawyer

Tuning Up Your Blog for Google Success

Here is a great cheat sheet from SEOmoz.org which provides all the tips and tricks you could ever need to get your blog or website in tiptop Google shape. 

Using Mind Map For Advocacy

For those of you who have been following along, you know I’m a big fan of the Mindjet MindManager software.  Here is an interesting post from the Settlement Perspectives Blog titled Get To The Point, And Get It Across, With A Mediation Mind Map.  Here’s the money quote:

The Best Things in Life Really Are Free: A Thumbs Down To Copernic Desktop Search for Pay Version

Those of you who have been around for a while know that one of my favorite software products of all time has been Copernic Desktop Search.  Two years ago, I downloaded the free desktop and network search tool which essentially pre-indexes all of your emails and selected files so that you could search for virtually anything and the results would come back in less than a second.  In fact, my entire email process changed as a result of Copernic.  No longer did I file any emails, delete spam or otherwise.  I treated email as a big data drop and simply used Copernic search in order to almost instantly identify any single email, or group of emails. 

About four months ago, my Copernic stopped working.  The company apparently had decided to abandon its free version for network search (you can still apparently get a free version to search only your own computer) and start charging $49.95 per license for its professional edition and $59.95 for its corporate edition. 

Normally, this wouldn’t bother me at all.  Copernic deserves a license fee for its otherwise amazing product…except that it’s no longer an amazing product.  In fact, my new “for pay” version has barely worked since I installed it.  It is prone to crash, freezes up, and does not deliver returns nearly like it used to.  For whatever reason, I was never able to get it to index my Outlook archives, essentially rendering my email search process useless.  You can either “for sure” find what you’re looking for using this kind of tool or not.  If it’s not reliable, then you likely won’t use it at all.

The search tool that comes with Microsoft Windows has always been downright awful.  I am now left to wonder, is there a desktop and network search tool that will get the job done?

I’d be interested in anyone out there who has a good client and network side pre-indexing search tool that will pull all types of data files and integrate fully with Outlook.  In the meantime, my plan is to contact Copernic and let them know my problems.  I’ll let you know how customer support goes and whether or not my experience is the exception or the rule…

Unlocking the Key to Technology

Everyone just assumes that technology is a good thing.  They assume that technology is used to increase productivity. 

I hope you all know that’s not really the truth, is it?  Technology can empower people to waste more time than ever possible before in human history.  And there is one simple undeniable fact.  In order to work technology, you typically have to physically interface with that technology.  This means you have to sit at your computer.  This means that you have to have your cell phone on and your keyboard enabled at all times.

Now, I know what you’re thinking.  You’re wondering “what’s wrong with that?”

Finding Opportunity in Difficult Economic Times

Only about ten to twenty percent of our client base is local.  Most of our clients are located outside the State of Michigan and many outside the United States of America.  Because we are a law firm specializing in internet law, intellectual property, domain name disputes, corporate services and complex litigation, we tend to get hired by companies and outside counsel in cases where specialization is required.  Because our market is global, we are somewhat insulated from the economic downturns which shrink corporate budgets.

Finally, Dictation Software for Your Cell Phone

What is the one piece of technology that you carry around with you virtually everywhere?  Of course, the answer is the cell phone.  I have been clamoring for years for an integrated dictation devise for my cell phone.  For those of you who own a Blackberry, your prayers are now answered by developer Shape Services and their software application VR+. 

Not only does the software work seamlessly with your Blackberry, routing your dictation via email or the network to your staff, it is the first piece of Blackberry software to receive a 10 out of 10 rating review from Berryreview.com.

Case Management Solutions for Law Firms

There is an interesting discussion and a number of link resources over at the LinkedIn business networking questions and answer section.  A variety of attorneys have suggested different software tools for case management.  Of course, basecamphq.com is included.  Two new ones which I have not seen before are Open Practice and Serengeti Legal Matter Management and E-Billing System.

Has anyone had any experience with either Serengeti or Open Practice?  Does anyone have any other case management software tools which are web enabled to add to the list?

Technology Lets You Work from Anywhere

Technology allows you to work from anywhere.  Most of our clients are not local companies.  But we connect to those clients through our Extranet, GoToMeeting and related applications.  Here are a few things about where I live in Traverse City Michigan.  Last week, I had to slow my car to avoid a family of porcupines crossing the road and several deer bounding across both lanes of traffic.  The people here are amazingly genuine and friendly, unlike the big cities where most lawyers toil.   Every time you go to the grocery store, you see people you know. 

Most lawyers are stuck practicing for big-law in the big city.  Don’t they realize that technology would empower them to successful working from paradise?

If The Number '5' License Plate is Worth $6.8 Million, What Is Your Domain Name Worth?

The number "5" license plate sold for $6.8 million dollars in Saudi Arabia and another 300 vanity plates sold for another $56 million at last week's auction.  It is estimated that the number "1" will be auctioned next month for up to $20 million dollars.

The free market is just realizing the value of a domain name, driven by the fact that each domain name is unique and - typos and cybersquatters aside -  their 'one-of-a-kind' nature. Domain names are in many ways like lake front property (and yes vanity license plates).

Read the entire article and watch video here.

Updated Design for GAL

I have updated my design. What do you think?