Source: Lawfuel.co.nz
Using technology for litigators is something that can make litigation simpler, faster and easier. Take what you can do with mobile devices and dictation systems, for instance.
The reality is that lawyers increasingly use all manner of technology from their iPhones to iPads and laptops and they use them to generate a wide variety of service benefits to make their lives easier. And the increasing use of ‘virtual law offices’ overseas has seen some of these technologies come to the forefront.
A recent report from a US “virtual lawyer” displayed how technology permitted her practice (Babb & Epperly) which handles business law matters and employment disputes.
Partner Lisa Epperly spends hours on the road and needs the ability to access case-related information ‘on the go’.
She uses her smartphone for more than just editing documents. In fact, according to Lisa, there’s not much that she can’t accomplish using her trusty Samsung Gear Neo: “I use my phone for pretty much everything. I use Dragon Dictation’s speech-to-text capabilities to dictate pleadings or during depositions so I can create a makeshift transcript that I can review long before the court reporter gets the official one to me.”
Choosing technology for the law office means asking questions.
As Lisa Epperly says, quoting her old law professor, there are no stupid questions, just questions.
Another lawyer who requires an ‘on the go’ technical assistance is Brad Wixen, who handles civil and malpractice cases, which require him to record witness notes and other information.
The Dragon solution permits him to simply speak into his audio recorder and download it to his computer.
His estimate is that it now takes him half the time it did previously.
“I need to make careful notes about what occurred at the cross-examinations and my impressions of the reports I reviewed, including detailed annotations with page numbers,” Wixen explains. “And I need a system that allows for efficiency and accuracy for my very demanding schedule.
Good dictation systems like Dragon Dictation can produce significant efficiencies for any lawyer, regardless of the nature of their practice. As Lisa Epperly says, just ask questions.
