When I started practicing law twenty years ago, computers were just starting to take over the law office. My firm still required legal assistants to know shorthand, small office computer networks were rare, and "Boolean searches" were still the norm for Westlaw and Lexis.
Today, both hardware and software have advanced to far that is has literally revolutionized the way we process work in my office. Through a lot of trial and error, we have acquired in what we consider essential software that we use every day that not only increases our productivity but permits us to better serve our clients. Thus, the following products are what I consider to be essential for a modern domestic relations practice.
Word Processing. Of course, it goes without saying that you need a good word processing program. Microsoft Word rules the world today, but we are among the few that still use WordPerfect. We have stayed with WordPerfect all of the these years because we find it to be a far more versatile program than Word. However, if you use Word, stay with it, as many of the other programs we use work seamlessly with Word, and not so much with WordPerfect. If you are feeling adventurous, Sun Microsystems offers a free suite of software (word processing, presentations, spreadsheets, data base) called Open Office. Only time will tell if Open Office gets widespread acceptance in the business world.
Calendaring. Although I know many small office and solo practitioners who still do their calendaring the old-fashioned way - with a physical calendar and a pencil - switching to a calendaring program and a smart phone will change your life for the better. Microsoft Outlook is one such program that is made for a general business environment, but can be easily adapted for law offices. There are also numerous law-specific products available (although generally much more expensive than Outlook). Outlook works easily with all of the major smartphone providers, so you can always have your calendar on-the-go. If you purchase, a law-specific calendaring program, just make sure it will integrate with your smartphone. If you are reluctant to abandon your paper calendar, check with your malpractice carrier. I suspect that most will strongly recommend a switch to a calendaring program, and it might even help lower your premium.
Adobe Acrobat. By far the software program that has changed the way we work the most is Adobe Acrobat. Anyone can acquire Adobe Reader free of charge, which will permit you to read .pdf documents. But if you want to create or manipulate .pdf documents, you will need Adobe Acrobat. (Note: some word processing programs now permit you to create a .pdf document, but will not allow you to change or modify it).
How do we use Acrobat? We create our own fill-in-the-blank forms, append comments on drafts & return the document to others for changes or review, redact information from documents, Bates-stamp documents, save emails in an organized fashion, and (with help of a good scanner) scan all documents in the physical file. Since we began using Acrobat regularly, we rarely have to access the physical file. Acrobat comes in Professional & Standard versions. If you only have one copy in your office, buy the Pro version, as some of the features discussed are not available in the Standard version.
Scanner. A good user-friendly scanner is essential. We use the popular Fujitsu ScanSnap 1500. It is not only a breeze to set up, it is very easy to use, and it processes documents quickly. As a bonus, each scanner comes with copy of Adobe Acrobat Standard. With a scanner and a good-quality laser printer, you can, with minimal inconvenience, eliminate the need for a photocopier.
Child Support Software. Although not essential, there are two programs that you can purchase to run child support formulas; SupportCalc (www.legalplus.com) - $179, or WV Civil Ware (www.lawtechllc.com) Civil Ware has four programs ($397.50 for all; $159 for just CivilWare): "ChildWare", which is the child support calculator; "HouseWare" an equitable distribution chart; "Aware", an income and expense calculator for alimony cases; and "BeWare", for calculating unpaid child support and alimony. One warning - my version of CivilWare doesn't work with Windows 7, and I am not sure if an updated version has been issued.
Finally, I recommend that every domestic practitioner purchase the West Virginia Children, Youth and Family Law, Annotated
(Lexis/Nexis). The cost is around $60. Yes, this is a book. BUT, the book comes with a disc of the law. The disk alone is worth the purchase price. The data is searchable and cutting and pasting is a snap.
Follow these tips, and you and your staff will appreciate the efficiency that these products can bring to your practice.
