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Current Versions of Law Office Software
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Make sure you stay current by checking out the Current Versions list on our web site.
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Making Document Automation Easy with HotDocs Model Documents
- John Federico, Esq., Affinity Senior Consultant
 If you are in a document-intensive practice area, document automation can dramatically impact your bottom line. The leading document automation system is HotDocs.
HotDocs is an extremely versatile system. Document automation is possible through a desktop program, web service, or as a server/service.
Trying to code a sophisticated template in HotDocs usually requires overcoming a non-trivial learning curve. First, you have to have to learn the interface, then understand different variable types, and finally learn a how to program in HotDocs scripting language to do anything sophisticated.
However, what if you're just trying to automate a basic template? Do you still need to learn all those things?
Fortunately, the answer is "no."
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 Ohio State Bar Diversity and Inclusion Conference - May 2 in Columbus
Regardless of the size of your practice, a focus on LGBT diversity has proven itself to be essential in the workplace. Affinity Consulting Group is proud to have been an integral part of this inaugural day-long conference focused on LGBT inclusion. Our own Paul Unger is one of the course planners and has helped carry this conference from inception to today. Topics include:
- Latest Developments in LGBT Rights
- Issues in Large Firms and Corporate Clients;
- Estate Planning for LGBT Individuals and Couples;
- Emerging issues in an alternative family structure;
- ...and much much more
For details and registration information, click HERE. |
FREE One-Hour Document Assembly Webinar - Monday, May 20, at 11 a.m. EDT
 One of the best available solutions to work overload is a document assembly system. Those in document-intensive areas of practice (estate planning, contracts, corporate, domestic, real estate, employee benefits, banking, etc.), spend a huge amount of time drafting documents and it's usually a primary source of stress. Using old documents as the starting point for new ones and going through the old cut-and-paste/search-and-replace routine is slow and creates an enormous margin for error. Even if you're a word processing wizard, it is unlikely that any other tool can save you as much time each day as HotDocs (the leading document assembly program which integrates with Word and WordPerfect). We invite you to join Barron Henley, Esq., one of the nation's foremost experts on automating law firms and legal departments via sophisticated document assembly programs, as he presents on the importance of document assembly.
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 PCLaw Training in Ann Arbor, June 11-12
We are excited to announce our PCLaw two-day User Training class that will help maximize the use of your firm's time, billing and accounting software.
The instructors, Cindy Emmerson, Steve Best, and Alex Macdonald, will detail everything from PCLaw's basic features to tips and tricks that you will use daily. Existing uses will have the
 opportunity to enhance their PCLaw skills and new users will get an excellent overview to begin using the software. Regardless of what version you are currently using, this class is sure to help you make the best use of PCLaw. Also, Ann Arbor in the late spring is a great place to be. For the complete Workshop schedule and information on how to register, click HERE. |
 Upcoming Events & Speaking Engagements
June 13 - Cloud Computing, Mobile Lawyering, & 60 Tech Tips in 60 Minutes, Arkansas Bar Association Annual Meeting, Hot Springs, AR - Barron K. Henley, Esq. June 14 - Your Technology Road Map: Hardware And Software On A Budget, South Carolina Bar, Columbia, SC - Barron K. Henley, Esq. |
Affinity University - Discounts on Document Assembly Courses in May, Only $59 each
This month's newsletter theme is Document Assembly. Consistent with that theme, this month's AU schedule is devoted to courses covering the documents assembly features of several leading law office applications. Best of all, the document assembly courses this month are only $59 each, a substantial discount from the regular $99 price.
And don't miss our FREE one-hour webinar called Document Assembly - The Ultimate Stress Antidote, on Monday, May 20, at 11 a.m. Register HERE.
May 13 (Monday) - Amicus Premium Edition Document Assembly, 11 a.m.
May 14 (Tuesday) - Amicus Small Firm Edition/Classic Document Assembly, 11 a.m.
May 14 (Tuesday) - PracticeMaster-Word Document Assembly, 1 p.m.
May 15 (Wednesday) - Time Matters Document Assembly, 1 p.m.
May 16 (Thursday) - Microsoft Word Document Assembly, 3 p.m.
May 22 (Wednesday) - Introduction to HotDocs Document Assembly, 1 p.m.
Note: All times are EDT.
Special Notice to Local Bar Leaders and Members: Contact us to learn more about our local bar discount program. Send an email to training@affinityconsulting.com. |
MacCorner - Building Documents on the Mac
- Jeffrey Schoenberger, Mac Specialist/Consultant, Columbus Office 
This month's Affinity newsletter is devoted to document assembly. While the Windows market is dominated by complex soup-to-nuts solutions, including those in which Affinity specializes, the Mac market utilizes more personal, approachable programs.
Fundamentally, document assembly is about not reinventing the wheel. As attorneys, as authors, you already do basic document assembly without realizing it. If you're a transactional corporate attorney tasked with drafting articles of incorporation, do you fire up Word or Pages, open a blank document, and start typing "Articles of Incorporation", followed by each subsequent paragraph from your fingertips to the screen? No. You cut and paste from previous incorporation documents you've written, make appropriate changes, and review it. You've just assembled a document.
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MS Word 2013 Tip of the Month - How to Add a Watermark to a Word Document
Some of you have updated to Microsoft Office 2013, or will do so soon. This is our first Word 2013 tip, but we plan many more in the future. This month, we will show you how to add a watermark to your Word document.
First, what is a watermark? IT is a faded background image that appears behind the text in your document. It is useful to indicate if a document is a draft, confidential, etc.
To add a watermark, open your document and click the Design tab on the Ribbon. In the Page Background section of that tab, click on the Watermark button. Then pick the desired watermark style (draft, confidential, do not copy, etc.). You can later remove the watermark by clicking on Watermark in the Page Background section of the Design tab and select Remove Watermark.
The process is similar in Word 2010, but you go to the Page Layout tab in the Ribbon and then click on the Watermark section of the tab. |
 Chromebook - A Tablet Alternative for Lawyers? - Scott Bassett, Esq., Senior Editor, Affinity Publications
I am a huge fan of the iPad for law practice. I have an iPad 2 and an iPad Mini. Each is the cheapest Wi-Fi only 16GB variant. Yet being on the bottom rung of the iPad price scale has not impeded their usefulness to me in my solo appellate practice.
I use both devices to read trial court documents and transcripts. The tablet form factor is ideal for reading and it lets me work away from my desk. However, once the reading is done, it is time to start typing. And there is always the need to respond to the growing mountain of email. That is where the iPad comes up short - unless you purchase and carry with you a separate Bluetooth keyboard or use a comparatively bulky iPad keyboard case. A keyboard not only drives up the cost by as much as $100, but it also adds to what you need to carry with you. For typing, a laptop makes more sense, but it can cost a lot of money to buy both an iPad and a laptop.
Is there something really cheap and really light that is easy to type on? Yes, it is called a Chromebook.
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Affinity and the ALA
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News Updates
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Affinity University Live Webinars Qualify for ALA CLM Credit 
Whether you are in the process of applying or re-certifying to become a Certified Legal Manager (CLM), Affinity University Live Webinars are a great way to get relevant training on the software you use every day. And the best part is - you get CLM credit. New Applicants may use any Live Webinar toward their Information Technology education requirement, and CLMs going through recertification can use any Live Webinar toward their Operations Management education requirement. And remember, ALA members receive a 25% discount on all AU courses. Contact Jennifer M. Ramovs, Esq., our Director of Education, to find out how. |
 Affinity Offers Managed IT Services
In addition to our expert consulting services in the area of law office software, Affinity Consulting Group offers a fu ll range of Managed IT services. Small and medium-sized law firms can rarely afford a full-time IT staff. Let Affinity serve as your IT staff - we can manage your technology resources for you and correct any problems, often before you know anything is wrong. For information on the many IT services we can offer your firm, contact your Affinity Consulting Group office. |
Green Corner - LED Lights Save $$$ 
Compact Fluorescent Bulbs (CFLs) have become common in both homes and offices. They represent a step up in energy savings. But they are fast becoming old news. The new rage in energy efficient lighting is the Light Emitting Diode (LED) bulb. A 12 watt LED bulb provides the same amount of light as a 60-watt incandescent bulb. Unlike a CFL, a LED bulb reaches its full brightness level as soon as it turns on. It can also last up to 50,000 hours, far exceeding the life of even the best CFL. And, unlike CFL bulbs, LED bulbs contain no toxic Mercury that poses an environments hazard. While LED bulbs remain more expensive than CFL bulbs, the price gap is narrowing. The next time you need to replace bulbs at home or at the office, consider using LED bulbs. |
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Visit Our Blog
|  The Affinity Consulting Group Law Office Technology Blog has up-to-date information on hardware, software, and tips for using technology in your practice. Click on the icon above to visit now.
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