Newsletter Header, 12-2013
August 2016
Document Management
Worldox User Conference
Mastering Microsoft Word
Getting Ready to Go Paperless
PCLaw Update Alert!
Stop Procrastinating!
Annual Administrator Bootcamp
PCLaw Advanced Training
Annual Management Symposium
Road Warrior Lawyer Webinar - Part 2
Affinity Wins Volunteerism Award
August Speaking Engagements
Worldox Newsletter Highlights
Word Tip of the Month - Creating a Basic Outline
Meet the Team - Alex Palzewicz
Newsworthy - Links of Interest (Document Management Edition)
Visit Us on the Web

Join Our Mailing List
Document Management - You Can't Live Without It!
-Paul Unger
Too many people spend 5 minutes, 10 minutes, or 15+ minutes a day looking for lost documents, emails and forms. Many firms maintain 2 filing systems: 1 paper file and 1 incomplete electronic file. Both of these practices are a needless waste of time in an age where time is so precious! A good document management system can eliminate these 2 practices, ... and then some!
 

Join Paul Unger for a FREE webinar. Details below.
FREE Document Management Webinar
Imagine if you could electronically organize and store all documents in a client/matter-centric way - in-house, received docs, emails, faxes and attachments. Now imagine that you can search those documents by any imaginable criteria!
  • Affinity Partner Paul Unger will show you how to make this a reality in your practice.
  • Register HERE for this free 30-minute webinar on Tuesday, August 23, 2016, at 1 PM EDT.
Register for the first Worldox Users Conference
- October 17-19, Phoenix, AZ
World Software is holding its first-ever Worldox User Conference at The Buttes in Phoenix, AZ, on October 17-19. There are two tracks: Productivity and Administrator Training. If your firm depends on Worldox for document management, this is a great opportunity to maximize your efficient use and management of your mission-critical Worldox system.
Mastering Word: August 19 - September 30
-Columbus Bar Association Technology Certification Series
TIME IS MONEY! An attorney cannot effectively and efficiently practice law without a thorough understanding of technology. The foundational technology used in every practice is Microsoft Word.

Mastery of Word is necessary to increase speed and accuracy when producing documents, tracking changes to documents and protecting work product. Affinity Partner Barron K. Henley will present this six-week series at the Columbus Bar Association starting August 19. An optional certification test will be given after the conclusion of this series. 



Getting Ready to Go Paperless - 5 Key Steps
-Steve Best
If you've talked about going paperless, perhaps set a January 2017 goal to truly do it. But preparation NOW, in the last 5 months of 2016 will be key to a successful paperless roll-out at the top of the new year.

Below are five candid things you need to consider (and do) NOW to go paperless THEN.
  1. Gather your team
  2. Review your technology
  3. Update your technology
  4. Content Management
  5. Training

Attend a Lunch & Learn with Steve Best in Atlanta on September 16 at 11:30 a.m. to learn about making your office paperless. Details and Registration info HERE.
PCLaw Update Alert! - Wait to Upgrade to v15         
PCLawLexisNexis released PCLaw version 15 and may contact you to upgrade your PCLaw system.

At this time, we urge you to WAIT and not upgrade to v15. Please allow us to upgrade our own PCLaw database first and get through one or two billing cycles before YOU upgrade. That will allow us time to test it and report any defects to LexisNexis development.

If you use Amicus Attorney or Time Matters with PCLaw, DO NOT UPGRADE YET! The link between these products and PCLaw v15 does not work. If you upgrade, your link will cease operating.

If you have any questions, contact one of our PCLaw consultants directly or call us at 877-676-5492 or email help@affintiyconsulting.com.  
Stop Procrastinating!
3-Part Webinar Helps You Stay Focused         
TIME. There's never enough of it. It is wasted more than any other resource you have. How do you deal with the daily focus challenges and make the most of what you have?!

Join Affinity Managing Partner Debbie Foster and Strategic Management Consultant Alison Lukan for this three-webinar series that will cover real-world tips and techniques to avoid distractions, find focus, and manage the technology you use so it helps you regain your time, not lose it. We will focus on time, task and email management tips. Fee for this Webinar Series: $99 Individual; $199 Firm.

This webinar meets 3 times.
  1. Wed, Aug 17, 2016 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM EDT
  2. Wed, Aug 24, 2016 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM EDT
  3. Wed, Aug 31, 2016 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM EDT
Annual Administrator Bootcamp - October 9-12
-Taking Your System to the Next Level
We are excited to announce our 2016 Annual Administrator Bootcamp, formerly known as the CaseAwareŽ Bootcamp, that will give you the intensive training you need to enhance efficiency, accuracy and productivity in your Default Services practice.

Each year brings new and critical information to the Bootcamp. Our engaging list of sessions this year are designed to promote discussion between you and our other attendee firms, as well as to provide you with the most information possible on the areas we will be covering.


PCLaw
PCLaw Advanced Training
-September 21, Columbus, OH
We are excited to announce our half-day PCLaw Advanced Workshop. Your instructor, Affinity Partner Steven J. Best, brings decades of PCLaw experience with him as he leads you on a deep dive into PCLaw with specialized, in-depth training from reconciliation and billing features to tips and tricks in PCLaw's Document Manager and Template Editor that you will use daily.

This workshop is designed for the intermediate to advanced user of PCLaw and includes an open forum Q&A for you to discuss specific PCLaw challenges. Laptop computers are NOT provided at this workshop, but you are encouraged to bring your own. Instruction is presented lecture style along with a detailed PCLaw manual written by your instructor.

To find out more including a course outline, CLICK HERE. Or just... REGISTER NOW.
Third Annual Management Symposium - October 20-21
-Transforming in Times of Change
Whether you are a Partner, Manager, or someone who oversees a team, join us for our 3rd Annual Affinity Management Symposium, "Transforming in Times of Change," on October 20-21, 2016 at The Highland Dallas in Dallas, Texas.

We in the default services industry know - now more than ever - that we need to be poised to anticipate and adapt to change. Affinity Consulting Partner Debbie Foster and Management Consulting Director Alison Lukan, will lead our management level sessions on topics including:
  • The Difference between Leadership and Management
  • Managing Change with Process
  • Managing Change with People
  • Fixing Your Back Office
FREE Road Warrior Lawyer Webinar - PART 2
-August 18: More Secrets to Mastering the Virtual Law Office!
Back by popular demand! We'll pick up where we left off and share more about software, strategies and daily tips for creating your virtual law office while still meeting the demands of your clients. Join virtual appellate attorney Scott Bassett as he again moderates our panel of Affinity's own Road Warriors - Debbie Foster, Gregory Bray and Jeff Schoenberger. Hear the rest of the story!

Thursday, August 18, 2016, 1PM - 2 PM EDT, Register HERE. 
Affinity Wins Volunteerism Award
Affinity Consulting Group won the Azure Reward for Associate Member volunteerism by the American Legal & Financial Network (ALFN). The award recognize member companies that gave the most in volunteer time to AFLN through committees, conference attendance, etc.  
August Speaking Engagements
Here we are in the dog days of summer. Affinity's partners and consultants are working like dogs from one end of the country to the other to bring you the best is legal tech education.

Highlights from our Worldox Newsletter
Our July 2016 Worldox email newsletter features an article by Affinity Consultant Chris Martz on How Worldox Checks for Redundant Emails.


If you have questions about Worldox or any aspect of document management, contact us.
Word Logo
MS Word Tip of the Month - Creating a Basic Outline
Legal writing usually requires traditional paragraph structure. However, creating an outline can still be important. In some situations, you want the final product to be an outline. In other case, especially when creating long or complex documents, using an outline structure can help you better organize what will later become a paragraph-based document.
So how do you create a basic Outline in Word?


To arrange for Word training customized for your firm, contact us.
Meet the Team - Alex Palzewicz
Affinity Consulting Group is a team of trusted advisors working together to find tailored solutions to unlock every client's potential. We thought you might enjoy getting to know about the lives of some of our team members who help make that happen. Each month we feature another member of the Affinity Team. Get to know us!

Meet Alex Palzewicz, Client Service Consultant, joined Affinity in June as one of our newest team members. He comes to Affinity from Solfecta Consulting, along with Jeff Krausse who we introduced in July. Alex's paralegal and legal technology experience brings another great resource to our Client Service Team. He is based in Wisconsin.    
 
When Alex discovered companies in the legal profession like Solfecta and Affinity, he immediately appreciated how legal technology could make a difference in helping law firms run more smoothly and efficiently. In addition, I get to learn something new every day and improve my technology skills. Alex loves using computers and technology to help others. As Alex says, "The personal computer is undeniably the most significant invention of the last century. It has revolutionized the world in deep and profound ways. Ever since I was in elementary school playing Oregon Trail on the school Macintosh computers, I loved using personal computers and technology in everyday life to accomplish everyday tasks, especially for our clients."
 
Newsworthy - Document Management Edition
Each month we bring you quick links to a variety of newsworthy items dealing with technology products, services, and other topics of interest to lawyers as they seek to better manage their practices. Last month we featured team building tips. This month we look at tips to help manage documents, with or without dedicated document management software.     
Visit Our Newsletter Archive
The Affinity Consulting Group Newsletter Archive has our email newsletters going back to January of 2010.