The Digital Edge, hosted by Sharon D. Nelson, Esq. and Jim Calloway, provides listeners with tips and tools for career success, as well as cutting-edge technology news. Nelson and Calloway invite noted authors, speakers, and legal technologists to discuss topics at the intersection of law and technology.
In 2009, the American Bar Association created the Commission on Ethics 20/20 to examine in depth how changes in technology affect the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct. The commission made many recommendations and, most notably, the ABA modified Rule 1.1 regarding lawyer competence. In the new version, Rule 1.1 Comment 8 reads “To maintain...
30 years ago, the legal community began to see the value in the intersection between technology and the law. Lawyers are now using new software and tech devices more than ever in their practices and the courtroom, making the ABA TECHSHOW’s 30th anniversary valuable to anyone working in the legal field. So what’s going on...
“The question is not can a machine exhibit empathy or judgement but instead for what problems are empathy, judgement, or creativity the solution?” -Richard Susskind After years of writing and thinking about the future of the legal profession, Richard Susskind began to run into legal professionals whose careers are being affected by technology. In addition...
With the data breaches and ransomware that has plagued law firms (and other companies) of all sizes recently, clients and firm managers alike are seeking more advanced data security. Certifications like the ISO 27001 provide guidelines and standards for how to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the information your firm holds. But what...
How do people find lawyers these days? Although many attorneys believe they are discovered through a Google or Bing search, legal service consumers are actually still taking recommendations from people they know and trust. But technology has added a multitude of new ways that people perform research and journey to find lawyers. Potential clients will...
And we’re back with another year of gift ideas for the tech savvy lawyer. Whether you are looking for a Star Wars drone for… ahem… your children, a computer or printer that you can fit in your pocket, or a whiskey glass to bring to Mars, Sharon Nelson and Jim Calloway have the inside tip....
After the disaster that was Windows 8, many lawyers are hesitant to upgrade to Windows 10. But for those of you with Microsoft operating systems, the change is likely inevitable. Furthermore, Windows 10 has a free upgrade for a year! So what do lawyers need to know about the new OS? Are rumors of high...
Due to the changing landscape of legal services, small to medium sized law firms need to consistently update their financial management processes. Essentially, these firms need to provide affordable services to their clients while ensuring the owners get the compensation they believe they deserve. But without necessarily having an in-house financial manager, how do they...
Legal marketing has changed dramatically in the past 20 years as we have reached “the digital era.” Some lawyers have embraced this new world of social media marketing, engaging website content, and cloud-based computing. But those who have not, particularly solo and small firm lawyers, are missing out on an opportunity for increased client base,...
Many lawyers work far more than 40 hours a week and still lack the time to work on firm marketing, practice management, and spending time with friends and family. Furthermore, with increases in technology, it seems as though lawyers should be more efficient, but this isn’t always the case. What are we doing wrong and...
The legal service industry has been changing rapidly, causing many lawyers to worry about the future of their practice. Many potential clients are now looking online for solutions to legal problems. Despite this, there is still a large percentage of the population without access to the legal services they need. In order to deal with...
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) has become an incredibly popular term in marketing, but many lawyers (and most business owners) are still confused about what SEO is and how to hire the right SEO consultant. Furthermore, having an online presence is not all about SEO. Online marketing can be frustrating and confusing, but it is essential...
Most lawyers who listen to The Digital Edge are already aware of many benefits of tablet use in the courtroom. There are apps for note taking, document review, legal research, and, of course, trial presentation. But this is just the beginning! Having a tablet opens up many avenues of convenience for litigators, trial prep and...
Ten years ago, dictation and speech recognition were clunky, inefficient, and inaccurate softwares. As the technology emerged, lawyers tried programs like Dragon Dictation, but most decided that speech solutions were not practical or worth using. Today, these softwares are much more accurate and useful for many lawyers, but maintain a similar reputation. How have dictation...
Luddite: a person opposed to increased industrialization or new technology. As we’ve heard time and time again, many lawyers are averse to becoming knowledgeable about modern technology. Older attorneys often do not want to learn a computer-based management tool and feel as though they can hire someone to manage the security and encryption of their...
The ABA TECHSHOW is an annual legal technology conference in Chicago, sponsored by the Law Practice Division of the ABA. The goal of the conference is to educate lawyers, legal professionals, and law firm employees on using technology in their practice. The 2015 conference will be held April 16th through the 18th, and will feature...
The Microsoft Surface Pro 3 has been released and, according to these lawyers, it finally lives up to the standards of a laptop. It is lighter and more mobile than even the lightest laptop, which makes it better for travel. However, this tablet can download the software and applications that many lawyers use in business...
Are you a lawyer who always has the newest tech products and apps? Do you already have a drone even though most people think they are only in sci fi movies? Are you looking for a holiday gift for your tech junkie spouse? In this edition of The Digital Edge, Sharon Nelson and Jim Calloway...
There are many exciting new Apple products available now or launching in the near future. Many lawyers love to use Apple products in their practice and personal lives and are often eager to learn about the newest change in the technology or services. The iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, and iOS 8 were released in...
Lawyers now have the option to purchase Microsoft Office 365 for their small, medium, or big law firms. Microsoft Office 365 is a collection of products and services that can be purchased individually or in bundles known as stockkeeping units (SKUs). The products available include Microsoft Exchange, Microsoft SharePoint, Microsoft Lync, Yammer, Office Suite 2013,...
Wearable technology like the smartwatch is the next in a long line of new technological advancements that are embraced by some, but viewed skeptically by most lawyers. Judges already discourage smart phones in court and many clients worry about a decrease in information security. But if used properly, a smartwatch can actually increase the productivity,...
When a law firm breaks up or a lawyer leaves to start a new practice, there are always clients, contingency arrangements, and hourly cases to split up. It is important to know what ethical steps a lawyer or law firm should take when parting ways. If the firm splits up, who has the rights to...
Many attorneys now use PowerPoint in trial to preview, highlight, and sum up the evidence for their arguments and organize their presentations. Effective PowerPoints garner the attention of court personnel and jury members and enhance their overall presentation. However, ineffective PowerPoints can be confusing, difficult to read, or distract the audience from the presentation’s overall...
There are a multitude of technology options to help run small firms and solo practices, but deciding on which ones can be a daunting endeavor. Mac vs. PC, practice management systems, and encryption of client data are among numerous issues attorneys must resolve. On this episode of The Digital Edge, hosts Sharon Nelson and Jim...
Breaking all of its previous attendance records, ABA TECHSHOW 2014 will certainly go down as one of the most successful. True-to-form, many of the attendees were from small firms and solo practices. With the introduction of How-To sessions, lawyers will be getting more out of ABA TECHSHOW for many years to come. On this episode...
Of the 46% of judges using social media, 80% are on Facebook and over 30% are on LinkedIn, but activity on social media presents a number of ethical dilemmas for judges, attorneys, jurors, and litigants. In a recent case in Georgia, a judge stepped down after being scrutinized for sending a friend request to a...
In this edition of The Digital Edge, hosts Sharon Nelson and Jim Calloway discuss check fraud with expert Dan Pinnington. Together, they reveal how lawyers are repeatedly falling into the trap of check fraudsters and what can be done to avoid it. Tune in for tips on how to spot a check fraudster in your...
In this edition of The Digital Edge, hosts Sharon Nelson and Jim Calloway invite Ernie Svenson, commonly known as “Ernie the Attorney,” to discuss his recently published ABA book Acrobat in One Hour for Lawyers and unveil all the abilities, outside of just viewing, that PDFs offer. Topics include the benefits of the professional version versus the...
Meg Spencer Dixon pulled three consecutive all-nighters before she began pursuing time management as a career. Now, she is a consultant in task management for legal professionals. In this edition of The Digital Edge hosts Sharon Nelson and Jim Calloway invite Dixon to discuss her top tips for legal professionals looking to master project management,...
In this edition of The Digital Edge, Sharon Nelson, Esq. and Jim Calloway present their annual Tech Toys for the Holidays episode. Your hosts each present the top electronics on their wish lists and shopping lists for the gift-giving season. Tune in for inspiration and an update on the newest, coolest gadgets like smartphone spy...
On this edition of The Digital Edge, hosts Sharon Nelson, Esq. and Jim Calloway invite lawyer, friend, and co-presenter Andy Perlman of Suffolk Law School to discuss the new technology audits for lawyers. D. Casey Flaherty of corporate counsel for Kia Motors developed a technology audit to measure how efficiently lawyers are using technology and...
This year’s ABA Legal Technology Survey Report found a slight (from seven to five percent) decline in virtual lawyering. This spurred the discussion of: What, exactly, is virtual lawyering? What is the growth potential in this type of practice? and, Is it a viable business model for lawyers? On this episode of The Digital Edge, co-hosts Sharon D. Nelson,...
The days of just having a website are over. With the increase in social media profiles and supplementary links lawyers need to rank well in search engines, it’s no surprise they are farming out their blogging, and whatever else they can, to keep up. There are many services out there which will provide blog posts, but does this fit within the Model Rules...
“The tools that help you get set up have never been cheaper or easier to access,” says Erik Mazzone, a law practice management advisor with a focus in technology. If you can’t fully run your practice from your mobile phone, he continues, you’re behind. Mazzone talks with Digital Edge hosts Sharon D. Nelson, Esq. and...
On this edition of The Digital Edge, co-hosts Sharon D. Nelson, Esq. and Jim Calloway chat with Stephanie Kimbro about her new book, The Consumer Law Revolution: The Lawyer’s Guide to the Online Legal Marketplace. The book focuses on how to join a branded-legal network to acquire leads and create an online marketing strategy. She stresses the...
We are happy to announce that The Digital Edge is now a part of Legal Talk Network. Since 2007, Digital Detectives co-host Sharon D. Nelson, Esq. has been co-presenting another podcast, The Digital Edge: Lawyers and Technology, with Jim Calloway. Calloway is the director of the Oklahoma Bar Association’s Management Assistance Program. He frequently writes and speaks on legal technology...
Sharon D. Nelson, Esq. is president of the digital forensics, managed information technology and cybersecurity firm Sensei Enterprises. Ms....
Director of the Oklahoma Bar Association’s Management Assistance Program, Jim Calloway is a recognized speaker on legal technology issues,...
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