Category Archives: Mac vs. PC

Solo & Small Firm Conference Is Coming to Greenville

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SC Bar SSF 2014Each year the Solo & Small Firm Conference is the place to be for all SC attorneys who are solo practitioners or practice in the small firm setting. From networking to marketing to picking up tips on how to incorporate the latest technology into your practice, you’ll find it at the Solo & Small Firm Conference.

This year’s theme is “Reinventing Your Small Firm Practice: Strategies & Solutions” and it will feature three tracks of programs allowing you to completely customize your conference experience.  With topics such as “Cloud Computing: The Good, The Bad, and The Ethics”; “A Systems Approach to Small Firm Practice”; “Are You Mac-Curious? If Not, You Should Be!” and “Essential Skills & Strategies for Legal Research” (as a sampling) – it is sure to be an information-packed day which will measurably improve your practice.

The special guest speaker, a friend of our firm, and a nationally known author and speaker, Nerino Petro, is a regular contributor to local, state and national publications and has a wealth of knowledge to share with all SSF Conference attendees. He will be presenting three separate sessions, as well as joining the always popular Tech Tips & Practice Pointers panel at the end of the day along with other featured speakers, Courtney Kennaday, Dave Maxfield, Ed Walters, and our own, Ben Stevens.

The early bird registration for this fantastic seminar starts at $205 for Section Members and $230 for Non-Section Members, but this special rate ends September 5, so register now (Click Here for Registration Information).

The Mac Lawyer in Chicago This Week for ABA TECHSHOW

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techshowIf you are an attorney interested in legal technology, you need to be in Chicago this week for ABA TECHSHOW. From the Expo Hall to John Dean to informative CLEs to Rick Klau, there is truly something for everyone. This marks the 7th consecutive year that I’ll be speaking at ABA TECHSHOW, and my topics this year include:

  • iGadgets and iGear for the iLawyer (with Jeff Richardson) – Come learn about the best and latest gadgets to use with your iPad. 
  • The Business Case for Going All Mac (with Randy Juip) – See how going All-Mac can affect not only your P&L, but your balance sheet as well.
  • Lone Wolf: Being the Only Mac in a PC Firm (with Randy Juip) – While more and more attorneys are going “all Mac”, many Mac-lovin’ attorneys find themselves as lone wolves in all PC firms.

You can follow both me (@TheMacLawyer) and Jenny (@MrsMacLawyer) on Twitter to stay up to date about TECHSHOW. We hope to see you there.

Resource for Attorneys Considering Using Macs for Business

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Standing Out in a PC World - Using a Mac in the OfficeIf you are an attorney who is still on the fence about whether to use a Mac in your law practice, you are in luck. The March-April 2014 (TECHSHOW) edition of Law Practice magazine features an in-depth exploration of this topic by three of the most knowledgable folks on the planet (at least two of them are, and I’m rounding up to include myself).

A tremendous amount of hard work went into this article (mainly by Randy and Larry), as we wanted to provide a comprehensive study at this subject, as it’s one that comes up over and over. The topics covered in this 2,500 word article include:

  • iPhone and iPad integration
  • Ease of use and workflow
  • Using Your Mac in a PC world
  • Software (compatible, virtualization, and remote desktop)
  • Resources for Mac-Using attorneys

If you are questioning whether you should take the plunge, this article should be a huge first step in helping you analyze the factors to consider.  If you know someone else who is thinking about using Macs for business (even if they are not a lawyer), be sure to share it with them.

Source: “Standing Out in a PC World: Using a Mac in the Office” by Randall A. Juip, Larry Port & Ben Stevens, published in the ABA’s Law Practice magazine.

What Do Legal Experts Predict for 2014?

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2014What do the experts predict for the legal industry in 2014? The Make More Rain Blog polled legal technology experts, including Lee Rosen, Sam Glover, Rick Georges, Larry Bodine, and Jeffrey Brandt to get their thoughts on what to expect in the coming year.

This article includes my predictions for 2014 in the area of law firm technology:

I believe that 2014 will see even more attorneys integrating Macs into their practices. Younger attorneys are more likely to already know the many benefits that Macs provide when compared to PCs, and older attorneys will continue to have their interest piqued from their increased usage of iPhones and iPads. The continued development of more specialized apps developed for the legal field will only help.

Some of the other contributors’ predictions were very thought-provoking, particularly Lee Rosen’s (“2014 will bring a bigger gap between winners and losers”) and Sam Glover’s (stressing the importance of lawyers focusing on their professional obligations). I have tremendous respect for Lee and Sam, and I thought their predictions were fascinating and their rationales for same. Check it out for yourself at the link below.

Source: “21 Expert Predictions For The Legal Industry In 2014” by Frank Strong, published at the LexisNexis Make More Rain Blog.

Resources for Attorneys Considering Switching from PCs to Macs

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switching to macThe number of attorneys using Macs has dramatically increased over the last several years. Scan the room at any continuing legal education seminar and you will see glowing Apples everywhere. I attribute this due to a combination of several factors: (1) the residual “gateway drug effect” from the iPhone/iPad invasion; (2) the ever-increasing number of programs/apps available on Macs; and (3) lawyers realizing the many benefits that Macs offer compared to PCs.

What about those in the legal profession who are “Mac-curious” but have not yet made the switch? This term refers to those who have seen or heard about attorneys successfully using Macs in their practices, yet still remain skeptical or hesitant for one reason or another. Are there resources available to help answer their questions and reassure them that yes, they too can make the switch? The answer of course is yes, and the only question that will remain is “why didn’t I make the switch sooner?” Some of the many fantastic resources available include the following:

The Macs in Law Offices (MILO) legal technology forum was created in February 2007 by Ben Stevens and Grant Griffiths to enable attorneys, software developers, consultants, and other experts to discuss and share the best ways to use Macs in the practice of law. Since that time, it has become the largest forum of its kind, with well over 4,300 members – and best of all, it’s free. MILO’s membership roster reads like a virtual who’s who of legal technology, and there’s rarely a question asked that can’t be answered.

The Missing Manual books are generally considered to be the best in class, and Switching to the Mac by David Pogue is incredibly helpful, well written, and easy to follow (even for technophobic lawyers).  It walks readers through the conversion process step-by-step, carefully and thoroughly explaining the differences between PCs and Macs, how to transfer your files, the best way to run Windows programs on your Mac, and other helpful topics. In my opinion, this book is a must have for those making the switch, and it will prove helpful later as a handy resource if questions arise.

Apple has produced a series of helpful videos on a wide variety of topics, including Mac OS X: PC to Mac – The Basics. This video runs just over six minutes, and it explains some of the differences between working in Windows and working in OS X. If you want to go deeper, Lynda.com offers a four hour video course, Switching from Windows to Mac by David Rivers, which thoroughly examines the similarities and differences between the two systems, including the operating system, hardware, and even some applications. 

The Mac Lawyer blog was the first legal technology blog specifically devoted to using Macs in a law practice. One of its primary goals is helping both new converts and longtime users get the most out of technology in their law practices. First published by Ben Stevens in August of 2006, it now contains almost 700 articles on a variety of topics, including a section on Switching to Macs, and its archives are searchable. You can also follow Ben’s thoughts on technology and other issues on Twitter at @TheMacLawyer.

2008 marked the first year of the Mac Track at ABA TECHSHOW, the world’s largest legal technology conference, which is held each Spring in Chicago. This conference features noted speakers and experts from all across the country, from large firms to small firms to everything in between. The Mac Track usually includes a few sessions aimed at switchers or recent converts. You can view the upcoming year’s schedule here. Another popular conference is MiloFest, which is held each Fall in Orlando, FL, though it tends to be aimed at more experienced users.

The following articles should also prove helpful to those in the legal field who are considering making the switch (as well as those who have recently converted):

Participate in the 4th Annual “Apple in Law Offices” Survey

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The good folks at Clio are currently running their 4th annual “Apple in Law Offices” survey now through Wednesday, October 23rd. I hope that all of my readers will join me in participating in this survey.

It should take less than 5 minutes to complete, and finishing the survey enters you into a drawing for a brand-new iPhone 5s or one of two iPad minis. You can participate by clicking HERE, and the results will be announced at MILOfest next week.

MILO Surpasses 4,000 Members

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The Macs In Law Offices (MILO) forum is (by far) the largest legal technology forum for Mac-using attorneys. Since its inception over six years ago, it has become the premier source for lawyers who want to maximize the use of Macs in their law practices.

As of today, MILO has well over 4,100 members, with more  joining every day. Its membership roster reads like a virtual who’s who of legal technology, from attorneys to software developers to everyone in between.

If you are not yet a member, you can take advantage of this free resource by clicking HERE.

The Mac Lawyer Discusses Steve Jobs’ Impact on the Legal Profession

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My good friend / techno-genius, Finis Price, and I were recently the featured guests on the nationally renowned legal podcast, Lawyer2Lawyer, to discuss the impact Steve Jobs had on the legal industry.  The description of this episode is listed below, as are the links to listen to it.

Steve Jobs and Apple changed the way we communicate, listen to music, watch movies and conduct business through technology. Lawyer2Lawyer co-host and attorney, J. Craig Williams joins Ben Stevens, a practicing attorney and blogger for the popular blog, The Mac Lawyer and Finis Price, attorney and co-founder of TechnoEsq Presentations, as they take a  look at the influence of Steve Jobs and Apple on the legal profession, the current state of tech within the legal community and if Jobs’ ideas have driven innovation in other ways that have impacted lawyers.

You can listen to the episode online by clicking here, or you can download it by clicking here. Thanks to Craig Williams and his production crew for having Finis and me as guests.  I hope you enjoy the episode.

The Mac Lawyer Discusses Apple’s Impact on Law Offices

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I was recently interviewed by Colin O’Keefe of the LexBlog Network about the impact of Steve Jobs and Apple on the law and the legal workplace.  In this interview, I discuss

  • Why my firm, The Stevens Firm, P.A., made the switch to a completely Mac-only office in 2005.
  • Whether or not Apple’s perception in the legal workplace has changed from the mid-90s to the early 2000s to now.
  • Why Apple computers are actually a better value for law firms than their PC counterparts.
  • Just how big the iPad has been for lawyers and law firms.
  • Where things are headed for Apple and lawyers.

I hope you enjoy the interview, and I want to extend my thanks to both Colin and LexBlog for having me as their guest.

Source: “LXBN TV: Ben Stevens Discusses Apple’s Impact on the Legal Workplace” published at the LexBlog Network.