present3 Geeks’ Toolbox :present3 Geeks’ Toolbox Toby Brown Lisa Salazar Greg Lambert July 30, 2008 http://geeklawblog.blogspot.com


Things That Make You Go Hmmmmm? :Things That Make You Go Hmmmmm? Laptops outsell Desktops 2005…2006…2007…2008… Data Phones outsell ‘dumb’ Phones 83% wireless Web-based stuff = double digit growth Courts & Government Agencies too


The “new” Laptops :The “new” Laptops


The “new” “new” laptops… :The “new” “new” laptops…


Advertise online (vs. Yellow Pages) :Advertise online (vs. Yellow Pages) More than 60% of searches for professionals begin online That number has increased every year Measure ROI Bring your dollars online! SDN


Slide 6:Not for everyone Be as specific as possible Think about how potential clients would search for you BB


Google Custom Search :Google Custom Search Allows you to customize the sites you are searching.


The Hosted Application :The Hosted Application Google Apps Email Calendar IM Documents Webpage


How to Email Large Files :How to Email Large Files Big attachments are often bounced MediaFire (www.mediafire.com) – free up to 100 MB per file YouSendIt (www.yousendit.com) – free trial, but you have to pay DropSend (www.dropsend.com) – free or pay options MailBigFile (www.mailbigfile.com) – free or pay options SendThisFile (www.sendthisfile.com) – free or pay options BKH EULA!!!!


More Mobility: Hello Mr. No Wires :More Mobility: Hello Mr. No Wires Wireless Routers The new ‘default’ !@^#& Acronyms SSID WEP MAC Address Cell service EVDO, EDGE


Hire a professional, not your nephew…(…unless he happens to be a professional Web designer) :Hire a professional, not your nephew…(…unless he happens to be a professional Web designer) The Shrek Factor Test against all Web browsers Keep it simple What, Who, … How to contact (phone, directions, map, etc.) Pictures, images and colors Consider who will be visiting your Website Comply with State Bar Rules on Advertising BB


Web Site Design :Web Site Design


Search Engine Optimization :Search Engine Optimization Critical factors: Content is King Domain name Title of site Headers on home page, Language on home page, Hyperlinks on home page MAJOR FACTOR: Number of inbound links Frequency of changes on site SDN


Remote Access … In-Bound :Remote Access … In-Bound Personal & Enterprise Choices Security?


“Tangible” Hosted App: STORAGE :“Tangible” Hosted App: STORAGE


Large Scale Secure Storage :Large Scale Secure Storage 320 Gig $280


New PR Model :New PR Model Google News http://news.google.com News Archive Search Newspaper Websites Some have limited archives Some require payment Google Alerts BB


Online Networking :Online Networking E-mail Listservs Yahoo! and Google Groups Social Networking Sites LinkedIn Facebook Local Association National and State Bar web sites BB


Put Your Presentation Out There! :Put Your Presentation Out There! Take your PowerPoint and Place it on the web! Animate Add Audio


Podcasts :Podcasts Audio or Video Podcast Station, $50 USB headset/microphone, around $50 or less Must keep producing podcasts for value Can list for free on iTunes – place on your website Surprising number of downloads Again, this helps with SEO


Replace All Computers Every 3 Years :Replace All Computers Every 3 Years Benefits Stay current Consistent budget amount Gain negotiating leverage Not worth fixing old PCs Less expensive to support Lower training costs Less user frustration Old and slow = costing you $$$ BKH


Consider Leasing Your Technology :Consider Leasing Your Technology If you buy: Write it off (Section 179 deduction up to $125,000 in 2007) Depreciate over 5 years True operating lease (with legitimate residual value and option to give back to leasing company at the end) – deduct each payment as operating expense over 3 years “Smart” leases can include hardware, software, training & integration Predictable technology payment that covers everything BKH


The Horror of Auto-Complete! :The Horror of Auto-Complete! BB


What To Do About Cruddy Computers :What To Do About Cruddy Computers Buy washable keyboards and mice Unotron (see www.unotron.com) Seal Shield (www.sealshield.com) Belkin (www.belkin.com) Clorox Disinfecting Wipes BKH


To blog or not to blog? :To blog or not to blog? Over 2,000 legal blogs Should you start a blog? (careful – info, not advice) Check your insurance policy! Expand & promote your content by adding inbound links People looking for particular expertise may find you Reporters quote blogs constantly Caveat: you must keep the blog current! SDN


Email Marketing Sources :Email Marketing Sources Don’t Use Outlook as your Email Marketing Tool! Use Professional Tools to Track Your Marketing Emails.


Client Extranets :Client Extranets Email is a Communications Tool Not A Storage Device Share Information with Your Clients in a Secure Environment


VoIP Now :VoIP Now Packets vs. Broadcast Part to All Small to Large Better – Faster – Cheaper Tipping Point – 2006


Author! Author! Start Writing Articles :Associations always looking for articles (gain referrals) Publish on your own web site Submit articles for other online publications http://ezinearticles.com www.llrx.com www.articleshell.com http://askinglaw.com/article-submission Bloggers frequently write about relevant articles Author! Author! Start Writing Articles BKH


Become a Lecturer :Become a Lecturer Target: Community/Civic Groups Religious groups CLE providers Bar associations List seminars on your web site List speaking as a service on your web site TEACH – but do not sell Focus on edu-tainment – lighten up, make it fun BKH


Event Registration Tools :Event Registration Tools Event Registration Tools Better Organize Your Events  Track Your Clients  Give Feedback


Online Conference Tools :Online Conference Tools 30 - 60 Minute Mini-Conferences on Hot Topic Issues Webinars Teleconferences


King Charger :King Charger Chargepod from www.callpod.com - $30 From this… To this BKH


The Sanctuary – 3.5 Mice :The Sanctuary – 3.5 Mice 9” x 9” x 1.85” tray Molded plastic Nonstick rubber base Lined with a black felt False bottom Holds up to 5 devices $130


Leave your computers on at night … :Leave your computers on at night … May have an exception for remote access, but then use password protected screensavers Can you vouch for your cleaning people? SDN NOT!!!


Windows Shortcut Keyshttp://support.microsoft.com/kb/126449 :Windows Shortcut Keyshttp://support.microsoft.com/kb/126449 Windows Logo = Launches Start Menu Windows Logo + E = Launches Windows Explorer Windows Logo + D = Shows the Desktop ALT + TAB = Switch between open programs CTRL + C = Copy CTRL + X = Cut CTRL + V = Paste CTRL + A = Select All Items in Current Window CTRL + Z = “Undo” CTRL + Y = “Redo” BB


RSS Feeds :RSS Feeds


Capture What You Need - RSS from HTML :Capture What You Need - RSS from HTML Use tools like Dapper to convert your static reading into dynamic content One-Stop-Shopping


Greg Slide :Greg Slide


Slide 41:BB


Consider monitoring your employees :Consider monitoring your employees Balance “Big Brother” vs. “Prudent Employer” Occasional monitoring? Monitoring triggered by circumstances? Enterprise solutions now available For small firms SpectorSoft, $99 for one workstation P2Enterprise by Paraben Start at around $20,000 SDN


Training, Training, Training :Training, Training, Training Don’t throw $$$$ away on hardware and software Training is an investment Productivity increases Competence/confidence increases Absolutely must train employees in “Safe Computing” Virus, worms, trojans Spyware Peer to peer Social engineering SDN


Have a disaster recovery plan in place :Have a disaster recovery plan in place Don’t have to plan for an alien invasion Fire, floods, and server meltdowns These days, even terrorism Communications #1 problem as Katrina proved Hot and cold backups Review plan annually “Business Continuity” SDN


Incident response plans :Incident response plans The dreaded data breach Do you know your state law? What if you have HIPAA or SOX data? Review annually Incident response team Management Legal IT Records Management SDN


Did You Check the Library? :Did You Check the Library? Online Resources From Your Public Library (Or from another public library) Houston Public Library ($40/year) Factiva Congressional Universe Mergent Online Hoover Company Records Morningstar OneSource Online Journals


Quick & Dirty Research - 2.0 :Quick & Dirty Research - 2.0 ChaCha 1-800-2CHA-CHA1-800-2242-242 Ask A Question Get A Text Answer Back Free!


Protect Client Data – Encrypt Your Computer :Protect Client Data – Encrypt Your Computer Laptop stolen every 53 seconds 1 in 10 chance yours will be stolen this year Encrypt and rest easy – a few options to consider: PGP Whole Disk Encryption (www.pgp.com) McAfee SafeBoot (www.safeboot.com) WinMagic SecureDoc Disk Encryption (www.winmagic.com) GT SecuriKey (www.securikey.com) Check Point Full Disk Encryption (www.checkpoint.com) Encryption File System (EFS) by Microsoft (free in Win XP) BitLocker Drive Encryption by Microsoft (free in Vista Enterprise and Ultimate) BKH


Protect Client Data – Encrypt Email :Protect Client Data – Encrypt Email Not required, but very good idea Benefits: Ensures only intended recipient received email & attachments Emails can self-destruct at your option Reel back in email even after you hit “send” Receipt notice to you that recipient cannot stop A few to consider: Mail It Safe – www.mailitsafe.com PGP Desktop Email or Universal Gateway Email – www.pgp.com MessageGuard – www.networksolutions.com BKH


Software Recommendations to Expand the Traditional Tool Kit :Software Recommendations to Expand the Traditional Tool Kit Metadata Danger Note!


ISIToolBox Legal 6.0 :ISIToolBox Legal 6.0 PDF Document Publishing in High Production Environments that automates: Bookmarking Hyperlinking Table of Contents


Legal PDF Resources :Legal PDF Resources Acrobat for Legal Professionals http://blogs.adobe.com/acrolaw/ PDF for Lawyers http://www.pdfforlawyers.com/ “The Lawyer’s Guide to Adobe Acrobat” by David Masters BB


PDF and Lock Documents Sent for Signature :PDF and Lock Documents Sent for Signature Don’t give clients (or anyone else) the chance to edit your documents before signing Convert to PDF Lock to prevent copying BKH


Cease the use of illegal software :Cease the use of illegal software The Business Software Alliance $150,000 per copyright violation $80,000 average settlement Personal v. business use Keep all your licenses together Know the terms of your licenses Software audits rarely find compliant law firms Have a 3rd party audit you annually SDN


Don’t e-mail your client at work :Don’t e-mail your client at work Most employers have a “no privacy on our network” policy Courts have gone both ways on this issue SDN


Guess the Password! :Guess the Password! Use a combination of letters, numbers and symbols Don’t use names or phone numbers Use a phrase: “My computer is a piece of junk and I hate it!” can become Mciap0j&ih8IT! Password Generator: https://www.grc.com/passwords.htm Post It Passwords! BB


Change the Default Password! :Change the Default Password! www.defaultpassword.com BB


Have and enforce an Internet Usage and E-mail Policy :Have and enforce an Internet Usage and E-mail Policy Make them sign it Incidental personal use IMs? Chat rooms? State your right to monitor Posted on Intranet Compliance Review annually Tech changes! SDN


Get Audited By Your CPA (Not the IRS) :Get Audited By Your CPA (Not the IRS) Schedule quarterly visits Keep your ducks in a row year-round (not just on 4/15) Make smarter decisions based upon hard numbers Understand your accounting reports Reduce costs & increase revenue Make sure your books aren’t a train wreck Avoid an unpleasant introduction to “forensic accounting” BKH


Spread Out with Two Monitors :Spread Out with Two Monitors Two 19” monitors far less than one 30” Huge productivity boost Find monitors that rotate to portrait BKH


Tabbed Browsing :BB Tabbed Browsing


Measure ROI Fanatically :Measure ROI Fanatically Chart your spending Chart how your clients find you Put this info on intake sheet Stop what isn’t working! Enhance what does work Experiment! SDN


Due diligence and competence with your spam filters :Due diligence and competence with your spam filters Whitelist critical domains Check your spam folder Cannot blame ISPs Colorado firm sanctioned Required to pay for opposing counsel’s time SDN


Share Calendars Over The Web :Share Calendars Over The Web Google Calendar http://www.google.com/calendar 30 Boxes http://www.30boxes.com BB


There is only one truly safe way to terminate an employee :There is only one truly safe way to terminate an employee SDN


Have an employee termination Policy :Have an employee termination Policy No advance notice especially for IT employees Kill their ID and remote access Forward their e-mail as necessary Make them sign statement that all firm property and data have been returned Acknowledgement that failure to do so would be a criminal act No access to computer after exit interview Log activity in special circumstances SDN


3 Geeks’ Toolbox :3 Geeks’ Toolbox Toby Brown Lisa Salazar Greg Lambert July 30, 2008 http://geeklawblog.blogspot.com


present3 Geeks’ Toolbox :present3 Geeks’ Toolbox Toby Brown Lisa Salazar Greg Lambert July 30, 2008 http://geeklawblog.blogspot.com


Professional DirectoriesBeware the promises of snake oil salesmen :Professional DirectoriesBeware the promises of snake oil salesmen I can put you at the top of the search engine rankings Listing in our directory will make your revenues soar! Buy my marketing services and leave your future to me! SDN


TV and radio – cheaper than you might think :TV and radio – cheaper than you might think Radio: as low as $30 for 30 seconds Who’s your target audience? When do they listen? What can you afford? They will produce your ad! Think weekends TV: as low as $6 for 30 seconds Cox charge to produce: $1000 Know the demographics. Pick your stations – and programs! Think weekends SDN


It’s Always The Person You Least Expect Who Steals from Your Business :It’s Always The Person You Least Expect Who Steals from Your Business Protect yourself; trust but verify Anti-embezzlement recommendations from your CPA and malpractice insurance carrier Some ideas: Division of accounting responsibilities Bank account statements delivered to your home Required vacations for those with accounting responsibility BKH


Save Money – Never Use Inkjet Printers :Save Money – Never Use Inkjet Printers Example: HP Ink Cartridge for many DeskJet printers Part #C6656AN - $19.99 for 19 ml 3,786.4118 ml = 1 gallon Ink cost = $3,983.70/gallon Study by TÜV Rheinland across all brands found: Printers report ink empty when 20% to 64% ink remaining (Kodak EasyShare 5300 was worst) Single ink cartridges report empty when average of 20% of the ink is left BKH


Office 2007 – The Best Yet :Office 2007 – The Best Yet Easier to use – more powerful Word improvements Save as PDF Metadata removal tool Better document compare and track changes Better document security Outlook improvements Instant search Attachment previewing BKH


Enhanced Mobility :Enhanced Mobility U3 Drives Secure Drives


Wireless Phone Headsets :Wireless Phone Headsets You’ll wonder how you lived without one Plantronics CS70 Headset (300 ft roaming) + handset lifter - $235 On-line indicator - $15 BKH


Slide 76:BKH


Stop Waiting for Hardware to Die Before Replacing It! :Stop Waiting for Hardware to Die Before Replacing It! Penalties for this approach: Disruption and down time Lose negotiating leverage No time to research Forced to buy retail (which target “home” users) Forced to buy whatever is in stock End up with hodge-podge mix of equipment Schedule replacement BKH


Computer Recycling Ideas :Computer Recycling Ideas BKH