New and events of the Philadelphia Bar Asso.
Issue link: https://thephiladelphialawyer.epubxp.com/i/434516
42 the philadelphia lawyer Winter 15 Technology Technology t he days in which a lawyer would leave her office and have minimal contact with staff and clients until she returned are long gone. With the advent of smartphones and other technology, lawyers are able to, and in many cases need to, stay in touch with clients, other attorneys and their offices at any time and from virtually anywhere. But in order to do so, they need the right technology. There are a few points to consider generally. First, the goal is to utilize tools that make you most efficient. That means that another attorney's essential item may not be so important to you. Second, mobile technology takes up space, and may be heavy, so you have to decide what to carry in the limited room you have. Third, because we all have budgets, your purchases must balance the size and weight of the items against the power and cost for their size and weight. In other words, a giant laptop may be desirable, but it may be too heavy or bulky for your circumstances. With those caveats, let's take a look at essential technology for lawyers on the go. SMARTPHONES Mobile lawyers need to own a smartphone and, in fact, the American Bar Association says 91 percent of attorneys have abandoned traditional cell phones and now own a smartphone. These devices are essentially mini- computers with Internet access, the ability to read and edit documents, cameras that can also serve as scanners, and other features that make them more powerful than laptops were just a few years ago. There are three different operating smartphone systems – iOS (for iPhones), Android and Windows – with each having benefits and weaknesses, although most attorneys use iPhones or Android-based phones. One of the most important things to consider is not the phone itself, but the wireless provider, because these devices are only as good as the networks they are on. So if you happen to live in an area where one company's coverage is weak, you should consider a competitor. INTERNET ACCESS You need Internet access to get the most from your smartphones, laptops and tablets. While Wi-Fi (free or fee- based Internet access offered everywhere from law firms to hotels to Starbucks) is an option in many locations, it also means that you will often be accessing a public network and could be exposed to hackers and others who might view confidential client data or other personal information. As a result, I recommend purchasing a hotspot, i.e., a portable device sold by most cell phone services, including Verizon and AT&T;, which provides wireless Internet access to many devices (usually five to 10). Typically, providers charge a monthly fee for the devices based on the amount of data used. For example, you might pay $25 per month for 3 GB of data, which means that you Consistently Connected BY DANIEL J. SIEGEL Essential Mobile Technology for Lawyers on the Move