3 Questions That A 2016 Law Firm Needs to Ask Itself

computer old outdated technology techWe are at a point in society where it is no longer cute to be technologically impaired. The world is technologically savvy, our clients are technologically savvy, and our jurors are technologically savvy. You can’t play the “but I’m just a lawyer” card anymore when it comes to technology IQ.

Here are three things that we should be looking at this year to stay current.

1. Is It Time to Upgrade Operating Systems?

According to the 2015 ILTA Technology Survey, 73% of law firms are using Windows 7. That number is slightly up from last year’s 67%. So, should you make the switch to Windows 10? Well, as I stated earlier, Windows 10 is the last operating system that Windows is going to make. So, the question is not should you upgrade, but rather do you want to continue being a Windows user, or use a different operating system. According to their operating system support lifecycle, they already discontinued mainstream support for Windows 7 as of January 2015. For the next few years, they will continue to offer extended support services only, which means basically that they will do security updates only.

One of the main problems with staying with Windows 7 is that you are limiting yourself to using older computers with older technology. Computers made in the last 9 months are all designed for Windows 10. Computers made in the last several years were designed for Windows 8, but work fine with Windows 10. If you are still using a computer that came with Windows 7, chances are it’s a much older, much slower computer. By upgrading to a newer computer, you are going to be able to work a little bit faster. If you are using a laptop, most of the latest Windows 10 laptops have battery lives that are double or triple that of Windows 7 laptops.

The biggest concern when upgrading from one operating system to the next is whether your devices like your printers and your scanners will work with the new system. Microsoft has a tool that checks the compatibility of your system to see if you can smoothly transition to the new operating system.

2. Is It Time to Upgrade Your Email?

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If your email ends with an @aol.com, @earthlink.net, or even @gmail.com, it’s time to get a real address. First off, with older domains like AOL and Earthlink, it gives a bad impression to clients. It shows that you are old and have not updated in the last 20 years. If your email address is something like top.wills.estates.lawyer.1985@gmail.com, it shows that you are not serious enough to spend the $16 a year to get a domain and an email address of you@yourfirmname.com. You also don’t have to worry about crossing the line between cheesy and easy to remember email addresses if you use your firm name. On Gmail and other free services, you are competing with everyone else for catchy lawyer email addresses. Not so within your own organization with your own domain name.

Services like Godaddy.com not only let you buy domains, but also offer add-on services for hosting email addresses as well. If you are used to using your @aol.com for business, start to forward your @aol.com business emails to your new address or respond to them from the new address. Soon, people will start to reply to your new address, and the business emails going to your @aol account will taper off.

3. Is It Time to Upgrade Your Website?

A website is not just a like a digital white-pages listing where people can find your contact information. Websites are digital portfolios of your skills, personality, and expertise. It’s also often the first (and only) impression your potential clients get of you as a lawyer. It’s pretty easy to see websites that have not been updated in a long time. They look horrible. Check out the 1998 version of whitehouse.gov. It’s cringeworthy. If you have not updated your website in a long time, look into getting a more modern-looking site. It is becoming increasingly important as more and more clients are vetting their attorneys through the internet.

Conclusion

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There’s a reason why lawyers spend money on nice-looking office furniture and monogrammed shirts. It’s because we want to give off a good impression to our clients and potential clients. Now, those first impressions are coming from a lot of different sources, including our websites and our email addresses. Spending a few extra dollars a year could go a long way in making you appear more professional.


Jeff Bennion is Of Counsel at Estey & Bomberger LLP, a plaintiffs’ law firm specializing in mass torts and catastrophic injuries. He serves as a member of the Board of Directors of San Diego’s plaintiffs’ trial lawyers association, Consumer Attorneys of San Diego. He is also the Education Chair and Executive Committee member of the State Bar of California’s Law Practice Management and Technology section. He is a member of the Advisory Council and instructor at UCSD’s Litigation Technology Management program. His opinions are his own. Follow him on Twitterhere or on Facebook here, or contact him by email at jeff@trial.technology.

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