Attorney software

[Kevin]

I'm trying to help bring my dad's law office into the 21st century. This month, we're finally ditching the copier, printer and fax machine from circa 1990 for a new digital document center (needed the scanner anyhow for the new federal court filing guidlines).

He currently uses Word Perfect 5.1 for his main word processor, which then, his legal assistant (me) gets to bring up in WP 10 and then re-edit because all of the margins and such get screwed up in the conversion process. We still do docketing in a 3 ring binder with paper in it (no calendar software) and his client database and contact information is all contained in a few Word Perfect text files. We got him on the internet and doing research on West Law's internet service around 1 1/2 years ago, so we're somewhat receptive to the information age at this point

While the system works, I'm sure there are much more efficient ways of handling things. I've been checking out 3 main software companies: Abacus, Amicus and Compulaw. I'm sort of leaning towards Abacus because they have a stripped down version that doesn't have all of the accounting/billing stuff -- we use Timeslips and Quickbooks for that.

Now, I know there are a few lawyers here on GC, any recommendations on word processors and docketing software? Anything else that might help us out? I'm in the process of taking over as his legal assistant -- a job that I should keep while (hopefully) attending night class law school here locally in the Fall. I want life to be easier for me and I want the office to be more efficient. Any recommendations?

I am a paralegal and the programs i find helpful and not really up on a lot of them but work for me are:

Legal Solutions
West law
lexis---which i perfer most
I work with word perfect a lot but MS Word has the legal template which i love and can do pleadings easier on it

[AXORissa]

at the law office I worked at, we just used Word Perfect.

then again, if I wanted to go online, i had to plug my laptop, which I brought WITH ME to work, into the phone line and use my own AOL account... hehe.


in other words, I can't help you, sorry. I'm just a law student- need help using Westlaw? that I can do

[Kevin]

Originally posted by AXORissa
at the law office I worked at, we just used Word Perfect.

then again, if I wanted to go online, i had to plug my laptop, which I brought WITH ME to work, into the phone line and use my own AOL account... hehe.


in other words, I can't help you, sorry. I'm just a law student- need help using Westlaw? that I can do

I still have access to Lexis amazingly. Got my undergrad last year and my library account is still active

Sounds like my office is more modern than some of y'alls. I'm going to be learning West Law and pleadings here pretty soon. Kind of pumped about the job actually. Just trying to get stuff under control. My father will still ask me after work or in the morning what his first appointment is.. I just want to be able to refer him back to his PDA.

[Kevin]

Originally posted by owlie33
We use Amicus here, as well as Timeslips and Quickbooks. Amicus is great because it "talks" to both WordPerfect and Timeslips and makes the whole process nearly automated. We also use Westlaw.

You enter your time into Timesheets in Amicus and transfer infomation and it autmatically puts it into Timeslips, all the while generating reports for you in Amicus.

You also set up master templates. So for example if I wanted to do a letter to a client, I would go to my To Do list in Amicus and find that to do, click on the "Do" button and it automatically brings up a letter template with that cleint's information already filled in. Then it will ask you if you want to do a time entry. Say yes and link it to the Amicus file. It is awesome to have soooo much info on every file right at your fingertips. I can't even begin to touch on how easy this program makes life -- tons of capabilities!

From the attorney's perspective (I'm not one, obviously), how much time, on average does it save per day? How tough was it to learn for them? It's definitely something I want to do. I'm also a heavy Amicus lean. It's a little more expensive than Abacus, but sounds a little nicer as well.

If it can save him 5 hours in a year's time, it pays for itself though.

Do you mean Abicus ...i never heard of amicus

[Kevin]

Originally posted by cutiepatootie
Do you mean Abicus ...i never heard of amicus

No, those are two different brands though.

Amicus and Abacus.. and then there's also Compulaw.

But right now, I work for a sole practicioner, so Abacus looks the best. He was a bit behind the times. I just finished moving his docket and contact list out of a paper journal/Word Perfect 5.1 into Microsoft Outlook 2003 and a PDA