Editor’s note: Phyllis Weiss Haserot is the author of The Rainmaking Machine and The Marketer’s Handbook of Tips and Checklists, published by West. She often writes about generational trends affecting professional and personal interactions.
The technology use gap among the generations is closing rapidly. There may be no better example that hits home than Michael Winerup’s Generation B (for Boomer) column in the New York Times (January 17, 2010), “On Vacation and Looking for Wi-Fi.”
We all are touched; most of us are trapped by the psychological effect of being accessible 24/7 and the desire to keep on top of the deluge of messages and data coming in unstoppable torrents. (more…)
Posted by Phyllis Weiss Haserot in:
In Practice | Technology and innovation |
No Comments |
Share
To find out the impact of a renewed interest in three-dimensional entertainment on innovation, the IP Solutions business of Thomson Reuters recently tracked patent activity across the 3-D landscape from 2003 to 2009. The result is an IP Market Report titled “Coming Soon in 3-D… Everything!”
The data in this report was compiled using the Thomson Reuters Derwent World Patents Index® (DWPI) database. The research aggregates granted patents and published applications (examined and unexamined) in 2003 and 2008 through the first quarter of 2009.
By analyzing the total numbers of unique inventions in published patent applications and granted patents, researchers were able to identify the areas of 3-D technology development that have been growing fastest.
The research finds that interest in 3-D does not stop in Hollywood. In fact, among the three areas showing the most 3-D-related patent activity, 3-D cinema ranks third behind 3-D television and 3-D photography.
This IP Market Report summarizes the findings of that research, outlining the most actively patenting companies and regions of the world where protection is most sought.
You can read the entire report and a news release also has some information.
Posted by Kevin Hunt in:
In Practice | Technology and innovation |
No Comments |
Share
Apple has selected the new CLE Mobile app for the iPhone and iPod touch as one of its latest “Staff Favorites” on iTunes. You can see the icon for the app from West LegalEdcenter in the screen capture from the App Store above.
CLE Mobile allows users to listen to more than 2,000 CLE courses, purchased on westlegaledcenter.com.
On her blog, Gina Roers from West LegalEdcenter writes: Since our launch approximately two weeks ago, I’ve also enjoyed speaking with those attorneys who are now trying CLE Mobile. From attorneys new to West LegalEdcenter to those who have been taking online programs with us for years, the response has been overwhelming! Hundreds of programs have now been completed through the app. 25% of our users have completed more than one program. We’ve even had one attorney complete all of the 45 MCLE credits his state requires with CLE Mobile!
We wrote about the CLE Mobile app after its release. Jeff Richardson reviewed it on his iPhone J.D. blog.
You can get CLE Mobile on the App Store. And, you can learn more about it on the CLE Mobile Web page. There’s also a video on our YouTube channel that highlights the features as well.
CLE Mobile joins several other mobile applications launched this year by Thomson Reuters, Legal, including BARBRI Mobile and Black’s Law Dictionary. For more information on those applications, click here.
Posted by Kevin Hunt in:
In Practice | Technology and innovation |
No Comments |
Share
This week, Apple made the Black’s Law Dictionary app for the iPhone and iPod touch one of its “Staff Favorites” on iTunes. You can see the icon for the dictionary app in the screen capture from the App Store above.
It is some nice recognition for the app (and its developers at West). It has been available since April and has been the subject of several reviews and lists on the Web.
The Black’s Law app was built from the 8th edition of the dictionary, published by West. It is considered by many attorneys, legal professionals and law students to be the most citable and credible legal dictionary. The app provides easy access to its legal terms and phrases and embedded audio of that information. At this time, the current print edition of the dictionary is the 9th edition.
You can learn more about all the mobile apps from West and Thomson Reuters here.
Posted by Kevin Hunt in:
In Practice | Technology and innovation |
No Comments |
Share
What do you call a partnership with a global technology company, talented computer science students and a software consulting company? We call it the Maverick Program, and it’s a win-win-win.
Launched in 2006, the Maverick Program was a collaboration between Thomson Reuters, Maverick Software Consulting, and Minnesota State University–Mankato. Talented computer science students were put to work on software engineering projects for Thomson Reuters – on campus.
Facilitated by Maverick Software Consulting, students work testing features, writing code and developing Web enhancements.
“The students win because they’re getting real-world experience,” said Anna Grecco, senior director, Technology, at West, and the executive sponsor of the Maverick Program. “The schools win because their programs are able to be differentiated and their students can practically apply their academic learnings. Thomson Reuters wins because we have access to some of the brightest students. We are establishing a pipeline of experienced candidates to fill new graduate positions.”
Since 2007, three more universities have joined the Maverick Program. The University of Wisconsin–Madison, Iowa State University–Ames and the University of Minnesota–Twin Cities all have students participating in the program.
Martin Hebig, president of Maverick Software Consulting, has dedicated the firm to working with Thomson Reuters. He established offices at the specific universities and hired staff to supervise the students at each of the offices. Without Hebig’s dedication, Grecco is certain the program wouldn’t have been successful.
One hundred percent of the students that have graduated from the program are employed in industry positions. Twenty are employed at Thomson Reuters.
The partnership was recently highlighted in an article in the Mankato Free Press, Project Maverick benefitting students.
Posted by Nicole Hansen in:
Company Current | Education | Technology and innovation |
Comments (2) |
Share
I had the opportunity to moderate a panel discussion on the use of social media by bar associations at the National Association of Bar Executives’ (NABE) Communications Section’s workshop yesterday in Las Vegas.
The panelists were Elizabeth Derrico, associate director for the ABA Division for Bar Services and Barbara Straczynski, director of new media and promotion for the New Jersey State Bar.
In her role, Derrico sees what bar associations around the United States are doing in terms of social media, and counsels them about it as well. She told attendees at our session that Facebook has seen huge growth – she estimates there are more than 500-600 bar associations who have a presence on Facebook.
But it’s also about blogs, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr, LinkedIn and locked-down social networking sites.
“Bar associations are being very strategic about who their audience is and what their social media presence means to them,” Derrico said. “Depending on size and depending on their staffing, bars are making different choices about how they use the tools. I think they’re going to continue to use the tools because even if they don’t understand them members think we ought to be there and have a presence.”
Straczynski said there’s still a huge fun and excitement side to social media that bars should be mindful of when it makes sense to use that approach, to increase participation on Facebook, for example. She also advised that whatever platform or channel bars use, should point back to the bar’s Web site. “All of these social media tools should drive traffic to your site because your Web site is your brand,” Straczynski said.
She also said bars should use their members as a resource to build and maintain a social media presence. “Your members are absolute gold when it comes to technology and social media. They really want to be involved.”
Derrico also talked about how the low cost of getting a social media program going, aside from the time, puts all bars on an equal playing field. Small bar associations with one person managing the social media efforts can easily gain the same attention and status as a thought leader as the much larger bars.
Derrico also spoke about the role that social media use by a bar association has in building meaningful relationships with lawyers and legal professionals, as she explains in this audio clip from the session.
For more on the ABA Division for Bar Services visit them on Facebook and connect with them on Twitter at @ABABarServices. (Elizabeth Derrico is at @elizabeth627).
The New Jersey State Bar is on Facebook and is on Twitter at @NJStateBar. It also has a YouTube channel. And, it had a blog for its 2009 Annual Meeting and its Young Lawyers Division Facebook page promoted its Law Day 2009 project, as did its Law Day 2009 YouTube channel.
Posted by Kevin Hunt in:
In Practice | Technology and innovation |
No Comments |
Share
A juror sends out a tweet on Twitter after a verdict is reached in a multi-million dollar case.
Another asks Facebook friends for help making a decision on the verdict.
A courtroom employee uses a cell phone camera to take a picture of the defendant, in the courtroom.
Think it couldn’t happen? It has.
Michael Sommermeyer, court information officer with the Clark County (Las Vegas, Nev.) Courts talked about the challenges that Twitter – and social media in general – are providing for courts and judges, at the National Association of Bar Executives (NABE) Communications Section’s annual workshop in Las Vegas. His session was titled “Your Court’s All-A-Twitter.”
Sommermeyer said Twitter’s popularity – and the prevalence of cellphones – means courts must have new rules. And, they have to communicate those rules to the people who will be in the courtroom, from jurors to lawyers, spectators and court staff, whether or not courts will trust people not to use their phones or ban them.
“If you don’t tell them the rules they won’t know how to follow them,” Sommermeyer said.
But you can’t argue with Twitter’s popularity and that it can have a real purpose for communication, as Sommermeyer says in this video clip:
Sommermeyer says he expects it might reach a point where it will be harder for courts to manage Twitter and Facebook. “I think people understand that courts have a duty to do something,” he said. “You’ll have a hard time unless you literally do like the federal courts do and say no cell phones in the courtroom, to keep the general public from tweeting out something or sending an SMS text.”
Clark County Courts is on Twitter at @lvcourts. It also has a blog and is on Facebook. Michael Sommermeyer is on Twitter at @wordymouth.
Posted by Kevin Hunt in:
In Practice | Technology and innovation |
Comments (1) |
Share
Editor’s note: The theme of the British and Irish Association of Law Librarians (BIALL) Annual Conference last week was “Locks and Keys: Safeguarding legal information.” It was designed to assess the impact of Web 2.0 developing technologies on legal information, knowledge management and legal publishing. Sweet & Maxwell Product Strategy & Development Manager Samantha Steer reports from one of the key sessions.
At his BIALL session, Should We Be More Social? Law Librarians and Social Networking, James Mullan, Information Officer, CMS Cameron McKenna, leader of Web 2.0 sessions, a writer on the subject and the voice of the BIALL blog, provided attendees with an expert insight into the world of Web 2.0 tools, and their benefit to those working with legal information.
Mullan took attendees through a range of tools from Twitter (the micro blogging site) to Friendfeed (aggregating feeds from social networking sites), extolling their benefits, and outlining relevant concerns.
Twitter emerged as a clear winner, so much more than a social networking site, offering the law librarian the ability to ask questions, search for information and follow trends. It was noteworthy that the first reports of the terrorist attacks in Mumbai were reported on Twitter.
Slideshare was another tool in James’ list of favorites; offering the ability to make presentations available to a wide audience.
Ning was mentioned for its coverage of law librarian networks, similar to Linkedin, which won praise from Mullan for the number of available groups and the frequency of updating of group sites.
In contrast, Facebook was noted as of limited value to law librarians, due to the focus on social networking, with the only potential benefit being the group function.
As well as extolling the virtues of Web 2.0 tools, Mullan was keen to point out the dangers. Addiction and the cost in terms of resource used, privacy issues and “frolleagues” (blurring the distinction between work and home life by networking with work colleagues).
On balance, though, the benefits in using Web 2.0 tools outweigh the dangers. With 150 million users, the Web presents a huge audience. It allows users to benchmark and, having been appointed Wildy BIALL Law Librarian of the Year - in no small part due to his expertise in Web 2.0 tools - Mullan was a shining example of the professional development opportunities of Web 2.0.
He highlighted the experience in exchanging information that is unique to law librarians and which could be harnessed further with the use of social media tools. As he put it, “Understand the risks, but have no fear and be proactive.”
Posted by Kevin Hunt in:
In Practice | Technology and innovation |
No Comments |
Share
This is a guest post from Chris Cartrett, director of global sales for Hubbard One.
Every year, the anticipation builds as Hubbard One prepares to unveil the winners of our annual marketing awards program. Between the economy and the rapid pace of change occurring with Web 2.0, law firm marketing professionals have big challenges and opportunities ahead of them.
What you’ll see from the stories of the winners this year is that they are anything but status quo. Using new technologies, such as podcasts, this year’s winners exemplify the best practices in legal marketing, and they are changing the way business is done in our industry. (more…)
Posted by admin in:
In Practice | Technology and innovation |
No Comments |
Share
Thomson Reuters, Legal, President & CEO Peter Warwick offered his perspective on the company’s approach to the current economic reality in a panel discussion, “Adapting and Thriving in a Challenging Economy”, at the Minnesota Venture & Finance Conference.
The launch of WestlawNext brings a significant advancement in the way professional legal research is done.
Andrew F. Popper, a professor at American University, Washington College of Law, talks about his award-winning novel “Rediscovering Lone Pine.”
