How to produce “court-friendly” PDFs
The rapid introduction of electronic filing in courts across the U.S. means that it is now increasingly likely that court documents will only be read digitally. Some digital documents are easier for the courts to handle than others, however. What are the key features of a “court friendly” filing? The courts require documents submitted to […]
Small law firms and technology [infographic]
The legal profession, especially solo practitioners and small firms, have long been considered laggards in the implementation of technology — stubbornly sticking to paper-based methods and generally wary of change. However, there’s growing evidence that more and more small law firms are beginning to embrace technology. In particular, firms are reporting that — as the […]
How to use Microsoft Word Styles (a guide for legal professionals)
A well-formatted and -presented legal document can go a long way toward enhancing readability. However, worrying about consistent formatting can seem trivial when it’s the content that really matters. If (like me) you’re a bit of a pedant for a consistently-presented document, then you may have spent a lot of time manually making titles a […]
5 top stats from the ABA’s report on the future of legal services
In an effort to understand the rapidly-changing legal profession, the American Bar Association (ABA) established the 30-member Commission on the Future of Legal Services in 2014. The Commission spent two years researching and documenting the challenges facing the profession and, in particular, whether traditional delivery models were up to the task of meeting the public’s […]
15 tips and tricks for working faster in Word, Excel, and Outlook
There’s a good chance that you spend much of day working in Microsoft Office, and specifically the bulk of that time in Word, Excel, or Outlook. Whether you love it or hate it, it’s what you’ve got to work with. So, rather than rage against the machine, learning to make use of its many quick […]
Everything you need to know about sending large files by email
These days, working with email and using email clients like Microsoft Outlook or Apple Mail is pretty run of the mill stuff. However, there’s a little more to sending email attachments, especially large files, than is general knowledge. In this quick skills post, we cover everything you need to know to send large files successfully […]
11 Google Chrome tips and tricks for legal professionals
For many working in legal jobs, it seems that Google Chrome is the browser of choice. However, despite it being the most widely used web browser on the market, few take full advantage of all of its many features. Here, we suggest 11 Chrome features and apps that could improve your work day. A quick […]
What’s the best PDF software for your law firm? [Buyer’s guide]
It’s no secret that we’re big fans of Adobe Acrobat here at One Legal. Judging by the positive response to two of our recent articles — “7 Adobe Acrobat hacks that will make legal professionals lives’ easier” and “Core Adobe Acrobat skills for successful eFiling” — many of you are big Acrobat users too. Acrobat […]
7 Microsoft Word hacks every legal professional should know
Microsoft Word is one of those programs that you instinctively think you’re a master in, because you likely use it almost every day of your life. Certainly, if you had asked me, after having worked with Word for well over a decade whether there was anything else I could know, I’d have said a firm […]
The top 10 law firm management blogs
Here at One Legal, we love to read, learn, and share the latest legal practice news and best practices. We’ve written before about how podcasts — short radio shows that you can download and listen to any time — can be an excellent way to stay up to speed. But what if you prefer the […]
Core Adobe Acrobat skills for successful eFiling
The PDF (or Portable Document Format) has been a mainstay of law offices for some time. Until recently, it has mainly been used as a convenient way to store and send documents in a stable format that cannot be edited easily. However, the rapid expansion of electronic court filing means that knowing how to create, […]
5 things to consider when choosing an electronic filing service provider
Since March 2016, electronic filing (“eFiling”) has been either required or permitted in 10 counties of California. By the end of 2016, eFiling will be available in almost half of all counties in the state. Reliably filing your important documents electronically in these counties requires a certified electronic filing service provider (EFSP). Choosing a single […]
How One Legal helps a small law firm serve process on 85+ parties with ease
Albany, California-based Driscoll Omens is no stranger to complex, multi-party litigation. The firm has, over its history, represented plaintiffs in a number of high-profile suits in California. Handling these types of labor-intensive cases in a small firm raises practical issues. Court filings must be delivered and all of the other parties – often many of […]
Texas eFiling could save 24 Million pages of paper in 2014
Texas paper savings galore Think of how much paper you could save by switching to electronic instead of paper copies. Well, this is just what is happening in the state of Texas; but in a more peculiar way. There is a new mandate in town that requires certain types of cases to be electronically filed […]