Preparing for a COVID school year - cutting out the noise.

Preparing for a COVID school year - Getting through the Noise!

Recently, CNET published an article about how tech employees who are parents with school-age children at home fear their employers will not give them consideration of their work/home balance issues as we head into the new school year.  Attorneys with children have this same concern. In any dynamic, schooling children this year will be a challenge (whether by a single parent or by a two-parent household).  Flexibility and understanding will be key this academic year as we move the legal process forward.  I’d like to suggest some tech tips this week (over several postings) that may be of use to these households and may well serve any home.

Consider getting some Headphones not only for yourself but for your children.  When each member of your house is using headphones to communicate with the person(s) on the other end of your phone or screen, that is at least one less source of noise traveling in your house.  And when the classroom gets a little raucous, that will be something that you won’t have to listen to.  Likewise, your children won’t have to overhear your clients, boss, fellow staff, etc., talk about that boring legal stuff.  You may even want to get a couple of different types of headphones.

Personally, I am a fan of wireless headphones, and I have three different types.

I have what I call my basic pair:  I love my AirPods!  (Remember, Air Pods can be used for both Windows and Macs! – see my article here.). The best thing about them is you can use one at a time.  This allows you to charge the one you are not using, and when the battery goes down on the one you are using, you can just switch them out.

I have a pair of on the ear headphones to assist with noise-canceling for important meetings.  Note these are not “noise canceling” headphones that actively cancel out noise.  I’ve been enjoying the Bose SoundLink On-Ear Bluetooth Wireless Headphones for many years.  These sit on the ear.  When I bought them, I compared the “noise canceling” model with the sans model and noticed a negligible difference (and not worth the $50? upgrade).  The over the ear model was a little too warm for my preference.  ADDED BONUS:  If the power is drained for Bluetooth, you can use the enclosed wire to hook up your headphones to your computer’s mic and possibly to your phone or tablet if it has the right mic input or you have the right conversion dongle.

Lastly, I have my “sports” pair that I use for working out.  They are a pair of in-ear Bose SoundSport Free.  The grip is a little better than my regular Air Pods and the sound, being Bose, is so much better than my Air Pods.  They also serve as a good backup should the need arise.

Happy Lawyering!!!

The PA Bar's Advisory Opinion Provides Some Good Tips to Working From Home!

The Pennsylvania State Bar came out with an advisory opinion directed at attorneys working at home given the COVID-19 pandemic.  It’s a good read for all of us as it reminds lawyers what we need to be doing to secure our client’s privacy and to ensure we don’t run afoul of our respective State and Territorial Bars.

I’ll list some good points from the Bar to follow further below.  But, my read of the big takeaways are:

1. You need to be Competent enough to keep Client Communications and information Confidential.

2. You need to take “reasonable” precautions.  It does not mean you have to have Pentagon-Grade IT Security.  But, it does not mean you can’t take any steps to secure your client’s info.  Simple steps like password protecting your computer and home Wi-Fi, using secure passwords, and running a VPN when you are using a public Wi-Fi should be your bare minimum basics.

3. You don’t need to be an expert.  If you need help, finds those (like me 😉) who you may be able to retain to assist you!

I did notice one bullet point below of unique interest:  “Prohibiting the use of smart devices such as those offered by Amazon Alexa and Google voice assistants in locations where client-related conversations may occur.”  What I found interesting, is the opinion doesn’t mention Apple’s Siri.  I’ll be writing about that in a future blog post.

---

Now, onto the PA Bar’s list of suggestions:

• Specifying how and where data created remotely will be stored and, if remotely, how the data will be backed up;

• Requiring the encryption or use of other security to assure that information sent by electronic mail are protected from unauthorized disclosure

• Using firewalls, anti-virus and anti-malware software, and other similar products to prevent the loss or corruption of data

• Limiting the information that may be handled remotely, as well as specifying which persons may use the information

• Verifying the identity of individuals who access a firm's data from remote locations

• Implementing a written work-from-home protocol to specify how to safeguard confidential business and personal information

• Requiring the use of a Virtual Private Network or similar connection to access a firm's data

• Requiring the use of two-factor authentication or similar safeguards

• Supplying or requiring employees to use secure and encrypted laptops

• Saving data permanently only on the office network, not personal devices, and if saved on personal devices, taking reasonable precautions to protect such information

• Obtaining a written agreement from every employee that they will comply with the firm's data privacy, security, and confidentiality policies

• Encrypting electronic records containing confidential data, including backups

• Prohibiting the use of smart devices such as those offered by Amazon Alexa and Google voice assistants in locations where client-related conversations may occur.

• Requiring employees to have client-related conversations in locations where they cannot be overheard by other persons who are not authorized to hear this information; and,

• Taking other reasonable measures to assure that all confidential data are protected.

---

Notable references in the PA Bar Association Formal Opinion

• American Bar Association Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility in Formal Opinion 477R (May 22, 2017)

• PA Bar Formal Opinion 2010-200

• PA Bar Formal Opinion 2011-200

• ABA Formal Opinion 477R

Happy Lawyering!!!

Product Spotlight: LG 27UK850-W 27" 4K Monitor

Earlier this week on the The Tech Savvy Lawyer.Page Podcast, Ernie “The Attorney” Svenson and I discussed our favorite external LG monitor. The LG 27UK850-W 27" 4K UHD IPS Monitor with HDR10 with USB Type-C Connectivity is a beautiful screen with plenty of inputs:

• 27 inch 4k UHD resolution (3840 X 2160)

• IPS display

• HDR 10 Compatibility

• Response time 5ms / Refresh rate 60Hz / Contrast ratio 1000:1

• USB Type-C connectivity and sRGB 99% color gamut

• AMD Free sync technology

• 3-Side Virtually borderless design

I have two of these monitors flanking each side of my work machine, an 2017 iMac Pro. The output is great for work whether you have a windows or mac OS.

When I purchased them about two years ago, they were over $600 a piece. They were well worth the investment. Now, they are just over $400. If you are looking for a new monitor or two or three, I don’t think you could go wrong with this purchase.

Happy Lawyering!

Podcast #12: Crossing the Digital Bridge with Ernie "The Attorney" Svenson

My next guest is Ernie The Attorney Svenson. Ernie is the blogger, podcaster, and instructor for the Law Firm Autopilot. As a recovering attorney, Ernie found his passion by using technology to create a simpler and more enjoyable way of practicing law. His website's mantra is Work Smarter. Be Happier.

My next guest is Ernie “The Attorney” Svenson! Ernie is the blogger, podcaster, and instructor for the Law Firm Autopilot. As a recovering attorney, Ernie found his passion by using technology to create a simpler and more enjoyable way of practicing law. His website’s mantra is “Work Smarter. Be Happier.” This comes across quite clear when you listen to our recording! Enjoy!

How to Reach Ernie:

Website: Law Firm Autopilot
Free Download: A Basic Guide to Working Smarter

Show Notes:

Richard Sole - Information Anxiety
Slack
MS Teams
Zoom*
Thinkific
Teachable
Skype
Google Meetings
LawClerk.Legal
textexpander*
Brett Burney**
Acuity Scheduling*
Calendly
Fivvr
Smith.AI*
Ruby
Clary Shirky +Article was not found; instead, a video of his presentation on YouTube
hey.com
Basecamp
Sanebox*

* Products I use!
** Previous TSL.P Podcast Guest!

If Lawyers can work from home and law students can be taught while at home, why can’t bar examinees take their exam from home?

I am empathetic to the potential bar examinee this autumn.  They have worked hard for the past three to four years for this one test that will determine their future economic status.  While this is certainly stressful enough, the pandemic has impacted our economy.  Even those graduates who are lucky enough to have a job now (especially those who need not worry if bar passage is necessary to maintain their current job) will have to take time off (and lose money) to study for the bar.  But the uncertainty if the bar exams will even take place can only add to their anxiety.

I’m writing this editorial for this blog because we have the technology to allow examinees to take the exam remotely, e.g., the safety of their home.  Many attorneys have adjusted to shifting their work from their brick and mortar office to their home office.  Law Students have moved from the school classroom to virtually attending and taking exams remotely from their homes.  These shifts have all relied on technology and can easily be adjusted for bar examinees.

The Bar Examiners can monitor examinees through some video-conferencing application.  There are exam programs that lock out the hard drive except for the exam program (and perhaps the video-conferencing application).  I don’t think the Bar Examiners have to worry about the test takers cheating, e.g., looking at prewritten material, law books, and stuff online, as many of us recall the “open book” exams were a crutch.  You don’t have time to “cheat” given the structure of and time allotted for the exams.

There are still some states requiring in-person exams.  I do not think a bar applicant should have to choose obtaining a livelihood versus risking his/her own life and those around them.  The Bar Examiners need to catch up with today’s technology – when was the last time a lawyer was constrained to only using their memory of the law, no research materials, and all in a three-hour sitting when writing a brief?

It sounds like they may be committing malpractice if they did that! 😯