Monday Morning Humor š¤£: One Step Forward, Ten iOSs Backwards! šÆ
/Maybe not the most forward thinking usage of iOS14? š¤
Read MoreMaybe not the most forward thinking usage of iOS14? š¤
Read MoreiPhone J.D. blogger Jeff Richardson and I discuss utilizing an iPad/iPhone in your law practice.
Read MoreIn recent years, I think many attorneys have been hoping to have the iPad replace their laptops. Laptops can be heavy and burden to lug around. iPads tend to be a bit lighter and bring more joy (at least to me and many who I speak with). The overall ease of use is great; but there is still one major issue - files!
Apple held its World Wide Developers Conference last Monday. It came out with its annual update to its various operating systems - MacOS and ideviceOSes (Now the iPhone/iTouch have a slightly different iOS than the iPad). Part of the announcement included an update to how files are managed on the iPads. Problem remains, searching through your folders for that one special file.
Sure, if you know where your file is then itās not too troubling to move through your file tree. But if you have misfiled or not sure the exact name of the document, you will likely have a problem. On the computer, you can search folders, files and the contents within the files easily. But when you want to use the find function to look for just not the name but perhaps the details within the file (this is where OCRing your documents comes in handy - see my April 30, 2019, post), itās not a simple effort. And I usually give up and get on the computer either remotely or onsite.
Iām not convinced the new update is going to adequately address the legal professionalsā concern about file management on the iPad. I canāt in good faith tell anyone that an iPad is (or will be in the near future with the release of iOS13) a laptop replacement for work.
You are better off with a laptop, either Windows or Macs. My iPad is primarily media consumption. But, I do experiment from time-to-time to see how or even if I can use it as a laptop replacement. So, for right now, the answer is ānoā. As for the future, only time will tell.
Jeff Richardson over at iponejd.com posted an interesting article the other day: The use of iPads by U.S. Fifth Circuit judges and law clerks. I think it can be universally applied to both iPads and Tablets. While Jeff noted that only half of the judges on the CLE panel preferred iPads when reading their briefs, it appears that most if not all of their clerks prefer an iPad. And as that generation of clerks move up in their careers and leave behind a legacy of how work can be done while at the court, it seems to show that we lawyers need to make sure we are keeping up with technology. ABA Model Rules.
Remember, we want to make the judgesā (and their clerksā) life easier: When the document contains links to legal citations or to the record and they donāt have to carry extra paper around the office or home, its makes their life a little less stressful. I would think this would allow them to read our briefs under better conditions and hopefully be more open to our persuasive arguments.
MICHAEL D.J. EISENBERG IS A WASHINGTON, DC ATTORNEY WHO LOVES HIS TECH.
Over the years I have found myself helping others (especially lawyers) young and old with their tech questions. With this blog, I hope to share my knowledge on a broader scale. My postings are based on the questions I have been asked in the past and trends I see for the future.
I hope my postings can be used by lawyers of any tech skill. And, in the end, provide the readers valuable insight on how lawyers can better their legal practice and their own personal life with the use of technology.
DISCLAIMER: I cannot and do not offer any guarantee of computer hardware, software, services, practice, etc. discussed in this blog. Use at your own risk. Further, I am not offering any legal advice nor do the discussions in this blog create an attorney-client relationship.