Jeff Richardson (iPhone JD) recently shared an interesting
story of attorney Carolyn Elefant’s use of an iPad and the TrialPad app in
trial. He includes a list of several others as well.
While Jeff and Carolyn share another great story of the iPad in use for things
once reserved for computers, one thing we don't read about much is where
the iPad falls short in power and function. While the iPad can do many things,
it is still not a computer, and there comes a point where its limitations are (or
should be) realized - often with specific tasks that would require labor-intensive
workarounds using several different tiny task-specific apps. Some things simply
cannot be done efficiently without a computer. Smaller cases may be a great
place for the iPad, but I wouldn't want to try juggling 50,000 exhibit pages in
trial without my laptop. Let me be clear that I do enjoy using my iPad, but I don’t
use it as my primary workstation. Call me a hater, but the iPad just isn’t a practical
tool for everyday use, in my opinion – especially when you need all the
horsepower you can get.
My point? Use the iPad if you want, but don't get caught up
in the hype to the point it hurts your case or productivity. Be aware of your own
limitations, and those of the tools you have at your disposal. If you’ve never
been much of a “techie” in the past, it’s not likely the iPad will make you
one. There’s a little more under the hood than you might realize. Just because Carolyn Elefant can do it (read her story) doesn't mean you can. Definitely don't just show up for trial with your iPad and expect everything to work properly. As with most other
things you can try doing yourself, it's still a good idea to use the right tool for
the job, or to bring in an expert when needed. Trial is not so much about
looking cool as it is representing one's client in the best possible manner.