What’s Up with Trial Technology? CourtLogger, JuryPad, LinkedIn, LegalTech, MyLegal

Here are several recent items of interest to attorneys, paralegals, and other legal professionals.

LegalTech 2013 has just wrapped up, and attendees say this year was as good as ever. The Law Technology News site is currently filled with commentary and related articles. LTN is a consistently great resource of info for lawyers and legal-geeks alike.

 The Trial Technology group on LinkedIn now has a membership of over 3300, and continues to grow rapidly. Considering the specialized nature of this group, that’s one big bunch of members. One of my favorite items are the monthly polls, with this month’s entry asking, “Who are you working for, anyway?” Looks like we have a lot of action in the small-to-medium law firm category at this point. For your convenience (and because it might be difficult to find this on your own), here’s a direct link to all polls on the group.

Speaking of LinkedIn, I recently received an email from LinkedIn, informing me that I have one of the top 1% most viewed LinkedIn Profiles. This was sent out in conjunction with an announcement of their 200 Million Members milestone. I guess 1% sounds better than “one among 200,000.” In any event, thanks to everyone who’s viewed my LinkedIn profile!

I've been meaning to do a couple more in-depth app and software reviews, but somehow work seems to take a higher priority – go figure. Rather than keep them both on the back burner, I’ll offer a brief description of each of these new products, and will include links to get additional info.

CourtLogger Pro (and CourtLogger Lite) were developed by fellow Trial Consultant John Eamigh. I’ve enjoyed the opportunity to use the Pro version in trial, and can tell you that it really works well, and can save your case. Many recent new features were added as a result of many hours (including my own) of actual use and feedback.

In a nutshell, CourtLogger is a trial time-keeper. Have you ever had a Judge put time restraints on your trial? If not, you might expect to see it one day soon. In any event, this software will help keep an accurate record of who has taken up how much time, exhibits admitted, and witness notes. Although it may be best used by a second-chair attorney or paralegal, it is simple enough to work with that it could be added to the duties of your trial presentation consultant, or possibly even lead counsel. Mention to John that you read about it here, and he will have a special deal and trial version for you.

JuryPad is a great new iPad app developed by attorney Stephan Futeral, with Bench and Bar LLC, which is one of the cleanest and most efficient apps available for voir dire (jury selection). It features a very simple interface, which is crucial during voir dire. Like other apps of this type, you’ll be in much better shape if you are able to add basic juror info ahead of time, making minor edits and changes on the fly. If you have to enter all juror info during voir dire, many have found that the sticky note is still quicker. Not better mind you, but a little quicker. One very nice feature is the demographics graph, which can’t be easily done with paper. Also, they’ve included a sample case! If you’ve read my previous reviews, you’re well-aware that this is one of my pet peeves. A sample case helps you get up to speed quickly. I’ve reviewed similar apps on this blog (search voir dire or jury), and at $19.99, this is one worth considering.

MyLegal has been working on expanding their legal support services directory, making it a good place to locate and gather insight on potential vendors. The unique part about MyLegal is the referrals section, where actual clients offer their opinions of the vendor. My Litigation-Tech business listing there shows an example of the format. It’s more than just an ad, but also (in many listings) an endorsement by actual clients. To use the site, just enter a search term and go. You may also narrow down your results by entering the city, if desired. If you’re a vendor, and would like to add a listing, enter the discount code found in this announcement.

Finally, we've recently updated the Litigation-Tech site, and were selected as a Best Courtroom Presentation Provider by the Recorder and its readers. It’s more on the clean and simple edge now, since this blog contains all of our recent articles. If you’re still interested in getting to some of the old articles and information, it is still available via a back-door link.