New Solo

AI, artificial intelligence, is super cool. But it’s not perfect, and it can get you into trouble. Start by reading the terms of service. Understand if you’re getting something for free, you get what you pay for. And finally, be careful.ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, and all the new, exciting versions of artificial intelligence, AI, are exciting. But have you read the “terms of service?” Guest Daniel Whitehouse is a lawyer who practices in the areas of IT and digital security. He says even lawyers forget to read (really read) the terms. And that’s a mistake.Do you know who owns the data you input? Is it being absorbed into the AI’s own machine learning and shared with the public? Broadcasting your information into the world, for everyone to see, can be as easy as a checkbox you clicked on.Not to make you paranoid, but … be a bit paranoid. Even if you’re using Microsoft 365 and OneDrive, do you know if you’re using the professional or personal version (hint: there is a difference).Got questions or ideas about solo and small practices? Drop us a line at NewSolo@legaltalknetwork.com Topics: AI is a miracle but remember, it’s a “continuous learning model.” What is it learning from you? What are you sharing with these products? If you can’t find something you’re looking for in the terms of service, ask why that information is so hard to find. Be suspicious. Terms and service provisions should be clear and easy to read. Understanding how AI uses information, and how accurate it is, is especially vital in the legal world.  Mentioned in this Episode:Previous appearance on New Solo: “Did You Really Read Those Terms of Service?” Previous appearance on New Solo: “Data Security and Florida Breach Notification Law” Bob Ambrogi, LawNext.ComDamien Riehl, LinkedIn Carolyn Elefant, My Shingle Microsoft 365Microsoft OneDriveMicrosoft Copilot, “Announcing Microsoft Copilot, Your Everyday AI Companion”Copilot for Microsoft EdgeMicrosoft CopilotWindows Security CenterMicrosoft Defender XDR

The world is changing, technology is changing, and the threats to your private files and security are changing. The evolution of AI is making it hard to keep up. But don’t lose hope. It’s been a while since we’ve had IT expert Adam Alexander with us, but he’s back with more tips for solo practitioners and small practices. Alexander and his firm, InterNetwork IT, help attorneys identify, deploy, and manage security solutions and keep firms running efficiently. AI is shaking up everything. We’ll talk about Microsoft AI “Copilots” and how Microsoft is integrating AI into your entire PC experience. You’ll be surprised at how this combination works for both Windows and Macs.Learn how to check security settings. Breaches are real and can be costly. Hear why it’s so important (and easy) to back up your files offsiteWe’ve seen some tremendous tools in both productivity and security. If you aren’t keeping up, you might be missing out on some time saving hacks (even a way to convert handwriting to text built into your Snipping tool). Get the scoop on this episode of New Solo. . Got questions or ideas about solo and small practices? Drop us a line at NewSolo@legaltalknetwork.com  Topics: AI is changing a lot, including the simplest tasks. In our latest tech talk, dive into AI products that plug right into your web browsers. Why file security is so important (and protecting your files is easier than you think … if you pay attention). Some daily activities require specific security efforts, including Payment Card Industry (PCI) security and even, if you work with medical information, HIPAA security. But you can do it.    Mentioned in this Episode:Previous appearance on New Solo, “The Microsoft 365 Special: Your Questions, Expert Answers”Microsoft 365Microsoft OneDriveMicrosoft Copilot, “Announcing Microsoft Copilot, Your Everyday AI Companion” Copilot for Microsoft 365Copilot for Microsoft EdgeMicrosoft Copilot for WindowsWindows Security CenterMicrosoft Defender XDRLawPayClioMicrosoft HIPAA productsPrevious episode, “A Short Primer on Microsoft Accounts, OneDrive, and SharePoint”Previous episode, “The All-Mac Edition: The Episode For Mac-Curious Attorneys” Previous episode, “HIPAA Happens, But Compliance Software Can Help

Personal injury attorney Joshua “Josh” Bonnici left his first job out of law school to launch his own firm. Starting from scratch, just nine months later he hired his first employee and has been growing ever since. Bonnici built on his own love of cycling to focus on bicycle accidents and injuries, helping bicyclists in the bustling city of San Diego.Now he’s known as “The Bike Guy” and stands out in the crowded personal injury field by specializing in an area he’s passionate about. He’s an example of specializing in something you love, and he’s sharing his story with new lawyers just starting out.Bonnici walks us through, step by step, how he took advantage of an available incubator system, learned on the job from a mentor, and built his practice and his reputation. Hear how he got started, networked, built a brand, made himself memorable, and hired an assistant to make himself more productive. Real lessons from real life. Got questions or ideas about solo and small practices? Drop us a line at NewSolo@legaltalknetwork.com  Topics: “Follow your passion” is common advice. But in the case of guest Josua Bonnici, his passion for bicycling helped him stand out in the crowded personal injury field.  Hiring your first employee. Why it’s scary and why it’s necessary. How to develop a website and social media presence with a library of videos and testimonials.   Resources:California Lawyers AssociationThomas Jefferson School of LawSan Diego Bar Association Joshua Bonnici previous appearance on Legal Talk Network’s “On The Road” podcast

This inspiring episode tells the true story of a gutsy dad who started his own legal practice from scratch with no clients, no office, and no partner. Guest Michael Mendoza is an Orlando solo practitioner specializing in family law. After graduating from law school with a growing family, Mendoza knew he wanted work/life balance instead of burying himself in a big firm with long hours. For Mendoza, the practice of family law is personal, having witnessed his parents’ contentious divorce. Hear how Mendoza started with nothing, rolled up his sleeves, and launched a practice from putting together his tech to building his client base. How did he find clients? Did he advertise? What about a website? Or office space? It’s been tough. But the combination of running his own practice and the satisfaction of helping families through a difficult period has proven rewarding. Mendoza’s story is a guide for young lawyers who want to hang out a shingle (he even has an employee now). Nothing is easy. Nothing is perfect. It’s scary. But you can do this.Got questions or ideas about solo and small practices? Drop us a line at NewSolo@legaltalknetwork.com  Topics: Starting your own law firm is anything but easy. But it can be done. Hear first-hand from one attorney who did just that, from the ground up.  Software? Office space? Clients? Employees? Financials? There are a lot of balls in the air once you start juggling.  What are the best and worst decisions you can make starting out? (Hint: find a mentor). Resources:Florida Bar AssociationFlorida Bar Association, Legal Fuel assistanceSeminole County (Florida) Bar AssociationSan Diego County BarNebraska State Bar AssociationClio legal softwareMicrosoft 365Adobe PDF managementText ExpanderMycase legal softwareLawPay legal softwareGeorge C. Young American Inns of Court

Let’s talk AI. Guests Nina Steinbrecker Jack and Ed Walters worked from the start to build Fastcase, now merged with international legal research firm vLex, striving to make legal research faster, better, and cheaper. Digging through law books is so 2010. Under the merger, incorporating generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), lawyers today have fingertip access to not only U.S. case law but also international law. We’re witnessing a revolution in the use of generative AI, often producing results so good that it’s hard to determine what was written by a human and what was generated by the program. This is becoming the bedrock of legal research, saving attorneys time and money, allowing them work on strategy and building cases instead of hunting for case law.But regular, layman’s, AI is still experiencing some hiccups, “hallucinating” incorrect information as it struggles to learn. Breaking news only on New Solo: Coming soon to vLex and Fastcase, an AI Lab is developing a new class of AI built just for law, globally, called (for now) “Research Assistant.” This new level of AI will be so up to date it will include cases decided in as little as 12 hours prior to each request, fully vetted and referenced. Got questions or ideas about solo and small practices? Drop us a line at NewSolo@legaltalknetwork.com  Topics: Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a great tool, but it’s also prone to errors. One popular tool, ChatGPT, is fun, but it’s not for legal research. Can lawyers trust an AI program to create bullet-proof results? Breaking news on New Solo: Coming soon, vLex and Fastcase legal research together have built an AI Lab developing a new class of AI honed just for law, globally, tentatively called “Research Assistant.” AI results you can trust. AI is not going away. If you’re not keeping up, you’re falling behind. Get involved and stay current. The world of computer assisted legal research is blowing up.

Chris Schandevel, the Brief-Writing Ninja, shares tips on writing clear, concise legal briefs. Fancy words and jargon don't impress judges. Removing barriers like footnotes and lengthy sentences helps your argument. Formatting and font choice matter. Prepare and invest time into your briefs. Maintain a professional tone and use punchy sentences. Follow the Brief-Writing Ninja's style guide for success.

Real Mac experts discuss why more lawyers are using Apple Mac tech, including considerations like cost, battery life, integrations, and security. Understanding the basics for setting up a Mac system is crucial. The episode explores the feasibility of using a Mac in a law practice, running Windows software on Mac, advantages of Mac computers for lawyers, choosing a desktop, learning curve and differences between Mac and Windows, and Mac-specific software and apps.

Guest Andrew Schierberg retired from his first career after 20 years as a police officer, investigator, and chief in Northern Kentucky. Then he asked, “What next?” With a law degree and a lifetime of working in tense situations with people during their most stressful moments, Schierberg started a law practice with a focus on helping families by specializing in elder law and estate planning.He wrote his own business plan, shadowed established attorneys, sought educational and business development support, found shared office space with other lawyers, and developed a holistic approach that lets him to build relationships with his clients and work not only as an attorney but also as a trusted advisor.Learn how he set up his practice, selected case management software, established a flat-fee subscription plan for his clients rather than hourly rates, and developed an understanding of the needs of both elder clients and their families as they navigate a new stage of life.If you’re well into a first career, you might be surprised at how much your “real world experience” can translate to a solo law practice.Got questions or ideas about solo and small practices? Drop us a line at NewSolo@legaltalknetwork.com  Topics: Starting a solo practice as a second career and putting your “old job” skills to work in your new venture. The importance of selecting the right practice management and office equipment tools, learning about marketing, and asking for help when you don’t know. The value of finding a niche that lets you focus your energy on the kind of law that matches your passion.  Mentioned in this Episode:Fearless Paranoia podcastLife Care Planning Law Firms AssociationActionstepMyCaseElderCounselDecisionVaultCalendlyTextexpanderMaximum Lawyer podcastThe 80/20 Principle podcastThe Law Entrepreneur podcastLunch Hour Legal Marketing podcastPeggy Gruenke on Legal Talk Network podcasts

Take a deep dive into eDiscovery for small and midsized firms with an old friend and frequent New Solo contributor, guest Brett Burney, a lawyer and longtime consultant who’s passionate about legal tech. Facing a mountain of electronic documents from PDFs to spreadsheets to emails to texts in discovery? You don’t need to be an expert, but you do need to understand the basics, the traps, and the available tools.Start by accepting that electronic files aren’t paper files. They are inherently different and aren’t meant to be printed out. Embrace the format and treat electronic documents as what they are. If you print electronic documentation out, or you accept a printed version, you’re not getting the full picture, and you’re letting potentially valuable information slip through your fingers.It's a digital world, and litigation is more likely than ever to include emails, smartphones, voice mails, social media posts and comments, and texts.If you’ve been wondering if you’re doing the best job possible with eDiscovery, this is the episode for you.Got questions or ideas about solo and small practices? Drop us a line at NewSolo@legaltalknetwork.com Topics: Electronic discovery (eDiscovery) involves electronic files that are inherently different than paper discovery. What you need to know and mistakes you may be making. Metadata included in electronic documents can offer valuable clues that help you prepare your case, but it’s easy to contaminate that data. Understand the available tools that organize, preserve, and prepare digital evidence, including extracting text messages, voice memos, and emails from smartphones and tablets.  Mentioned in This Episode:Previously on New Solo, with guest Brett Burney LegalWeek New YorkiMazing“Forensic Image,” Science DirectSynctechSynctech SMS Backup and RestoreX1 SearchPage VaultPagefreezer WebPreserver vs. PagefreezerRelativityRelativity OneEverlawNextPointLogicullDiscoLexbeGoldFynchAcrobatDigital WarRoomNextPoint blog, “eDiscovery with Outlook: 3 Reasons Why Outlook is NOT a Document Review Tool,”

Quite a few bar associations have practice management advisors (or perhaps someone in a similar role), but a whole lot of lawyers aren’t aware of how this free member service could help them change their practice for the better. Adriana Linares chats with fellow practice management professional Catherine Sanders Reach about the services they provide to attorneys — from consulting on technology and ethics to starting a new business and so much more.Later, the term “legal operations” might seem like it only applies to the “Big Law” end of the spectrum, but a solo or small firm should be just as keen on having well-planned operating procedures for their business from the get-go. Adriana and Catherine talk through easy-to-use tools that help law firms big and small operate with efficiency.And, last, Microsoft 365 is rolling out Copilot, and Adriana and Catherine are watching its progress with great anticipation. Tune in for their thoughts on how this and similar tech could impact your legal practice.Catherine Sanders Reach is director at the Center for Practice Management at the North Carolina Bar Association.Topics: Tapping into the knowledge your bar association’s practice management advisor has to offer. Legal operations for solo and small law firms. Microsoft 365 Copilot’s potential for lawyers. Mentioned in this episode:Catherine’s From the Center BlogNCBA Center for Practice Management ABA Legal Technology Resource Center  Lisa Crosbie - YouTube Introducing Microsoft 365 Copilot