Small law firms and technology [infographic]
The legal profession, especially solo practitioners and small firms, have long been considered laggards in the implementation of technology — stubbornly sticking to paper-based methods and generally wary of change. However, there’s growing evidence that more and more small law firms are beginning to embrace technology. In particular, firms are reporting that — as the […]
How to use Microsoft Word Styles (a guide for legal professionals)
A well-formatted and -presented legal document can go a long way toward enhancing readability. However, worrying about consistent formatting can seem trivial when it’s the content that really matters. If (like me) you’re a bit of a pedant for a consistently-presented document, then you may have spent a lot of time manually making titles a […]
5 top stats from the ABA’s report on the future of legal services
In an effort to understand the rapidly-changing legal profession, the American Bar Association (ABA) established the 30-member Commission on the Future of Legal Services in 2014. The Commission spent two years researching and documenting the challenges facing the profession and, in particular, whether traditional delivery models were up to the task of meeting the public’s […]
15 tips and tricks for working faster in Word, Excel, and Outlook
There’s a good chance that you spend much of day working in Microsoft Office, and specifically the bulk of that time in Word, Excel, or Outlook. Whether you love it or hate it, it’s what you’ve got to work with. So, rather than rage against the machine, learning to make use of its many quick […]
Everything you need to know about sending large files by email
These days, working with email and using email clients like Microsoft Outlook or Apple Mail is pretty run of the mill stuff. However, there’s a little more to sending email attachments, especially large files, than is general knowledge. In this quick skills post, we cover everything you need to know to send large files successfully […]
Simple changes to make your office space more inspiring
If you’re starting to feel that “Monday feeling” drag out for the entire week, then it may be time to re-evaluate your office environment. That’s because, according to research into workplace wellness and productivity, the most important factor in determining an employee’s ability to focus is their physical environment. While it may not often be […]
The best books, blogs, and resources for legal writing
The vast majority of legal jobs require the deployment of legal writing skills. In fact, your writing, along with your interpersonal abilities, will almost certainly be the most important elements on which you are professionally judged. However, because of the sheer volume of written material produced by legal professionals — wills, leases, contracts, pleadings, briefs, […]
One Legal brings low cost eFiling and eService to San Francisco
You can now electronically file general civil cases in San Francisco Superior Court for just $9.95 with One Legal — 55% less than the average cost of an eFiling with one of San Francisco’s other filing providers. Low cost eFiling, with a an easy to use platform and comprehensive support to boot. At One Legal […]
11 Google Chrome tips and tricks for legal professionals
For many working in legal jobs, it seems that Google Chrome is the browser of choice. However, despite it being the most widely used web browser on the market, few take full advantage of all of its many features. Here, we suggest 11 Chrome features and apps that could improve your work day. A quick […]
Why typography should matter to lawyers
“Typography matters because it helps conserve the most valuable resource you have as a writer — reader attention.” So says Matthew Butterick, a graphic designer-turned-lawyer who has authored a book called “Typography for Lawyers”, which seeks to bust a lot of presentational myths that persist in the legal profession, and suggest ways legal documents can […]
eFiling is coming to Silicon Valley
Santa Clara County will soon begin requiring electronic filing. What do you need to know to be prepared? Court officials have recently announced that, beginning June 2016, Santa Clara County Superior Court will start to implement electronic court filing for civil cases. The county, which includes Palo Alto (Apple), Mountain View (Google), and Sunnyvale (Yahoo!), […]
How court filing is changing and what it means for your law firm
Note from the editor: In October 2015, we wrote a post setting out some of the big changes that were coming to the California courts. In this post, we provide updates on those changes and explain what they mean for your law firm. There’s a lot of change happening in the state courts right now. […]
What’s the best PDF software for your law firm? [Buyer’s guide]
It’s no secret that we’re big fans of Adobe Acrobat here at One Legal. Judging by the positive response to two of our recent articles — “7 Adobe Acrobat hacks that will make legal professionals lives’ easier” and “Core Adobe Acrobat skills for successful eFiling” — many of you are big Acrobat users too. Acrobat […]
7 Microsoft Word hacks every legal professional should know
Microsoft Word is one of those programs that you instinctively think you’re a master in, because you likely use it almost every day of your life. Certainly, if you had asked me, after having worked with Word for well over a decade whether there was anything else I could know, I’d have said a firm […]
The ultimate to-do list for busy legal professionals [4 top tips]
If you’re like most legal professionals, a day in your life consists of a never-ending to-do list. And if the items on your list never seem to get done, you’re not alone. In fact, in a survey for LinkedIn, 90% of professionals admitted that they’re regularly unable to complete all of the tasks on their […]
The top 10 law firm management blogs
Here at One Legal, we love to read, learn, and share the latest legal practice news and best practices. We’ve written before about how podcasts — short radio shows that you can download and listen to any time — can be an excellent way to stay up to speed. But what if you prefer the […]