Guest post outlining helpful cloud computing tools for lawyers (mainly for US law firms). For our own cloud services for law firms and for advice on legal IT for UK law firms, please visit our main website at www.lawcloud.co.uk
The continued popularity and usage of Cloud computing, especially in the paralegal industry, has led to the development of a number of reliable Cloud computing tools. These applications and software assist many lawyers in delivering exceptional service to their clientele.
Many legal firms have adopted Cloud computing technologies to power their businesses. In fact, in the 16th annual survey of The American Lawyer, the online news portal revealed that 65 percent of the 82 law firms surveyed said they use Cloud computing, and 77 percent of those who use the technology say they had a positive experience. LawCloud, a leading case management software development company, proudly supports and uses this technology to host their growing number of clients. As of June 2012, they host 83 law firms on their Cloud platform and the number is growing by the week.
This immense growth creates a great need to manage the Cloud. In this article, we will feature the best and most commonly used tools to help you make the most of your Cloud computing technology.
- Skype
Lawyers need to be available for their clients 24-hour a day. All firms will benefit from cutting their phone bills, so Skype is ideal your current plan for reducing outgoings is by getting a SIM only deal and controlling your phone usage. Skype allows you to call, send instant messages, video-conference, and share files with your colleagues and clients all for free. You can also download Skype on your Smartphone. For an additional fee, you can add a Skype online number which will allow you to receive calls and to call non-Skype phone numbers.
- LawBox
For busy attorneys on the go, having LawBox on your mobile device will be a handy tool. This mobile application offers you legal references including the United States Constitution, Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, 28 U.S.C – Judiciary and Judicial Procedure and more. Consider it your built-in legal library. You can browse, read and download these state and federal codes while doing your comprehensive research. Additional 2012 codes were added to the app such as complete statute sets for states of California, New York, Texas, Illinois, Florida, and Arizona.
- PocketJustice
Your in-depth study wouldn’t be complete without examples. If you’re away from your computer and need to review past cases, including the US Supreme Court decisions, PocketJustice is a helpful mobile app. Developed by OYEZ Inc., this award-winning app features case summaries for your to both case summaries for you to both stream or download, access to audio transcripts of cases, and live searching for a faster case summary results. The new version now comes with the updated list of cases from 2012.
- CloudStack
To manage your cloud computing technology, CloudStack is a very reliable open source software. It creates, manages, and deploys infrastructure cloud services. Users can easily manage their Cloud services with its user-friendly web interface and fully featured API that is compatible with S3 and Amazon Web Services (AWS) EC2 for firms that want to deploy hybrid clouds.
- eFax
Important documents, especially those that have signatures, are only accepted through fax. If you don’t want to purchase an expensive fax machine, why not use eFax. This software allows you to receive fast fax messages online. With eFax, you can receive fax documents straight to your email. It has three key features: a vast inventory of fax phone numbers, efficient internet faxing and voicemail, and secured communications network. The software is free for a 30-day trial.
With reliability and convenience, Cloud computing has become the best way for new and established law firms to act smart and to make better use of technology. To jumpstart your newly establish firm or cut down on some company expenses, the tools presented above are an economical and efficient way of managing your Cloud.
About the Author
Reese Jones is a tech and gadget lover, a die-hard fan of iOS and console games. She started her writing venture recently and writes about everything from quick tech tips, to mobile-specific news from the likes of O2, to tech-related DIY.
Find more about her and her work at Reese+ and tweet her @r_am_jones.
