How the iPad Can Increase Lawyers' Productivity

Probably not, however there are those who are such as behind the times when it comes to the recent emergence of tablet-based computing as a tool for lawyers. Desktop and laptop computers are giving way to tablet computing, led by the iPad, and the numerous applications that are exactly being designed for the legal profession or that are easily adaptable to the practice of law. These devices and applications are game changing in their impact.

I recently presented a CLE program to our firm to provide a basic introduction to the ways that a lawyer can use the iPad to become more efficient and to provide better service to customers. There can be no doubt that research, alone, will not make someone a better lawyer; hard work and creative thinking are after all the hallmarks of a successful attorney. But, a lawyer gains nothing by lugging around briefcases and trial bags stuffed with documents; nor does the lawyer serve the client's interests by taking hours to find something that a computer can locate in a few seconds. The strengths of the if not successful attorney, when enhanced by the effective use of tablet-based computer research, can in actual fact be an awesome combination that will not go unnoticed by customers, the opposition or the courts.

The digital age has made vast amounts of information available that can be accessed on computers and even on cellular phones. Opposing counsel routinely provide thousands of documents in a digital format and we all know that e-discovery has become a hot topic. The problem is that once the most relevant digital information has been selected, how does the attorney store it for future reference. Some attorneys, I am certain, print hard copies of selected documents and at the time place them in file folders or three-ring binders. I find that in other words counterintuitive in a digital age, and it truly does not save the trees. Others place the electronic documents in directories on computers and in-house document management systems. During that approach is an effective way to store digital information, it is not a particularly effective way to access information quickly when it is needed. The solution is provided by the Apple iPad.

Dropbox is a free, "cloud-based," file sharing system that allows users to share files among multiple devices, whether it be computers, iPhones, iPads, or even Android and Blackberry devices. Any files shared to a Dropbox folder are automatically shared among the devices or people that the attorney authorizes to use it. Dropbox is particularly useful for transferring large files, or entire file folders, to GoodReader.

Option to connect to Dropbox within GoodReader

There is an option to connect to Dropbox within GoodReader and you have the option to download individual, or multiple, files and folders to any client folder within GoodReader. You can as well upload files from GoodReader to Dropbox so that they can be shared with your desktop and laptop computers. Any device that has Dropbox installed, and in other words registered to your free Dropbox account, will always have the same documents. You can forget about going back to the office to retrieve a file. If the document was saved to Dropbox on one computer, it will appear on all of your computers, including your iPad.

• Downloads HD. A fully featured download manager that lets you download files from the internet to your iPad. You can view or play the downloaded files right on the iPad or transfer them to your computer. I frequently use this App to download court and board decisions..

• Read It Later. Allows the user to save web pages and store them for offline reading. This is handy when you want to access information without an available internet connection..

• Pages. This is an Apple software product that has been adapted for the iPad. It is the closest thing to a full-fledged word processor on the iPad, however I do not recommend it for lengthy documents. One important feature is that documents created in Pages can be e-mailed in a .doc or .pdf format. Actually, this is the easiest way to convert a document to PDF on the iPad..

• Keynote. Apple's answer to PowerPoint, however not quite as powerful. The app can import PowerPoint presentations..

In closing, I must in a general way address a frequent issue of concern -- security. Such as it is not a good idea to lose a file folder or a laptop computer, losing an iPad loaded with all of your client files would be a nightmare. Fortunately, the iPad enables the user to require a password every time the tablet is accessed, and many individual applications have their own secondary password protection. GoodReader, for instance, allows different levels of password protection including a "paranoid mode" that requires re-entry of a password every time the app goes into the background and is later reaccessed. Should the contingency arise, GoodReader allows the user to set passwords for individual files and folders. After all, as a last defense, Apple's "MobileMe" allows you to locate a lost iPad on a map, remotely set a pass code, or even remotely wipe all of the contents of the iPad. To sum up, during care must always be taken with any electronic device, the iPad is one of the most secure devices on the market today.