Converting Lawyers Into Geeks

The personal computer is finally becoming a very useful tool for more people than just geeks. Once upon a time, only top secret scientists had access to this computer, the ENIAC and by its looks it must have taken a degree in physics to be able to operate it.

So today was interesting. I’ve got a better idea of what I’m in store for in regards to getting the Zivley law firm up and running as a real LawTechFirm. The following factors will come into play:

#1 A Firm Wide Hardware Upgrade. Perry, Harriett and Monique, (Perry’s legal assistant) all need new computers. We’re talking Win2000 OS, early model Dell desktops, and a copying machine from the Xerox darkage. You’re probably asking yourself: Is this overhaul going to be Mac or Windows? And that’s why I made a poll so be sure to let us know what you would choose. (Harriett votesMac!)

#2 A Crash Course in Computing. This stemmed from Harriett telling me today that she didn’t know how to bookmark a webpage. Also, when she downloads an attachment from an e-mail, she can never find out where the file ends up going. I think we can all remember those days. =)

Just think, I’m hoping that in less than 30 days Harriett will be publishing her own blog with podcasts and videos. Never the less, Harriett’s troubles are very common growing pains that most users experience when learning to use the web. Don’t lose any sleep Harriett, I’ll help get you up to speed!

#3 Installing Software & Web Applications. Listed below are a few applications that I am recommending for the Zivley firm to install on all of their machines.

Software: PhotoshopCS; PowerpointXp; WordXp; Acrobat7
Web-app: Gmail; Flickr; Firefox
Plug-ins: RSSWizz; Del.icio.us; flickr uploader

I’ll add more later (like video and audio editing software.) If you have any suggestions please leave a comment.

#4 Let The Blogging Begin! After getting our systems aligned we can then dive head first into the action. I know of no better way to start a fire than to strike a match with a little fuel. I hope that this blog contributes to the fuel!

After milestone #1 is complete, everything will seamlessly begin falling in to place. It’s been my experience in the digital life that after all the R&D is wrapped up and we have our direction and focus assembled, everything else comes together super fast and the next thing you know you’re Live! with the jury is in the back room deliberating.

Lastly, I want to publicly thank The Zivleys for retaining my services and skill-set to assist them in launching a weblog. I’m honored to work with professionals that set their fears aside and step over what is considered to be the norm to try something new. I’m not making any promises here, but if you continue to approach the web as a new medium of communication and truly put your heart into it, sweetness is sure to follow. Things are just getting heated up!

Next Week: I’ll be computer shopping with the Zivley’s. So be sure to tune back in for a zoomed in lens showcasing how attorneys go about buying their computers. You’ll also get to see how filming a sales person during a ‘buy moment’ directly effects the bottom line. Maybe one day I’ll be able to trade pixelspace for a new computer, to bad I don’t have any traffic here yet…

Featured Link: Noah photographs himself everyday for 6 years. Here’s his 6 years in about 5 mins.

 

-Posted by Jamie Parks on Sep 08, 2006 at 01:53 AM

Teaching Lawyers About IT

August 29, 2006 – I delivered my beta/ever evolving presentation “Be A Real Lawyer” to an existing client, the Zivley Law firm. This blog was inspired by that encounter.

Meet Real Lawyer #1: Harriett Zivley, wife of Zivley Law Firm founder
Perry Zivley and also an attorney herself, has expressed a sincere
passion to start a weblog, and it’s my job to show her how to get started and how to keep it going. Her enthusiasm about communicating the behind the scene realities of The Zivley Law Firm’s unwavering commitment to its clients is contagious. This should turn out to be an interesting experience for everyone.

The meeting was an enlightening learning experience for all of us. Little glimpses into some very useful technologies that neither Harriett or Perry were previously aware of certainly brought a good vibe into the room. Watching their eyes take in and process what was going on as I scrolled both of them around the workings of an RSS reader was priceless. Linking to a few succesful lawyer sites who have already embraced such revolutionary technologies like blogging, podcasting, flickr, and YouTube seemed to really get their minds clicking into gear!

 

Keep in mind this is my first attempt to try and teach a law firm about the various angles of IT and all of the possibilities that await. Being the practical hands on kind of teacher that I aspire to be, I thought It would simplify Harriett’s learning curve if I were to go ahead and set up a new blog here on TypePad as a teaching tool and living example of how the Internet has the amazing ability of spreading and attracting information and informers. If all goes as I hope, this site should become a small hive of humans swarming in and out sharing links and experiences. Time will tell…

Moreover, I hope this blog will truly demystify some of the froth of the web2.0 halo and show Harriett and other lawyers out there some real world examples of just how quick, simple and inexpensive it really is to start publishing their messages and experiences to the web.

Next week: More about the beauty of RSS and how consistently publishing informative/entertaining posts to a blog greatly increases organic search results in both Yahoo and Google search engines. I’ll also be showing the Zivley’s a little more around the blogosphere to semi-familiar-eyes them with what’s been happening over the past few years.

OK, so check out Harriett’s YouTube video debut!

 

Posted by Jamie Parks on Sep 04, 2006 at 01:21 PM