I had the privilege and pleasure of serving on the “60 Sites in 60 Minutes” closing panel for the 2010 TECHSHOW held last week in Chicago. This 60 Sites session is always fast-paced, fun and funny. Along with Debbie Foster (TECHSHOW Chair), Adriana Linares and Ernie Svenson, we dashed through web sites ranging from hard core legal tech to just plain funny. Check out the TECHSHOW site in the next few days for the complete list. For now, here’s my 15:
Above and Beyond KM is a blog about how law firms work and how knowledge management (KM) can help improve their efforts. Mary Abraham’s observations are based on her experience practicing law and then practicing knowledge management in a New York City firm. A “go-to” legal KM blog.
Steven Levy’s blog covers the emerging and dynamic legal project management space. For lawyers and firms looking to understand and incorporate project management into their practices, this blog is the one to watch.
Originally a legal marketing/selling blog, Jim Hassett has taken on Alternative Fee Arrangements (AFAs) in a big way. After surveying a large group of managing partners, he has produced the “The LegalBizDev Survey of Alternative Fees.” His blog posts include excerpts from the survey, making it a premier site to stay current on AFAs.
The legal research space is experiencing a dynamic shift. This site will keep you more-than updated on the current trends and resources in legal research. Joe Hodnicki has an interesting sense of humor and keen insight into what matters for legal research.
In the Fall of 2009, Google unveiled its free legal research offering, which got everyone’s attention. The site contains case law back to 1950 and you can even search by jurisdiction. For those times you just need to “pull a case” this is a simple and free site to do it.
Too often IT projects are all about technology and not about the business. InformationWeek is a great site that brings the business issues up ahead of the IT answers. It is self-described as covering “The Business Value of Technology” and does that very well.
The next time you need a basic understanding of a technology, come to this site. Or better yet, check it everyday to stay up on all the newest stuff. Additionally the site has excellent How-To Tips and Technology Guides.
Bruce Schneier on Security
When it comes to Security, Bruce Schneier is The Man. His site and blog give excellent threat updates, tips and ideas for staying ahead of the security game.
Free CLE is popping up in a number of places. One site for finding these programs is 4FreeCLE. The site indexes free offerings from numerous providers. The existence of this site highlights the trend and availability of free CLE from a number of sources.
American Marketing Association: Especially the Houston Chapter
Lawyers do well to look outside the profession for tips and ideas. One great source related to growing your practice is the American Marketing Association (AMA). A great example of an AMA chapter is Houston’s. The quality and number of resources and events is staggering. As well participation provides networking opportunities outside the legal market.
Did you know you can access the entire archive of Law Practice Magazine issues online? This treasure-trove of practice management articles has what is likely the most comprehensive list of law practice management resources any where.
Humanity produces some VERY interesting stuff. And OffBeatEarth is the site to see it. Check in everyday to see some of the oddest displays of human creation. You’ll find everything from “Awkward Family Portraits” to the art of dirty car windows at “Wash Me.”
Pretty much any question you might have about Internet stats will be answered at Royal Pingdom. This site captures all of the interesting internet trends and demographics. Questions answered: How much email traffic is spam? How does Facebook traffic compare to Google’s – world-wide? And, What are the age demographics for social network sites?
10 Minute Mentor from the Texas Bar
This site contains about 400 10 minute videos on a variety of legal topics. Although some substantive law topics are Texas-based, many are not. As well, more general topics like law practice management and technology are covered. And the best thing about these high-quality mentoring videos: they are free. [Hat tip to Jim Johnson for this one.]
Significant Cases Analyzed: Wikipedia
Next time you need quick access to an explanation of the law and issues involved in a major court decision, look no further than Wikipedia. Most major decisions have been fully explained, including the legal issues touched on, the lawyers involved, commentary and even links to relevant follow-up decisions and articles.