Legal Technology

Technology is a great enabler for a small law firm

I recently had the privilege of meeting Nishith Desai and Vaibhav Parikh of Nishith Desai Associates, a prominent law firm based in Mumbai, with offices in Bangalore, Singapore and Silicon Valley.  It was the winner of the International Financial Law Review's 2001 Indian Law Firm of the Year award and its 2002 Asian Law Firm of the Year (Pro-bono) award.  His firm follows the Ghandi/Hendy model of democratic management and its website notes --

We aspire to build a community of high caliber and ethical individuals by adopting the trusteeship principles espoused by Mahatma Gandhi and Charles Handy.

I recorded an interview with Nishith, which I will post next week before LegalTech New York, but wanted to share some of his comments because they are the hallmarks of his firm's growth and success, which could help navigate today's challenging economic environment:

• Use a blue ocean strategy, i.e., go into spaces where others are not focused.
• An open, transparent and democratic system is difficult to implement in the beginning, but is more successful over time.
• Give your employees the freedom to think, act and earn.
• You have to cut your clothes according to your size.
• We do not believe in head count, we believe in brain count.
• Many companies get dressed up to go nowhere.
• Treat your client as a partner, not just a customer.
• Technology is a great enabler for a small law firm.
• Mentoring relates to management, as well as cultural and ethical issues.

Ari L. Kaplan, Esq.
www.arikaplanadvisors.com
(646) 641-0600

Author of "The Opportunity Maker: Strategies for Inspiring Your Legal Career Through Creative Networking and Business Development" (Thomson-West, 2008). Learn more at  TheOpportunityMaker.com.

GPS evidence might drive your case home

EDD special master Craig Ball investigates data from GPS navigation systems as a potential source of electronic evidence. As geopositioning grows more ubiquitous, from dashboard to cell phone, he suggests you ask, "How might I use locator data to make my case or clear my client?"

Are you a gadget hunter-gatherer?

I am not a gadget hunter-gather. But I am looking for my next computer that fits in the palm of my hand.

As I get older, I want computing to be affordable, convenient, easy-to-use, ubiquitous, and mobile. Yes, that means keeping the UltraSPARC workstation and the overclocked 32-bit Intel at home.

To find my future computer, I have added Engadget to my RSS feed. Engadget is a blog devoted to consumer electronics and general technology news. The site aggregates numerous blogs that would appeal to the gadget hunter-gatherer and anyone looking for their next handheld computer. Godspeed.

Five weird things about water

I was echoing the 10 greatest YouTube hacks from The Best Article Every Day blog and fell upon 5 really weird things about water with a bonus on ice spikes. Being a Minnesota native, I knew water does weird things at low temperatures. In fact, people do some pretty weird things at low temperatures too, but I will spare you that and avoid the lawsuits. Do check out the water weirdness though.

Constitutional sources

U.S. Supreme Court justices on both sides in last term's landmark gun rights case resorted to original documents in making their arguments about the meaning of the Second Amendment. But they -- as well as the lawyers in the case -- used a little-known digital resource to find them: The Constitutional Sources Project, which has digitized and made freely available online more than 11,000 historical documents relating to the Constitution and the amendments.

Journey into Transactional Law

I always had a difficult time starting research in transactional law, be it insurance, real estate, or securities. The end point was well-grounded in client goals; but it's the journey that makes the difference between a successful or failed transaction. Now, LexisNexis has mapped out a new journey for a successful transaction with Transactional Advisor.

The Transactional Advisor is a new service aimed at attorneys who conduct transactions in areas of law such as bankruptcy, business and compliance, commercial, corporations, insurance, international, real estate, securities, and tax. The Advisor hopes to help attorneys: anticipate emerging transactional matters that affect current and prospective clients with expert commmentary; analyze legal issues with the help of Matthew Bender publications; and download legal forms for use. In addition, attorneys will be able to advise clients on transactional risk and conduct due diligence research.

For example, in the Transactional Advisor's Corporate, Business & Compliance Center, compliance and disclosure requirements can be found in a variety of sources such as Matthew Bender’s Corporate Governance Law and Practice, and Liability of Officers & Directors. The Advisor's Environmental Practice Center includes information from sources such as the Environmental Law Practice Guide, Environmental Law in Real Estate and Business Transactions & Treatise on Environmental Law, and the Law of Hazardous Waste, covering everything from audits to underground storage tanks, and more. And in the Insurance Practice Center, the NAIC Model Laws and Attorney General Opinions are together with enacted statutes and regulations.

The Transactional Advisor appears to be a good place to start, and perhaps end, a successful journey into transactional law. Godspeed.