5 Technical Skills Attorneys Should Know
August 4, 2008 by Brian J. Ritchey · Leave a Comment
Inspired by the 5 technical skills a modern professional should know (Generally Aware Executive Part 1 post on Justin Foster’s BrandMilitia blog (hat tip to Stephen Nipper and Enrico Schaefer)), I have come up with 5 technical skills attorneys should know:
- How to Use Microsoft Office (including Word, Outlook, Excel and PowerPoint);
- How to use a blackberry, Iphone, or windows mobile device to check email, synchronize contacts and synchronize calendar;
- How to use a projector;
- Understanding the concept of redundancy;
- How to navigate Windows without a mouse.
Some assumptions:
- Microsoft Windows is the only option - great, use your Mac, use Linux, whatever. Major software developers build on the Windows platform and to the extent they develop web-based applications, the servers that provide the backbone for these applications are Windows boxes. I have a macbook pro at home and it does a great job with family applications. Windows is and will be for the immediate future the solution for businesses. This article isn’t about potential emerging trends.
- I make an assumption that attorneys can operate and perform basic tasks within Windows such as knowing the difference between a single click and a double-click. It isn’t fair to leave out those who struggle with the basic tasks of using a computer, but if you don’t know how to use a computer by now the train has already left you at the station - and likely you made the choice to stay.
- I am assuming basic skills in using a mobile phone, such as accessing voicemail.
Ok, so why did I choose the above 5? I’ll go into each.
- Attorneys must know how to use not only Microsoft Word and Outlook, but Excel and Powerpoint. Why? Because they are essential tools for your practice - and if you purchased just about any version of Microsoft Office, both of them came with it. If you aren’t using them, you are wasting valuable tools. One of the things I always do when working with firms is take an inventory of their existing technology. Most firms have overlapping technology and some may be looking to invest in tools that they already have but don’t understand how to use. Outlook is essential for communication. Word is essential for drafting documents. Excel is essential for creating reports, charts and graphs. PowerPoint is essential in organizing your thoughts into a coherent argument that others who haven’t spent months researching the topic can understand.
- Attorneys must know how to use a mobile device that can synchronize their calendar, contacts, and email. If your firm doesn’t already utilize mobile technology, they will soon. I have been a blackberry user for several years and have just switched to the Iphone (which works well with Exchange, the mail server that pushes email to Outlook). I am not big on Windows mobile devices because of my past experiences - I never felt that I was productive using a stylus and no matter how much I tried, I never edited anything on a mobile phone. Some swear by them, however, so it is necessary to understand the strengths and weaknesses of each solution so you can invest in the one that makes you the most productive. For me, having my calendar, contacts and email synchronized and available to me anywhere is essential.
- Litigators, if they don’t already, will eventually need to use a projector. And I am not alone in experiencing the moment when you are trying to connect a projector to your laptop and the thing just doesn’t want to work. Most of the time the solution is simple, but if you don’t know how the connection between a laptop and a projector works, precious moments are lost and at the very least you are distracted from your focus. It isn’t that hard. The easiest way to handle projectors is to have your own and have a spare lamp wherever you go. Once you learn your own projector, your problems should end.
- Attorneys need to know several ways to get their information. Just this past week I was working with an attorney who relied on a virtual private network (VPN) to access their office. Unfortunately, VPN access isn’t assured when you are away from the office. Some systems block the ports that are needed and then you are stuck waiting on tech support to get to your files or check your email. Redundancy helps. You should be able to access and compose email in several different ways. Outlook for the Web allows you to access your inbox via any web browser. If you have a mobile device, it should sync with your mail server. There is also terminal services, which if not used as a primary method of access should only be used in an emergency. However, it will get you access to your files and you can get work done - and that is the point of redundancy.
- Attorneys need to free themselves from the mouse if necessary. There are a few key reasons. One, you can work faster. Having to go back and forth from a mouse to the keyboard slows you down. If you know keyboard shortcuts, it makes you more efficient. Efficiency is the key to higher margins and is the primary benefit of technology. Use it. Also, if your mouse decides to stop working, which is known to happen from time to time, you are not stuck staring at a screen.
If attorneys spend the time to learn the above skills, they will be in a better position to become more efficient and less frustrated with their technical resources. If you think there is another essential technical skill attorneys should know, please feel free to add a comment.