It For The Small Bar

Editor's Notes

• #3: IT is a broad termWhat is IT’s goal?Break down into 2 main areas for bar associationsInformation Technology for your Office (how to run your organization)-Information Technology for your Members, how to serve them best
• #5: Ask nabe members what software they currently use.How many use excel?How many use member management software onsite?How many use web-based member management?Very core of a bar associationWhat information should we collect. Age, location, area of practice, down to photos.How do we collect this information?
• #6: Define databaseWhat are pros and cons of each database type?Ask what other ‘custom’ or other software attendees are using.
• #7: Reason we keep and follow this information.Find out what section of membership is underserved or has room to grow.Track membership trends to fix leaks before they sink the ship
• #8: Communications revolution over past 10 years.Paper mail – uses member databases, mail mergeE-mail is currently king, but technology does change. Social network communication not reliable for mainstay, but work to reach ‘connected’ attorneys.Listservs are a good way to get non-meeting communication going. Give example of listservs, sending email to the address, some prefer to have me do it.
• #10: Anatomy of a google searchGoogle researchers have put a lot of time into this.Paid search partsSublinks and sub-listing are good.Page rankSEO is VERY competitive. Attorneys pay 1000s of dollars a month for websites just to get high google links.
• #11: In house solutions only for those with a lot of bandwidth.Designing a newsletter like designing a website. Don’t send too often, members will start to ignore them.Need to get safely into their inboxes and not caught in a spam filter.Many e-mail clients on many operating systems.Don’t be too informal, but email prose is heading that way. ProfessionalismExample: US Senators on twitter using LOL and UProof mailings before sending out, use multiple eyes.
• #14: Where to buy – stick with vendor or if you know a model you like, froogle.google.comPaid and Free solutions. Free solutions work but are of questionable reliability.Must keep machines updated, will help with most of the problems.Firewall should be office-wide, at the router or networking equipment.OpenOffice not recommended for whole office, but can be helpful.
• #15: Speed questions: what kind of traffic are you doing. Do you allow internet radio? Do you need to stream video?
• #16: Phone systems moving to VOIP. Old solutions sometimes still best.Email – exchange, hosted exchange. POP3/IMAP or old protocols. Do you have/need a blackberry? Good that you always have access to email, bad that you always have access to email.Allowing instant messenger in the office. Legal implications? Harassment/Goofing Off
• #22: Is it time? Depends on your office.Legal requirements vary by state.Some investment in hardware, but saves money over time.
• #24: Multifunction devices, office hub for communications.Inkjet machines are cheap, companies make money on the ink.Color laser - $150Desktop scanner - $300-500 Fujitsu ScanSnap
• #25: This is a policy decision.Technology makes it possible to do work from any location in the world, except face to face meetings.Phone calls, even desk phones, can be forwarded anywhere.Desktop can be accessed from anywhere. Used to require terminal server.
• #26: Merchant LevelsLevel I – Over 6M transactions/yearLevel II – 1M to 6MLevel III – 20k to 1MLevel IIII – up to 20kSAQ – Self Assessment Questionaire, ABC and DIT questions, recommend auditing companies.Online merchants must have quarterly scan.
• #27: You will be targeted, either intentionally or by ‘script kiddies’ who do it for fun.Must protect network, website, and all data.Confidential information, many attorneys involved in politics and would love information on opponents.Many data breeches occur from someone on the inside, staff or contractors.Policies in place to help protect data and privacy of members. EG Our electronic information policy.
• #30: Smaller bars – definitely go with outsourced IT.Try to find a trusted partner.Eventually will need to find someone to handle and organize IT.
• #31: Assist members where you can using your IT resources.Help them to practice law.