Technology – Page 2 – NWSidebar

by NWSidebar

ABA Issues New Ethics Opinion on Remote Working

The pandemic has forced many lawyers to work remotely. In some instances, that simply means working out of a home office in the same city that the lawyer’s firm is based. In others, however, lawyers have been working from second homes in states in which they are not licensed to practice law. The American Bar Association (ABA) recently addressed this latter aspect of remote work in a new ethics opinion—Formal Opinion 495, issued on Dec. 16.

by NWSidebar

Washington Prepares for First-Ever Remote Bar Exam

For the first time in its history, the WSBA will administer the bar exam remotely. On Dec. 3, the Washington Supreme Court issued an order authorizing the WSBA “to conduct the February 2021 administration of legal licensing examinations for admission using remote testing software,” citing the “extraordinary barriers” created by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.On Dec. 3, the Washington Supreme Court issued an order authorizing the WSBA “to conduct the February 2021 administration of legal licensing examinations for admission using remote testing software,” citing the “extraordinary barriers” created by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

by NWSidebar

7 Virtual Networking Tips for Legal Professionals in the 21st Century

The digital transformation of the legal industry went into overdrive the last few months. With in-person meetings and large gatherings canceled for the foreseeable future, networking virtually has become the norm. While networking virtually has made it easier than ever to reach out to a stranger and connect, virtual interactions can still feel awkward and unnatural.

by NWSidebar

How to Find a Lawyer Using WSBA’s Legal Directory

Recently, the Washington State Bar Association updated our Legal Directory — a searchable database of every legal professional in the state of Washington—to make it easier to use and with a few expanded features to provide additional information when you’re researching a lawyer. Read on to learn how to use the Legal Directory to find a lawyer and how to access additional resources to get connected with affordable legal help.

by NWSidebar

Zooming with Caution: Best Practices for Using Zoom and Other Videoconferencing Tools

There are many videoconferencing options out there, but one toograbbing headlines lately is Zoom. Here are some of the emerging issues related to Zoom and my best practices for secure communications with any videoconferencing tool.

by NWSidebar

WSBA License Renewal: Top Tips for Licensed Legal Professionals in Washington

Get a few essential tips to improve your license renewal experience and to help you avoid any last-minute issues.

by NWSidebar

NWLawyer Treks into Tech and the Law

Technology is exciting and inspiring, but for legal professionals it’s also daunting. How does a modern lawyer navigate ethically sticky and existentially bizarre questions that new tech imposes on existing law?

by NWSidebar

How Leveraging Industry Experts Is Vital to Winning New Clients

In a world where major law firms bring wide-ranging expertise and understanding of industry-specific challenges there are still techniques for lawyers looking to impress.

by NWSidebar

How to Win Your Case Using the Latest Discovery Technology

Discovery is a challenging and rewarding process. The rewards are frequently based on the speed and efficiency of data acquisition and its interpretation; the pitfalls are related to the lack thereof. Therefore, success in the discovery process is only as effective as the technology used to uncover and apply it. The most important aspect of […]

by NWSidebar

When AI Goes Bad: The Inherent Legal Risks of ‘Intelligent’ Systems

You provide the neural net with a learning set: a large collection of items related to the pattern you want the neural network to recognize for which you tell the program the correct answer.

by NWSidebar

Why Business, and Other Lawyers Should Pay Attention to Blockchain

It is important that business lawyers know what blockchain is. It has become almost impossible to avoid conversations about blockchain. Most of us are familiar with at least one form of blockchain: digital cryptocurrencies like bitcoin. But this technology has a much wider reach than bitcoin alone. Blockchain is not only a new technology that […]

by NWSidebar

CosmoLex: Easier Accounting for Solo & Small Law Firms

A WSBA member recently test drove CosmoLex, one of the new discounted practice management software systems available for members of the Bar. I recently opened my solo law practice, and, as many solo attorneys can attest, one of the most challenging tasks I faced was picking a practice management system. Trying to crowdsource a solution […]

by NWSidebar

Responding to Negative Online Reviews

The internet and social media are a part of most attorneys’ practices, whether they’ve chosen an aggressive online presence or not. Along with marketing their practice and maintaining their digital presence, attorneys may find themselves facing a negative internet review. Sometimes they call the WSBA Ethics Line (800-945-9722 ext. 8284) asking for guidance on whether […]

by NWSidebar

The Sun Is (Finally) Out and so Is the Summer Issue of NWLawyer!

Marijuana’s illegal status under federal law means no bankruptcy protection for these businesses. In the July/August NWLawyer, read how Washington’s first marijuana receivership was able to reach a successful conclusion thanks to an alternative procedure provided by Washington law.

by NWSidebar

The Consequences of Technological Incompetence

Being a Luddite can be expensive, embarrassing, and potentially disastrous for lawyers and clients. Tech incompetence can result in wasted time (and therefore increased cost to the client), loss of money and identity, ethical sanctions, and embarrassment or worse in the courtroom. Those are high prices to pay for being too proud (or lazy) to […]