Using Computers in the Law Office (with Workbook)

Hands-On Exercises

The Hands-On Exercises include step-by-step instructions that guide you through the application. There are literally hundreds of screenshots to guide you and act as reference points. All of the Hands-On Exercises are completely interactive, allowing you to gain hands-on experience with the software. In addition, all of the Hands-On Exercises are specifically related to legal organizations and legal applications, so you not only learn how to operate the computer and software, but also learn how to use them in the legal environment.

Full tutorials are included for the following applications:

• Microsoft Word 2007
• Microsoft Word 2003
• Adobe Acrobat Professional (v.9) [NEW]
• HotDocs (v.10) [NEW]
• Microsoft Excel 2007
• Microsoft Excel 2003
• Tabs3 (v.15)
• AbacusLaw (v.19)
• Summation iBlaze (v.3.1)
• LexisNexis CaseMap (v.8.5)
• LexisNexis TimeMap (v.5)
• Westlaw
• LexisNexis
• Microsoft PowerPoint 2007
• Microsoft PowerPoint 2003
• TrialDirector (v.6.1) [NEW]

Open Letter from Author Matthew S. Cornick

I should make a confession. There was a time (many years ago) when I believed that I could be successful in the law office without knowing much about computers. That was then. This is now.

Let me state this as plainly as I can: a successful legal professional must know how to use a computer and the applications commonly used in a law office. With the advent of all things "e"--e-mail, e-discovery, e-filing, and so on--it is essential that you gain the skills this text seeks to impart. The 21st century is well under way and computer literacy is a basic competency in law offices.

Using Computers in the Law Office, Sixth Edition, is designed to give you both theoretical understanding and practical experience with common law-office computer applications. These include both widely used applications, such as Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Adobe Acrobat, and HotDocs; and programs specific to the law office, such as Tabs3, Abacus Law, Summation iBlaze, CaseMap, TimeMap, Westlaw, LexisNexis, and TrialDirector.

Using Computers in the Law Office, Sixth Edition, is organized into nine chapters. The first chapter introduces you to computers with a discussion of the importance of computers to the legal field and a review of computer hardware and software terms. The next eight chapters represent the heart of the book. They cover word processing, spreadsheets, timekeeping and billing, case management/docker control, electronic discovery, litigation support, the Internet and electronic mail, computer-assisted research, and the electronic courthouse/automated courtroom and presentation graphics.

With this new edition, the Hands-On-Exercises have been collected in a separate Workbook. This allows you to easily refer to the information contained in the main text while completing the exercises. Hands-On-Exercises are included for 16 different applications; there are almost 120 exercises in all.

I hope that you will learn not only the specific uses of these programs, but that you should not doubt your abilities or fear the prospect of working with computers.