Using Computers in the Law Office (with Workbook) - Softcover

Cornick, Matthew S.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1133014887 ISBN 13: 9781133014881

Publisher: Cengage Learning, 2011

Synopsis

USING COMPUTERS IN THE LAW OFFICE, 6th Edition is the ideal book to provide readers with comprehensive, up-to-date information on the use of technology by paralegals in all types of legal organizations. It describes basic computer concepts as well as more complex skills and software programs with coverage and assignments for Word, Excel, Adobe Acrobat, AbacusLaw, CaseMap, HotDocs, Summation iBlaze, Tabs3, TimeMap, TrialDirector, and more. Using Computers in the Law Office covers important topics such as an updated discussion of electronic discovery, Internet legal/factual research, legal timekeeping and billing, litigation support software, and case management and docket control software. A variety of other topics are covered including WestLaw Next, Google Scholar, mobile computing, document management, security, ethics, the electronic courthouse and many other trends in legal computing. Each topic is presented in a clear and organized manner that includes many examples of how the software is actually used on-the-job. Detailed Hands-on Exercises ensure that readers will gain practical knowledge of these tools by giving them the opportunity to apply what is presented in the book and to practice using computers to complete legal work.

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.

About this title

About the Author

Matthew S. Cornick, J.D., is a graduate of the State University of New York at Buffalo and the Emory University School of Law. He has been teaching Civil Litigation, Legal Research, Family Law, and Introduction to Law and Ethics to paralegal students for over twenty years. Mr. Cornick frequently speaks to paralegal associations and law firms on the topic of technology in the law office. He has served on the Approval Commission to the American Bar Association's Standing Committee on Paralegals and is the author of A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO FAMILY LAW (West Publishing, 1995) USING COMPUTERS IN THE LAW OFFICE, 7e, as well as Advanced and Basic editions of that text.

Review

"I really like the organization and the content of the material in the advanced chapters. It is organized in a way that is conducive to the way I teach the course. I love the content and I really enjoy this author's writing style."

" The content is conducive to the way the course is and should be taught. I particularly like the incorporation of the Ethics question at the end each chapter. The Test Your Knowledge and Key Terms section is a great tool for helping the students study for exams. The author also does a good job with the hands-on exercises sections by including introduction lessons and lessons for different skill levels. The textbook is a valuable guide in assisting students to learn the software available to and used by many legal organizations."

"The material teaches students the importance of technology in the legal field and how to incorporate it into their daily work life. Over the past 3 years, I have enjoyed teaching the class using the prior version of this text. Students have also commented on how much they learned and how it has helped them in their jobs."

"The hands-on exercises are what the real asset of the text is. Very detailed yet easily followed. You can only really learn by doing--so the hands-on is the real asset!"

Edition details

• Publisher: Cengage Learning
• Publication date: 2011
• ISBN 10: 1133014887
• ISBN 13: 9781133014881
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Edition number: 6
• Number of pages: 784