When I started practicing law long, long ago the paper folder was the default case file. I used them, but I was never content. They weren't sturdy. They ripped. The bendable metal prongs got distorted and bent to the point that getting papers in and out became impossible. Contents ripped. The prongs ripped out, and the folders fell apart.
Change comes slow to the legal profession. I stuck with those paper folders for a while, and I still see them in use by the majority of lawyers that I encounter. They work. I just yearned for something better. . . I found it!
Around 1990 I came across
Bindertek. They had a sampler pack back then, that I invested in. When the binders arrived I immediately fell in love. Sturdy, reliable, reusable. The 2 ring design allows secure document storage, and the ring mechanism is engineering genius. I immediately placed a full order. The 3 inch spine models are the default in our office. We buy them in bulk by the case. The Ocean Blue color is one of my trademarks. In fact, they are so well built that some of those binders from our original orders are still in use. When a case ends, we empty out the binders, send the file to storage, and use the binders with a new case.
Take a look at the paper spine on the photo at left. That is a piece of white paper in a clear plastic sleeve. Bindertek sells replacement paper spines, and has a software program you can use to create personalized labels for your binders.
Not to flatter myself too much, but the first time I saw a Bindertek binder in a courtroom was when I carried it into court. Now they profilerate. I like to consider myself the
BindertekFather amongst the family law bar in the San Fran East Bay courthouses.
The legal profession was one of Bindertek's original target markets. They continue to market other innovative products for us lawyers. Their website includes a
Products For Your Law Office section. Therein you will find trial notebooks, practice area specific tabbing systems like personal injury, FAMILY LAW, deposition writing pads, and much, much more.
The one challenge to using binders is carrying them around. As files grow, the number of binders needed increases. One binder fits just fine into my leather briefcase. More than one can pose a challenge. Bindertek used to sell a handsome leather satchel that held two binders. I have one, and use it all the time. Unfortunately I don't see it on the website any more. They do have an extensive selection of other carriers and some beautiful leather briefcases.
So impressed am I with Bindertek that we now use their carousel shelf for storage, their dead file
storage supplies, there spine labels, their family law practice tabs, their exhibit tab and indexing systems, their travel cases. We have a few 1 inch spin binders that we load up for quick court appearances, depositions, and settlement meetings. I even have a couple of Bindertek's very impressive, very expensive leather binders that I use for special occasions.
Please visit
hardinglaw.com for more information about Harding & Associates Family Law
#Harding&AssociatesFamilyLaw #californiafamilylaw #divorce #family law #superlawyers #americanacademyofmatrimoniallawyers #Pleasantondivorce #AlamedaCountyDivorce #ContraCostaCountyDivorce #lawyers
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In 1991 fax machines were a big deal. Unbox the hardware. Throw in a roll of thermal paper. Plug in to the phone line. Then Shazam we were sending and receiving actual copies of documents. The technology was awesome and it took off! Fax numbers became de rigueur on letterhead and pleading captions. Fax machines became as indispensable as typewriters, telephones, and computers. A new industry was born so that we could fax pleadings straight to the court, or to a commercial service so that, for a fee, the docs could be filed at the courthouse.
I was indifferent to the ballistic nylon shell. It doesn't look bad and there is some leather trim to spiff it up a bit, but I think leather looks better, particularly in the courtroom. The $185 street price didn't offend me.
If you use Evernote — and you should — you need to be aware of its awesome business card tools. With the Evernote app on your smartphone you can take a picture of a business card, have it immediately imported into your Evernote account, export it to your contacts on your phone, and then synchronize it with your Outlook directory or any other contact management program that you use. Fear not, reading these steps is more complicated than doing the real thing. For some of these client management programs — Salesforce for example — it is even easier because they have a dedicated Evernote interface.
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On our San Francisco to Rome scenario you could easily get 6 and a half hours of billable work done, and have plenty of vacation time. For our $500 per hour lawyer those 6.5 hours of billable time would work out to $3,250. You have paid for your business class ticket! And you have traveled in style.
I am always looking for technology and software to save time
and help my law practice. Since 2005 I have been using Custody X Change for parenting plans and custody calculations (in fact, I was one of the first people to license the software after it was
launched). Custody X Change helps family law attorneys create custody schedules
and parenting plans for clients.
