Paperless Law Practice from Beginning to End: Including practice tips and ethics

J.R. Skrabanek | Thompson & Skrabanek, PLLC

J.R. Skrabanek is a managing partner and commercial litigator with Thompson & Skrabanek, PLLC. Founded in 2020 at the start of the pandemic, Thompson & Skrabanek has offices in both New York and Austin. J.R.’s practice focuses on business and civil litigation, including contract disputes, real estate and construction litigation, business and unfair competition torts, consumer disputes, employment law, entertainment law, collections defense, and creditors’ rights.

J.R. tried one of the first virtual trials in Travis County, Texas in 2021. His legal advice has been quoted or featured in articles in the Reader’s Digest, the Huffington Post, Entrepreneur Magazine, and U.S. News & World Report, amongst others. J.R. is a 2009 cum laude graduate of the University of Kentucky College of Law. He has been working at least partially remotely since approximately 2016.

Ernie Svenson | LawFirm Autopilot

For 18 years Ernie Svenson worked in a big firm with a fancy office on the 40th floor of a tall building. The firm handled complex business cases that depended on well-paid paralegals who organized endless piles of documents.

One day Ernie discovered that he could scan hundreds of boxes of paper into a 2-pound laptop, and henceforth handle complex cases all by himself. He quit his big firm to go solo and start a low-overhead paperless practice. Then started teaching other lawyers how to shed paper as he did. In 2009 he started LawFirmAutopilot.com where he now offers solo and small firm lawyers ongoing guidance on using technology to improve their law practices.

JoAnn L Hathaway | State Bar of Michigan

JoAnn L. Hathaway is the practice management advisor for the State Bar of Michigan. She previously worked as a legal liability claims director, risk manager, paralegal, and legal administrator. She holds several software certifications and has certifications as a Registered Professional Liability Underwriter and Cyber Professional Liability Practitioner. She is active in the ABA Law Practice Division, serving on the Publishing Board, and Ethics and Professionalism Committee. She is a frequent speaker on law firm technology, insurance, and risk and practice management topics.

Joel G. Selik | Selik Law Offices

Joel G. Selik, A Nevada & California Attorney Since 1985, is a California State Bar Certified Specialist in Legal Malpractice. Selik concentrates his practice in Legal Malpractice and Judgment Collection and accepts cases throughout California and Nevada. Selik has offices in San Diego and Las Vegas.

Session l – Paperless Law Practice Tips | 12:00pm – 1:00pm

1. Going Paperless: Essential Systems and Technology You Need | 12:00pm -12:05pm
2. Using Onsite vs. Cloud Storage Services: What You Need to Know | 12:05pm – 12:10pm
3. Implementing Your Paperless Workflow: Key Steps to Take | 12:10pm- 12:15pm
4. Primer on Creating and Using PDFs | 12:15pm – 12:20pm
5. General Rules on Determining What to Destroy, Keep, and Return to Your Clients | 12:20pm – 12:25pm
6. Creating a Digital Signature | 12:25pm – 12:30pm
7. Integrating Smartphones, Tablets, and Other Electronic Devices | 12:30pm – 12:35pm
8. Backing Up Files: Why It Matters | 12:35pm – 12:40pm
9. Digital File Management | 12:40pm – 12:45pm
10. Tips for Arranging Your Workflow Around Electronic Documents | 12:45pm – 12:50pm
11. Scanning, Naming, Organizing, and Storing Electronic Documents | 12:50pm – 12:55pm
12. Adobe Acrobat: Highlighting, Adding Comments, Stamping, Redacting, and More | 12:55pm – 1:00pm

Break | 1:00pm – 1:10pm

Session ll – Paperless Lawyering | 1:10pm – 2:10pm

1. The benefits of having a Paperless Law Practice | 1:10pm – 1:20pm
2. Common myths about the paperless law practice | 1:20pm – 1:35pm
3. The best tool for scanning documents and storing them in digital form | 1:35pm – 1:45pm
4. The best digital file management process (and backup systems) | 1:45pm – 1:55pm
5. How to best create a paperless practice, and how to keep optimizing afterwards | 1:55pm – 2:10pm

Break | 2:10pm – 2:20pm

Session lll – Paperless Law Firm | 2:20pm – 3:20pm

1. Enhance Efficiency | 2:20pm – 2:30pm
2. Lower Costs | 2:30pm – 2:40pm
3. Decrease Stress | 2:40pm – 2:50pm
4. Increase Staff Morale | 2:50pm – 3:00pm
5. Bill More Hours | 3:00pm – 3:10pm
6. Provide Better Client Service | 3:10pm – 3:20pm

Break | 3:20pm – 3:30pm

Session lV – Common Ethics Violations to Avoid | 3:30pm – 4:30pm

1. Cyber Security-What you Must do Now | 3:30pm – 3:50pm
2. Tips to Make Clients and the Bar Happy | 3:50pm – 4:10pm
3. Arranging your practice To Avoid Bar Complaint | 4:10pm – 4:30pm