How do you guys manage the calendars of multiple individuals at your offices? Do you use your case management software, just microsoft outlook, google calendar, something else? I'm trying to shake things up a little at my office and find out ways for us to be a little more efficient. I feel like the calendar that we use currently is not the best interface, and we use gmail as the host for our e-mail accounts (so I guess we could just use google calendars). Also, what case management software do you all use?
We use time matters for case management. I like it and it handles about everything you can imagine. I know it is expensive though. Heard some good things about my case as well but never used it.
You mean from like a Plaintiff's perspective? One was in the DA's office for about 3-4 years, but recently switched to a big insurance defense firm. He loved the criminal work, but just couldn't make enough money, and he recently had a kid. He does not like the big defense firm. Another one started out at a big defense firm, but 1-2 years ago switched to a smaller boutique firm doing family law/whatever they can get. He likes that a lot more.
I used Time Matters at my old firm. I was not a fan of the interface, but it definitely handled everything. It just had so much information and so many fields on every single screen. Was not a clean interface by any stretch.
Agreed on the interface and fields. It's a complex system which is more than my firm needs (boutique firm doing exclusively family law) so we don't get into the real complexities of the program. But it's entrenched (both from the document management and billing perspectives) so we won't be changing anytime soon.
I know a bunch of plaintiffs attorneys in Louisiana and some in WV via the trial lawyer associations I'm in. We use Pro Law for case management and Outlook for calendar.
I've got a firm I used to used to use in WV that I really liked. Spilman, Thomas, & Battle out of Charleston
9 new clients this week. have 75 active files. going to have to hire someone in the next month or two.
calendar...we use a free website called http://www.teamup.com/ Everyone gets a link, but some links have the ability to edit and some don't. file sharing is DropBox
"Look boss, I know I work for you. I know my place. I realize that I'm working on your case and you get the final say. But I just spent the past two days writing a 35 page brief that I think is great and I would really appreciate it if you left out phrases like 'willy nilly' when you revise it. TIA."
Re: DUI Defense We won a motion to suppress breathalyzer based off the defendant having a retainer that traps food which traps alcohol. LEO's are required to observe the def and make sure they have nothing in their mouth, etc.
So I must say I much prefer the corporate environment to family law. I have a pretrial next week with the crazy ass dad I mentioned earlier ITT. Surprisingly, I actually got my Attorney's fees last week.
So crazy dad is now asserting the sovereign citizen defense as to why the Family Court has no jurisdiction. He has threatened "to bring action against this court for Fraudulent activity and coersing me to sign under States of Durress." Now I am honestly worried that I have a potential parental kidnapping case in the making. I've dealt with one before where opposing counsel should have been disbarred for her part. They are truly terrifying.
i hate getting expert reports , especially reports from treating docs for designation deadline. that is all.
anyone here have experience with your clients car ins rates getting jacked up after making an underinsured claim? guy had 22k in meds, got 15k from minimum louisiana policy and he had a 30k underinsured texas policy and we got 45k. he's getting 20k but refusing to sign off because his rates went from 300 to 600.
Do Ins. Co.'s increase rates based off their analysis of the accident? i.e. if they feel he was more than just unlucky?
I have a case headed to trial in April where my client was rear ended while she was completely stopped and the police report estimates the tortfeasors speed at 30mph. Property damage was listed as heavy on the police report for both vehicles. Client has preexisting injuries. A treating neurosurgeon gives me causation in a medical record stating directly that the wreck exacerbated preexisting neck and shoulder injuries. The offer from the insurance company.... $500. I think that's the shittiest offer I've ever had in a car wreck case.
if the police report is against me i'm arguing it doesn't matter. if it's for me i'm arguing it matters.
i can't remember the context of the last debate on it and why they aren't admissible . i guess if they file a MIL and say he wasn't there for the accident, didn't see it, only made those observations based on property damage and what he observed after the fact and isn't an accident reconstruction expert, then a judge might grant the MIL and that stuff wouldnt come in.
i've been going through some research and talk with other trial lawyers from AAJ regarding the admissibility of a physics teachers expert report re force of impact. to have a full on biomechanic report most states are requiring the trifecta of biomechanic expert, engineer, and physician testimony. but if you limit your expert to just talking about the force of one car hitting another and then make a comparison to other things that apply that much force-like i saw a report where it said it was similar to the force it would take to stop a 800 pound moose running dead on at 26 mph-then you can argue it does help the jury understand the force applied in the wreck and you aren't making medical causation opinions. and you're hardly paying them anything compared to formal experts. will see how it works out for me. i'm doing it on the $500 case.
They never come in here. Judges even instruct the jury that they can't come in. I think the only conceivable way that one could come in anywhere would be under the business records exception and where you had the creator testify that he did a proper investigation to have foundation for his opinions. Still, something like estimated speed probably wouldn't come in.
They never come in in Texas either, but I disagree that they aren't important. They're very important when you are bullshitting with adjusters
Which one? I've tried a few and haven't particularly loved any of them. I feel like they are all designed to be clunky, and none of them really seem to have them a worthwhile app in the Apple Store.
Some shit called "Carpe Diem" for expenses, "TimeTracker" for time. and lol, both were created probably two decades before the App Store had even been invented
i just use one drive. any of you guys who handle volume car accidents/similar stuff on the plaintiff side use any software that you think might be worth my looking at?
seems to me that the only way they might come in is if the cop actually saw the accident. but even then, they would probably have to be heavily redacted. not sure why gump seems to think they are admissible.
In Massachusetts they are quasi-admissible. just not any statements made inside and only when the officer is testifying and authenticating.
I need to file suit in a scenario where we haven’t settled with the tortfeasor. So we’re suing the tortfeasor and UM in the same complaint. I’d imagine the language in this will be different than the traditional UM breach of contract complaint where you’ve already settled with the underlying tortfeasor and are basically in a pocketbook dispute with UM. Does anyone have a complaint I can look at for the scenario outlined above? I don't want to ask on a list serve and look like a dipshit
in your state, if you're going to sue tortfeasor and UIM in same action, do you have to make a demand on UIM first? We always put in our complaints that we've made a demand on UIM. Even if we haven't been able to settle with tortfeasor. Seems superfluous. Not often is UIM going to tender prior to tortfeasor tendering
If this isn't the right thread for this feel free to flame me accordingly. I was going through some old mail last night and realized that I forgot to show up for jury duty about a month ago. How do I proceed from here? I haven't gotten any notice about it or anything but the last thing I need is to get pulled over for running a stop sign and find out that there is a warrant out for my arrest or something.
Really though, I have no idea. I highly doubt there'd be a warrant issued for your arrest, but there may be a fine or something.
i figured that it wouldn't be a big deal if i called and was like "i forgot and would be willing to reschedule" but apparently in oregon you can be charged with contempt for not showing up