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RATING SYSTEM:  

  = An important product or service your law office can't be without if you want to compete in today's market. If software, it also does more than I expect, is easy to use in a logical manner and is well worth the price. BUY IT NOW !

 = Although you can survive without it, the product or service is as fabulous as 5 gavels.  If software, it also does more than I expect, is easy to use in a logical manner and is well worth the price. BUY IT !

  = Good software but not as good as 4 gavels.

= Not bad, but the software is not great or is a little difficult to use.

 = While the software is interesting, it either doesn't accomplish it's purpose for me or is too difficult to use and I wouldn't buy it.

= The software is unusable, is impossible to understand how to use it and I don't see the software having a value to anyone-DON'T BUY IT !

= A warning sign doesn't mean that a product or service is bad, but warns about a particular aspect of the product.

LEGAL SOFTWARE:

SAGA Practice Manager™    (for attorneys, plaintiff or defense) a case management & document assembly software package for lawyers practicing in all areas of law, including but not limited to Personal Injury, Medical Malpractice, General Negligence, Litigation, Real Estate, Matrimonial, Business Transactions, Criminal, and Collections. SAGA started as a DOS based personal injury case management & document assembly software package.  The new SAGA Practice Manager™ is an incredibly sophisticated 32 bit windows application using the Microsoft SQL database engine that is light years ahead of it's previous DOS version, which I thought did almost everything.  The new SAGA Practice Manager™  has a real nice calendar system which you can easily customize and which is totally interactive.  I never used the calendar system in the DOS version because I didn't like it.  Now I will definitely use it.  There are now over 125 reports and the ability to customize your own queries.  You can also view all case data in many different ways and can customize this as well.  If you're running a network, the administrator can allow every user to customize the look of the program to their own needs.  If you want to see the program, as customized for you, on another computer other than your own, just log in on your user name and it changes to your preferences. Every area of the program has been substantially improved; there are many new features and it is now interactive with other programs.  This is a full featured practice management program for the large law office which can also be used by small offices and the sole practitioner.  SAGA has enabled me to triple my 100% personal injury case load without adding employees.  If anyone is in the neighborhood (Roslyn, LI, NY) and would like to see how SAGA works in my office, I will be happy to make an appointment, just send me an email at HURT911®.

FRANCKEL & ASSOCIATES has been using SAGA since 1992 and was chosen only after Philip L. Franckel, Esq. reviewed, over the period of one year, all available software at that time.  SAGA was the only program that was very easy to learn to use without reading the manual; very easy to modify it's template documents or create new ones; very easy to memorize merge codes for creating new template documents (for instance, the merge code for the defense attorney's telephone number is <<DEF-ATTY-PHONE>>); very easy to generate finished documents & the only program that could create a Bill of Particulars which it does easily (the only typing is for the injury paragraph which I dictate with Dragon Naturally Speaking-see below).  In addition to letters, Summonses & Complaints, Discovery Demands, and authorizations, SAGA will automatically create and fill in any needed form with all necessary data, such as Retainer Statements, No-Fault Applications, Police Report Requests, MV104s (accident reports) and other forms just by pressing the enter button on your keyboard.  Don't want to have your client's telephone number appear on a No-Fault application generated by SAGA?  No problem!  It takes just 20 seconds to pull up the template form in your favorite word processor, delete the merge code (PL-PHONE) for the client's telephone number and save it.  Service from SAGA has been excellent and they have been very receptive to my suggestions, incorporating, in their last DOS version, at least 30-40 suggestions which I sent to them.

Update:  I just bought SAGA Practice Manager for Windows which is now installed in my office.  It's by far, the best personal injury software available.  It's power and capability is simply amazing.  Some attorneys have told me that they were looking at another program for $1,500 less, but it's not worth saving the money.  Since a very small case will pay the difference and Uncle Sam will pay a third of that, the small savings a cheaper program can offer will cost you tens of thousands or more, if it's not saving you as much time as SAGA will save.  SAGA will only have to save me two hours of work to make the difference, but it will save many hundreds of hours by providing more information, more capability, and being more logical and easier to use (and to learn how to use), than the other programs.  I first started with SAGA when I had 25 cases and was at the limit I could handle alone without a secretary. After entering all the data for my cases, I was able to take on more cases until I reached about 130 cases. Unfortunately, SAGA still doesn't answer the phone or the calendar call at court and I have started hiring attorneys, but still do not have a secretary or paralegal.  I will further update this review after I have started using the windows version.  I recently attended the first of five 3 hour classes on using SAGA.  The class was very beneficial, particularly since the new windows version does so much more than the DOS version  I will definitely attend all of the classes so I learn how to get the most out of SAGA.  I owe my law degree to Gilberts and my practice to SAGA!  To maximize office efficiency and earnings, I strongly advise attorneys to attend the classes as well as their support staff. BUY IT NOW !

LEX PI   This is a personal injury case management and document assembly program.  It should be noted that I haven't seen this software in a few years and my review may no longer be valid.  It has some significant limitations, but is less much expensive than SAGA.  For New York users, LEXPI now integrates with e-Law.com.  The program appears to be an older 16 bit Windows application made to run with Windows 3.1, which unlike a 32 bit Windows application, does not work well with OLE (Object Linking & Embedding-click here for a short description of what OLE does) and does not permit the user to change the look and design of the program.  The program would have been very impressive at the time it was created.  While it certainly does a lot more than SAGA for DOS, it has some limitations I can't live with, which even SAGA for DOS does not have.  Additionally, it does not compare to SAGA for Windows.  With LexPI, it is difficult to create or modify existing template documents and users are encouraged by LexPI to use the template documents provided with the software.  The ability to use my own templates is an absolute must!  Additionally, I found the document compilation process cumbersome.  I was told by someone that the program does not allow for more than one plaintiff in a case, although I was told this after I looked at the program and have not been able to verify this myself.  On the plus side, it is inexpensive and an impressive package for it's price.  The problem is that since the personal injury case management software I use is one of the most important aspects of my law office, I need the best software available, and price is therefore simply not an issue.  Even the salesman stated that SAGA is better, but alleged that SAGA wasn't available.

De Novo CaseMgr - Not yet reviewed.

TrialWorks - Not yet reviewed.

Practice Information Case Assistant - Not yet reviewed.

Needles Case Management Software - Not yet reviewed.

Legal Med Ware (Stedman's Legal Med Ware) is a Medical Legal Case Management, Litigation Software product especially designed for Medical Legal Chronologies and Graphic Timelines with the time saving addition of a Comprehensive Stedman's Medical Database for easy lookup/ interpretation of medical terms, ICD 9 codes, abbreviations and drugs.  Not yet reviewed.

Lawyers Diary & Manual   In a single, convenient edition - the most comprehensive, reliable, trusted reference for legal professionals.  For more than 100 years, the Lawyers Diary and Manual has been one of the most widely used sources of vital day-to-day information for attorneys and their office staffs.  Researchers check not only the diverse public sources of information, they also telephone to verify names, telephone and fax numbers, addresses, filing fees, surcharges, court terms, motion schedules, and much more...so you will have the most reliable information at your fingertips.  Think how often you or your assistant dial information to get a phone number, and then call that number to ask for the fax number. Or how frequently someone has to stop and try to find a judge’s or court official’s first name so a proper letter can be sent. Those minutes add up - hours spent month by month. And they cost you money.  With the Lawyers Diary and Manual within reach, an attorney in a typical law firm will save a minimum of 9-1/2 hours per year in lookup time. Multiply that by your hourly rate. More than $1,000 - maybe $2,000- right? You’ll save those hours - and that money - by investing about $1 per week in this indispensable reference.  This statement was copied from their web site.  I use the computer software version and agree 100%.  I use it all the time to look up phone numbers, addresses and other information.  In fact, I used it 5 minutes before writing this.  It's a necessity and well worth the price.  BUY IT NOW !

TimeMap  -  I have always wanted software that can easily create a professional looking time line!  I create time lines of medical treatment whenever I mediate or arbitrate a case.  The judges always want to know what treatment was received and when.  In the past I did a timeline on WordPerfect and included it in my mediation and arbitration binders, but I wanted software that made it easier to create and more professional looking.  I also wanted a more professional looking chart that can be used as a large exhibit.  Making timelines on WordPerfect, has been a huge help at mediations and arbitrations.   Now, I can do it easier and better.  Besides, medical treatment history timelines, TimeMap can also be used to create time lines to visualize an accident sequence or case history and more.   TimeMap makes it a cinch to create chronology visuals -- the kinds with fact boxes floating over a horizontal time scale.  See also, CaseMap below.  Call Jenee at 904-273-5000 ext. 247 and tell her that HURT911® referred you.  BUY IT NOW !

CaseMap  -  Casesoft, the makers of TimeMap also make CaseMap which makes it easy to organize and explore the facts, characters and issues of a case.  CaseMap is integrated with TimeMap so the facts can be instantly charted on a time line.  According to Casesoft, all 93 UNITED STATES ATTORNEYS' OFFICES ARE STANDARDIZING ON CASEMAP AND TIMEMAP.  The USAO has purchased 15,000 CaseMap/TimeMap license sets.  Many other divisions of the US DOJ have also procured Enterprise Licenses, e.g., the Antitrust Division, the ENRD, and the Tax Division.  Order your free demo of TimeMap today and let me know what you think.  Call Jenee at 904-273-5000 ext. 247 and tell her that HURT911® referred you.  BUY IT NOW !

Learn How To Track Litigation Documents for less than $30 - Integrate this system with TimeMap & CaseMap.

Quicken Medical Expense Manager (from Quicken/Intuit) makes it easy to track health care expenses for your client (and whole family). Create a medical history for each individual, manage medical bills, prescription costs and payments so you don't overpay, find medical tax deductions and tax tips, and manage disputes — all in one place.  Your clients can use this software to print out a report for your office.  Not yet reviewed, but it's from Intuit, so it has to be easy to use.

OBJECTION! The Evidence Games  -  The incredibly entertaining and seriously educational evidence games for attorneys & the public aspiring to be attorneys, by Transmedia. Although it's meant for attorneys, it's easy for non-attorneys to understand and real easy to use.  If you like Court TV, you'll love OBJECTION! Better trial experience than a trial!! The Objection! series also provides CLE credits for attorneys. There are 4 games available:  1) Objection! simulates a criminal trial. Beverly Hills heiress Sandra Stiff has been murdered and it is your job to keep your client out of the gas chamber by quickly recognizing objectionable questions and the basis for your objection. 2) Civil Objection! Autoneg is the same type of simulation as Objection! but with a civil twist. Your client has been injured in a nasty auto accident and you must use all of your trial skills to get her the best possible jury verdict. 3) Civil Objection! SlipFall is also a civil case where your client can't seem to go anywhere without slipping, sliding or falling. It's your job to get her the best possible settlement to ease her pain and suffering. Expert Witness! is also a trial simulation that enhances the quick recognition of objectionable statements, but it mainly focuses on the issues and procedures of expert witness testimony most critical to successful direct and cross examination. These games are fantastic and they will send anyone a FREE version that is also fantastic (after you get hooked, you can buy the full version, which is inexpensive). You act as an attorney and must decide when to object and on what grounds. If you're wrong (or right), the game will explain the law of evidence on the point. You get graded by giving the right answer and the amount of time you took to answer. If you take too long, the judge starts tapping on his watch. This is a fun, entertaining & educational game for attorneys and especially for all those aspiring attorneys who like to watch The practice or Court TV. BUY IT !

Primal Pictures  - Software that specializes in 3-D computer graphics of human anatomy with color graphics that are remarkable for their clarity and precision.  I just received the Interactive Knee which is absolutely amazing.  It shows the knee at various depths in various types of images such as 3d Model Mode; Topic Mode with views for Anatomy, Surgery, Biomechanics & Radiology; and MRI Mode.  There are movies such as one which shows a doctor conducting a McMurray's test. The view or movie is on the left side of the screen with corresponding text on the subject, on the right. Everything is interactive and changes to correlate with the word you click on. This is a fabulous program for the medical profession or the personal injury attorney. While it would be interesting for a lay person with a knee injury, it is easier to use with a basic understanding of the knee and would require the lay person to spend some time learning. I highly recommend this software.  Primal Pictures, Ltd can be reached at 1-800-716-2475. BUY IT !

Jury Verdict Research Case Evaluation Software and Basic Settlement Module by LRP Publications - JVR will perform a jury verdict evaluation or settlement evaluation on their software for a substantial fee of almost $200.  Alternatively, you can lease the same software from JVR for approximately $940/year + $15 shipping that will provide the same evaluations for an unlimited number of times for one year. A 10 day demo is available from JVR.  I have tried the software in 3 versions, the last being in February 2001.  While the software is very interesting, a great idea, and easy to use, I have found that it consistently provides verdict values at approximately 50% of the amounts I obtain in settlements of cases in New York. Anyone in New York State or any state in which doctors do not provide Whole Body Impairment Ratings should be aware that there is an additional problem both with the software and the call in evaluation which is that a Whole Body Impairment Rating is needed by the software and New York State does not use Whole Body Impairment Ratings.  Without inputting a Whole Body Impairment Rating, the evaluation will be even lower and unrealistic. Additionally, the software does not discern enough information to provide a realistic value. Admittedly, it would be very difficult to discern all variants in a case, since not all information is always reported by attorneys.  Instead of using software or ordering a case evaluation, you could consider ordering copies of actual verdicts. While JVR tracks verdicts nationally, I order NYS verdicts from The New York Jury Verdict Reporter by Moran Publishing at 631-581-1930.  You can find a Jury Verdict Reporter for your state at The National Association of State Jury Verdict Publishers (NASJVP)

Accident Reconstruction Software

Opening/Closing Statement Emotional Evaluation - MultiSensory Technology Corporation is developing a software engine that can automatically extract and rank over 140 unique emotions from plain text! - Paste your opening/closing statements into our website - MultiSensit will report its findings for you in seconds - Improve your choice of words and persuasion techniques Try it out for FREE!  Not yet reviewed.

LEGAL SERVICES

MedLegal Research Group   - Do you have a case where the value of the injuries exceed the policy limit?  FIND UNKNOWN EXCESS LIABILITY INSURANCE POLICES!  The MedLegal Research Group specializes in tracing defendant's liability insurance policies. Their specialized investigative service is provided on a no-find no-fee basis to plaintiff's attorneys nationwide.  This is probably the most important service for your practice.  In fact, once their service becomes widely known, it could be malpractice not to use it.  You can call Justin Clapick there at 1-800-253-9022, tell him you were referred by HURT911®.  USE IT NOW !

Accurint   - Need to find a defendant, witness or even your client?  Need to do an asset search?  Instantly find a person, all current and prior addresses, assets, SS#, telephone numbers, relatives, in-laws, associates, neighbors and more!  It's amazing and at only $0.25 per search to locate a person or $4.50 for a comprehensive search, with no minimums and no monthly fees, you can't afford not to use it.  (Available only to attorneys, insurance companies, collection agencies, and other authorized users.)  Click here to send an email with your name and telephone number now and get a free trial USE IT NOW !

SmartJURY   - To help litigators assess each potential juror's fit with a case, SmartJURY provides public record background information on potential jurors. Available through your Accurint account at a cost of $10 per report, for each juror including:
  - Criminal records
  - Bankruptcies
  - Business affiliations
  - Political party affiliation
  - Professional licenses
  - Property ownership
  - Vehicle, boat, and airplane ownership
  - Driver's license information
  - Internet domains
  - UCC filings
  - AKAs
  - Neighborhood information (including median income, average age and years of education, and median home value)

Click here to send an email to SmartJury with your name and telephone number for more info or to sign up.

Lido.com   Lido.com has thousands of stock medical illustrations at a very low cost.  Even better, order a custom illustration from Charles Boyter, Certified Medical Illustrator at very reasonable prices.  You can call Charles Boyter for a custom medical illustration at 404-874-6233 email: cbmedart@mindspring.com.  I have ordered custom medical illustrations from Charles Boyter and can say they paid for themselves 100x.  Using a custom medical illustration from Charles Boyter, Allstate paid a $25,000 policy limit for a fractured fifth finger, before depositions.  Illustrations are great for settlement negotiations and an absolute must at trial.  BUY IT NOW!

REQwired.com   Too busy to figure out how many continuing education credits you need? And by when? CLE is too confusing!  Try to keep track of last year's carryover credits and it gets even more confusing.  REQwired provides CLE credit tracking, including carryover credits, for attorneys and also allows firms to monitor the CLE compliance status of all the firm's attorneys.  USE IT NOW!

Lawyer's Professional Liability Insurance - An ABA site tells you every malpractice carrier who writes policies in your state and offers a point-by-point comparison of what they offer.

Spanish Medical Translations - Translations of medical and pharmaceutical materials between Spanish and English languages by medical doctors, registered nurses and other professionals.

YouDictate.com - Cyber Secretaries is an Internet-based transcription service available around the clock and around the world, from any telephone.   Your dictation is transcribed, proofread and sent back (via email) to your computer - often in less time than an on-site staff is able to provide.  Free trial offer.

TheLaw.net - Your personal library that provides access for all your research to Federal and state statutes, judicial and administrative rules and forms, the CFR, Federal Register, state administrative codes, nearly 200 major-metropolitan newspapers, the nation's top columnists, bill-tracking tools and much, much more. If you don't have a flat fee with West Law or Lexis, using TheLaw.net can save you money. If you can't find something they will find it for you. If you don't know how to do something, they will teach you. They claim no one in this market space outperforms TheLaw.net when it comes to customer service.  If you don't have a flat fee with West Law or Lexis BUY IT NOW!!

LEGAL PRODUCTS

3DDiaries      The Daily Disability Diary monitoring system is used by persons injured in accidents to keep track of their injuries, activities, sleep patterns, pain, out-of-pocket expenses, doctor visits, etc.  This information is useful for both reporting their physical condition to doctors and to present evidence of daily life and damages for Personal Injury lawsuits or Worker's Compensation claims.  Available in English or Spanish.  Copies are available for sale to individuals or at discount for volume purchases to attorneys.  Get higher settlements using 3DDiaries. BUY IT NOW !

CLE

Up to six hours of General credit based on the top-selling book "The Lawyer's Guide to Fact Finding on the Internet" is now available online (streaming video)  Mixing narrative descriptions with an easy-to-use template presentation, the American Bar Association's "The Lawyer's Guide to Fact Finding on the Internet" introduces you to hundreds of useful, free resources on the web to locate factual information.

One hour of free CLE credit - Available for Arizona, Missouri, New York, Virginia from LawLine.com

LEGAL SERVICES NEW YORK STATE

e-LAW.com    E-LAW^® is a full featured internet web site that allows attorneys, their clients, pro se (people representing themselves) parties, and other interested members of the public to search, manage and monitor active cases, dockets and court calendars in New York Supreme and Civil Courts, Federal Courts and, in New York County you can search the County Clerk File.  E-LAW^® users are able to locate cases of interest, register them for future e-mail alerts of important court dates, decisions, orders and notices; view individual IAS dockets, and retrieve copies of any filed court documents from anywhere at any time.  E-LAW^® will automatically populate your Microsoft Outlook® Calendar or Case Management Software.  Membership is FREE NOW and FOREVER. IT'S FREE, REALLY !  Automatic email notification is available for a nominal fee and you can add other email addresses to your notification list!  I use the automatic email notification for a small flat fee per case. Since it's a case expense, you can even charge it to the case.  Don't let your case be dismissed, use the automatic email notification on all your cases and you'll never miss a court appearance!  Monitor cases you referred out!  USE IT NOW !

New York Appearances

All NYS Counties: PerDiemServices.com (718) 886-2886 Per Diem Services provides next-day temporary attorneys to handle your conferences, depositions, and other court appearances in any in New York State.  With more than 150 experienced attorneys available at a day's notice, we are the most effective resource for managing your daily court calendar.

Brooklyn, Bronx & Queens:  EdMarion.com   I have used Ed many times and his service is great.  I trust him with my best cases. 

Nassau & Suffolk County:  Ilene H. Cohen 516-621-6689 (Office)  516-335-3332(Beeper).   I have used Ilene many times and her service is great.  I trust her with my best cases. 

    OFFICE EQUIPMENT & PRODUCTS (Links to the best prices I could find)

Canon Copiers - Quality Business Machines - Save thousands when you buy a relatively new repossessed or off lease Canon copy machine or fax machine and save even more with service contracts at 20% off from Quality Business Machines Tel.: 1-800-409-8423.  I saved $5,000 buying a 6 month old Canon copier that was repossessed and had only 6,000 copies on the meter. That's my machine in the picture.  BUY IT NOW !

Office1000 - Find what you need for less at Office1000!

PriceGrabber - Find what you need for less at PriceGrabber!

Electric Letter Openers: For small to medium offices:  Premier Electric Letter Opener  For large offices: Premier Automatic Letter Opener.

Electric Letter Folders:  For individual letters or heavy volume:  Premier Letter Folders by Martin Yale at office1000 (save 30% over other retailers, even on the internet).

Electric Laminator:  Laminate medical illustrations and important pages in mediation and arbitration  binders with this Royal PL2000.  Don't use binders?  You should!  I use very professional looking binders and will soon have a link here to buy them.

Electric Staplers:  

Swingline 5000 Electric Cartridge Stapler $79.99, staples 20 sheets of 20lb paper, holds 5,000 staples.

Swingline 690e Electric Cartridge Stapler $129.99, staples 30 sheets of 20lb paper, holds 5,000 staples.  

Swingline 270 Heavy-Duty Electric Stapler staples 70 sheets of 20lb paper, holds 5,000 staples.  

Chairs:  Want to get your money's worth from your staff?  Let them be comfortable!

HermanMiller Aeron Chairs® - Combining distinctive looks with pioneering ergonomics, Aeron performs like no other chair. It adapts naturally and adjusts precisely to fit people of all sizes and postures doing all kinds of activities. Its imaginative design gives superior comfort and body support all day long (description on Herman Miller website).  This chair is used in most of the television production studios, I have seen, where people have to sit for long hours.  I bought the Highly Adjustable chair at Costco for $600 and it's very adjustable, comfortable and durable.  I have also seen the chair for sale on the internet for $599 with free shipping.  The only complaint I have is that it should come with a second back support which can easily be added on, since it is a reversible support and designed to just slide on and off.  It can probably be purchased from HermanMiller inexpensively.

Herman Miller Aeron Chair - Highly Adjustable Model $799

Herman Miller Aeron Chair - Highly Adjustable Model floor sample $699

Herman Miller Aeron Chair - Basic Model $599

Read about the Aeron chair at Herman Miller 

Neutral Posture Ergonomics' model 9000 series  This chair is excellent for working at a desk either at the office or at home for anyone who wants maximum comfort and back support. It is a must for anyone with a bad back or just wants to avoid getting one from sitting improperly.  It is adjustable in every direction imaginable, and then in even more directions, and has an inflatable lumbar support. Available in a large variety of fabrics & leathers, we recommend ordering the chair with either fabric or leather on the top of the adjustable arms for added comfort and looks. The chair is extremely well made for a lifetime of use and comes with a limited lifetime warranty from the manufacturer, Neutral Posture Ergonomics Inc., which is a publicly traded company. You can not find a chair this well made at the average store. I tried out many chairs and having found this chair to be the most unbelievably comfortable and supportive, I bought the model 9700 for myself!

BUSINESS & GENERAL SOFTWARE  (Some of my favorite software is listed here & some are FREE!)

Dragon Naturally Speaking   Dragon NaturallySpeaking voice recognition software is absolutely amazing!  Dragon was the first company (in the late 1970's) to start producing dictation software.  Simply put on a headset and type by dictating at up to 160 words per minute.  After a lot of training with the last version I used (version 5), Dragon's accuracy was flawless with medical terminology (great for typing injury paragraphs in a Bill of Particulars) and very good with other dictation.  I just obtained a copy of Dragon NaturallySpeaking version 8 Professional.  Version 8 is a substantial improvement over previous versions, which I thought were no less than amazing.  There are many new improvements in version 8, including automatic punctuation, however, the most noticeable difference between version 8 and earlier versions is that the software has substantially improved accuracy, almost flawlessly accurate, and that was right out-of-the-box after only five minutes of training.  I have even found a Dragon NaturallySpeaking version 8 frequently types the correct words, even when I use poor pronunciation while speaking in the microphone.  My installation of version 8 was a new installation and not an upgrade, so the training files from my earlier versions (3, 4 & 5) were not included in this new installation and I don't see that I need them.  Another fabulous improvement, for personal injury lawyers, is that medical terminology is already loaded in the program, and so far has not required any training, which was required for earlier versions. 

Dragon will not work well unless you have a good sound card or use a USB headset, so if you've heard from someone else that Dragon NaturallySpeaking doesn't work well, it's because they were using a cheap soundcard.  I've had several lawyers tell me that Dragon doesn't work well, however, in every case, I found that the sound card, they were using was a cheap soundcard.  Dragon comes with an "entry level" headset that is not USB which means that your sound card becomes an important factor.  Using a USB headset bypasses the soundcard, so it doesn't matter, what kind of soundcard, you have.  If you really don't want to use a USB headset, the soundcard I recommend would be a Creative Sound Blaster.  The only suggestion I have for ScanSoft, the makers of Dragon NaturallySpeaking, is that the product should be shipped with a USB headset.  I bought the vxi Parrott Talk Pro USB headset.  Dragon tech support now uses the NC-7100 USB Headset from Andrea Electronics.  Bypassing the sound card and using a USB headset is the easiest way to insure that you get the best sound connection.  To type this paragraph, I used Dragon NaturallySpeaking 8 with a Parrott Talk Pro USB headset on a computer I built myself, using Windows XP with Service Pack 2 on an AMD Athlon 2200+ 1.80 GHz. processor with 1 GB of RAM.

Installation Tip:  When installing Dragon NaturallySpeaking version 8, note that the instructions tell you to close any virus checking software prior to installation.  Make sure that after closing or virus checking software, you press the "Control, Alt & Delete" keys to open Windows task manager; then click on the Processes tab and look for another file, belonging to your virus checking software and click on End Process for that file.  For instance, the virus software that I use, AVG from Grisoft will leave behind a file called avgserv.exe after closing, the virus program.

From now on, I will be using Dragon for the rest of my web site, typing e-mails, letters and documents.  Dragon NaturallySpeaking is no longer optional software, if you want to be competitive or simply reduce office overhead.  Even if you're retiring, you can use Dragon to type all the e-mails you will be sending to your friends and grandchildren.  At prices starting on the internet at $155.72, you absolutely must buy Dragon NaturallySpeaking 8.  If you already own a previous version of Dragon NaturallySpeaking, you can buy an upgrade to version 8 for even less.  Dragon is easy to install and you can learn how to use it in minutes.  Dragon NaturallySpeaking and IBM ViaVoice Gold are now both owned by ScanSoft.  When considering which voice recognition software to buy, my choice is Dragon NaturallySpeaking.  BUY BOTH THE PARROT TALK PRO USB HEADSET & DRAGON, NOW!

Quicken Home & Business, QuickBooks or QuickBooks Professional Services (for law firms)  - Both Quicken and Quickbooks have been two of my all time favorites.  I use Quicken for my personal checking account, business checking account and escrow account.  Using Quicken for my escrow account allows me to know where every penny is.  Get Quicken Premier to track your stocks, mutual funds and bonds.  Get Quicken Premier Home and Business to manage both your personal and business accounts.  Quicken categorizes all of my expenses for tax purposes and the reports it produces saves me approximately $2,400 a year in accounting fees.  QuickBooks Premier is the software I use to run 1-800-HURT-911, Inc. and you should use it to run your business.  QuickBooks can be used to invoice customers by mail and e-mail.  I really like to send invoices by both mail and e-mail.  So you don't have to remember, you can set QuickBooks to automatically create invoices for customers or clients who you bill every month for the same amount.  QuickBooks will track payments and outstanding bills, do payroll and 1099's.  Since most payments to lawyers require that you file a 1099, this feature is invaluable.  When you send referral payments to various lawyers QuickBooks will track those payments and compile 1099's for you. Quickbooks also saves me thousands of dollars in accounting fees.  I do not have to pay a bookkeeper to come here every month to do my books.  I simply print out a report with QuickBooks and e-mail it to my accountant.  If it makes you feel more secure, you can fax it to your accountant.  QuickBooks does not do any investment tracking.  With Quicken or Quickbooks, you can easily reconcile your escrow account in seconds, making sure you won't get disbarred for sloppy bookkeeping! (A lawyer in Nassau County was actually disbarred and confirmed on appeal for bouncing an escrow check due to sloppy bookkeeping, even though he had replaced the missing money!)  BUY IT NOW!

Undelete / SecureDelete   - Undelete™ recovers deleted files instantly, no matter where across the network they were deleted from. Undelete safely replaces the Windows^® recycle bin with a Recovery Bin, which captures all deleted files, even the ones that typically bypass the recycle bin. You can even recover files you purged from the Recovery Bin or files deleted prior to installing Undelete.  Includes SecureDelete™.which deletes files permanently, so sensitive or confidential data doesn't get into the wrong hands.  BUY IT NOW!

Diskeeper   - Do you feel like your computer has slowed down and/or is misbehaving?  I don't know anyone who defrags their hard drive, but you should!  Although you can operate your computer without Diskeeper, this software is crucial for reliable operation and optimum performance of your computer.  Each time you use your computer, files are broken up and scattered all over your hard drive.  It then takes your computer more time to locate all the parts on your hard drive when you open a program or document.  Windows has a Disk Defragmenter (go to All Programs; Accessories; System Tools), that is made to put all the parts back together again in one spot on the hard drive, but it is very slow, painfully slow in Windows XP.  You should defrag your computer at least once a week.  Executive Software makes the Disk Defragmenter for Windows, but they also make Diskeeper which is much faster and better  than the free one in Windows.  Diskeeper will make your computer faster and more reliable, reducing tech support for computer problems.  Diskeeper has a "set it & forget it" mode which will save you time by working in the background so you don't have to run it.  I use Diskeeper in my computers and I love it.  I used to defrag my computers every Friday and now I never even think about it!  BUY IT NOW!

Email Back Up    - Do you have email that's important to you?  If you have a back up system, I'll bet it doesn't back up your email!   With Express Assist, you can easily backup and restore (from Outlook Express) all, or a selected list, of your mail folders (including all attachments) rules, account settings, signatures, mail options, block list, and a lot more as a compressed, backup file.  Outlook users can use Outback Plus and Eudora users can use BackDora.  This is a great little program.  The only reason I did not give it 5 gavels is because you can change the folder where Outlook express saves the e-mail files and back up that folder using your regular backup software.  In Outlook Express just click on Tools, Options, and Maintenance.  In the Maintenance window click on Store Folder.  Outlook is probably very similar.  Note: I recommend that you check to make sure that you are backing up your e-mail files along with your other important files.  BUY IT NOW!  

Hard Drive / File Back Up   - Do you back up your hard drive every day?  You know you should!  I have been using batch files to backup my hard drive for various programs and directories I want to back up.  I wrote the following instruction for each directory that I wanted to back up: "xcopy c:\quicken\*.* f:\friday\quicken\ /d/e/y" (without the quote marks).  This backs up only those files which are new or have been changed, and works quite well except that I have to remember to do it everyday.  I haven't used a backup program to back up my hard drive because the ones I have seen use a proprietary compression scheme, which I do not like.  Abacre makes a nice backup utility which can maintain your files as is or compress them into a nonproprietary zip archive.  The Abacre  backup utility is very reasonably priced at $34.99 for an individual computer and only $599.99 for a site license for all the computers in your office.  Tip: Don't forget to rename your Outlook or Outlook Express e-mail folder and use Abacre to back up this folder with your other important files.  BUY IT NOW!

Spam Inspector   - This software sends those extremely annoying spam emails to your deleted files folder.  The software can be installed without any computer knowledge and is just as easy to use.  In fact, you don't use it much, because it works in the background every time you download email. There is an extremely simple 4 step set-up when you run your email program the first time.  There are five spam aggressiveness levels to choose from and the software suggests a default level which is the second most aggressive.  I chose the second least aggressive level because I want as few real emails as possible to end up in my deleted files folder.  You will need to check your deleted files folder in the beginning and mark any real emails as a friend.  I have only found one real email in the deleted files folder so far.  I love it!  BUY IT NOW!

AVG AntiVirus   - This is an excellent anti-virus software which you can download and use for FREE with FREE updates.  Whether you use AVG or another brand, you must use a virus program and you MUST update the program with the new virus signatures frequently.  If you install AVG, click on the AVG Control Center in the task bar and check "Use heuristics".  Checking heuristics will tell AVG to look for files that behave like a virus. On the Scheduler tab, I unchecked "Enable scheduled tests" which I do not need since it checks all incoming email.  I have been infected many times before using AVG and I've gotten quite good at eliminating viruses from my computer.  Since installing AVG, I haven't been infected.  I update 2-3 times a week, but recommend you update at least once a week.  USE IT NOW!

A Note About Spyware:  I recommend that you install all four of the software products below, SpywareBlaster, Microsoft Windows Anti-Spyware Beta, Lavasoft Adaware, and Spybot Search & Destroy.  These programs are just as important as anti-virus software because spyware can seriously slow down your computer, even disabling it.  A common method of installing spyware on your computer is by secretly bundling it with free software that you download from the Internet, such as from sites that offer music sharing, videos, games, screen savers, and some tool bars which are often paid to distribute the spyware as adware.  File sharing programs like Kazaa have spyware/adware built into the download.  Another common method is when you see a message saying you need to download ActiveX to view a website or email.  Some companies that offer anti-spyware software solutions also make spyware, so don't search for anti-spyware software on a search engine.  I recommend the three anti-spy ware programs listed below.  Be sure to update these programs before running them the first time and then again, at least once every one to four weeks.  If a lot of spyware programs were found on your computer; your browser doesn't allow you to visit web sites you want to see; or if your computer is running very slow, try running LavaSoft and Spybot Search and Destroy twice.

SpywareBlaster   - SpywareBlaster is freeware.  Spyware, adware, browser hijackers, and dialers are some of the fastest-growing threats to your computer today.  By simply browsing to a web page, you could find your computer to be the brand-new host of one of these unwanted fiends!  The most important step you can take is to secure your system.  SpywareBlaster prevents the installation of ActiveX-based spyware, adware, browser hijackers, dialers, and other potentially unwanted pests.  Block spyware/tracking cookies in Internet Explorer and Mozilla/Firefox.  Restrict the actions of potentially dangerous sites in Internet Explorer.  SpywareBlaster can help keep your system spyware-free and secure, without interfering with the "good side" of the web.  Unlike other programs, SpywareBlaster does not have to remain running in the background.  SpywareBlaster has successfully prevented most spy ware from being installed on my computer and I hardly ever have to check my computer for spy ware! With the free version, you have to check for updates, which you should do before running the first time and at least once every 1-4 weeks.  After obtaining be sure to click on enable protection for the new file download.  The paid version of SpywareBlaster will update automatically and is only $9.95.  Since no one remembers to update their software I highly recommend buying it.  BUY IT NOW!

Microsoft Anti-Spyware Beta    - This FREE software searches for and removes those pesky little programs known as spy-ware or data minors that are installed on your hard drive to report your internet browsing habits.

LAVASOFT Ad-aware   - This FREE software searches for and removes those pesky little programs known as spy-ware or data minors that are installed on your hard drive to report your internet browsing habits.  These little programs are usually installed when you visit a web site and also by pop-up windows.  (You should use Ad-aware together with Spybot Search & Destroy, which is listed below here).  Porn sites are the worst culprits, but you don't even need to visit a porn site to get one from a porn site!  and most commercial sites use them.  The problem with these small unwanted programs is that some are not well written and they can slow down your computer or even worse, prevent it from working properly.  Some computers which acted as if they were infected with a virus were found to be bogged down by 100 or more data minors and were cleared up after running Ad-aware.  If you haven't used Ad-aware before, you might have as many as 60 to 200 of these programs on your computer reporting what you do.  By the way, Pop-Up Stopper Professional (above) does a good job of preventing installation of most data minors, since it blocks pup-up windows.  I run Ad-aware once or twice a week to be sure my computer isn't slowed down.  You can get the free version of Ad-aware or you can buy the paid versions of Ad-aware which work in the background blocking the installation of data minors, before they can be installed, so you don't have to run it.  Make your life easy and get Ad-aware Plus or Ad-aware Professional.  USE IT NOW!

Spybot Search & Destroy    - This FREE software searches for and removes those pesky little programs known as spy-ware or data minors that are installed on your hard drive to report your internet browsing habits.  These little programs are usually installed when you visit a web site and also by pop-up windows.  (You should use Spybot Search & Destroy together with Ad-aware, which is listed above here).  The problem with these small unwanted programs is that some are not well written and they can slow down your computer or even worse, prevent it from working properly.   Spybot Search & Destroy is entirely free and also has an "immunize" feature that blocks hundreds of "spybots" before they can be installed.  USE IT NOW!

Picture Viewer   - IrfanView is a very simple to use yet powerful, fast, small, compact and innovative FREEWARE graphic viewer for Windows 9x/ME/NT/2000/XP. It has multiple (animated) GIF support, multipage TIFF support, and multiple ICO support.  If you can't download from their site, click here or click here  USE IT NOW!  

WeatherBug   - WeatherBug gives you your own personal weather station with current weather conditions, forecast, and storm alerts, both locally and anywhere else in the country.  You simply can’t get this anywhere else. With their weather software, you’ll have the biggest weather network in the world, at your fingertips.  Is WeatherBug spyware?  WeatherBug says NO.  After reading a lot about it, I still don't know.  LAVASOFT Ad-aware says it is, however, they have a WeatherBug ignore choice you can click on.  I don't like the idea of spyware, however, WeatherBug is so good, that I don't care (temperature readings are much more accurate than the free US gov software because WeatherBug has local weather sensors, while the US has sensors at the airport).  If it really bothers you, you can pay a small fee for WeatherBug without advertising.  You can set Ad-aware to ignore WeatherBug.  It’s FREE!  USE IT NOW!

Microsoft PowerToys for Windows XP   - PowerToys add fun and functionality to the Windows experience.  I like Tweak UI which can do nice tricks like allowing automatically entering your password when starting your computer (assuming office security isn't an issue).  I also like Virtual Desktop Manager which allows a user to have up to four different desktops, while All Programs, the Task Bar, Tray and IE6 Favorites remain the same.  Power Calculator is a nice sophisticated scientific calculator with graphing. Alt Tab Replacement is nice, but slow, so I do not recommend it.  These are for Windows XP only.  Be sure to read the notes before installing.  This software is provided by Microsoft for FREE, but they do not support it.  USE IT NOW!

TightVNC   - Does tech support have trouble gaining access to your computer with PCAnywhere^® because you have a firewall?  If yes, then you will like TightVNC.  TightVNC is a FREE remote control software package. With TightVNC, you can see the desktop of a remote machine and control it with your local mouse and keyboard from anywhere, provided that your machine is connected to the Internet, just like you would do it sitting in the front of that computer (If you have a firewall, someone on the inside of the firewall must initiate the contact).  Unlike PCAnywhere^®, TightVNC will work when you have a firewall, without having to forward a port in your firewall.  If you have a firewall and a person, such as tech support, needs to be in control of your computer, you will initiate the contact rather than the outside party initiating the contact.  All you need is the remote's IP address.  PCAnywhere^® is unable to do this.  Do you want to be able to control your computer from any other computer outside your office?  If you're behind a firewall, have your IT person forward your ports and you can access your computer either through a web browser or by using a TightVNC viewer file.  Additionally, TightVNC doesn't make major changes to your operating system.  VNC (an abbreviation for Virtual Network Computing) is a great client/server software package allowing remote network access to graphical desktops.  USE IT NOW!

Startup Control Panel  Not yet evaluated, but looks interesting.  A safe GUI (the look of a program instead of the code) interface for editing several Registry keys that gives you a quick and easy way to manage the programs that run at startup (and kill those that aren't necessary). 

    PRACTICE TIPS 

  Check out all the products and services at The Best Legal Products, Services & Software for Attorneys & the Public

  Send mail over night for the cost of one stamp.  Just print bar codes in the address on your envelopes and use a postage meter. Every word processing program can print barcodes.  What is a barcode?  The US Post Office uses a postnet barcode to automatically speed delivery of mail by machine without using humans.  If you send mail without a postnet barcode, the USPO will manually sort your mail and send it to a barcoder to print the barcode on your mail.  This extra step delays your mail by one day.  Want your mail to go as fast as possible?  Use the 5+4 digit zip code with your bar code.  If you regularly send mail to someone, such as a client, doctor or insurance carrier, look up the 5+4 digit zip code and enter it in your personal injury software database.  I routinely find that mail sent at 5:00pm from Long Island, is delivered in NYC the next day.  Q: What slows down mail?  A: Hand writing an address; using a stamp; not printing a bar code; not using the 5+4 digit zip code.  Q:  How do I print bar codes?  A: In your word processing program, go to the print envelopes screen and choose to print Postnet Bar Code.  Microsoft Word:  Go to Tools; Envelopes and Labels; Options; click on the white box at Delivery point barcode; click on OK.  Word Perfect:  Go to Format; Envelope; and just above the Mailing Address box, click on the middle icon showing a bar code; the  Postnet Bar Code screen will pop up; click on the Position you want (I use Position bar code below address);  then click OK.  

  BACK UP ALL YOUR DATA!  This can avoid foreclosures and the desire to kill yourself.  Don't forget to keep additional copies off premises.  Don't leave your only backup copy in your drive. If your computer is stolen, your data goes with it.  If your only copy is in the office and there is a fire, you will experience the desire to kill yourself.  I use a CDRW drive to back up.  See DVD/CD-RW Drive below.

  Customer Relations.  Successful doctors and lawyers do not have patients and clients.  They have customers.  You should treat every client like a customer and everyone else like a potential future customer.  That means taking your client's telephone call over all other calls and taking the time to talk to people who call even when they are not interesting.  For instance, if you advertise you are likely to receive calls like the one I just did.  I just received a Serious Injury Alert^sm on my Blackberry® on Saturday stating someone who called 1-800-HURT-911® had a serious injury two months ago.  The problem for me, he already had a lawyer who settled the case.  He wanted to get a second opinion because his lawyer had settled his case for $25,000 policy and wouldn't spend the time to talk to him.  I did, for 20 minutes, and I told him to make sure his lawyer got an affidavit of no other insurance from the owner and the driver.   He said if he or anyone he knows ever has an accident, he will call me.  While I never try to take a case from another lawyer, some of these people have referred their friends to me.  It's well worth the time spent.  How do you find the time?  Hire lawyers and paralegals to do the work and spend your time talking to your customers. 

Tips To Speed Up Your Computer or Does Your Computer Act Like There's Glue In It?

Use SpywareBlaster, Spybot, LavaSoft Ad-aware and Diskeeper (mentioned above under Business and General Software) weekly or buy these programs and they will work in the background so you don't have to run them.

Are you running old DOS programs in a window in Windows XP?  I have a couple of old DOS programs I just won't give up, however, when the DOS program is open in a window, it uses 100% of system resources and seriously slows down everything else in my computer.  How do you know if your computer is using 100% of system resources?  Press Ctrl, Alt & Delete once; Click on Processes and look at the bottom of the window where it says CPU Usage (give it 2-3 seconds to provide an accurate figure).  Solution: Right click the icon for the DOS program;  Left click Properties;  Left click the Misc tab;  Drag the Idle sensitivity bar all the way to the right;  Left click Apply;  and Left click ok.  You're done.

RealPlayer hogs system resources.  Disable RealPlayer from running on startup:  Run RealPlayer by clicking on All Programs; Accessories; Entertainment.  When RealPlayer is running, click on View;  Preferences; StartCenter Settings; uncheck Enable StartCenter; Click ok;  Click ok again.

You can disable other unneeded programs from starting at startup.  You can see all running processes by pressing Ctrl, Alt & Delete once; Click on Processes.  If you do not know what these processes are or if they are needed, you can find out at Task List Programs.

Other Computer Tips

Problem: Metadata in Word.  If you use compare or track changes in Word, the comments or redline changes will not go away unless you delete the comments or accept/reject redline changes.  Many lawyers only hide redline changes and comments by changing view, printing the final document and forgetting about them.  The next time a similar document is needed, the lawyer opens the previous document, changing the names, and e-mails it to opposing counsel as the first draft, forgetting that the changes and comments were only hidden in the previous document.  Opposing counsel can then easily see those changes.
Solution: See How to minimize metadata in Word 2002; How to minimize metadata in Word 2003 or you can use Payne Group metadata removal software

Problem: I have a window that is too far above my monitor screen and I don't know how to pull it down.

Solution:  Press the "alt" and "spacebar" keys at the same time and then press the "m" key and use the arrow keys to move the window down.

Problem: I have a file on my computer and don't know what kind of file it is.

Solution: The three letters in the file name to the right of the . are called the file extension.  The File Extension Source can tell you what kind of file it is.

Problem: WinXP has some problems such as giving Windows error messages, Explorer closing and opening, file folders blanking out and coming back, etc.

Solution: Run System File Checker (SFC):  Insert your WinXP system disk in the CD drive;  Click "start";  click "Run...";  then type sfc /scannow (notice the space between c and /); then click ok.  This may take a while to run, so do this when you can have your computer tied up for 15-30 minutes and do not interrupt this process after you start it.

Three Steps to Help Insure Your PC is Protected.  Microsoft provides three simple, basic, important steps to protect your computer that many people do not do or aren't even aware of. 

Automatically schedule your computer to synchronize its clock with official government time.  Right click on Time/Day/Date at the bottom right corner of your monitor screen;  Left click on Adjust Date/Time;  Left click on Internet Time; Left click to check the box "Automatically synchronize with an internet time server";  Left click on the arrow and select time.nist.gov;  Click here to see a picture of what the screen looks like.

I Want:   to be able to access my computer from any other computer, outside my office, just as if I were in front of my computer.

Solution:  If you have WinXP Pro, you can use Remote Desktop to control your computer, just as if you were there.  For instructions, check out "HOW TO'S Enabling Remote Desktop for Internet Use".

Problem: WinXP fails to shutdown or restarts upon shutdown.

Solution:

1) Upgrade to WinXP SP1 (Service Pack 1) (There were a number of restart bug fixes in SP1).  This link is to SP1a which does not include the Microsoft VM, which provides support for running Java programs, due to a lawsuit.  If you already have SP1, do not install SP1a.
2) Do you have Roxio EZ CD creator 5.0?  Some of the older versions of 5.0 exhibited this problem. The fix is to install the upgrades for Roxio 5.

3) Do you have an NVIDIA video card?  If yes, change the activation of the NVIDIA Driver Helper Service to manual (no one even knows why its there).  You must be logged in with Administrator Priveleges; Click on Control Panel; Administrative Tools; Services Shortcut; Double left click the NVIDIA Driver Helper Service; Click the stop button; In the startup type drop down list, change it from automatic to manual; Click apply; Click OK; Close all windows.

Problem:  Windows Update does not count up and updates do not appear.
Solution:

1. Windows update takes you to http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/en/default.asp.  Instead of using that path, add an "s" after the http: like https://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/en/default.asp (you can also click on this link)
2. Check to see if your computer date is correct.  Restart your computer; during post (early part of boot up) press the Delete key continuously until you see the BIOS screen.  The date should be listed at the top.  If your computer is out of date, correct it;  Choose exit saving changes.  If your date is correct, choose exit discarding changes and use the link above.

Problem:  Disk Cleanup hangs while scanning or compressing files (WinXP).
This fix stops the system from compressing the old files, which is the point where the hang occurs.
Solution:

1. Backup your registry first.
a. Click Start
b. Click Run
c. Type Regedit in the Run box and click ok
d. Click File
e. Click Export
f. Name the file such as: Registry Back Up click save in Start - Run 
g. In the Save in window at the top, choose Desktop or My Documents
h. Click Save
2. Type Regedit in Start - Run 
3. Click on the plus symbol next to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
4. Click on the plus symbol next to SOFTWARE
5. Click on the plus symbol next to Microsoft
6. Click on the plus symbol next to Windows
7. Click on the plus symbol next to CurrentVersion 
8. Click on the plus symbol next to Explorer 
9. Click on the plus symbol next to Volume Caches 
10. Open "Compress Old Files" folder 
11. Delete all files in this folder (not the folder on the left side, only the files on the right) right click the priority entry and select delete.
Right click the default value entry and click delete. This will leave the default value as "not set" and remove the priority entry.
12. Reboot 
13. Run Disk Cleanup 

Firefox & Internet Explorer Browser Tips

Go to a web site by just typing the name without typing http://www. and .com.  Just type the name of the web site, like HURT911 in the address bar of Internet Explorer and hold down the CTRL key while you press ENTER.  This automatically types in the "http://www." and the ".com" and only works with Internet Explorer.