Class meets Wednesdays from 7 – 9:30 pm, 215 Sill Hall.

Prof. Sims will conduct a lecture and lab three consecutive weeks.  Every fourth week, Dr. Konnie Kustron will direct online sessions.

Jan. 7 - Introduction/Course Overview/Document Management

Readings: Text File Management: 390-403; Law Office Equipment & Technolgy: 420-431

Heckman, John, “Why Document Management?” Computer News for Law Firms, June 2003.   If you decide to print this article, print the PDF version for better results.  There is a link to it at the top of the html version of the article.

In class exercise - WORLDOX

Jan. 14 – Document Assembly Software – Part 1

Readings: Text: The Legal Team: 1-16

Eidelman, James and Maseo, Christopher,“27 Tips for a Successful Document Assembly Project,”Law Office Computing,” June/July 1996.  If you decide to print this article, set the page orientation to Landscape (File, Page Setup).

 Eidelman, James “When Document Automation Makes Sense”.  (Note: Link is case sensitive.)

 Lauritsen, Marc and Soudakof, Alan, “Unlocking the Power of Document Assembly,” Law Office Computing,” June/July 1999. 

 In class exercise: HotDocs 

Jan. 21 – Document Assembly Software - Part 2

Readings:  Text: Types of Law Practices; Management Principles 16-36

In class exercise:  HotDocs

January 28 – Dr. Kustron

February 4 – Law Firm Marketing & Web Sites

Readings:  Text: Marketing 126 – 142.

Editors of Law Office Computing, “5^th Annual Best Law Office Web Site Contest”, Law Office Computing, October/November 2003, p. 72.

Law Firm Web Site Statistics from LTRC 2002 Survey

In class exercise:  Creating a Web Site with Front Page. Questionnaire

Feb. 11 – Practice-Specific Software

In Class Exercise: Support 2004, BestCase

Feb. 18 – Timekeeping and, Billing and Accounting Software: Part 1

Midterm Exam (100 Points)

 In class exercise:  Timeslips Setup

Feb. 25 – No Class – Winter Break

Mar. 3 – Dr. Kustron

Mar. 10 – Timekeeping and, Billing and Accounting Software: Part 2

 Reading:  Text: Fee Agreements; Timekeeping and Expenses 195-229

 In class exercise:  Timeslips - Time and Expense Entry, Bill

Mar. 17 – Timekeeping and, Billing and Accounting Software: Part 3

Reading:  Text: 229-242; 249-250

In class exercise:  Timeslips - Time and Expense Entry and Bill (This lab is for the first 45 minutes of class for those who did not turn in the March 10 exercise, or want to do the exercise again. You may come in later if you have finished this exercise.)

In class exercise:  Billing Matters.  You will need a disk for backup.

Mar. 24 - Case/Practice Management Software: Part 1

Reading:  Text: Calendaring, Docket Control and Case Management 307-335

Calloway, Jim, “The Case for Case Management Software,” The Oklahoma Bar Journal, January 2002.  This article is available at.

Adkins, Andrew Z. III "Digging Deep into Case Management" Law Office Computing, December/January 2004.  This article will be handed out in class.

In class exercise:  Time Matters - Contacts and Cases

Time Matters Files

Mar. 31 – Dr. Kustron

Apr. 7 – Case/Practice Management Software: Part 2

Reading: 

Sims, Arita “Time Tracking with Time Matters” From Arita’s Desk, July 2002.

In class exercise:  Time Matters

Time Matters Files - March 24

Apr. 14 – Dr. Kustron

Apr. 21 – Final Exam

Answers to Midterm Exam