Legal Commentary

What's that old expression, we only use 10% of any of our technology features? Seattle-based consultant (and former head of Microsoft's legal technology team) Steven Levy helps you better exploit your existing software in "Dig(ital) Gold," in the September issue of Law Technology News.

Much unfound "gold" lies within your existing time and billing and general ledger systems, he says. If you mine it, you can improve your organization's productivity. To do so doesn't require an engineering degree -- you can gather this data using ordinary Microsoft Excel spreadsheets and other tools your attorneys, IT staff, and finance professionals already understand and can manipulate, he says.

For example, you can analyze whether the business of your five highest-revenue clients is increasing or decreasing. If you examine these trends at least once a year, you may be able to ascertain underlying problems and resolve or mitigate them & before clients walk out the door.

Change Your Outlook: George Socha checked in to update us on Judge James Rosenbaum, who will be appearing Oct. 1 at the Colorado Association of Litigation Support Professional's eDiscovery Summit in Denver, as we reported yesterday in the LTN Daily Alert. Fellow Minnesotan Rosenbaum has retired from the bench, Socha notes, and is now affiliated with JAMS, and available as a meditator/arbitrator.