August’s Best of the Blogs

• 7 Ways To Stay Sharp In SmallLaw from Above the Law
• 4 Annoying Microsoft Word Features You Should Turn Off from Lawyerist
• You’ve been charging your smartphone wrong from Business Insider
• iPad tip: external keyboard text selection commands from iPhone J.D.
• For more tips, check out Reba’s Tips of the Week

• Galaxy Note 7 from Techno Buffalo
• 4 portable chargers for your Apple Watch from MacWorld
• Solartab solar charger for iPhone or iPad from iPhone J.D.
• Best Video Conferencing Platforms for Lawyers from Technologist

Jeff Bennion, Above the Law
Windows 10 came out about a year ago. Today, it gets its biggest update yet, described by Microsoft as the “Anniversary update.” The anniversary update contains a number of things: an update to Cortana, an update to Microsoft Edge, some security updates, a Skype update, and the introduction of Windows Ink. Read more.

Jonathan Tung, Technologist
Most people, including lawyers, are at least broadly aware that whenever a document is created, something exists behind the scenes that tracks information related to the creation, editing, and general handling of the document. That “something” is called metadata, and although it’s wonderful for engineers and accountants, it can be hell for attorneys. Read more.

Lisa Needham, Lawyerist
Communicating with your clients without that end-to-end encryption does expose them to more risk that their messages or identity can be compromised. The ABA issued an ethics opinion saying that if there was a significant risk a third party might gain access to your client’s email communications, you have a duty to warn your client about that risk. Read more.

Stephen Fairley, The Rainmaker Blog
Is everyone who calls your law firm ready to hire you right away? If someone downloads a free report from your website, does that mean they are ready to commit to hiring you? Not likely. In fact, research shows that more than half of leads are not ready to buy at the time of first contact. Read more.

Cari Twitchell, Lawyerist
By and large, lawyers fall into two camps: those who won’t admit their writing needs help, and those who don’t realize it. Set aside your ego. It’s time for some introspection and, hopefully, action. Read more.

David Ward, Attorney Marketing Center
Call it whatever you like — elite, exclusive, gold package, platinum package, diamond package, deluxe package, or anything else that suggests a higher level of service and value. Or don’t give it a name at all. But do create a deluxe version of your services and offer it to your clients. Read more.

Americanbar.org
The American Bar Association has announced plans to provide access to a suite of services called ABA Blueprint, specifically designed to help solo and small firm lawyers manage the complexities of their legal practices. Read more.

Podcast, Lawyerist
This week, Sam talks with solo practitioner Randall Ryder about what it is like to go out on your own when you have no safety net. Read and listen here.

Randall Ryder, Lawyerist
Depending on your personality, your business skills, and your legal skills, here are some ways to decide whether to take on a partner. Read more.