Networking online makes practicing law in rural America possible

From Donna Taylor, a county judge in rural Nebraska, in a report by the Washington Post’s Danielle Paquette (@DPAQreport):

There’s a great deal of need for young lawyers in rural communities. There’s plenty of work to go around. To a law school student who is trying to decide, ‘Should I leave the city for a small town?’ I’d say: Give it a try.

……

When I started in Neligh (population 1,569) , there were twelve lawyers. Now there are three. I want to see that change soon. The new debt forgiveness program should be a good drawing card. That wasn’t around when I was getting started — and it would have helped me tons.

http://goo.gl/kwOQd3

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Security and the infrastructure: Take the time to review your network

Whether your network is within your walls or someone else’s, take the time to review your security configurations

BY MARK BROPHYJULY 10, 2014

We all know that security is the hot topic in IT for 2014. Symantec’s Internet Security Threat Report shows a 62 percent increase in the number of data breaches in 2013 from 2012. Earlier this year Cisco released its quarterly survey, in which respondents were asked what they feared from the new security threats. Over 80 percent answered that they (IT) actually felt secure with the technology that they had in place. Unfortunately, that answer is contrary to what is really happening. Feeling secure is no substitute for staying alert. The IT department still needs to make sure that it is doing everything in its power to keep its infrastructure protected. If the antivirus isn’t working properly, one can’t fault the end user for getting a virus.

Going by the premise that it is better to be proactive than reactive, you can start by taking stock of your infrastructure and looking into what your issues are. Although many organizations may experience a sense of security with their fairly new infrastructure in place, others might still find themselves not properly configured to utilize their new technology to the fullest. One must keep in mind that even the latest security products cannot keep up with today’s threats. There is no magic black box to keep everyone safe.

http://www.insidecounsel.com/2014/07/10/security-and-the-infrastructure-take-the-time-to-r

Why You're Never Too Old to Become a Social Media Maven

Networking and business opportunities on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn appeal to all age groups.

Learning how to utilize social media is especially important for people starting a second career in midlife and retiring entrepreneurs.

You hear it so often that you assume it must be true: Young "digital natives" are far better than their older counterparts at using social media, both personally and as a job skill.

But in the real world of social media, people old enough to be grandparents are finding that the skills they have developed throughout their careers make them equally adept, and sometimes even savvier, than young people.

"I love social media," says Patti Shock, 72, who teaches online courses in hospitality management for Florida International University in Miami from her home in Las Vegas. "It helps me to keep in touch with people I lost touch with for decades. I meet new people. … I learn from it every day."

http://goo.gl/upVdQW

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How Facebook works for professional networking by lawyers

Yesterday morning I was meeting with about 25 lawyers from a good Southern California law firm. The topic of discussion was how to use today’s tools to network through the Internet for business development.

We covered a lot of ground in 90 minutes, but the topic which generated the most give and take was Facebook.

A few of the lawyers appreciated how Facebook could be used to enhance relationships with other lawyers, business professionals, and referral sources.

http://goo.gl/mpc8Wu

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FindLaw's Legal Technology Center

Legal Technology

On May 10, FindLaw re-launched the Legal Technology Center, a comprehensive collection of news and practical resources relating to law and technology issues like electronic discovery, mobile, social media, software and more.

FindLaw's Legal Technology Center provides a wealth of free resources designed for solo and small law firms on law technology topics such as Electronic Discovery, Law Office Hardware, Legal Practice Software, Mobile, Networking, Data Storage, and Modern Law Practice. Making technology decisions for a solo or small law firm requires careful attention to technical and practical details. Whether you are a solo practitioner, or need to provide technical office support to many lawyers, FindLaw can help you make successful technology decisions.

http://technology.findlaw.com/