I read an article online the other day and liked it so much that I wanted to compliment the lawyer who wrote it on a great job. While the article was posted on a law firm's website, the author wasn't listed as an attorney with the firm. I can be compulsive about these things once I’m on a mission. So, I set out to find him.

A long time ago, in a life far away—November 2012—I wrote a Dropbox 101 post for Attorney at Work. Commenter Jeffrey Brandt suggested a "Dropbox 102" version to address security issues with sharing data in the cloud. It was a good suggestion, so here it is. Now, I tend to be in the camp that takes the position that the only way to fully maximize security is not to use the Internet. At all. For anything. In the past few weeks, we've all seen how many of the biggest players have suffered security breaches: Microsoft, Facebook, the New York Times and Washington Post, Tumblr and more. If you are connected to the Internet (and at this point, it’s impossible not to be) you’re vulnerable. The best you can do is take all necessary steps to reduce vulnerability as much as possible. Fortunately, there are some ways to work with Dropbox and other cloud services that will increase security and reduce the vulnerability of your cloud-based data. ... READ MORE

"Question: We’re moving to new offices in a couple of months. Some say this is a 'marketing opportunity.' I say it’s just important to let people know about our new address and contact information, but we don’t need to spend a lot of money on an open house and a fancy printed announcement. What do you think?" In this edition of "Ask the Experts," Paul Bonner, Jim Jarrell, and Sarah Reeves say not so fast.

After much shameless begging, unopened gift bottles of wine and several used game certificates for Dave and Buster’s, I have finally succumbed to writing a monthly column for Attorney at Work, which will replace the random collection of posts I have heretofore submitted. Check out the logo in the upper-left corner of this post. Pretty sweet, right? Mad Men-esque, no? That’s like your bat signal for knowing when I’ve written something here. And I’d say it takes a close second to calling this column "Somehow I Manage," which was already being used by NBC. Nevertheless, I will somehow manage to talk about many of the thoughts ruminating within my brain’s stew ... like hashtagging.

At a recent seminar on using the iPad in law practice, I was asked: “If you were trying a lawsuit on a desert island and you could only take three apps with you, what apps would you take?" Interesting question. Ultimately, though, I copped out on the answer. Rather than name just three apps, I described three categories of apps I would want. After all, there are several great apps in each category, and I wouldn't want any of my fellow Robinson Crusoes to be limited to the three I happen to like the best. So here goes—my apps recommendations for a desert island trial. ... READ MORE

Initially, it was just awkward. This stranger's butt was inches from my face. Undulating. Back and forth. I could hear the loose change in his front pocket clanking against itself. He was a large man, but not large enough to block my view of his hands as he dug furiously through an old Eddie Bauer backpack. He took another step back. His rear pockets inches from my face, my discomfort turned to curiosity. What treasure was hidden in the base of his ratty knapsack? With a final thrust, he stood up with the valuable prize in hand: headphones.

It's International Women's Day today. And, while it's true that the annual celebration has its roots in the 1908 American Socialist Party's National Women's Day, the event has grown far beyond its original geography and ideological underpinnings to become a global celebration with no political connection. Now, thousands of events throughout the world inspire women and celebrate their achievements.

You've heard it from just about anywhere technology advice gets spread: Document assembly systems save time, boost productivity, reduce errors—and all while helping to eliminate reinventing the wheel when drafting documents. Sounds fabulous. But are real-life lawyers actually adopting document assembly in their practices? For insights into that—and, better still, tips on how to get the benefits without taking a wallop to the wallet—here’s the scoop from some folks in the know. ... READ MORE

Is this client profitable? How do you really know? Profitability has for too long been measured based solely on metrics like hours worked, revenue and realization. Although those metrics are components of an overall client profitability picture, they do not tell the whole story. Client profitability in its simplest form is how much revenue a firm receives versus the cost it incurs to produce that revenue. But it is really influenced by many variables. ... READ MORE

Working for yourself is awesome. Working by yourself is awesome, too. You get to set your own hours, you can wear whatever you want—and you get to run your business your way. But no one warns you when you open a solo practice—especially if you choose to work from home—how lonely it’s going to be. I opened my solo practice at the beginning of 2012. It’s a virtual office, so I have a business center where I book conference rooms as needed to meet with clients, and a mail service for my business address. I can work wherever I want, but confidentiality issues and my need for quiet force me to work at home most of the time. For the most part, I love it. My commute is the 30-second walk from bedroom to office. ... READ MORE