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    Archive for December, 2010
    Top 10 Legal Tech Predictions for 2011!
    Friday, December 31st, 2010

    ♬ Crystal ball
    There’s so many things I need to know
    Crystal ball
    There’s so many things I’ve got to know
    Crystal ball…♬

    Music and lyrics by: Tommy Shaw, recorded by Styx.

    I wanted to end off this year by gazing into the crystal ball and make a list of the top 10 legal technologies that I see influencing 2011. There is always a danger in making predictions but it is also a bit of fun too. So without further ado here is Dave’s Top 10 List of Legal Technologies for 2011: (more…)

    Posted in Change Management, Dave's Top 10 Lists, Issues facing Law Firms, Law Firm Strategy, Technology, Trends | Permalink | 3 Comments »
    Rocky Horror and Law Practice Today
    Wednesday, December 15th, 2010

    ♬  Don’t dream it – be it…♬

    Music and lyrics by Richard O’Brien, from The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

    I am pleased to announce that my blog post “Rocky Horror as a Management Lesson” has now been reprinted in the American Bar Association’s ezine “Law Practice Today”.

    I would like to say “Thank You” to LAW PRACTICE TODAY’s Editor-In-Chief, John D. Bowers, Saul Ewing, LLP
    their Issue Editor Allison C. Shields, LegalEase Consulting, Inc., and member of the Board of Editors, J. Benjamin Stevens, The Stevens Firm, P.A. – Family Law Center.

    This all goes to show – don’t dream it – be it!

    Posted in Change Management, Firm Governance, humour, Issues facing Law Firms, Law Firm Strategy, Leadership and Strategic Planning | Permalink | No Comments »
    Which Tablet Should You Buy for the Holidays?
    Saturday, December 11th, 2010

    ♫ I’ve been an angel all year
    Santa baby, and hurry down the chimney tonight…♫

    “Santa Baby” by J. Javits and P. Springer, originally sung by Ertha Kitt.

    iPad

    iPad

    While I was at the 1st Canadian Forum on Court Technology in Ottawa in September, I took a moment and looked around at the audience. From where I stood, at least 3/4 of the mobile devices on which attendees were taking notes were iPads. This was a defining moment for me – without question the future of mobile computing is clearly in the area of tablet computers.

    Accordingly I was intrigued when I received Gerry Purdy PH.D’s newsletter containing the article: “Which Tablet Should You Buy for the Holidays?” I have been following Gerry’s email newsletters for some time and find him to be an insightful and interesting writer on the area of mobile computing. I also happen to have a Nook and as such, this particular analysis is of personal interest. So without further ado, this is a guest column by Gerry and is reprinted with Gerry’s permission. You can sign up for his newsletter by clicking here.

    “I’ve had a number of friends and relatives ask me, “What tablet should you buy for the upcoming holidays?” The question is a good one to consider because there are so many choices this year. Remember that just a year ago the only ‘tablet’ in high volume production was the Kindle eReader. Now, there’s the new (better but still B&W) Kindle, the color nook from Barnes & Noble (really an eBook reader), the full function Apple iPad, the Galaxy Tab from Samsung and products announced from Dell (Slate) and RIM (BlackBerry PlayBook). I’ll focus on the first four products in this issue as I haven’t yet seen the Slate or PlayBook which are not yet shipping in volume. (more…)

    Posted in I'm a Mac, Issues facing Law Firms, Make it Work!, Technology, Tips, Trends | Permalink | 1 Comment »
    Communiqué on the ODR and Consumers Colloquium
    Wednesday, December 8th, 2010

    ♫ You’re the target that I’m aiming at
    Got to get that message home…♫

    Lyrics and music by: Guy Berryman, Jon Buckland, Will Champion, Chris Martin, recorded by Coldplay.

    The final Communique resulting from the International Online Dispute Resolution Conference on cross-border, low-value consumer transactions held in Vancouver on Nov. 2-3, 2010 has now been released. This conference is the latest in a series of international conferences that have been held examining how to apply technology to resolve low-value, cross-border consumer e-commerce disputes.

    The communique is as follows:

    Communiqué on the ODR and Consumers Colloquium

    Vancouver, BC, Canada

    November 2-3, 2010

    Prepared by Doug Leigh, Ph.D. (Pepperdine University) and Colin Rule (eBay/PayPal)

    I. Introduction

    eCommerce has grown rapidly, riding the expansion of information and communications technology around the world, and transforming the way goods are bought and sold. Businesses and consumers have more choices than ever before, as every seller is just a click away, no matter where either may physically reside in the world. However, regardless of whether they are transacting face-to-face or online, it is inevitable that some of those transactions will generate disagreements. It therefore stands to reason that as eCommerce expands, so too will the number of problems people experience with online transactions.

    Unfortunately, the systems buyers and sellers rely on in face-to-face transactions to resolve transaction problems are almost entirely unavailable in online purchases. The few systems that do exist are too tied to geography, too expensive, or too complex for the type of low-value, high-volume transactions that eCommerce enables, be they domestic or international.

    The solution is Online Dispute Resolution (ODR). Over the past ten years many groups around the world have come to the same conclusion: reliable, trustworthy redress systems for eCommerce transactions are essential, and ODR is the best method of providing such systems.

    You can read the full text of the Communique on the odrandconsumers2010.org site by clicking here or on slaw.ca by clicking here.

    Posted in Issues facing Law Firms, Technology, Trends | Permalink | No Comments »
    2010 Season’s Greetings!
    Monday, December 6th, 2010

    ♫ O how I wish I could sing like an Angel
    I’d sing carols so high and sweet
    O if I had the voice of an Angel
    I’d be singing that sweet Child asleep…. ♫

    “Christmas Angel”: Music and Lyrics by Corlynn Hanney, performed by the Argyle Alumni Choir.

    2010 Christmas Slide Show from David Bilinsky on Vimeo.

    At this time of year I would like to take a moment and wish each and everyone the Best of the Holiday Season and a Wonderful and Happy New Year.

    To all I hope for Peace, Hope and Happiness. I hope your dreams become goals for the New Year and find good ground and take root.

    As has become my tradition at this time of year, and as my gift to you, I offer a few minutes of solitude and reflection. This slide show combines two of my loves – music and photography.

    I hope this slide show and music (please turn your speakers on full as the recording is a bit faint) brings to you a time of calm, joy and peace. The music is “Christmas Angel’ by Corlynn Hanney and is performed by the Argyle Alumni Choir, Argyle Senior Secondary School, North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, copyright Frances Roberts, Director. Used with permission. I hope you enjoy the combination of the music and the photos.

    Best wishes for a safe holiday filled with warmth, comfort, friendship and good cheer!

    Posted in humour, personal focus and renewal | Permalink | 12 Comments »
    Take a Hard Look
    Wednesday, December 1st, 2010

    ♬ Take a look, take a look
    Take control of yourself
    For a moment realise
    We are thinking today
    Today, Today–
    Take a look…♬

    Lyrics and Music by Andy Sears, recorded by Twelfth Night.

    {cross-post from www.slaw.ca}

    On Nov. 30, 2010, psychologists at the University of Toronto and Tufts University released a study that makes a link between profitability of law firms and college yearbook photos of managing partners.

    They reported that:

    [L]aw firms are more profitable when led by managing partners with powerful looking faces. Further, an individual’s career success can be predicted as much as 30 to 40 years earlier simply by looking at their face.

    It seems that:

    “Appearance matters a great deal when it comes to judging people,” says Professor Nicholas Rule of the Department of Psychology at the University of Toronto, lead author of a new study published in Social Psychological and Personality Science. “This includes clothing, posture, and hairstyles, but the real window to judging people is the face. We developed a method to measure facial power and found that it is a strong predictor of law firm profitability.”

    You can read the rest of the post by clicking here.

    Posted in Firm Governance, humour, Law Firm Strategy, Leadership and Strategic Planning, Tips | Permalink | No Comments »