TECH TALK
An App A Day Keeps The Legal Troubles Away ?
Honey Shaw 1L , Georgia State University College of Law hshaw10 @ student . gsu . edu
In the new age of global consumerism , it seems like every day we are asked to download a new mobile phone application , or “ app ,” as they are most commonly referred to . Apps have looked to mobilize every computer program you could ever want while on the go , and then some . Apple , Inc .’ s trademarked phrase , “ There ’ s an app for that !” became a humorous quip following the Apple App Store ’ s initial advertising campaign , but now seems more accurate than ever . Mobile ordering via apps takes away the need to wait in line at the counter or drive thru at your favorite junk food spot , Vivino lets you uncork pricing , ratings , reviews and food pairing suggestions with just snapping a photo of a wine label . Facebook and Twitter apps feed us information from our friends , family , and favorite celebrities wherever we are , and there is even an app ( RunPee ) that lets you know the best time to use the restroom when seeing a new film at the theater ! “ There ’ s an app for that !” now applies to legal advice as well . The constant development and downloading of new apps means lawsuits galore , but some firms are beginning to roll out their own apps . The content of the app varies from firm to firm . Some have chosen to utilize the app as an easier method of communication and others have provided legal practice area guides by state . Law360 named Baker McKenzie , Eversheds Sutherland , and Latham
& Watkins LLP as having the most comprehensive and forward-thinking mobile apps in the business , and cites a Fliplet survey that reported this year that over 24 % of the top 300 firms in the U . S . and U . K . have at least one application designed for use by the general public or clients via tablet or smartphone . Despite the growing trend , some attorneys remain skeptical .
In a 2013 article published by the American Bar Association ’ s Law Practice Magazine , author Erik Mazzone ( former director of Center for Practice Management at the North Carolina Bar Association ) gives 10 reasons not to bother with a law firm app . Most of his reasons center on lacking a focus for your app . Many firms may want to keep up with the pack , but will not know what content they want their app to include or what services , if any , they want it to provide . Since apps can be costly , even now , 4 years after Mazzone ’ s article , big firms are still the majority using apps .
Baker , Donelson , Bearman , Caldwell , and Berkowitz , PC , offers two apps , one for use by the general public , LE-EZ Guide , which is a guide to labor and employment law for 11 states and one federal law overview option , and one for clients , Biz Dev , a business development app . Eversheds Sutherland , LLP , offers six apps : Eversheds Sutherland Events , an itinerary app for attendees of official events ; Eversheds Guide to Commercial Contracts ; ES Tax SALT Shaker , which provides commentary on the latest state and local tax developments , as well as a feature that lets you view adorable pets belonging to Eversheds employees and the option to submit a photo of your own pet for “ Pet of the Month ”; Eversheds Mobile , a general information app for clients ; Texas openCourts , an app containing contact information for Texas courts ; and Guide to International Employment and Pension Law . One feature offered by Eversheds that sets them apart from the rest is their “ Briefcase ” feature , which makes emailing clients and colleagues content from the app simple and easy . Alston & Bird , LLP offers two apps , one general and one finance , which provide advisories , client alerts , attorney biographies , and upcoming events .
So is an app right for your firm ? Mazzone ’ s article is a good place to start your consideration , but his eighth and tenth reasons may be the only ones you need : 8 . Your firm ’ s current Web presence is anemic . If you have not done much with your firm website , stop . An app is icing ; your firm ’ s website is cake . Put your time and energy into the cake first . Then worry about the icing . … 10 . You can not explain why building an app makes more sense than a mobile-friendly website . A lot of law firms would be better off foregoing the app and investing in a mobile-friendly website . There is no hard-and-fast rule as to when a project becomes app-worthy ,
16 May 2017