Effective Use of Technology and Communication Tools in the Legal Services World

1. Effective Use of Technology and Communication Tools in the Legal Services World David Bonebrake, J.D. October 02, 2008

2. Who We Are • LSNTAP provides technology support to the poverty law community through trainings, direct support, and development coordination • Circuit riding support to statewide legal aid websites

3. For Today • Online Project Management Systems • Wikis • Law Blogs • RSS • Social Networking Sites

4. Online Project Management Tools

5. Online Project Management • Allows you to organize all aspects of your project using an online system, including deadlines, drafts, communications and more • Supplements other applications you already use. Many project management tools integrate with other programs, including email

6. Why use a PM Tool? Many poverty law staffers are involved with more than casework: • Courts on self-help initiatives • Working with social service agencies on outreach projects • Working with other offices on hotline development • Sitting on various state task forces • Working on staff or website committees • Attending statewide or regional conferences • Implementing some new procedure or technology...and more.

7. Project Management Tools • LSNTAP Case Study • Basecamp • Other Project Management Solutions • Microsoft SharePoint • Central Desktop • Google Sites

8. LSNTAP’s Experience • Fully virtual organization with employees spread across the US • Work on several large projects that require collaboration • Manage grants with substantial reporting requirements • Work closely with partners – vendors, consultants, and legal aid offices

9. Basecamp

10. Project Pages

11. Project Milestones

12. Add To-Do List

13. File Sharing

14. Collaborate Outside Your Organization

15. Microsoft SharePoint Server • Document sharing • Can create wikis and other intranet sites • Integrates with Microsoft Project and rest of Office Suite; MS Project handles time tracking and project supervision functions • Software and licenses available on TechSoup

16. Central Desktop • Tool similar to Basecamp • Allows users to “check out” a document • http://www.centraldesktop.com/ • Pricing similar to Basecamp

17. Google Sites • Wiki-intranet • Project management • Traditional web content • Demos: http://www.google.com/sites/overview.html

18. Wikis

19. Introduction: What is a Wiki? • A website • Is easily edited by multiple users • Provides a logical and highly navigable platform for storing and retrieving information • A cost-effective, paper-free tool

20. Wikis as Tool for Sharing Community Knowledge • Massachusetts Post Foreclosure Wiki • Georgia Legal Services Program Food Stamp Fraud Advocacy Wiki • Michigan Reentry Law Wiki http://reentry.mplp.org/reentry/index.php/Main_Page • FEMA Answers Wiki http://femaanswers.org/index.php/Main_Page • Elder Law https://mwiki.mplp.org/erc/index.php/Main_Page

21. Options for Wikis • Visit http://www.wikimatrix.org/ • You can pay for hosting or host it on your own server depending on the software • Which way should you go? Depends on: • Technical expertise and available technical support • Privacy controls your program needs

22. Popular Wiki Options Proprietary • Wikispaces • $5/mo for unlimited users/pages and 2 GB file storage • PB Wiki • Price negotiable;, depends on number of users typically 20% nonprofit discount Free For Nonprofits • Google Sites Free and Open Source • MediaWiki

23. Law Blogs (“Blawgs”) and RSS

24. ABA Journal Blawg Directory

25. What is RSS?

26. What is RSS? • RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication • RSS allows websites to syndicate content to other websites and other applications such RSS feed readers, and web browsers

27. Traditional Web Browsing

28. Web Browsing Now

29. Different Uses of RSS • Stay updated on your field • Immerse yourself in a new area • Monitor what others are saying about your organization

30. RSS Readers • Web Based Readers • Google Reader • Bloglines • iGoogle • MyYahoo • Software Based RSS Readers • Feed Demon • Net News Wire • FeedReader • RSS-supporting Web Browsers • Internet Explorer 7 • Firefox

31. Subscribing to RSS Feeds • Look for the RSS logo: • Both Google Reader & MyYahoo have built-in feed searches

32. Social networking sites

33. Social NetworkingWebsites and Legal Aid • With the growth of social networking websites more organizations are considering whether to have a presence in those networks. • More than half (55%) of all online American youths ages 12-17 use* online social networking sites, according to a new national survey of teenagers conducted by the Pew Internet & American Life Project. http://www.pewinternet.org/PPF/r/198/report_display.asp • 20% of online adults have profiles.

34. Should Your Organization UseSocial Networking Sites? • Nonprofits have had mixed results using social networking sites for fundraising and outreach. • Tech Soup: http://www.techsoup.org/learningcenter/internet/page7935.cfm • A presence on online social networks may be useful depending on what your organization is trying to accomplish. • When a social networking presence might not work: • Your target audiences aren't using social networking tools • You don't have time to experiment with something that might not work.

35. Linkedin

36. Questions or Comments? • Thanks for attending! • Contact information: David Bonebrake david@lsntap.org