Is the Apple iPad a Serious Legal Tool?

September 16, 2011 2 Comments

By Michael Reiter, Attorney at Law.

I have had my iPad 2 for about six months now. I do not use it much for work. It has its plusses. The Westlaw Next app works as well as the web version. Email is much easier than on the iPhone. This post is being mostly created on the iPad, but I am going to add the HTML on a real computer.

However, it is next to impossible to type anything but a short note. The keyboard does not give the right feedback, and even a netbook gives you a better typing experience. I have considered a Bluetooth Keyboard, but isn’t the Leading feature of the iPad its size? I also don’t understand the people buying a massive iPad protector. For one, it is pretty durable. But once again, you lose some of its agility

The iPad 2 does some things great (video, amazing battery life, the calendar [September 19, 2011 update from a computer: instant on]) other things well ( reading, the web), and some things not well (syncing, backup, printing, multitasking, copying, and multi-touch sometimes is not a precise as I would like), but I have not even bothered to try to do the one thing that I need the most: word processing. Yes, I know there are a few apps out there.

When I started my own practice, I finally abandoned WordPerfect. I had tried before, but pleadings were more difficult, and I always had support staff or colleagues who were resistant. I started off using WordStar before I even learned to type. When I switched from MS-DOS to Windows 3.1, I had to switch out to do word processing. If only there was a better way. Through the miracle of academic pricing, I discovered the best piece of software ever designed, and never bettered: Microsoft Word 2.0. It did everything.

But I digress. What I need is Word (and Excel) for iPad. I don’t want an emulator, because I cannot have any glitches that take an hour to get out of a pleading. Until that moment arrives, the iPad cannot “party seriously.”

The information you obtain at this blog is not, nor is it intended to be, legal advice. No attorney-client relationship is established by reading or commenting on this blog. You should consult an attorney for advice regarding your individual situation.

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Filed under Friday Aside, Law Practice Management, Legal Technology Tagged with , ,

About Michael Reiter, Attorney at Law
Michael Reiter is a Redlands, California-based lawyer, serving San Bernardino County and Riverside County in Southern California's Inland Empire. Michael Reiter is a lawyer practicing in the following fields of law: Municipal Law, Code Enforcement Law, Small Business Law and Real Estate Law. Michael Reiter practices in all the local courts, including San Bernardino Superior Court, Riverside Superior Court, and the United States District Court for the Central District of California. Michael Reiter was admitted to the California State Bar in 1998. Michael Reiter was Assistant City Attorney for the City of Redlands, a Deputy City Attorney for the City of San Bernardino, and Staff Attorney for Legal Aid Society of San Bernardino. Michael Reiter serves all of San Bernardino and Riverside County, Orange County, and Los Angeles County. Michael Reiter can be reached at (909) 296-6708, or by electronic mail at michael@michaelreiterlaw.com. 300 E. State St. #517 Redlands CA 92373-5235

2 Responses to Is the Apple iPad a Serious Legal Tool?

  1. litigationtech says:
    September 17, 2011 at 9:48 am

    It’s great to read your first-hand experiences and feedback, Michael. You’re not alone in your observations. While there are those who would blindly abandon all things other than their iPad – regardless of the sacrifices, some things are still just easier/faster/better on the laptop.

    That stated, I would invite you to look at the iKeyboard review on my blog, in addition to a good number of reviews on iPad apps for lawyers. Here’s the link to the iKeyboard review:
    http://trial-technology.blogspot.com/2011/08/ikeyboard-update-touch-typing-on-your.html

    Reply

  2. Pingback: Using a Bluetooth Keyboard WIth an iPad 2: First Impressions « Michael Reiter, Attorney at Law Blog

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