The Oklahoma Bar Journal December 2022

Lawyers process words – a lot. But they sometimes need to use a spreadsheet or prepare a presenta tion. So the first thing one needs to purchase is a Microsoft 365 sub scription. Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Microsoft Teams are all included in the Microsoft 365 Apps for business ($8.25 per user, per month with a one-year com mitment and auto-renewal) and Microsoft 365 Business Standard ($12.50 per user, per month with a one-year commitment and auto- renewal). Both come with 1TB of secure cloud storage in OneDrive. Business Standard is recom mended. The Business Basic plan is too basic for lawyers with only web-based apps. Those who want enhanced security and data access controls may choose the pricier Business Premium. Teams is an included secure videoconferenc ing tool that is great for internal communications.

and other peripherals. Old-style “docking stations” that had cus tom housing that attached to the computer have been replaced with plug-in port replicators. I continue to be a fan of the Fujitsu ScanSnap line of desktop scanners. The ScanSnap iX1600 is the recommended model. But you can save money by buying the older ScanSnap iX1400. I have little to say about print ers, except that this is where the needs of large firms and solo and small firms differ. A small firm is usually better off buying low range to mid-range-priced printers and locating them where needed. A large firm may still decide to buy massive printer/scanner com bination devices. They have an IT department helping them to get the most from those machines. SOFTWARE Today, most software is sold on a subscription basis, paid annually to get a better rate.

locations, whether you are work ing from home or on the road. That will go much better if you use the same machine every day and everywhere. Certainly, you can work remotely from a home computer. But for security and hardware reliability, it is best to have a law office computer no one else uses. Remember the “I’m not a cat” lawyer who became internet famous because his daughter had configured the Zoom settings, so he appeared remotely in court via Zoom as a talking cat? For client confidentiality and many other reasons, the laptop serves as a work computer that your family may not use when you bring it home. When working in the office with your laptop, you will want to be connected to the network and have an additional monitor (or two). So it is best to purchase a port replicator that works with your model so you can quickly and easily connect to the network, the additional monitor, the printer

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THE OKLAHOMA BAR JOURNAL