Five winning stories will be selected by a panel of judges, and the winning entrants will each receive an Amazon Kindle 2 as well as Dragon NaturallySpeaking upgrades for three years.
I have seen the future.
It is Dragon.
I started my own law practice six years ago. Before that, I was a partner at another law firm. I used to dictate on microcasettes all the time. My secretary dutifully transcribed them. Typical turnaround would range from an hour to 1/2 a day.
When I went out on my own, I knew I wanted a more efficient system. I started out with no secretary; no staff. I bought a Sony digital recorder (that came with Dragon software), and have been using it ever since. The digital recorder used Sone memory sticks. It was a really simple transistion. Total turnaround for memos and letters would become measured in mintues, rather than hours.
When I hired my current secretary five years ago, she was really impressed by how well it worked. That part of her job, transcribing cassettes, was always boring. Now all she does is proofread the results of what Dragon transcribes. To this day, she is happy about that transition. Increased morale-- I like that.
There was a slight learning curve needed to master the use of Dragon. My life got a lot easier when I learned the "resume with" trick. Once I learned the syntax, dictation became easier and easier.
Law firms are entering the age where they must focus on efficiency to survive. Clients are no longer willing to pay for the substantial overhead needed to maintain outdated law firm practices. I see Dragon as being able to maintain the edge on the competition. After every client meeting, I dictate a memo on the meeting. Total dictation time is usually less than 5 minutes.
I encourage all lawyers to adapt their practices to use Dragon.