Dragon Legal

Tracking Changes In Repetitions of Practice Oral Arguments

gberkin — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 00:35:23 GMT

When I have an important oral argument in court, I prepare it the same way I would actually make it in court, i.e., composing by speaking using memory and notes. I usually speak it multiple times to build fluidity and to help remember what I've said. However, every version I speak has differences from every other one. Some are turns of phrase I like; some are re-phrasings and some are whole new points or whole new ways of making an existing point.

In the past, I've recorded the versions so that if there are things I particularly like in various versions I have them again. Theoretically. In some instances, particularly if my speech is lengthy, it is very time-consuming to locate a particular bit unless I know that it is right near the beginning or the end. I've often find it to be more trouble than it's worth.

Enter the Dragon. I can capture the versions on paper. Since I can speed-read, but I can't speed-listen, I can visually scan for whatever I'm looking for in a fraction of the time it would take to listen. I will sometimes find things I didn't remember saying but end up using. Also, I can use a document comparison program to redline changes from one version to another and pick up subtle changes -- which would not be very feasible without Naturally Speaking's terrific accuracy.

An added benefit is that it is much easier to judge the quality of the oral presentation by reading it than by listening to it, and in particular to be sure I've "connected all the dots" of my arguments.

Finally, reading the speech is an additional memory aid.

I hope this can help others (except opposing counsel) enjoy the many efficiencies of Naturally Speaking.

I've Dragonized My Legal Marketing.

RIDivorceLawyer — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 22:02:01 GMT

I'm a solo legal practitioner in Rhode Island. Like many attorneys I don't have a support staff. Whatever needs to be done in my law practice, you'll find me doing it.

Never have I had the distinct pleasure of having so many jobs at one time. From dawn til dusk I am the scheduling coordinator, the telephone answering service, the bookkeeper, the filing assistant, the technology repair man, the purchasing agent and the marketing manager. If the human body didn't require food or sleep I could literally work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week just running my law practice.

Needless to say, I needed some help and Dragon Naturally Speaking's resume fit the bill. I use Dragon Naturally Speaking as my virtual secretary. Dragon handles my typing for letters and court documents in a fraction of the time I could ever type them with pinpoint accuracy. To say that Dragon has saved me weeks of work time out of every year would be a gross understatement. Dragon's price is a hand's down winner. Dragon cost me a micro-fraction of what it would cost me for an excellent secretary and I don't have to pay it benefits or worry about Dragon giving me attitude, requiring benefits or demanding more vacation time.

Ultimately, Dragon has been my saving grace in one primary area, namely Marketing. All my clients come from my internet presence which requires constant attention and development. Thanks to my blog through TypePad.com and Dragon's ability to "think on the go" for writing all my marketing articles for multiple weblogs, I cut down my 20 hours of article writing each week to only 4 hours. I now have time to spend with my wife and my grandchildren.

If a software program could be a partner in a business my practice might just be called Dragon & Pearsall, LLC instead of Pearsall Law.

There's no plainer English than spoken English!

Ilona — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 20:51:42 GMT

I felt lucky to have found a use for my law degree that let me be a bit creative: writing books at a publishing company that specializes in putting the law and related practical matters into plain English, for ordinary people. (Topics include how to immigrate to the U.S., buy a house, fundraise for a nonprofit, and more).

I think I'd written about four books when my fingers literally went on strike -- I could barely lift a toothbrush. Even after returning from weeks of disability leave, lifting a stack of papers was difficult. And I had deadlines looming.

Enter the Dragon. This easy-to-learn software let me get back to work without aggravating my sore arms. The only thing I had trouble getting used to was forming my thoughts out loud -- I'd always said my fingers did the thinking, hovering there over the keyboard. But as I got used to it, I realized there's no better way to make sure writing is in "plain English" than to draw on spoken English. I've written at least five additional books using Dragon, and more are to come . . .

Doing More With Less

fmurphy80 — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 00:00:39 GMT

The number of lawyers in my firm has been slowly declining for sometime as former colleagues have moved on. My partner and I decided not to add new attorneys but to look for ways to reduce overhead costs. Personnel costs were and are the highest expense item.

I decided that I could make do without a paralegal if my talented legal assistant could assume more paralegal tasks. To free up more of her time, I started doing more of my own typing. I type slowly so the trade off on the loss of my own productivity to free up my assistance’s time was not very efficient.

I had tried Dragon in the late 1990s and found that the product’s learning curve then was slow and eventually I gave up on it. A friend (a good typist but who had developed carpal tunnel syndrome) informed me that especially with Dragon Legal 10.0, the product had advanced enormously over the last decade or more.

Last summer, I purchased Legal 10.0, and now use it daily. Out of the box, it was decidedly more efficient than my old version. I have followed Nuance’s on – line tips to increase its accuracy and speed. Not to be overlooked is the fact that I had become reasonably adept with Windows and WordPerfect over the last decade. I find that the combination of mouse clicks and verbal commands works best for me.

As I have become more facile in my use of 10.0, I create documents that I would never have in the days when my secretary did all my typing. For example, I have become a member of "The Green Team" in my city. The team has been formed to advise the Mayor and City officials of various ways to become more energy efficient. Over the years, I always took notes at any kind of meeting I attended. (I focus better with a pen in hand and a yellow pad in front of me.) Now, I create my own minutes of those meetings. Afterwards, I can cut and paste from them as need be for e-mail correspondence with members.

Recently, my neighborhood was alerted to a planned project for our lovely City park. The park serves the region, and it is a place of pride and concern for myself and neighbors. Over the last 20 years, a sizable fraction of the park’s "green" areas has been lost to various groups’ pet projects; such as a band stand, horseshoe pits, and more and more sports fields, etc. While each of these projects had many positive attributes, the neighborhood was greatly concerned over the trend and any additional loss of green, open space.

It took copious notes and created informal minutes of the public meeting on the project, recording commitments from the project planners and objections from the public. After distributing those minutes to local government officials, members of the public and the planners, I received many complements on their balance and thoroughness. I would never have created such elaborate notes of meetings were it not for the ease of use of Legal 10.0. Because of Dragon, I am doing more with less.

Francis G. Murphy

Stewart & Murphy, P.A.

Manchester, N.H.

Legal Dictation with Dragon

mleclerc — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:42:37 GMT

My law practice requires extensive drafting of pleadings and correspondence. Historically I dictated all of my writings on to a handheld Sony tape recorder. After accumulating 30-40 minutes of dictation, the mini-cassette would be given to the secretary for transcription and document assembly, a process that would take at least another hour, sometimes two. Dragon changed everything.

I now dictate on a handheld Sony (ICD-BM1) just as I did before. However, instead of recording to a tape, my voice data is digitally saved on a memory stick. After 30-40 minutes of dication, I download the data to my computer (3 minutes) and then have Dragon transcribe the data while I make a cup of coffee or run an errand (about 15 minutes). After editing the transcription, I forward it to my secretary who cuts and pastes the transcription into letter and pleading templates. She then emails me the finished documents for final review before printing. What used to take her hours with tapes now takes 15-20 minutes!

As a result of completely eliminating tape transcription and implementing this Dragaon-based transcription system firm-wide, we have substantially reduced our overhead. Because the lawyers still use the familiar handheld machines, the adjustment from tape to digital was a breeze. In my opinion, Dragon is a small investment that pays big dividends.

My Dragon Story

Zeb — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:26:13 GMT

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.

A real help for a lawyer with fat fingers!

moradaf — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 12:50:57 GMT

I was sceptical. Tried voice recognition seveal years ago, but it was a disastor. I 'm not the fastest of all typests.

The new Dragon software has helped to the point that I don't need a secretary. This is a savings of at least $25k year. I was off to a slow start, but it really kicked into gear after a few weeks. Now I'm considered the "Dragon Master",

Dragon for Law School Teaching

dgolden — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 15:16:58 GMT

I teach a Contract Drafting course at Wayne State University Law School in Detroit. I am a physician/lawyer/professor. I tried many speaking programs before Dragon was introduced, and although I am well-versed in computer technology, found them cumbersome and user unfriendly. Along comes Dragon - and the world of hands-free takes on a new meaning. I use Dragon for everything, research, writing, briefs, papers and articles, I use Dragon to convert my taped law lectures, twenty-eight per semester, to written materials. I use those written materials to write books. It is almost as if I had many brains working at the same time.

I can move around the office and talk to Dragon as if it were a person - I can edit articles, grade papers and answer emails as they arrive on my desktop. I have even used two computers, and installed two copies of Dragon - and while the lectures are being typed, I can write or research on the other computer.

I am not a believer in "if only there were a few more hours in the day" - Dragon helps me to be more productive and organized with the hours we have, and I can spend more time with my family, read, walk and enjoy music.

You have a wonderful product. Thank you for the help in my busy life!

COURTROOM

DebGarrison — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 19:16:16 GMT

Once upon a time, long ago, when I took my first deposition as a court reporter, I prepared the transcript using a manual typewriter and onionskin paper. If I made a typo, I started the page over, and over, and over. Electric was better and when electric typewriters became memory-capable, I knew it would never get any better. I bought my first computer while doing the civil case of Westmoreland v. CBS and carried three very large, very heavy, cases (base, monitor and printer) around the country to do discovery depositions. At the time it was high technology, well worth the struggle through airports. Then along came DRAGON. Dragon truly is high technology. It’s accurate, it’s easy. It’s portable. DRAGON Legal works great in the courtroom. It saves an incredible amount of time in that transcripts are produced real-time by dictating via stenomask directly into a laptop computer. A couple of years ago, I demonstrated real-time voice writing at the South Carolina State Court Reporters Association’s convention while a fellow reporter demonstrated stenotype for our stenotype reporters. This demonstration was remarkable in the level of accuracy but truly remarkable in that I had only installed the then-newly-released Dragon Naturally Speaking, Version 9, twenty minutes earlier! And now there is Version 10. A long, long way from onionskin.

old lawyer

reid — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 15:55:28 GMT

I am a practicing lawyer in western North Carolina and have primarily been in criminal and domestic and plaintiff civil work. I started practicing in 1974 before computers before online research and some of the typewriters were not even electric. When I was in high school the only people who took typing were girls and for the most part the only males were the ones who wanted an easy grades. In law school and college at University of North Carolina very few people typed for any reason and especially exams were done in handwriting. Even the bar exam was primarily handwritten and typewriters were not allowed. However as a practice of law went from the 80s to 90s and computers and tapping and research was done on computers for the most part the practice of law is now paperless. The creation of forms legal documents and legal research was compartmentalized and became overwhelming for the lawyers who started in the 60s and 70s. Then along comes Dragon speak long before
Nuance bought them out. When we first got Dragon speak in my office it was the second edition and I can remember that powers that I spent with the headset and the program trying to train the computer to recognize a southern drawl with a mountain man dictation. It was extremely frustrating and time-consuming to make the corrections necessary to complete the legal documents. However by the time that Dragon speak five six and seven came along it became apparent to us non-typing lawyers that there was a God in heaven who can help us surf the net, fill in legal forms, and *** Kate legal research. And finally after 33 years of practicing law in the private arena I became an assistant district attorney prosecuting criminal cases and working for the state did not have a secretary and answering service or anyone to assist in the preparation of documents. Thank goodness for dragons speak Number eight and nine and also for the transcribing program of using a dictation machine. However now with the development of computers and going to a 64 byte program Dragon speak nine was unavailable for this new computer that the state had provided me . After contacting the Nuance Corporation and informing them that my Dragon speak number nine would not work on a 62 by unit last fall I was informed that the programs are not compatible but again it's my understanding that Dragon speak number 10 can put an old-timer in the 21st century but with the budget crunch the state will not provide an update. So how about some help

An Emergency Proved Your Product's Worth

speaklegaldragon — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 14:52:53 GMT

As with many practicing attorneys, I am usually multitasking. Admittedly, this means that my head is one place while I am physically in another. I am not saying this was the cause of my misfortune this January, but . . . on that day, I was in the midst of an arbitration. While walking back to the car during the lunch break, discussing with the client the morning’s testimony and the planned strategies for the afternoon, I slipped. I never knew what hit me and fell quickly with my right arm taking the brunt of the fall. On the way down, it wasn’t my life that passed before my eyes but my schedule for the next few weeks. Not only did I have to finish that day’s arbitration, but, I had a major brief due the next week for a very large client. Due to the nature of the issue, an extension of time was not possible. Prostrate in the parking lot, I knew that I had broken something. However, I returned to the arbitration to find that I could not even hold my pen or use my laptop. A trip to the emergency room confirmed my fears. I had broken my right wrist and was looking at surgery and weeks before I could use it again. Returning to my office the next day, I fretted about how I could complete my brief due in less than a week. Another attorney in the office uses Dragon and suggested I try it. I purchased the wireless 10 version and was amazed at how simple it was to set up, even with my right arm in a splint. I started to use it immediately with relatively few errors and few problems with voice recognition. I was able to dictate my brief and compete it on time! For the next few weeks as my arm healed and I went into physical therapy, I did not lose a single day of work (or a single billable hour) due to my inability to use my hand. I still use my Dragon and find it saves me a tremendous amount of time. The wireless headset allows me to move about my office pulling documents from files and books from shelves all the while dictating. Thank you for a great product.

Patent Action

jimbenson — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 15:35:28 GMT

I glanced back casually before crossing the bicycle path, perhaps too casually, for the next thing I knew I was flat on my back, struck by an indignant, humorless, bullet headed, yuppie juggernaut. I took the blame and apologized, though I was a bit suspicious that he had been asleep at the handlebars himself. No skid marks.

I was attracting concerned young girls lying on my back, so embarrassed I got up and started feeling for damage. Seems I had landed on my left hand primarily and broken or sprained my wrist. The other gentlemen was quite concerned about his bicycle wheel.

By the next day it was obvious that the left-hand would be useless for typing for about three weeks, and I had some patent work that was under deadline due immediately. What to do. What to do. Then I thought about Dragon, which I hadn't used for quite awhile! Dragon to the rescue. Worked quite well. Saved my bacon. I wrote this on Dragon also, since the bicycle accident was just a little over a week ago, and the hand hasn't recovered yet. Very frustrating typing with one hand if you are sort of an opinionated Internet addict accustomed to putting in your two cents worth in forums and blog comments. I'm sure I'll make much use of Dragon in the next couple of weeks until my hand heals.

Legalese

Genevieve Martin — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 17:05:17 GMT

I have used Dragon occasionally for a number of years. However, in early 2006, I was unable to write or type due to surgery on my writing hand. I began using Dragon every day to write briefs, prepare emails, write letters and memoranda professionally. I also began to use Dragon for my personal correspondence as well. During that time, I could not even have my secretary prepare items I had dictated because I could not write to correct and revise the drafts. Although my secretary was a bit nervous when she first saw me using Dragon, she has learned that it would never be a replacement for her valuable assistance; rather, it would be the extra "right hand" I needed.

While my hand healed completely, I have continued to use Dragon regularly, both professionally and personally. It has revolutionized my written work and has continue to be my extra "right hand." I have also told my colleagues about this program and some of them have begun to use it as well. They also believe it has been invaluable to their efforts.

DRAGON SAVED MY LIFE!

lallen100 — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 19:42:46 GMT

My professional life, that is. After 25 years of practicing law, my partnership dissolved, and I was once again a sole practitioner. Although I still had substantial business and Estate Plan clientele to service, I could not afford to continue to pay the high salaries and fringe benefits that skilled secretarial personnel required. Unfortunately, however, my typing skills were too poor for me to draft, edit, and finalize legal documents and correspondence.

I attempted to resolve the problem by dictating my letters and documents to tape, and then sending the tapes out to a transcription service. Although it usually took 2-3 days to receive the documents back, they almost always required some changes or corrections. I then had to send them back to the transcriber, and again wait 2-3 days to get them back.. Lengthy legal documents took up to a week to complete.

Assuming that the second drafts were correct, it therefore required a 4-7 day "turnaround" before the letters or documents were ready to be signed, mailed, or filed. This made it practically impossible for me to adequately service my clientele. In addition, the transcription process was not only inefficient, but was also very expensive.

Since I did not wish to work for another firm, I seriously considered giving up the practice of law. It was about that time that I discovered Dragon NaturallySpeaking. After a very short learning and self-training period, I was able to draft, edit, and finalize my correspondence, e-mail, and legal documents the same day, with no "turnaround" time or expense. I also reduced my annual overhead by the $50,000-$75,000 I had paid to secretarial help, without any detrimental effect on my practice or clientele. This is why I say that Dragon NaturallySpeaking literally "Saved My Professional Life!"

When I retired, about five years later, I was so impressed with what Dragon had done for me, that I volunteered to demonstrate the Dragon NaturallySpeaking program to the residents of the 5000- home retirement community in which I lived. I showed them (many of whom had little or no typing skills) how they could use Dragon to easily correspond with friends and family, as well as to prepare documents for any business or professional endeavor in which they might still be engaged. A substantial number of these retirees subsequenly told me that they had purchased the Dragon program, and were delighted with it.

Helping these seniors was a very rewarding experience. Thank you Nuance for Dragon!

I have continued to use and praise the merits of the Dragon Naturally Speaking program to this day, and am therefore very pleased to be able to relate my experiences and to express my appreciation.

Sincerely,

Larry Allen

Expert Witness Loves Dragon

kyledotson — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 19:15:28 GMT

I am a management consultant in occupational safety, industrial hygiene, and indoor environmental quality. As a certified industrial hygienist, I serve as an expert witness in toxic tort litigation concerning human exposures to substances such as asbestos. This work involves reviewing thousands of pages of deposition testimony, summarizing the exposure information from the testimony into dozens of pages of notes, and then developing a succinct report that conveys my opinions to all stakeholders in the particular case. I have been using Dragon software in my practice for about nine years. To be perfectly honest, my early experiences with the software were not particularly good due primarily I believe to microphone and vocabulary issues. But like all software, each version gets better and better. I am dictating this story very quickly using version 10.00.200.449-SP1 with essentially no errors. Version 10 has from the very first been extremely accurate and I have seen further improvement since I have started to use aRevolabs xTag wireless microphone. I use this software primarily on my Dell desktop PC, but also have Dragon powered MacSpeech Dictate voice recognition software on my Mac that also works very well. Although I am an early adopter of technology, I rarely am thrilled with software and I cannot remember ever writing a software review before this one. The very fact that I am submitting this story is evidence that I love Dragon software and can't wait to see what Nuance does next.

The use of Dragon in therapy

Jose A. Lugo — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 16:40:00 GMT

I am a therapist, who has carpel tunnel as a result of the hours I spend writing Treatment Plans, Notes and reports to various courts in the county of Queens. The Dragon has allowed me to do my job with ease and to fulfill my responsibilities to my employer.

I also use the program at my home whenever I need to take work with me. Dragon has allowed me to write letters, reports and to remain in contact with my colleagues as a Pastor of a mission church.

I recommend this product to all professionals and lay people who have the same need that I do. Dragon allows me to accomplish my responsibilities and remain current in all my affairs.

Court documents

F McSpedon — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 01:44:08 GMT

I am partially handicapped in the use of my hands making typing very difficult and slow. I am also a guardian ad litem and that requires many legal documents or the courts and other agencies that can be quite lengthy. Poor example when I type my first court report it took eight hours. My second using this program took 1 1/2 hours. I have been using it for about a year and along with the PDF converter I fill out all life forms and required re-ports this program as well as my e-mail and writing letters and other documents. I just moved this program from my laptop to my desktop at my summer home and installed a new program 10 in my laptop at my regular residence so that I can dictate via voice wherever I am.

As a long-time computer user I tip my hat to the designers of this program!

Thank you

How I use Dragon

paulclrs — Fri, 29 May 2009 16:23:03 GMT

I am a labor arbitrator and I bave been using Dragon for two years to dictate my awards. Most awards are 10 to 14 pages long and I have found that Dragon has not only reduced the amount of time it takes to write my awards but it has also made it easier for me to compose my thoughts. Before I began using Dragon, I had to concentrate on typing as well as composing my work. Now, I am able to dictate my work as though I was in a conversation rather than doing manual labor. Thank you Dragon, for making my work easier and more pleasant.

Court Reporting

sherilan — Tue, 26 May 2009 20:07:28 GMT

I have been a Court Reporter for over thirty years. I used to transcribe court cases by typing them myself or hiring a typist to whom I would dictate. I started using DNS several years ago when Dragon was new and needed to be "cut and pasted" into a word processing program and when I started to show signs of repetetive stress in my wrists and fingers. Then I upgraded and bought Word Perfect which included DNS within it's program and things got a lot easier. In 2002 I cut my hand, severing the tendon and nerves to my thumb and I was grateful to have DNS because I could not type for a period of about six months, but still needed to transcribe my court cases. Now I use the latest version and it has improved dramatically over the years. I wouldn't be without it. It's all I use. DNS has saved me both time and money as well as saving my hands from repetitive injury. I no longer type myself, nor do I need to pay a typist to transcribe for me. It takes half the time it used to to get my work done. I transcribe hundreds of pages of highly technical cases every week with both legal and medical terminology. It never ceases to amaze me, the words that it knows automatically that I would otherwise have to look up. You have an awesome program and I am glad to have it as part of my work life.

Charlene Landahl

Dragon to the rescue

Mathew Simone — Sun, 24 May 2009 00:35:52 GMT

First I would like to thank you for giving me the incentive, to express my appreciation for your product, because it is long overdue. Even now as I dictate this using your version 10.0, I think back to the time when I happened to be browsing through an electronics store and came across your product back in 1997. I have used your program exclusively since that time. Never had it become more important than that day in February 2007 when I was diagnosed with leukemia. I am a solo practitioner and for the most part not all that techno-savvy and use the two finger method of typing. You can start to see my problem. I was struggling to juggle my career and health issues. To make matters worse, I immune suppressed, which limited my ability to be in contact with people, even my own staff. This is where Dragon NaturallySpeaking came to the rescue. With the help of your program I was able to communicate with staff and clients, create drafts of legal documents and in general be productive again without concern for my limitations. It was an intricate part in helping me to who go through what I have come to call the "process", professionally and personally. Sometimes words cannot express the gracefulness one has for something as simple as a word recognition program and other technology to a person like me. Once again I Thank You and will continue to be a customer for life.

Mat Simone