My long, intrepid journey to convert my law office from proprietary to free and open source software (FOSS) included some surprises. The largest surprise was that the trip required linux code literacy no less than traveling an ocean would require navigation skills. Learning FOSS is nothing like licensing “out-of-the-box” software.
When I started practicing law, it was still relatively common for older lawyers to use dictation to create documents. These lawyers often did not know how to type let alone know how to use a word processor.
My grandmother was a lawyer who knew how to type, but her peers often mistook her for someone who was merely there to do the typing. She nevertheless recalled the skill as an advantage in the days of manual typewriters and carbon copies.
My mother forced me to take an introduction to typing class when I was in high school. I learned to use word processors when the first ones arrived so the transition was easy. Today I am able to do my own word processing. An assistant generally slows me down when I’m drafting and editing a legal document. As I’ve migrated to FOSS, my need for an assistant has continued to decrease.
That said, I’ve also realized I’m missing an entire set of skills that later generations of lawyers will likely take for granted. I interact with computers, software and networks like a consumer. Those skills aren’t enough. I need developer skills. All lawyers do. Like lawyers today know how to type. Lawyers tomorrow will need to know how to code.
In order to unlock the power of the computer and of networks, lawyers need to understand what the computer essentially is and what it can do. Its critical to have some notion of the computer as a logic machine and to understand its power to manipulate and organize datatypes. Apart from a deeper understanding of what it means to write and compile code, database literacy is probably the most obvious missing skill I can identify.
At a more general level, its a stunning irony that lawyers use logic as a professional tool but often lack any concept of how to use free code to unlock the logic engine inside every PC.
So its trite to conclude a project with the discovery that the journey is less complete at its end than it was at the beginning. But that’s where I find myself today.
True. There is no proprietary code left which is needed to run my law practice. The code in my office will already do more than the proprietary code I used in the past.
But I’ve exhausted a ridiculous amount of time and money to get where I am. And I’ve barely scratched the surface of what can be done. The limit I encountered is not the code. Its my own skill level.
I am glad I came upon this blog. I am a criminal defense attorney in Detroit and I am interested in using open source software in my practice. I know what you mean about the time and effort it takes to make a change like this. I’ve been using Linux since 2003 and have spent countless hours researching, head scratching and some plain old frustration to learn how to use it. I applaud you for your efforts and patience.
Comment by vanhammersly — January 26, 2009 @ 8:53 am
Our numbers are growing — very gradually.
Here is an announcement from Linux Laywer Steven Reisler about a new seminar in Seattle on March 13:
***
Several readers of Linux Magazine sent me comments regarding the
publication of the article “I’ve Got a Penguin in my Briefs (The
Gnu/Linux Lawyer)”. This is just a heads-up to let those of you who
wrote know that I am working with the Seattle chapter of the NLG and
Seattle University’s School of Law to put on a day long seminar entitled
“The Law of the Commons.” This program should be interesting to lawyers
and FOSS folks alike. Below is a link to the NLG site with a button for
the commons seminar. The down-loadable pdf for the program brochure is
specifically geared to techies, geeks and FOSS-savy lawyers.
http://www.nlgseattle.org/
We were happy to be able to bring in Eben Moglen for this event, as well
as several profs expert in IT issues. We’ve also got speakers coming
from the Electronic Frontier Foundation,Freedom for IP, etc. We’ve also
got some pretty edgy non-lawyer/non tech speakers coming in, as well.
The impetus for this program is to bring in techies, geeks, and lawyers,
in the hope of breaking down some of the professional barriers between
people with “common” interests in 21st Century commons. Oh, and for the
lawyers, we’ve also applied for “continuing legal education” credits.
I don’t know how much information about this program has been
distributed outside of the Northwest, so feel free to let others know if
you think they might be interested.
Free and Open greetings for the new year!
Steven Reisler
***
See you there?
Comment by late_rabbit — January 26, 2009 @ 1:20 pm
Your post on the Ubuntu Forums (http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=888749) suggesting that it might be a good idea for lawyers using Linux to “swap notes” has come full circle. I and a number of other lawyers are working on putting together a “Social Group” on the Forums to encourage lawyers to do exactly that at http://ubuntuforums.org/group.php?groupid=209. vanhammersly pointed me back to your blog, and I realized that it was your post that started the idea in the first place. I hope that you will join us and encourage others to do so, also.
Comment by Bill Day — February 22, 2009 @ 12:09 pm
I have a 25+ year public interest law background, now in private practice doing the same type work. I am absolutely disgusted with the money sucked out of my office for networkings hardware, software, and “IT Speialists” who cause more problems than they solve. I found your group while searching for open source law office software. I have a pretty good background in computers but to start from scratch in learning linux etc is virtually impossible, I still have to handle the cases and clients I have. I need to transition now. I can not describe how much I hate PCLaw. Can any of you guys give me a heads up on what I can start with for simple client and case management, calendaring, etc while I am going through this learning curve? Will be eternally grateful for some mentoring. Thanks.
Comment by cls1998 — February 13, 2010 @ 12:18 am
Hi, Catherine! Migrating to free / open software from proprietary software like Amicus Attorney or PCLaw involved letting go of the commodified “out of the box” solution to my problems. It got easy when I started using OpenOffice spreadsheets for anything for which I couldn’t find a suitable open source alternative. You can find other opinions from lawyers using free and open source software, specific answers to questions and even mentoring on the Ubuntu Legal Access Group: http://ubuntuforums.org/group.php?groupid=209 Hope to see you there!
Comment by late_rabbit — February 13, 2010 @ 6:04 pm