Technola : Public Interest Law & Technology Updates & Commentary : Matthew Burnett & Kate Bladow : Tech Advice for the Non-Profit Legal Sector

The New York Times recently published an interactive map showing food stamp usage in the United States, which includes the ability to filter by whites, blacks, children, and change since 2007.  Raw data by county, which should be useful to legal services advocates seeking to better understand (and visualize) the specific areas and populations that they serve, is also available for download here (CSV). A related article about record highs in food stamp usage can be found here. -M

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In their twist on the Thanksgiving question "What are you thankful for?", Lifehacker asked readers what free software applications they were most thankful for. Based on the responses and some Lifehacker magic, they compiled a list of the 61 Free Apps We're Most Thankful For. No surprise: Firefox is number one. Rounding out the top ten are VLC, CCleaner, Dropbox, 7-Zip, OpenOffice.org, Google Chrome, µTorrent, Notepad++, and Gmail.

Don't know what these applications are used for or need to know how to use them better? The Lifehacker staff has you covered. As a part of their list, they also posted links to reference materials. - K

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Since Google Scholar was announced last week, bloggers have been speculating on what effect it will have on legal research, the practice of law, and the public's access. A few noteworthy posts covering the main areas of discussion:

The Big Winners: Law Students?
From Laura Bergus' post Google Scholar Search Now Includes U.S. Case Law and Legal Journals," it sounds like the big winners will be law students who now have another legal research option, which comes with an easier to use interface that they are accustomed to using.

Will Anyone Need a Lawyer?
Jane Genova at Law and More suggests that Google Scholar will be a great legal research tool for self-represented litigants in her post Everyman a Legal Player: Google Scholar. Taking a more realistic view, Scott Greenfield in The End of the Duopoly at Simple Justice recognizes that case law is hard to understand, doubly so for the average person, whether or not it's freely available.

What About LexisNexis and West?
The greatest amount of ink has been used to analyze the impact on LexisNexis and West. Over at My Shingle, Carolyn Elefant's post Free Legal Research by Google & What It Means looks at this issue.

Is It Any Good?
Most agree that it's a good start for Google. But how does it compare? People are trying to find out, including Greg Lambert and Toby Brown at 3 Geeks and a Law Blog. They want use crowdsourcing as a part of their test and are asking for your ideas. Check out Greg's post We Need You - Ideas for Testing Google Scholar Via Crowdsourcing. - K

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Do you have an online thief or two on your holiday gift list? If so, ComputerWorld highlights five ways to give them the gifts they want: your data and money. For the rest of us, the FTC offers guidelines we can use to protect ourselves while online. - K

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Harvard’s Berkman Center recently launched the Online Media Legal Network (OMLN), a U.S. network of top law firms, law schools, in-house counsel, and lawyers willing to provide pro bono legal assistance to “qualifying online journalism ventures and other digital media creators.” Part of the Center’s Citizen Media Law Project, OMLN’s website allows lawyers to submit an application to provide legal assistance and clients to request legal help. Services include business formation and governance, copyright and fair use, access to government information, and employment issues, among others. A press release about the Network’s launch is available here. -M

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Equal Justice Works has redesigned and updated their online guide to law schools for prospective law students interested in pursuing a career in public interest law. The redesigned Guide, which was previously done in partnership with Newsweek, offers better data and filtering options than earlier versions. While the Guide provides useful data for those trying to choose a law school based on public interest programs and placements, among other factors, it does not rank law schools. A press release announcing the launch of the Guide is available here. -M   

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You've heard the term "cloud computing," but do you know what that means? Wikipedia tells us that

Cloud computing is Internet- ("cloud-") based development and use of computer technology ("computing").[1] In concept, it is a paradigm shift whereby details are abstracted from the users who no longer need knowledge of, expertise in, or control over the technology infrastructure "in the cloud" that supports them.[2] It typically involves the provision of dynamically scalable and often virtualized resources as a service over the Internet.

All clear now? No? Then check out Common Craft's Cloud Computing in Plain English video. Like their other work, they break the idea down and make it much easier to understand.

If, once you're done watching the video, you want to learn more, here are a few additional resources:

• Cloud Computing for Mobile Lawyers - Law.com
• My Hub is The Cloud - Gin & Tech Tonics
• Cloud computing and taming the desktop - Idealware
• A Map To Better Understand The Cloud Ecosystem...And The Hype - ReadWrite Enterprise
• The Cloud Isn't Safe?! (Or Did Black Hat Just Scare Us?) - ReadWriteWeb

And for those of you who want to read more about the legal issues involved, a set of posts from the Information Law Group:

• Legal Implications of Cloud Computing — Part One (the Basics and Framing the Issues)
• Legal Implications of Cloud Computing -- Part Two (Privacy and the Cloud)
• Legal Implications of Cloud Computing -- Part Three (Relationships in the Cloud)

Hope these resources help clear things up. - K

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Google Scholar now includes case law and legal journals as part of its online collection of searchable scholarship. Users can either select “legal opinions and journals” when they initiate a basic search or use the advanced search to filter by state or federal court opinions. The results set includes a variety of useful metadata, including the case cite and “how cited,” a list of opinions that cite the source case. The collection also includes law review and journal articles, although these results are primarily links to HeinOnline, which requires a subscription. -M

Update: Here's the official post from the Google Blog.

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The annual National Legal Aid and Defender Association (NLADA) conference is taking place November 18-21 in Denver, CO. As always, there are a number of great sessions focusing on technology, including online video, social media, GIS/mapping, document assembly, statewide websites, and the strategic role of technology in legal services delivery.

Thursday, November 19

10:15-11:45

Wise Investing for Lean Times: Strategies for Capacity Building and Finding Partners with Common Interests for Technology Projects

Social Media Tools for Advocacy, Fundraising and Connecting

5:30-6:30

NLADA Technology Section Meeting

Friday, November 20

8:30-10:00

Practical Uses of GIS Mapping: Telling Your Story, Needs Assessment, and Outreach Planning

10:15-11:45

Wither Does Thou Wonder? Desktop, Online Document Assembly, or Both?

2:15-3:45

The Future is Now: What Technologies are Emerging as Useful Tools for Attorneys and their Programs

The Digital Update: Times, Trivia, and Important Technology Information for the Legal Services Community

4:00-5:30

Changing Times: Approaches to Using Video to Deliver Legal Services

Saturday, November 21

9:15-10:45

Not Just a Pretty Interface: A2J Author Delivers Solutions for Challenging Times

The full conference program, which includes session descriptions and  presenters, is available here. -M

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Recently, my computer required fixing, and by fixing, I mean reinstalling everything from the operating system on up. Installing all of the extra software that I use (Firefox, Pidgin, GIMP, Adobe Reader, Microsoft Security Essentials, Evernote, Notepad++, and so on) was time consuming and tedious. It seemed to take forever.

Next time, I will not be installing each tool individually. Through Twitter, I found Ninite, an online tool that allows you to select from more than 60 software packages and, based on those selections, creates a personalized installer for you. Download, click a few buttons, and all of the tools you selected will be installed at one time. No more download, click, click, wait, download, click, click, wait. Just download, click, click, walk away, and do something better with your time.  - K

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Several upcoming events of note:

• She's Geeky DC - November 13 & 14, 2009 - Washington, DC
  Techie women from the DC area are meeting up. It's an unconference, so no agenda will be announced prior to the event, but look here for a sneak peak at potential agenda items. (Cost: Starting at $55. Register here.)
• Tech Training Made Simple with Online Videos - November 18, 2009 - Online
  At this TechSoup webinar, Stephanie Gerding will interview Lee LeFever of Common Craft about how their amazing "In Plain English" videos are created. (Cost: Free. Register here.)
• Virtual LegalTech - November 19, 2009 - Online
  ALM is hosting an online version of their LegalTech Trade Show with both presentations and exhibitors. Two particular presentations of note: IT Leadership in Turbulent Times and the Microsoft Boot Camp at 3 pm and 4 pm Eastern, respectively. (Cost: Free to qualified attendees. Register here.)
• O'Reilly Gov 2.0 Online Conference - December 10, 2009 - Online
  An online version of O'Reilly's popular Gov 2.0 conferences, this 3.5 hour session will focus on five projects: City of Santa Cruz Budget Crisis-A Blueprint Using Social Media, txts 4 africa, Transit 2.0 at Bart.gov; Utah Department of Public Safety Media Portal, and Digital Diplomacy. (Cost: Free. Register here.)
• LSC Technology Initiative Grant Conference - January 13 - 15, 2010 - Austin, Texas
  The agenda for the LSC TIG Conference hasn't been announced yet, but like previous years, it's expected to be filled with great information. In addition to the conference, LSC TIG staff have been planning a week full of activities, including a document assembly training hosted by Pro Bono Net on January 11 and 12 and the MIE National Conference for Legal Services Administrators on January 12 and 13. (Cost: Not free. Registration available soon.)
• Nonprofit 2.0 - February 12, 2010 - Washington, DC
  This is another unconference, but this one is for people interested in using social media to create networked communities. Randi Zuckerberg, who is responsible for Creative & Buzz Marketing, Politics, and Social Change at Facebook, and Amanda Rose, the Twestival Co-Founder, will be keynoting. (Cost: $47.12. Register here.)

And a couple of conferences that have already happened but have materials that are worth checking out.

• TedxMidAtlantic -  Videos from the MidAtlantic version of TED are now available. (TED is known for "Riveting talks by remarkable people, free to the world.") I recommend Sonja Sohn's talk, but then again, I'm a huge fan of both Baltimore and The Wire.
• Facebook, Twitter & Blogging...Oh MySpace! - The Pennsylvania Bar Institute brought together lawyers to talk about social networking and media. You can see the tweets from the event.

Any important events that I missed? - K

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Legal information website coordinators, a post especially for you. I've collected several items that may be appropriate for your public or advocate sites.

• A Practical Guide to the Indian Child Welfare Act - A document from the Native American Rights Fund (NARF) that introduces the Indian Child Welfare Act, answers common questions, and lists additional resources. Also, check out NARF's National Indian Law Library and blog.
• Locating the Law: A Handbook for Non-Law Librarians - An introduction to legal research from the Public Access to Legal Information Committee of the Southern California Association of Law Libraries (SCALL) In its fifth edition, this publication covers how to read a legal citation (PDF), basic legal research techniques (PDF), and several other important topics.
• Supreme Court's Decisions 2008-2009 (PDF) - Summaries of Supreme Courts decisions as published in the November-December 2009 edition of the Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law's Clearinghouse Review. Documents from previous years are also available.
• Foreclosure Rescue Scams - Materials from the FTC about foreclosure rescue scams, including legal information, a short video, public service announcements, and additional resources. The FTC has also made the information available in Spanish. (h/t to Claudia Johnson for pointing this out.)

Have you come across any other legal information sources recently that others should know about? Let us know in the comments.- K

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After a fairly uneventful hurricane season, Hurricane Ida is headed toward the United States. Ida is expected to land somewhere between Louisiana and Florida as early as Tuesday, and communities in these areas are preparing for the storm.

However, a more dispersed group is also getting ready. Earlier today, Andy Carvin called for online volunteers to help update The Hurricane Information Center, a hurricane information portal that Technola highlighted in 2008. Volunteers are needed to help with several tasks, but Andy says:

Most importantly, we need to update the wiki: http://hurricanewiki.org. We need volunteers to review the wiki section by section and make sure that there are resources collected for Florida, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana. Much of this was done last year but it can't hurt to be sure it's up to date. If you plan to work on a section of the wiki, please let us know which one.

If you can help, speak up. If you don't have time to help review the wiki, take a few seconds to pass on Andy's request for help. Maybe someone in your network does.

On a related note, anyone looking for disaster legal information should check out Matthew's previous post "Online Disaster Legal Resources." - K

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I came across a couple of tweets that I wanted to share with Technola readers.

The first is from Andy Carvin. He was tweeting from the PublicMediaCamp held recently in DC.

Andy Carvin's Tweet

Although I suspect Andy was referring to natural disasters, what struck me was how true this is for most types of disasters, including funding cuts and bad publicity. When a disaster hits, you need to act quickly. You don't want to spend most of your time figuring out who your supporters are.

The second is from Ashley Schweitzer, which she tweeted from a Social Media Breakfast in Minnesota.

Ashley Schweitzer's tweet

Yes, we are all trying to keep the lights on today, but social networking should be seen as an investment. You won't get a giant payback immediately. You need to commit to it and use it to connect with other people. It's from the relationships that you build that good and often unexpected opportunities come your way. - K

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The latest buzz on Twitter is about its new list feature. Users can create lists of people and then read the resulting stream of tweets. For example, Niki Black, a Rochester-based lawyer, blogger, and member of the Rochester Advisory Board of Legal Assistance of Western New York, has created several lists, including lists for her family, people in Rochester, and "legal must follows." Glancing at each list lets her quickly see what those people are talking about.

An Example: @accesstojustice's List of Legal Aid and Pro Bono Programs

Twitter's list feature will change your life or is the end of Twitter as we know it, depending on who you talk to. However, given that Twitter just launched the feature fully on October 30, we won't know whether either prediction is true for a while.

What I do know is that many people are building lists. A few interesting ways to use them:

• Group journalists together to see patterns in news coverage. Examples: ABA Journal, NY Times, AnnArbour.com.
• Group employees or affiliates to help people connect with them. Examples: IFRC, Home Depot, Twitter.
• Group people and organizations by interest areas. Examples: Legal Aid and Pro Bono Organizations, Immigrant Rights, Bar Associations.

One nice thing: once someone sets up a list, you don't have to recreate the list. You can follow it. (Greg Lambert of 3 Geeks and a Law Blog was nice enough to document how to add an RSS feed to a Twitter list in case you prefer to use your news reader to follow Twitter.)

If you haven't used Twitter before, look at the Legal Aid and Pro Bono Organizations list. You can quickly see how other organizations are using Twitter. (If I've missed your organization or another that belongs on the list, please let me know.)

And if you need an introduction to Twitter, check out "Twitter 101". - K

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The fall time change came just in time. That extra hour let me catch up on some much needed sleep before launching into a packed November. Did you use your extra hour wisely? If not and you need some help getting ahead, here's the "CliffsNotes" to catch you up on Technola's top October posts:

• Firefox Add-ons for Legal Research
• Delivering the Message with a New Medium: National Pro Bono Celebration Week 2009
• Webinar Today: "Using Social Media to Network with Other Advocates and Promote Your Work
• Thanking the Lawyers Who Go Above and Beyond: National Pro Bono Celebration 2009
• Illinois Legal Aid Online Launches "LiveHelp" Project

And after that, I recommend that you check out a few others:

• Will law firms have no other alternative than to blog? - Real Lawyers Have Blogs
• Ronald Staudt: Web + Law = A2J - ABA Journal's Legal Rebels
• Guest Post by Nedra Weinreich: Fruit Salad - or, Selecting Your Target Audience - Beth's Blog

Happy Reading! - K

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Students in Penn Law School’s Program on Documentaries and the Law have created a series of videos on legal issues impacting immigrants, including notario fraud and the process of hiring and working with a lawyer. The videos are presented in Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese, and Fuzhou. –M [Thanks, Will!]

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