From there, we walked through the five major categories of software solutions: time and billing, research, productivity, and enterprise solutions. I'll take you through each of these categories, as I did with that firm, and point out some of the applications that best meet each need.

Time and billing
Aside from winning the case, accounting for time spent traveling to visit a client, researching, or consulting is an attorney's most critical task. Those attorneys not using handheld devices to help with this task must enter the time manually or on a time system and then send it to their secretaries for billing. It can be difficult for attorneys to keep up with this process while they're concentrating more on the case than on their administrative tasks. Usually, they end up slamming their secretary with all the input (i.e., email entries, paper notes) all at once; in the shuffle, about 10-15 hours of billable time fails to get documented.

With large numbers of attorneys spending more and more time out of the office researching and consulting with clients, this method of billing is rapidly becoming antiquated. Firms are finding easier and more comprehensive ways to track billing via handheld computing. A wireless method of time tracking requires less time and effort.

The best solution currently available is a software application called MobileTimeBilling at http://www.wirelessverticals.com/products_and_services/mtb.shtml. It's pictured in Figure A.

FIGURE A

Record your billing on the go with MobileTimeBilling.

The software allows attorneys to document their time on the fly with a timer that automatically enters hours and minutes spent. Many attorneys rely on a support staff to input manual records of billable time spent on a case. However, with MobileTimeBilling it's easier. You're just two taps away from documentation. Handheld savvy attorneys can take on this chore themselves, making sure they capture all their case time. This also frees up the paralegal and secretary for other tasks.

Research
Westlaw, a leading commercial legal research database at http://www.westlaw.com, is used by legal professionals to research precedents and tactics used in past documented cases. Attorneys can access this database through the Internet. Now, however, attorneys can access Westlaw through their wireless handheld devices by downloading Wireless Westlaw or even by using their own browsers. While out of the office or even in the courtroom, attorneys can look up a statute and see how to interpret it. This is a legitimate maneuver during a trial, but it can be done less conspicuously with a handheld computer than with a laptop. The advantages are limitless.

Wireless Westlaw is freeware, and it can be found at http://www.westgroup.com/products/software/wlany.wg. It's pictured in Figure B.

FIGURE B

Wireless Westlaw gives you legal information on the go.

Productivity
While applications designed specifically for legal functions are necessary, general productivity tools complete an attorney's handheld docket. Legal professionals, like everyone, can benefit from spreadsheet applications that'll allow them to create, edit, and read spreadsheet documents covering everything from organizing information to billing.