FYI for May 2009

Looking for the fastest and easiest way to create a unified, electronic exhibit package? TextMap® Exhibit Linker ensures evidence is always at hand. Read this month's FYI for more details and then download TextMap Exhibit Linker at no charge.

Better Organize Your Evidence with TextMap® Exhibit Linker

TextMap Exhibit Linker makes it easy for court reporters and litigation support staff to create an electronic exhibit package that generates hyperlinks from any exhibit referenced in the transcript to the actual, scanned exhibit.

The exhibit package can be e-mailed to the attorney for import into TextMap and prompt review—saving valuable time and ensuring that evidence is always at hand. The days of digging through boxes of documents to review a key exhibit are over.

TextMap Exhibit Linker is available for download at no charge.

With TextMap Exhibit Linker, litigation support staff can:

• Quickly populate a TextMap case on behalf of the attorney
• Create links to exhibit in bulk via aliases or manually to individual references
• Enable attorneys to review exhibits in the context of the transcript they are reading
• Reconcile inconsistencies in the naming conventions of exhibits

Download a 30-day trial version of TextMap Exhibit Linker.

^ back to TOC

Have You Tried DepPrep® Yet?

There is no better time than now. We have reduced the price of the DepPrep witness preparation tool to just $49. At that price you can’t afford not to have it!

DepPrep is an online tutorial that makes it easy to groom witnesses for their depositions. It teaches witnesses basic deposition do’s and don’ts, leaving you free to focus on other critical tasks, such as dealing with case-specific and witness-specific problems.

DepPrep certainly isn't intended to eliminate the interaction between witness and counsel as deposition approaches. Rather, it enhances the time you spend with a witness. Users report that witnesses who spend 30 minutes with DepPrep are ready to make the most of their interaction with counsel.

Get a full-featured trial version of DepPrep.

Some feedback on DepPrep:

"I have used DepPrep with several witnesses and concluded they were more comfortable and better prepared at the time of their depositions as a result. There is an obvious qualitative improvement of the witness' understanding of the deposition process because of DepPrep. They just make better witnesses. They better understand the deposition process after reviewing DepPrep for 30 minutes than if I work with them for a longer time."

"My practice has been to sit the client in front of a workstation where I set up DepPrep and then meet with the client afterward. When I meet with the client, I can concentrate on the wedge issues of their testimony, confident they already know what depositions are about."

^ back to TOC

Alliance Between LexisNexis and Government Promotes Privacy Protection and Litigation Streamlining

What are today's best practices for protecting privacy and streamlining the litigation process? LexisNexis government customers and prospective customers will find out when the company hosts a breakfast forum at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., on June 9, 2009, from 9 to 11 a.m.

Panel and Audience to Share Information and Best Practices

The first hour will explore the active relationship between LexisNexis and government customers, who share a focus on privacy and streamlined litigation. After an introduction by Carol DiBattiste, LexisNexis senior vice president of privacy, security and compliance, the audience will hear from Kevin Stehr, LexisNexis vice president of litigation services, and Bob Wiss, co-founder of CaseSoft, the company that originally created CaseMap software.

The second hour will be an informal panel discussion by representatives of government agencies heavily involved in the litigation process, along with audience Q&A. LexisNexis will help facilitate the discussion, but the primary purpose is to provide a forum for sharing information and best practices.

You Can Benefit

^ back to TOC

Related Files vs. Linked File on CaseMap®

What's the difference between the Related Files field and the Linked File field in CaseMap fact and issue management software?

Related Files Field

The Related Files field enables you to link multiple files to the same record. Its primary purpose extends back to the days when multi-page documents could not be scanned into a single file.

Linked File Field

The Linked File field contains a link to only one file or database record. This field allows you to choose which program you want to use to view the file, but Related Files does not. Linked File can link to an image or transcript in a document database, but Related Files cannot.

The other important difference between Related Files and Linked File has to do with portability. Once you have linked a file using the Related Files field, there is no way to change the path to the file without deleting the existing link and browsing out to the new location.

However, to change the path for all your files linked using the Linked File field, you would simply use Find and Replace. So, if you create numerous links to files on your network using Related Files and then want to move them to a laptop, you have to manually re-link every single file.

Entering Key Documents as Objects

Aside from the functional differences between these two fields, you also need to consider getting the most out of what you put into CaseMap. Ideally, you should enter the key documents as Objects on your Documents spreadsheet. Then, you can refer to them as sources for Facts and fill in important information about the documents.

Let’s say that you link several photographs to a Person using Related Files, rather than adding each one as an Object. At this point, you cannot enter any information about the photos, and you cannot link any of them to a Fact as a source. The photos also are not part of your document index or exhibit list. Typically, if you are linking files to a Person, they are important enough to be listed as separate Objects.

You can still link multiple documents to a single record when using the Linked File field. Simply add each document as a separate Object, linking each file using the Linked File field. Then, to link one or more of these documents to a single record, just list their Short Names in any description type field. Each document will be listed when you click the paperclip to the left of that row.

Know Your Options

Again, Related Files is really necessary only when you have multiple files for the same document, such as one file per page so that a ten-page document would have ten files. This method of scanning documents is generally used only when loading the images into a database, which you can link to using the Linked File field. The Linked File field is clearly the more flexible option.

^ back to TOC

30-Second Skill Tuning: Fixing Wrong Field Types

Occasionally, you may create a custom field in CaseMap, only to realize that it is not the type you need. It is not possible to change the field type after you have created it. However, CaseMap has a feature that makes the problem easy to fix.

Simply create a new field of the appropriate type for the information you want to enter. Then, from the Tools menu, choose Case Tools and then Bulk Field Copy from the flyout menu.

You will be prompted to choose the field you want to copy information from. Choose the old field. You will then be prompted to choose the field you want to copy the information to. Choose the new field. CaseMap will copy all of the data into the new field.

Once you have verified that everything copied, you can delete the old field. Just right-click on the name of the field and choose Field Properties. Click the minus in the top-right corner.

^ back to TOC

CaseMap® Training Schedule

Below is our CaseMap training schedule. To register for a class, please fill out a registration form and return it at least one week before the start date.

In response to client demand and the current economic climate, we are now offering more online training opportunities. Another great way to minimize training costs is for us to come to you with our popular and affordable on-site training and “Jumpstart” consulting sessions (contact us for more information).

Course Descriptions

CaseMap for Attorneys: This course is designed with attorneys in mind—it's quick, targeted, and online. You’ll learn to quickly build a case, analyze and link your data, and run pertinent reports.

FastTrack: This course is designed to help new CaseMap customers learn the essentials of the program. Topics include CaseMap strategies, sorting and searching techniques, creating great work product, and using the Send to CaseMap feature in Adobe® Acrobat® and other tools.

Certified Paralegal: This course is specifically designed to help paralegals, legal assistants, and other support professionals learn best practices for inputting and extracting crucial case data.

Certified Administrator: This course is specifically designed for litigation support professionals. It reviews how to deploy and support CaseMap and TimeMap® software.

To register, fill out and send in a registration form.

To learn more, visit our Web site law.lexisnexis.com/casemap/training

Or contact litservtraining@lexisnexis.com or 425-463-3546.

^ back to TOC

This message is an advertisement or solicitation from LexisNexis, 9443 Springboro Pike, Miamisburg, OH 45342. If you do not wish to receive commercial e-mail messages from LexisNexis, use this link to unsubscribe.

LexisNexis and the Knowledge Burst logo are registered trademarks of Reed Elsevier Properties Inc., used under license. CaseMap, TimeMap, TextMap, NoteMap, DepPrep and CourtLink are registered trademarks of LexisNexis, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. Other products or services may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.

Privacy & Security Copyright © 2009 LexisNexis, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. 127284a