Modem Communication: a Necessity for Establishing a Law Practice
| Publication year | 1992 |
| Pages | 281 |
| Citation | Vol. 21 No. 2 Pg. 281 |
1992, February, Pg. 281. Modem Communication: A Necessity for Establishing a Law Practice
Most beginning and seasoned lawyers have access to a computer which, when attached to a printer, can be commanded to generate any number of printed documents. With the addition of an inexpensive modem, the computer also can be used for paperless electronic creation, revision and transfer of documents. This article offers an overview of the terms used in computer communications and lists some examples of how a lawyer establishing his or her practice can use a modem to provide an effective service to clients.
In a traditional law office, when a lawyer wants to send a draft of a document to a client, the lawyer dictates the document, has it transcribed by a secretary and printed out in hard copy, reviews and edits the hard copy and sends it back to the secretary for revision and reprinting in final form. The secretary then returns the finished document to the lawyer for final review. Finally, the document is sent to the client by mail or, if the deadline is tight, by facsimile. Of course, the client will review the document and want additional revisions made, and the process will repeat itself.
The introduction of personal computers and laser printers into law offices during the last decade has made it easier for lawyers to generate documents and provide quick responses to the legal concerns of their clients. However, in many cases, the cumulative ancillary effect of this new computer technology in the legal profession has been the transformation of acres of trees into drafts and revisions of documents, and the discarding of used laser toner cartridges by the tens of millions.(fn1)
Fortunately, today's lawyers have the opportunity to use available computer hardware and software to create, edit and revise a document for a client and then transfer it electronically from the computer work station directly to the client's computer or facsimile machine. The client may then make revisions and fax the document back to the lawyer's computer for review on screen, thus saving time and paper.
Understanding the terminology used with electronic communication will help with the purchase decision and subsequent use of the computer system. Computers communicate electronically via different methods: diskettes, local area networks and modems. This article addresses communication by modem.
A modem is a device that allows computers to communicate using the same telephone line that is used for everyday voice conversations. It adds new functions to the office computer by allowing access to legal research services such as LEXIS® and Westlaw®; electronic exchange of documents with clients; and remote access to the office computer. Modems can operate in two different modes: asynchronous and synchronous. The more common mode, used by most law firms and their clients, is asynchronous.
The term...
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