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STREAMLINING THE LITIGATION PROCESS AND ENHANCING THE IMPACT OF EVIDENCE
My introduction to family court litigation occurred during my junior year in college. That fall, I took a job as a file clerk and runner with McLaren & Lee (Columbia, S.C.), a small firm specializing in family court litigation. On my first day at work, I noticed a certain gleam in the eyes of paralegals and attorneys when they realized I drove an SUV. Their delight over the size of my car left me at a loss. Without further thought on the subject, I spent the rest of my first week helping to prepare for a week-long trial. When I arrived at the office the following Monday morning, I understood why my car attracted such attention. Without it, I could not have taken the 20-plus bankers boxes to the courthouse in a single trip. Right then and there, I learned how document intensive the practice of family court litigation could be.
In 2011, I returned to work at McLaren & Lee. One year prior to my return, release of the first-generation iPad caused a sea change in trial presentation and document management. As a result, we learned how to leverage technology: making volumes of documents manageable, having information ready-to-hand, and removing the need for large vehicles. The more we integrated and leveraged technology, the less paper exhibits and bankers boxes we needed for deposition or trial. Oral arguments and presentations of evidence became crisp and clear. Transcripts became less cumbersome to review and summarize. The integration of technology did not change the way the firm practiced, it changed the way information was digested, distributed, and presented.
Following is what I have learned about integrating technology into a family law practice and how it can streamline the litigation process and increase the impact of evidence. My insights are not platform specific. I have used Macs, PCs, and Apple products during all phases of the litigation process. Currently, I work for a firm that uses Macs, iPhones, and iPads. Previously, I worked with a combination of PCs and Apple products. All the programs and apps discussed are available, in some fashion, on both platforms (Mac or PC) or are available only on iOS (e.g., iPad,...