MICROSOFT EXCEL FOR LAWYERS: POTENTIAL PITFALLS AND THE PROMISES OF PROFICIENCY

On Thursday, July 13, the Legal Tech Institute at Harris County Law Library will offer a free CLE program called Excel Essentials for the Practice of Law. In anticipation of that event, we are reposting an older Tech Tuesday blog post that discusses the importance of Excel proficiency for lawyers. For details about Thursday's program and to register for the course, please visit the LTI Course Catalog. 

Excel is a data management tool used for organizing, calculating, graphing, and sharing tabular information. The importance of developing proficiency in the use of Excel cannot be overstated. Knowing how to manipulate spreadsheets is just as important as properly formatting a written document, and without a firm understanding of how Excel works, embarrassing and potentially costly errors can result. Consider the following: 

When Barclays sent over its offer to buy up Lehman Brothers in the immediate wake of the firm's September 2008 collapse, it did so with an Excel spreadsheet. The makers of the spreadsheet, which detailed Lehman's assets and what Barclays was willing to buy, hid, rather than deleted, nearly 200 cells. But when a junior law associate at Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton converted the Excel file to a PDF and e-mailed it over to the bankruptcy court, the hidden parts of the spreadsheet reappeared. The result: Along with the parts of Lehman Barclays wanted, the British bank was also forced to swallow losses on an additional 179 toxic deals it never intended to buy.

 -- From Stephen Gandel, writing in Fortune magazine, April 17, 2013

This cautionary tale is just one example of how Excel has been used improperly, with very negative consequences. This is obviously a mistake of greater magnitude than most attorneys encounter on an average day, but nonetheless, it does illustrate the perils of using software improperly.

If you're interested in learning how to use Excel in the practice of law, visit the LTI Course Catalog to register for our upcoming CLE. In the meantime, visit the website of Excel Esquire, where you will learn many practical tips for generating Bates numbers, using pivot tables, sorting metadata, and much more.

CANCELLATION & RESCHEDULING: Legal Tech Institute CLE @ Harris County Law Library

Due to Tropical Storm Cindy, The Robot Lawyer CLE program scheduled for June 22 has been canceled and rescheduled for July 20. Details about the rescheduled event are as follows:

Session:      The Robot Lawyer: Artificial Intelligence in the Practice of Law

Date:           RESCHEDULED: Thursday, July 20, 2017

Time:           Noon to 1 p.m.

Location:     Harris County Attorney Conference Center, Lower Level, Congress Plaza, 1019 Congress Street, Houston, TX 77002

To register for the July 20 CLE, visit the Legal Tech Institute website by clicking on the image below:

Free CLE in July from the Legal Tech Institute: Excel Essentials

Join us on Thursday, July 13, 12pm - 1pm, for Excel Essentials. Microsoft Excel is an important tool for the modern legal profession. It can assist in supervising document reviews, calculating damages, and managing client information. Because so many business clients use Excel, spreadsheets often become evidence in their own right, and attorneys need to be able to review and understand Excel documents. In this interactive program, Ben J. Kusmin, a commercial litigator and the founder of Excel Esquire, will demonstrate the most important features of Microsoft Excel using concrete examples and realistic data. Attendees will have the option to download the data used in the presentation to follow along on their own computers. Register today!

For more discussion of using Excel in the practice of law, see our previous Tech Tuesday blog post MICROSOFT EXCEL FOR LAWYERS: POTENTIAL PITFALLS AND THE PROMISES OF PROFICIENCY

Free CLE in June and July from the Legal Tech Institute

Register today for two CLEs offered in June and July from the Legal Tech Institute.

Join us on Thursday, June 22, 12pm - 1pm, for The Robot Lawyer: Artificial Intelligence in the Practice of Law. Saskia Mehlhorn, Director of Knowledge Management & Library Services, Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP will give specific examples of tools that incorporate AI technology and discuss opportunities for lawyers and other legal professionals.

Join us on Thursday, July 13, 12pm - 1pm, for Excel Essentials. Ben J. Kusmin, Esq., founder of the popular blog Excel Esquire will demonstrate the most important features of Microsoft Excel for legal professionals using concrete examples and realistic data.

Legal Conferences & Events: TBD Law

For the third consecutive year, Lawyerist and Filament will team up to host a sort of summer camp for lawyers. Known as TBD Law, this unconventional conference/retreat/summit/workshop is an event designed for innovative solo and small firm legal practitioners who are serious about shaping the future of law. Generating fresh ideas and new approaches to improving the practice of law is the goal, and only those who demonstrate a commitment to engaging with big ideas will be invited to attend. Restricting the number of participants will allow for diversity of thought and ensure that all voices have a chance to be heard. To request an invitation, submit your application by July 14th. Fifty-five innovative, forward-thinking lawyers with a vision for improving the future of law office management, client relations, and law-firm business models will be selected to take part in this one-of-a-kind experience. Don't miss it!