With the recent popularity of iPads and electronic tablets, attorneys are now finding new ways to use these devices inside and outside of the office. Attorneys can now use iPads to read and make notes to client files while away from the office. We’ve seen attorneys using iPads to access client files during a legal deposition rather than haul around boxes of paper files. For a case that is paper intensive, this can be a huge convenience.
There are many applications that will allow an iPad to serve different functions and add more features to the device. One app that will allow you to easily use your iPad to access client files is Dropbox. Dropbox is a file-sharing software that is available free for download onto any computer. Now Dropbox offers an app that allows this software to operate on iPads.
By downloading a Dropbox app to your iPad and your computer, you can share your files on both devices and keep both constantly updated. When you make changes or additions to files, whether you are on your office computer or out of the office using your iPad, Dropbox will update both versions and keep all files in sync at all times.
Signing up for a Dropbox account is easy. A free account will give you 2GB of storage. Signing up for the free account is a good way to start and try out the service before you make the commitment to pay for any upgrades. However, because of the size of legal files and the amount of documents typically held in files, most attorneys and law firms will want to acquire a Pro account to add more storage capacity. Pro acccounts can hold up to 500 GB of storage for as little as $9.99.
The benefits of using Dropbox are:
Easy to use. If you know how to save a file on your office computer, you will have no trouble using Dropbox.
- Access your client files from the courtroom, deposition, or anywhere
- Free 2 GB of storage, and low cost to upgrade up to 100GB of storage
- Doubles as a way to restore lost files if your server or computer hard drive crashes
- Sharing files with other people is easy
- Large files that are too large to email can be easily shared using Dropbox
If you already own an iPad and want to begin using it for your next legal deposition, a Dropbox app should be the very next application you add to your device. If you haven’t purchased an iPad or tablet yet, rest assured that services like Dropbox and many others are helping attorneys access files and stay productive even while away from the office.
For more information on legal technologies, download this free report: “5 Technologies Every Attorney Must Have.”