The Ithaca iLawyer: Communication at a New Level

New School Communicator: The Iphone Lawyer

I just finished reading Steve Jobs life story. It was a fascinating read. Whether you liked or disliked the man, whether you agree he made or didn't make any contributions to technology, you have to admire his inspiration and work ethic. The products he helped launch and bring to life are marvels of design. They are beautiful and useful.

The Ipractice

I have become an ijunkie over the course of many years. I would not have been able to build the practice I currently have and enjoy without the internet. It's funny how a little guy with a shingle in a relatively small town (like Ithaca, NY) can create a personal, focused, and local hands on criminal defense and personal injury practice (legal business) by strictly using the internet.

Paper is For Dinosaurs

I have no yellow page ad. I use no print media. I blog (3 years, 290+ blogs), I video (210 videos and counting), I publish (dozens of articles and books), and I express myself daily. Because of all of this I have been recognized by my peers (Co-authored a NYS DWI Defense Book in 2011) and had an amazingly successful practice. In practical terms, I can communicate with my legal clients from anyplace and at anytime. They can relay police reports, medical records, documents, updates, car information, etc. My practice is virtual on this level.

I believe others can also create successful businesses but to do it does take interest and inspiration. I am very interested in learning, growing, and sharing. I am inspired to leave a meaningful contribution.

An ilawyer needs an iphone

I love my Iphone, there I said it. It is amazing.

How much do I love this incredible tool (please don't refer to it as a phone)?
If my Iphone cheated on me, I wouldn't divorce it.
If my iphone owed me money, I wouldn't sue it.
If I had to choose between my Iphone and my kids, I would have to take a moment.
The iphone has allowed me to stay in touch, and to communicate at a level far beyond anything of days past.

Does your lawyer or other professional have an Iphone? With electronic fax I Can get my faxes, emails, texts, calls, pictures, documents, and videos from anywhere in the world? How can anyone not love the power, the ease of portability, and the shear access to vast resources at your fingertips? The Iphone is the ultimate communication tool. If your lawyer has an Iphone the chances are that they place a high (or higher) value on communication. Accessibility relates to reachability relates to connectability. Feeling connected, in touch, and only a message away brings a level of comfort only a warm blanket on a cold night can touch.

My Tech History

People need comparison and context to really (fully) appreciate the world we currently live in.

My first cell phone was an NEC P9000, for those unfamiliar with such things, the NEC was the size of a brick, 3lbs, 5 inch antenna. Can you imagine? I paid $1800 for this phone in 1987. I was a Chiropractor with a big phone. My wife used to love lugging it for me in her purse. My cell phone bills ran from $400 to $600 a month.

In line with this big phone was my first computer. It was a big purchase in 1986. We used to write all our bills by hand, and submit them to the insurance companies until this modern miracle of science. It was an IBM 386. It was designed to strictly do office billing with a dot matrix printer. It cost $6000 with the software. No mouse back then.


Jump to 1993, I purchased my first windows based computer for the office. It was a IBM 486 with software, still no mouse, at a purchase price of $15,000. We were doing word processing now. Still using the dot matrix printer and then the laser printer. The company I purchased this from also sold us a software update package for $2000/year. This was the state of union back in the early 1990s.

So looking over my life and the technology I am now privy to enjoy I am overjoyed. My kids may tire of my Abraham Lincoln stories but the reality is that these are truly miraculous times we live in. Anyone with an internet connection and some creativity can express themselves globally. Anyone with the interest and inspiration can harness these tools and create an amazing life.

Lawrence Newman, D.C., J.D.
Doctor of Chiropractic
Attorney and Counselor at Law

504 North Aurora Street
Ithaca, NY 14850

607-229-5184
http://www.ithacadwi.com