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Legal Tech: The Best Tech Gadgets that Every Legal Professional Needs

Ab Saraswat

Ab Saraswat

legal tech gadgets
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    Technology is changing the way that things get done. Across nearly every industry, new tech is being rolled out on a seemingly continuous basis. Legal tech and general tech gadgets are no longer merely cool gifts to give to someone you care about during the holidays. Indeed, there are now tech gadgets available that can benefit virtually every legal professional.

    The right tech gadgets and a well-developed tech infrastructure can make practicing law as efficient as possible—saving time and money. At Lupl, we are proud to be leaders in legal technology. Our team offers a first-of-its-kind open industry platform for legal collaboration. In this article, we highlight seven of the top tech gadgets that every legal professional needs.

    Seven Tech Gadgets for Lawyers in 2022

    1. The LegalBoard (A Keyboard for Lawyers)

    Did you know that there is a keyboard available that is designed specifically for the needs of attorneys and other legal professionals. The LegalBoard allows the user to easily switch from a standardized keyboard mode into the “legal” keyboard mode. With a single keystroke, you will be able to access several dozen functions that lawyers use routinely but that are relatively uncommon in other settings. As a simple example, you can insert the § symbol or ¶ symbol with a single stroke. The LegalBoard is a tech gadget for lawyers that can increase productivity by limiting the number of required mouse clicks and keystrokes to draft a document. All those extra clicks can really add up.

    2. Pocket Projector (Presentation in Any Setting)

    A pocket projector can be another useful tech gadget for lawyers in 2022—especially for lawyers who are frequently on the move. With a pocket projector (mini projector), you can turn just about any flat surface into a space to give a clear presentation. It is a relatively simple tool that lets lawyers impress current and potential clients by giving a well-prepared presentation without nearly as much fuss. Mini pocket projectors are growing in popularity. There are a number of different options available, including from Brookstone and Amazon. Considering the affordable cost, a pocket projector could be the right gadget to simplify your presentations.

    3. The Portable Pen Scanner (Easily Scan Text)

    It is no secret that an increasing share of legal work is digital. At the same time, many lawyers regularly come across handwritten documents and some lawyers still prefer good old pen and paper. To edit a handwritten document, you generally need to scan it and then convert it into another format. Any attorney who has worked with an old school scanner knows that this has the potential to be a frustrating and time-consuming process. Portable pen scanners, including the Executive 7 IRIS USB Pen Scanner, offer a solution. With a portable pen scanner, the only thing you have to do is to “underline” the text that you want to scan. When you do so, the selected text will be transformed into an easily-editable digital document. It is a gadget for lawyers that can save a lot of time and hassle. (Side note: Try Lupl’s iOS document scanning feature at on the App Store.

    4. A Smartpen (Easily Digitize Everything You Write)

    Beyond a pen scanner, lawyers may also be interested in a smartpen. Are you most comfortable writing notes or other information by hand? If so, that presents a potential challenge. It can be more difficult to go back and edit those documents. The Livescribe Echo Smartpen provides a useful solution as it allows you to easily digitize everything that you write with it. Using the Livescribe Echo Smartpen, you can save both written notes and audio recordings. With the digital copy, it is far easier to edit, search, or otherwise use information you recorded.

    5. Portable Solar Charger (Keep Devices Powered When on the Move)

    There have been incredible advances in computer technology. Laptops, smartphones, and other digital devices are far more powerful than they were even just ten years ago. At the same time, the advances in battery power still remain an issue—especially as devices begin to age. Virtually every legal professional has dealt with a situation where a key device is running out of battery. Lack of charge can be stressful and frustrating—particularly if you are already busy and constantly on the run. A portable solar charger offers a potential solution. As described by GoalZero, a portable solar charger is a tech gadget that you take with you and charge up your devices when needed.

    6. A Mug Warmer (Keep Coffee or Tea Warm All Day)

    Attorneys consume a lot of coffee and tea. A significant percentage of legal professionals start their day with a warm drink. Of course, it is not uncommon for a lawyer to get pulled away from their desk, stuck on a phone call, or otherwise caught up on a task near the beginning of the day. After just 20 minutes, that hot cup of coffee or tea is now lukewarm at best. For most people, a room temperature cup of coffee just does not hit the same way.

    The Dimux Coffee Mug Warmer is a tech gadget that offers a solution to lawyers and other busy professionals. In effect, it is a smart device that can sense the temperature of a mug. Using gravity induction, the coffee mug warmer can keep the contents of the cup—coffee, tea, etc—at the desired temperature. Even if you get pulled away from your desk for a morning meeting that drags on for longer than expected, your coffee or tea will still be hot when you return.

    Legal Tech: Lupl Helps Lawyers and Law Firms Integrate Tech Gadgets Into Their Practice

    Tech gadgets can be great for legal professionals. There is no doubt that the right gadgets can help you get things done more efficiently and effectively. At the same time, attorneys and law firms need the right legal tech infrastructure in place. This is where Lupl provides an answer. Lupl is an open industry platform that offers a better and easier way for legal professionals to share documents, communicate securely, manage projects, and get work done.

    Lupl was designed with the needs of legal professionals in mind. The innovators understand how important compatibility is in legal tech. Lupl is fully compatible with a wide array of the most popular third party applications and tech gadgets. Are you ready to see how modern legal tech can save you and your organization time, money, and stress. We are here to help: Get started today for free or request a comprehensive demonstration.

    Contact Our Legal Tech Team to Get Started Today

    At Lupl, we are committed to helping legal professionals connect with the technology that they need to make their life more simple. Our open industry platform is an efficient, effective, and intuitive tool that makes it easier to work collaboratively, track projects, and get things done. If you have any questions about legal tech, we can help. Give us a call or contact our team online to get started.

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      # Lupl Workstream Design Principles: A Practical Guide to Legal Project Management for Lawyers Legal project management works when your setup is simple, ownership is clear, and statuses are unambiguous. This guide shows how to turn existing processes and checklists into a lean, reliable Workstream. Lupl is the legal project management platform for law firms, making it easy and intuitive to apply these principles. It also supports moving your work from Excel, Word tables, or if you are transitioning from Microsoft Planner, Smartsheet, or Monday. You will learn what belongs in a Workstream, a Task, or a Step, and which columns to use. If you want practical project management for lawyers, start here. **Excerpt:** Legal project management works when ownership, dates, and statuses are clear. This guide shows lawyers how to turn checklists into Lupl Workstreams with the right columns, Tasks, and Steps. Use it to standardize project management for lawyers, reduce follow ups, and move matters to done. --- ## How to organize your work with Workstreams, Tasks, and Steps Workstreams, Tasks, and Steps are three different types of objects in Lupl. They form a simple hierarchy. Workstreams contain Tasks. Tasks may contain optional Steps. This hierarchy aligns with standard project management. In project management, you break work into projects, deliverables, and subtasks. Lupl adapts this for lawyers by using Workstreams, Tasks, and Steps. This makes it easier to map legal processes to a structure that teams can track and manage. * **Workstream.** Use when you have many similar or related items to track over time. Think of the Workstream as the table. * Examples: closing checklist, court deadlines, pretrial preparation, regulatory obligations, due diligence, local counsel management. * **Task.** A high level unit of legal work. A key deliverable with an owner and a due date. Tasks are the rows. * Examples: File motion. Prepare Shareholder Agreement. Submit Q3 report. * **Step.** An optional short checklist inside a single Task. Steps roll up to the parent Task. * Examples: Draft. QC. Partner review. E file. Serve. ### Quick test * If it can be overdue by itself, make it a Task. * If it only helps complete a Task, make it a Step. * If you need different columns or owners, create a separate Workstream. --- ## Do you need to track everything in Lupl Not every detail needs to be tracked in a project management system. The principle is to capture what drives accountability and progress. In Lupl, that means focusing on deliverables, not every micro action. * Use the level of detail you would bring to a weekly team meeting agenda. * Position Tasks as key deliverables. Treat Steps as optional micro tasks to show progress. * Example: You need client instructions. Do not add a Task for "Email client to request a call." Just make the call. If the client approves a key deliverable on the call, mark that item Approved in Lupl so the team has visibility. --- ## Start with the Core 5 columns Columns are the backbone of a Workstream. They define what information is tracked for each Task. In project management terms, these are your core metadata fields. They keep everyone aligned without overcomplicating the table. Keep the table narrow. You can add later. These five work across most legal project management use cases. 1. **Title.** Start with a verb. Example: File answer to complaint. 2. **Status.** Five to seven clear choices. Example: Not started, In progress, For review, For approval, Done. 3. **Assignee.** One named owner per row. If you add multiple assignees for collaboration, still name a primary owner. 4. **Due date.** One date per row. 5. **Type or Category.** Show different kinds of work in one table. Example: Filing, Discovery, Signature, Approval. **Priority.** Add only if you actively triage by priority each week. If added, keep it simple: High, Medium, Low. --- ## Add up to three Helper columns Lupl includes a set of pre made columns you can use out of the box. These allow you to customize Workstreams around different phases or stages of a matter. They also let you map how you already track transactional work, litigation, or other processes. Helper columns are optional fields that add context. In task management, these are similar to tags or attributes you use to sort and filter work. The key is to only add what you will update and use. Pick only what you will use. Stop when you reach three. * Party or Counterparty * Jurisdiction or Court * Phase * Approver * Approval, status or yes or no * Signature status * Risk, RAG * Amount or Number * External ID or Client ID * Document or Link * Docket number * Client entity **Guidance** * For Task Workstreams, prefer Approver, Approval, Risk. The rest are more common in Custom Workstreams. * Aim for eight columns or fewer in your main table. Put detail in the Task description, attachments, or Steps. --- ## Simple rules that keep your table clean Consistency is critical in project management. A cluttered or inconsistent table slows teams down. These rules ensure your Workstream remains usable and clear. * Only add a column people will update during the matter. If it never changes, set a default at the Workstream level or set a default value in the column. * Only add a column you will sort or filter on. If you will not use it to find or group work, leave it out. * If a value changes inside one Task, use Steps. Steps show progress without widening the table. * Keep columns short and structured. Use Description for brief context or instructions. Use Task comments for discussion and decisions. Link to work product in your DMS as the source of truth. * One accountable owner per Task and one due date. You can add collaborators, but always name a primary owner who moves the Task. If different people or dates apply to different parts, split into separate Tasks or capture the handoff as Steps. * Add automations after you lock the design. Finalize columns and status definitions first. Then add simple reminders and escalations that read those fields. --- ## Status hygiene that everyone understands Status is the single most important column in project management. It tells the team where the work stands. Too many options cause confusion. Too few cause misalignment. In Lupl, keep it simple and consistent. * Five to seven statuses are enough. * Use one review gate, For review or For approval. Use both only if your process needs two gates. * One terminal status, Done. This is the end state of the Task. Use Archived only if you report on it or need it for retention workflows. --- ## When to split into multiple Workstreams In project management, it is best practice to separate workstreams when workflows, owners, or audiences diverge. Lupl makes this easy by letting you create multiple Workstreams for one matter. Create a new Workstream if any of the following are true. * You need a different set of columns for a chunk of work. * Ownership or cadence is different, for example daily docketing vs monthly reporting. * The audience or confidentiality needs are different. **Signal** * If half your rows leave several columns blank, you are mixing processes. Split the table. --- ## Decision tree, three quick questions Use this quick framework to decide where an item belongs. This is the same principle used in task management software, adapted for legal workflows. 1. Is this a list of similar items over time, or a discrete phase of the matter * Yes. Create a Workstream. 2. Can it be overdue by itself, and does it need an owner * Yes. Create a Task. 3. Is it a step to finish a Task and not tracked on its own * Yes. Create a Step. --- ## Common mistakes to avoid Many project management failures come from overdesigning or misusing the structure. Avoid these mistakes to keep your Workstreams lean and effective. * Wide tables with many optional columns. Keep it to eight or fewer. * Two columns for the same idea, for example Status and Phase that overlap. Merge or define clearly. * More than one approval gate when one would do. It slows work and confuses owners. * Mixing unrelated processes in one table, for example signatures and invoice approvals. --- ## Build your first Workstream Building a Workstream is like setting up a project board. Keep it light, pilot it, then refine. Lupl is designed to let you do this quickly without heavy admin work. 1. Write the Workstream purpose in one sentence. 2. Add the Core 5 columns. 3. Add at most three Helpers you will use. 4. Define clear Status meanings in plain words. 5. Set defaults for any value that repeats on most rows, for example Jurisdiction. 6. Add two light automations, a due soon reminder and an overdue nudge. 7. Pilot for one week and adjust. --- ## Where this fits in legal project management Use these principles to standardize project management for lawyers across matters. Keep structures consistent. Reuse column sets and status definitions. Your team will find work faster, reduce follow ups, and close loops on time. --- ### On page SEO helpers * Suggested title tag. Lupl Workstream Design Principles, Practical Legal Project Management for Lawyers * Suggested meta description. Learn how to design lean Lupl Workstreams for legal project management. Get clear rules for Tasks, Steps, statuses, and columns to run matters with confidence. * Suggested URL slug. legal-project-management-for-lawyers-workstream-design

      Lupl Workstream Design Principles: A Practical Guide to Legal Project Management for Lawyers

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