| Sumario: | Part of a special section on trial practice. The field of law has been relatively slow to incorporate computer technology, but lawyers who overcome the institutional resistance to this technology will find competitive advantage and be better able to serve their clients. Modern technology offers invaluable assistance in meeting the factors that are often tied to courtroom victory, including effective presentation, efficiency, adaptation, organization, and versatility. Lawyers should not blindly throw money into computerization, and factors such as cost effectiveness, the advantages and disadvantages of a program, the amount of memory needed, the compatibility of equipment, and the applicability of interactive computer software must be assessed. Certain elements of electronic technology are absolutely essential in a law office, including word processing programs, scanner and photo-editing software, presentation and spreadsheet programs, a video imager, anatomy software, and a laptop computer. In the future, other applications will become part of every trial lawyer's life.
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