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IN THIS ISSUE

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• Note from the chair
• YLD Panel Discussion: Hanging A Shingle With a Focus on Traps for the Unwary
• MBA & Mass Medical Society Young Professionals Networking Event
• Technology for your practice: Young Lawyers Division favorites
• Young Lawyers: Find a Lifeline –- Get Involved!
• The MBA is on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn
• Put your name out there
• MBA May 18-19 Centennial conference to feature two-days of concurrent educational tracks; the Access to Justice Awards Luncheon and "Hail to the Chiefs" Bench-Bar Panel on May 18; Centennial Ball on May 19

Young Lawyers Journal

Technology for your practice: Young Lawyers Division favorites

by Kerry Mierzwa, Esq.

As young lawyers in 2011, we have a multitude of hurdles to overcome. The transition from law school to young lawyer encompasses so many more challenges than we probably imagined. While some of us are trying to navigate student loans, others are still trying to figure out the rules of Civil Procedure and Evidence (Can we go over Hearsay one more time?). Some of us are looking for jobs while others struggle with the ones they have and search for a balance between all their responsibilities. In the midst of all this, let's throw in that the field of technology is constantly evolving at an amazing rate. Fortunately, technology does not have to be something that presents another challenge to us on our journey.

While we at the Massachusetts Bar Association - Young Lawyers Division can't offer you all the solutions to life - we can share the ones that have helped us on our journey. I asked several members of the division to pass on what their favorite pieces of technology were. For a variety of reasons, these are some of the tools that assist us in our day to day activities:

• "Mine is definitely my iPhone!  I'm kind of an info and news junkie, and it lets me look things up whenever I want to, whether trivial or more substantial. But the calendar and clock functions probably have become most essential for me.  And I love my Flashlight app! I never have to be in the dark anymore!" - Linnea R. Michel, Esq.
• "E-mail" - Ashley Brandin, Esq.
• "An electronic calendar is my favorite piece of technology. From the days of actual palm calendars, to a Blackberry I used for a few years, and now with Android software the electronic calendar is my favorite. As life and practice gets busier and busier, the electronic calendar helps reduce mental clutter for me, so I love it!" - Thomas M. Hoffey, Jr., Esq.
• "I guess it really would be my Blackberry…can't live without it: Carries my calendar, accesses the Internet, views documents, receives faxes, delivers Sirius Satellite Radio, takes pictures, tracks investments, calculates, makes calls" - Jake Skinner, Esq.
• "IPhone, Facebook and LinkedIn." - Kristine Ann Cummings, Esq.
• "My scanner as it turns documents into MS Word Docs, PDF files, or Excel where it can be edited." - Kyle Guelcher, Esq.

As for me personally, I'd probably say my Blackberry is my favorite piece of technology. I have the ability to automatically keep track of my time -- for billing purposes -- with an application, the internet to stay on top of news, email to stay current with work matters, a calendar to keep the whole show running smoothly and a flashlight to prevent injuries in the dark. Although technology is constantly changing, it's not impossible to keep up with some of the trends that can help us navigate our first years as attorneys. We at the YLD will do our best to help you with that.