NEW PRODUCTS

Budget Module and EIS from Computer Law Systems

Computer Law Systems Inc. has released its Windows-based Budget Module, a desktop software program that provides attorneys instant access to the current financial status of a case or matter, and Executive Inquiry System (EIS), a software designed for accessing management data.

Budget Module allows any member of a law firm, with approved security status, to see actual versus budget comparisons in seconds. For example, if a client has instituted a $5,000 cap on fees for a given matter, the attorney can enter that amount into the Budget Module and the system will track actual fees compared to the client's budget. The program also can be customized using pre-defined "Budget Views," or by using the Budget Wizard, a step-by-step, point-and-click process for creating templates.

EIS, also a Windows-based program, allows attorneys to create visual reports from their desktop when they want to view summary billings and receipts for a given time period. The software is designed to eliminate constant requests for accounting reports every time management information needs to be reviewed. This program also can be customized by using the EIS Wizard.

For further information on the CLS Budget Module or EIS software, call 1-800/328-1913.

Earn MCLE credit from home or office

The Rutter Group and West Publishing have designed a California-specific multimedia product which will soon allow busy lawyers to earn Minimum Continuing Legal Education credit at home or in the office using a computer with multimedia capabilities.

The product, currently being tested by the state, integrates audio and visual clips from live Rutter Group seminars, program hypotheticals, featured Rutter Group practice guide sections, and referenced cases and codes that include West's editorial enhancements.

For information, contact Jennifer Moire or Linda Heines at 1-800/778-8090.

Civil Objection!! offers new twist

TransMedia's lawyer game Objection!!, involving the infamous New Year's Eve murder of Hollywood heiress Sandra Stiff at her Beverly Hills mansion, has taken a new twist. A new Civil Objection!! series is in the making which places the murder trial's star witness, Lisa Lambourgini, in an automobile accident and it's your job to represent her in a civil trial.

Unlike the original game, which is limited to direct examination of one party's witnesses, Civil Objection!! is an entire trial and includes direct examination and cross-examination of several witnesses, including medical and technical experts. Like the original game, Civil Objection!! has an endless variety of questions and fact combinations.

The game sells for $149 and includes a 250-page guide to testimonial evidence, Rules and Evidence for Witness Testimony. CLE-Civil Objection!!, which is certified in 15 states, sells for $299 and includes the 650-page trial manual, Comprehensive EVIDENCE, and three hours of audio presentation. For more information, call TransMedia at 1-800/832-4980.

Two new guides from Parker Publications

Parker Publications, a division of Michie Butterworth, has released a two-volume guide to real estate law in California titled California Real Estate Finance and Construction Law, written by Jerome Curtis Jr. and D. Steven Blake.

Volume one analyzes every aspect of a mortgage and deed of trust practice and offers complete coverage of construction financing and related law. Volume two provides forms that are cross-referenced to each of the topic areas covered in volume one. The forms were developed by the California law firm Downey, Brand, Seymour & Rohwer.

Also newly released is a new edition of California Courtroom Evidence, written by premier trial lawyers Joseph Cotchett and Fulton "Bill" Haight. This fourth edition (800 pages) has been updated and reorganized for heightened courtroom performance.

For more information on either publication, call Parker Publications at 1-800/562-1197.

Civil litigation guides from Bancroft-Whitney

Bancroft-Whitney has released three practice-specific civil litigation guides on LawDesk Windows/Macintosh: Business Litigation, which provides the full contents of California Civil Practice Business Litigation and Procedure modules; Torts, which includes California Civil Practice Torts and Procedure modules; and Family Law, which includes California Civil Practice Family Law Litigation, Probate & Trust Proceedings and Procedure modules.

Each compilation disk includes information to litigate effectively, including analysis of controlling law, extensive practice notes from each module's expert author team, procedural checklists, cautions and links to other LawDesk titles.

Bancroft-Whitney is the exclusive publisher of the Official Reports for the California Supreme Court and Courts of Appeal, Deering's California Codes, B.E. Witkin's treatises on California law, Miller & Starr California Real Estate, and California Jurisprudence 3d. For more information, call the company at 1-800/313-9339.

Accounting software for the legal industry

CompuLaw Ltd. will release a legal industry version of Great Plains Dynamics, the 32-bit Windows-based accounting software, in the first quarter of 1996. The popular Windows-based accounting software recently received PC Magazine's Editor's Choice Award and the United Kingdom's Reviewers Choice Award.

The Great Plains Dynamics modules, which include Dynamics General Ledger, Accounts Payable and Cash Management, will integrate with CompuLaw's legal applications, including Time and Billing and Trust Accounting.

CompuLaw, publishers of the Advanced Network/Billing time and billing program, is partnered with Great Plains to develop accounting solutions for U.S. law firms. The company also will release Windows versions of Advanced/Network Billing and Docket calendar programs prior to the release of Great Plains Dynamics modules.

For further information, call Lois Kalmick at 310/553-3355 or write 10277 W. Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles 90067.

New Case Master III from STI

Software Technology Inc. has made a transition from DOS with its release of Case Master III for Windows. The program has new graphical "Task Folders" that allow intuitive use of the software, as well as a button bar for commonly used tasks.

STI has designed Case Master III to allow each user in a firm the option to use DOS or Windows interface since both versions of the program can run concurrently with the same data.

The program includes a run-time version of HotDocs 3.0 from Capsoft Development Corp. which automatically merges and assembles client and case data into draft documents.

For further information, contact an STI dealer or call the company at 402/423-1440.

WordWand scans words or pages

Lawyers can scan any length of text directly on to their computer screens and into WordPerfect for Windows, MS Word or any other Windows word processing program as if it were just typed.

The compact (6 x 1 1/2 x 1") WordWand works like a highlighter hooked up to a PC and plugs into the printer port using a pass-through plug.

The WordWand was designed specifically for attorneys for reading printed text, including cases, statutes, regulations, treatises and newspapers. Selected portions of text can be printed directly on to a word processing program and manipulated like any other information, editable and spell check-able.

For further information, contact Bart Narter at 702/588-5364.

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