Meeting the Technology Need: How Texas Raised the Technology Bar

1. Meeting the Technology Need:How Texas Raised the Technology Bar Panelists: Jeff Edwards, Evans Edwards L.L.P. Mark Hendrick, Baker Botts L.L.P. Nick Altizer, Lone Star Legal Aid January 21, 2008

2. Texas Access to Justice Commission • Created in 2001 by the Supreme Court of Texas to coordinate policies to expand the quality and quantity of legal services available • Accomplishes goals by forming committees that focus on one aspect of legal services delivery, such as technology

3. ATJ Technology Committee • In 2004, TexasLawyersHelp website workgroup evolved into the ATJ Tech Committee • The addition of CITOs in 2006 led to the current composition • 6 CITOs, 4 legal services attorneys, 2 private attorneys, 1 TAJF representative • Members are unavailable for consulting on individual agency technical problems • Committee is focused on developing policy pertaining to technology as a tool to advance legal services delivery

4. CITOS are key • Ask volunteers who work at law firms to contact Managing Partners to ask if their chief information/ technology officer (CITO) can volunteer on the ATJ Technology Committee • CITOs are in charge of their firm’s development through the use of technology and they apply those same principles to a legal services setting • Survey members (use Survey Monkey) to find out what services they provide and what technology equipment already exists • Based on these survey responses, develop projects and policies to accomplish goals that will improve the efficiency and effectiveness of legal services delivery

5. Mark Hendrick Baker Botts L.L.P. Meeting the Technology Need:How Texas Raised the Technology Bar

6. Involvement of Private Firm CTOs • Original Committee Members • only included 1 private firm • Committee Revelation • much work that can and should be done • great technology needs • Committee's Next Course of Action - expand to include private firm CTOs to add: • Advice / Perspective - as a complement to those with non-profit experience • Expertise - Years of experience in legal technology • Time - Surveys / Baseline assessment / RFP / Training • Resources - Training / assistance to committee on other initiatives

7. Involvement of Private Firm CTOs • Private Firms Involved • Andrews Kurth • Baker Botts • Bracewell & Giuliani • Fulbright & Jaworski • Vinson & Elkins • Success due to a collective effort of the entire committee

8. Use of Surveys to Determine Need • Goals • Assess current technology status for all Texas agencies • Formulate a baseline technology recommendation • Compare agency surveys with the baseline • Assess purchase requirements needed to achieve baseline compliance • Request financial support

9. Use of Surveys to Determine Need • Initial communication to the agency leaders • Survey Monkey - tool used for the survey • Compiled survey results into a database • Compared to baseline technology requirements • Developed estimated budget for equipment, software and services • Presented grant request to TAJF for $800,000 • Issued competitive bids to 6 vendors • Resulted in an actual purchase of under $700,000

10. User Education Program • Offered training to all agency staff across Texas • 2007 • 5 private firms collaborated including 12 training managers / staff to offer 22 live and online classes in 4 cities using private firm facilities (Austin, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio) • Received rights to use Kaplan's KNET training materials (posted on TexasLawyersHelp.Org in Library portion) • Word 1 - 138 courses completed / 71 no shows • Word 2 - 143 completed / 99 no shows

11. User Education Program • 2008 • 5 private firms collaborated including 12 training managers / staff to offer 14 live and online classes in 6 cities (Austin, Dallas, El Paso, Houston, Lubbock, and San Antonio) • Partnered with UniversitySite to handle online registration and added UTEP and Texas Tech University's School of Law for training facilities • Word 1 (Basics) - 71 completed / 18 no shows / 4 standby • Word 2 (Intermediate) - 70 completed / 24 no shows / 7 standby • Excel 1 (Basics) - 94 completed / 21 no shows / 9 standby • Excel 2 (Managing Worksheets) - 103 completed / 13 no shows / 17 SB • 2009 • Private firms will continue the program. No current expansion plans to other Texas cities

12. 2008 Access to Justice Summer Training Series Word Excel • Word 1 • Learn how to: • Create documents from templates • Create a legal pleading • Open, save and view documents • Select text and graphics • Move, copy and format text • Find and replace text • Spell check • Print and use page setup options • Use AutoText • Excel 1 • Learn how to: • Explore the Excel workspace • Enter text and numbers • Insert/delete columns and rows • Basic cell formatting • Print and preview a spreadsheet • Create Headers and Footers • Formula and Function overview • Word 2 • Learn How to: • Work with Headers and Footers • Insert page numbers • Work with Section Breaks • Use Word styles to format text • Use outline numbering • Create a Table of Contents • Insert and format Word tables • Create envelopes and labels • Create cross references • Perform a mail merge • Excel 2 • Learn how to: • Manage worksheets • Freeze panes • Hide columns and rows of data • Work with cell ranges • Excel's list management functions • Use formulas and functions • Copy Excel data into Word Andrews KurthDallas - 1717 Main Street, Suite 3700 Dallas, TX 75201 San Antonio - Pyramid Building, 601 N.W. Loop 410, Suite 375 & 380 San Antonio, TX 78216 Baker BottsAustin - 1500 San Jacinto Center, 98 San Jacinto Boulevard Austin, TX 78701-4078Bracewell GiulianiAustin - 111 Congress Avenue, Suite 2300 Austin, TX 78701-4061Dallas - 1445 Ross Avenue, Suite 3800 Dallas, TX 75202-2711 Fulbright & JaworskiDallas - 2200 Ross Avenue, Suite 2800, Dallas, TX 75201-2784Houston - 1301 McKinney - 36th floor, Houston, TX 77010 Vinson & ElkinsHouston - 1001 Fannin (First City Tower), Suite 2500 Houston Texas 77002Texas Tech Law School - Computer LabLubbock - 1802 Hartford Lubbock, Texas 79409 University of Texas at El Paso – Kelly HallEl Paso - 425 Kelly Hall, 2nd Floor Computer Lab, El Paso, TX 79968-0703 Firm Addresses

13. 2008 Access to Justice Summer Training Series Excel 1 & 2 Word 1 & 2 • Austin • May 22nd - Baker Botts • Word 1: 9:00am – 12:30pm • Word 2: 1:30pm – 5:00pm • July 17th – Baker Botts • Word 1: 9:00am – 12:30pm • Word 2: 1:30pm – 5:00pm • Dallas • May 29th – Bracewell Giuliani • Word 1: 9:00am – 12:30pm • Word 2: 1:30pm – 5:00pm • July 24th - Andrews Kurth • Word 1: 9:00am – 12:30pm • Word 2: 1:30pm – 5:00pm • El Paso • Aug 14th – UTEP (Kelly Hall, 2nd Fl) • Word 1: 9:00am – 12:30pm • Word 2: 1:30pm – 5:00pm • Houston • June 19th – Fulbright & Jaworski • Word 1: 9:00am – 12:30pm • Word 2: 1:30pm – 5:00pm • Aug 21st– Fulbright & Jaworski • Word 1: 9:00am – 12:30pm • Word 2: 1:30pm – 5:00pm • Lubbock • June 12th– Texas Tech Law School • Word 1: 9:00am – 12:30pm • Word 2: 1:30pm – 5:00pm • San Antonio • June 19th – Andrews Kurth • Word 1: 9:00am – 12:30pm • Word 2: 1:30pm – 5:00pm • Aug 21st– Andrews Kurth • Word 1: 9:00am – 12:30pm • Word 2: 1:30pm – 5:00pm • Austin • June 26th - Baker Botts • Excel 1: 9:00am – 12:30pm • Excel 2: 1:30pm – 5:00pm • July 18th – Bracewell Giuliani • Excel 1: 9:00am – 12:30pm • Excel 2: 1:30pm – 5:00pm • Aug 14th - Baker Botts • Excel 1: 9:00am – 12:30pm • Excel 2: 1:30pm – 5:00pm • Dallas • May 30th – Fulbright & Jaworski • Excel 1: 9:00am – 12:30pm • Excel 2: 1:30pm – 5:00pm • June 26th – Bracewell Giuliani • Excel 1: 9:00am – 12:30pm • Excel 2: 1:30pm – 5:00pm • Aug 21st – Bracewell Giuliani • Excel 1: 9:00am – 12:30pm • Excel 2: 1:30pm – 5:00pm • El Paso • July 10th - UTEP (Kelly Hall, 2nd Fl) • Excel 1: 9:00am – 12:30pm • Excel 2: 1:30pm – 5:00pm • Houston • May 22nd - Vinson & Elkins • Excel 1: 9:00am – 12:30pm • Excel 2: 1:30pm – 5:00pm • June 20th - Vinson & Elkins • Excel 1: 9:00am – 12:30pm • Excel 2: 1:30pm – 5:00pm • July 24th - Vinson & Elkins • Excel 1: 9:00am – 12:30pm • Excel 2: 1:30pm – 5:00pm • Lubbock • August 7th – Texas Tech Law School • Excel 1: 9:00am – 12:30pm • Excel 2: 1:30pm – 5:00pm • San Antonio • May 29th – Andrews Kurth • Excel 1: 9:00am – 12:30pm • Excel 2: 1:30pm – 5:00pm • July 17th – Andrews Kurth • Excel 1: 9:00am – 12:30pm • Excel 2: 1:30pm – 5:00pm • Aug 22nd – Andrews Kurth • Excel 1: 9:00am – 12:30pm • Excel 2: 1:30pm – 5:00pm From the Internet, type in:teajf@universitysite.com Login: your work email address Password: atj2008 Registration Register for training at teajf.universitysite.comNeed Help? Call Erica - 512-320-0099, ext. 103

14. User Education Program • Post mortem results • Not all agencies use Microsoft Word (Word Perfect used in some agencies) • Extremely positive reviews • Note second round Word class attendance after high numbers of no shows in 2007 • Great support by the agencies - definitely a need

15. Nick Altizer Lone Star Legal Aid Meeting the Technology Need:How Texas Raised the Technology Bar

16. Technology Allocation Project 37 Agencies 3 Needs Surveys RFP Submissions to 5 Vendors Purchase, Distribution and License Transfer of: 81 Workgroup, Color and Portable Printers 29 Network Scanners and Associated Software 305 Laptop and Desktop Computers 2 Operating Systems 2 Versions of Microsoft Office Anti Virus and Portability Software Total Project Cost - $684,798.05 Savings realized was over $210,000

17. Doing your Homework & Making a Shopping List Reconciling Needs to Budget The Need Determined The Budget Determined The Need is so Great and the Budget is, well, a Budget Determine the Timelines Be Realistic; this is a complex project with a lot of players Consider how timing will impact recipients Use your vendors to help you with establishing the vendor-side lead requirements, especially if the RFP will include imaging and staging Determining what should go “In the Box” Consider Grantee Preparedness and Capabilities Turn-Key System or Just the Big Pieces? Do it All!

18. Picking Your Store A Three letter Word: RFP Get someone creative and experienced in RFPs to write the first draft Addendums are your friend Create a subcommittee to refine the RFP Give yourself the ability to request a proposal be redone even after the deadline in the event of a material error in the original proposal Have the Committee review the RFP prior to publication Make sure to clearly state in the RFP who should be contacted for questions I really don’t have to mention that the important dates and deadlines need to be emphasized

19. Picking Your Store Trolling for Vendors All CTOs and CIOs on the committee should have vendors that they use regularly and in which they have confidence Not all vendors, regardless of professionalism, will have the capabilities of providing the services that may be required Don’t eliminate a vendor because you know for a fact that they will not be able to supply a specific item or two Our experience was that vendors with solid and established relationships with at least one of the volunteer law firms or legal services firms were more highly motivated than those without Call them with a heads-up as to what is coming and establish communications early

20. Picking your Store Hey Earl! I got me one! This is a two-way street Make sure that everyone knows that this is a cooperative venture Be prepared to spend some time answering questions and providing guidance Regardless of how carefully you worded the RFP, the details will need to be worked out verbally along the way. This is especially true when you request imaging or staging services If it appears that a vendor is getting it wrong, correct them Irreconcilable Differences In the Ballpark, in the Neighborhood, or in Space The Devil is in the details Reconciliation – The Most Important Thing Make your decision and get busy Finalize Payment Terms and make sure everyone is in agreement on timelines and expectations Work out a time and date to get with the vendor’s engineers and set up any images that are necessary Relax but work with the vendor closely to make sure progress is being made. Stay involved KEEP EVERYTHING FRIENDLY!

21. Parts is Parts Computers and Printers and Licenses, Oh My! Software Licensing Concerns Thoroughly research agreements if Volume Licensing. It helps to have a licensing specialist available with your chosen vendor(s) Prepare Grantees by providing them with an inventory of software they are to receive and the licenses for which they are responsible Product Inventory If the hardware and software ownership will transfer to the grantee, ensure that this point is made clear to all parties prior to the delivery (and transfer) Make it incumbent upon the grantee to provide a list of equipment and software to the grantor upon delivery

22. Parts is Parts The Best Laid Plans of Mice and Men There WILL be problems Equipment misidentification Lagging and Split Shipments Incorrect Shipments Whom do I call for support Let the Grantees know who to call for what questions Clearly outline support responsibilities to grantees

23. What they said I just wanted to thank you both on behalf of everyone here at the Project for all of our new computer equipment.  It really does feel like Christmas around here!  Everyone is very excited. I wish you both a very happy holiday season. Andrea of Texas Advocacy Project Texas Civil Rights Project

24. Jeff Edwards Evans Edwards L.L.P. Meeting the Technology Need:How Texas Raised the Technology Bar

25. TAJF’s participation on this committee is essential • Texas Access to Justice Foundation (TAJF) is the leading funder of legal aid in Texas • TAJF representative is a member of the ATJ Technology Committee • TAJF can incorporate recommendations into their grant conditions

26. Current and future ATJ technology projects • Continuation of software training series • Checklists of recommended procedures (business continuity plans, case management systems, video conferencing) • Pilot help desk project

27. The ATJ Technology Committee has learned: • Focus on the services the programs provide, the communities these agencies serve, and the accessibility of technology for both clients and programs • Mandating a specific product / vendor for all providers is difficult, but providing recommendations is helpful

28. Questions