Statement

As a founder of a small firm in upstate New York, I’ve learned that introducing and maintaining technology is an expensive proposition. It seems that every 5 years or so we invest a large amount of capital, just to stay even....or maybe take a small step forward in this parade of technological advancements.

On the plus side, we’ve reaped benefits: we rely on the speed and efficiency of email amongst ourselves and our clients; we keep calendars current; docket “due dates” and Court appearances; access client files via finger strokes.

Last year our firm received the Capital District Women’s Bar Association “Family Friendly Award”. We were praised for our offsite work locations (several of our attorney and non-attorney staff work from home; one of our paralegals worked from Florida for an entire year!), allowing parents to better juggle family needs and other responsibilities that typically compete with a workplace. All of which is possible because of our commitment to technology.

Still, I worry about the various “costs” to the small firm: the amount of time a staff person must spend administering the system, the regular expenditures to our computer support company, the fact that much of what we do needs to be duplicated in paper, because my (older) partner isn’t as far along the learning curve (but I wouldn’t trade him for the world!).

I look forward to hearing from others how they keep pace with advancing technologies in cost effective ways.

Biography

• BA Middlebury College;
• JD Albany Law School;
• President of Carpenter & Cioffi, P.C., law practice focuses on issues of elder law, estate planning & estate administration;
• Past President, Sch’dy, County Bar Association;
• Active in the NYS Bar Association, serving 6 years on the House of Delegates;
• Member of Sch’dy County Legislature and elected Minority Leader of the Legislature in January, 2000;
• Occasional speaker on elder law/estate planning topics for NYS Bar Association seminars, National Business Institute and various community groups;
• Now serves as:
  • Board member of Sch’dy Chamber of Commerce
  • Commissioner, Sch’dy County Human Rights Commission
• Has had past Board experience with:
  • Mohawk Pathways Girl Scout Council
  • Ellis Hospital Foundation
  • Freedom Forum
  • Girls Incorporated Foundation Schenectady
• Is an active community volunteer.