ir0b0t's Journal: My Open Source Law Office

A little over five years ago, I became interested in open source while managing a Legal Services Corporation-funded office that primarily served low-income survivors of partner violence across eight rural counties in Montana.

I saw that the money in my scant budget expended for software licenses and technical support of products offered by companies that refused to share source code could be used instead to serve clients.

Five years later, my law practice pays its bills by serving private clients. My law office runs on open source code.

Here's how:

Hardware:

Two i586 machines and two HP printers. A dsl connection through an Actiontec modem. ISP through a local provider.

Software:

On my desktop, Mandriva Ltd. Ed. 05, Gnome 2.8 desktop, OpenOffice, Evolution, Konqueror, Tight VNC and Samba.

Uses:

OpenOffice is used for all legal forms, correspondence and spreadsheets for accounts receivable, payable, trust account management and timekeeping.

Evolution: Email, contacts and docket.

Konqueror: checking federal docket, finding caselaw and statutes, ordering supplies, etc.)

Tight VNC: accessing office network from home machine.

Samba: sharing files and printing with Windows machine in reception area (used by staff).

* * *

Though I no longer work for a nonprofit firm, I'm looking forward to expanding my use of open source to pro bono projects and nonprofit partners.

I'm writing this journal entry to celebrate this milestone in my life because --- to tell the truth --- no one here except my brother and my girlfriend knows how much work its been to overcome my tech phobias and begin learning open source basics.

My brother knows because it would have been completely impossible to do without his encouragement, guidance and patience.

My girlfriend knows because I have a hard time shutting up about it though I try. Really.

This is part of my happy celebration on the plateau before resuming the climb.