Patrick J. O'Connor Thinks It's OK To Use an iPhone.

There are few debates I find less interesting than iPhone/Blackberry, but then again not everyone agrees that analyzing how two separate teams of writers could independently come up with The Munsters and The Addams Family at the exact same time remains one of the more puzzling questions of our age.

Still, Patrick J. O'Connor has a strong opinion on whether using an iPhone makes you look like a frivolous, pleasure-seeking lightweight:

Yet O'Connor adds that the type of mobile device one uses can still play an important role in how other people perceive you. "I think there has been a perception in the legal community that the BlackBerry is a more professional device," he says. "Traditionally, the iPhone was [seen as a device] for gaming and entertainment applications, and the BlackBerry was the device you really do business on."

But O'Connor notes that perceptions often change over time, and that devices that once suggested a degree of unprofessionalism can suddenly become not only acceptable, but popular and desirable. "The majority of attorneys that I deal with day in and day out now seem to have iPhones, and there seems to be no problem with that," he says. On the other hand, attorneys thinking about using a bargain or obscure gadget brand may still want to think twice about the acquisition before straying from the pack.

"Obscure gadget brand"?  Heavens forbid!.

Get me the McDonalds of smart phones, or get me nothing at all.

(BTW, I have a feeling Scott Rothstein would not approve of Patrick's goatee!)

Whatever.

I seem to have The Munsters on the brain today, guess that means I'm "straying from the pack":

My iPhone App Can Beat Up Your iPhone App!

We've highlighted a few before, but this one tells you that screwed up with some local rule or professional rule of conduct -- and you can use it while you're in court about to be sanctioned!

The application features Southern District guidelines and local bar rules for Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade and Duval counties. And since Hopkins updates it regularly, he’d like to eventually add local bar rules from other parts of the state.

“You used to see a lot of lawyers using BlackBerries at the courthouse, but now it’s moved more toward iPhones,” Hopkins says. “You can get e-mails and read documents very easily.

“And with the popularity of iPhone apps, having access to rules of civil procedure, rules of evidence, those types of things, right on your phone — as opposed to walking around with a book — makes a lot of sense. The first thing that came to mind was doing something that had the rules of professional conduct.”

Actually, when I think of potential apps, that was not the first thing that came to my mind (but I may be a special case).

Still, I thought you were not supposed to be texting or surfing the web while in the courtroom?

So, to summarize, you can use Chris' neat app to learn that you are at that moment inappropriately using his app.

How meta!

On an unrelated note -- thanks IPKat for linking to one of my dumb posts in this week's Blawg Review -- you all did a great job!

This Time An "International Business Law Advisor" App!

Santiago A. Cueto doesn't just want Jason Turchin to have all the fun, so Santiago introduced his own "International Business Law Advisor" app for the iPhone:

The App is yet another way we can add exceptional value to our readers utilizing cutting edge technology. In addition to keeping our readers up to date, the App allows users to take advantage of the latest social media tools. With the App they can share each blog post with friends and colleagues through email and twitter--ensuring that everyone stays on top of breaking news and emerging trends in global business.

Alright, I suppose this can be a neat and possibly useful gizmo, but I'm starting to get a bad "flatbread feeling" over these lawyer apps already.

If someone sends me a "general civil litigation with an emphasis on business disputes" app I'm going to throw out my smart phone.

Jason Turchin Has An iPhone "App"!

Have you ever wanted a "call lawyer" app on your smartphone?

Well, whether you want it or not, Jason Turchin has created one:

Fort Lauderdale Attorney Jason Turchin this week released the free My Attorney App, which enables cell phone users to put their attorney directly onto their mobile phone. The App also allows users to call their attorney’s office at the touch of a button, to submit a free case inquiry, and to upload and submit photographs taken on their iPhone.

You can download Jason's app here.

Not sure what impact the new Bar rules might have on Jason's little doohickey, I'll leave that to Tannebaum to figure out.

(Good thing the folks at the Florida Bar have no idea what we're talking about -- they're still trying to get a handle on metadata).