The Lawyer's Guide to CaseMap is an old-style software instruction manual. It gives a general overview of CaseMap, a powerful spreadsheet-database program for attorneys. Then it delves into each toolbar command, often giving each one a full-page explanation.

While you can pick up many hints when reading this book, the author primarily relies on the demo example case provided with the software. I would have liked to have seen additional examples, or at least a chapter on "how *I* use the software" as it is quite complex and some features may not be necessary in a small-firm setting. (There is a "case study" on the author's web site for this book -- http://www.casemapbook.com/ -- but perhaps because it refers to other programs in this software suite, it was not included in the book.)

Even with that minor complaint, this is still a worthwhile book for attorneys who use the software. There are numerous screenshots which help the book flow even if you are not near a computer. Several helpful sidebars provide some extra tips that aren't specifically related to a toolbar command. It's a book you can read from chapter-to-chapter (which, admittedly, is a bit boring), or dip into when you have a specific question about a certain command. ( )

This practical guide is filled with numerous tips designed to help you get the most from LexisNexis CaseMap and includes step-by-step instructions and illustrations. Designed for beginners as well as longtime users.