The legal pad dates back to 1888 when Thomas Holley, a paper mill worker, had the idea of binding discarded paper scraps at the mill into inexpensive pads. In the early 1900s, a Massachusetts judge asked Mr. Holley to add a line 1.25” from the left edge so that the judge had space to annotate his notes, and since that time, the legal pad has been used by countless lawyers. (For more details, read Old Yeller: The illustrious history of the yellow legal pad by Suzanne Snider, Legal Affairs, May/June 2005.)
I’ve always thought it obvious that the “pad” in the word “iPad” refers to the legal pad. After all, the device is sort of like an electronic legal pad, although when the iPad was first introduced in 2010, it was smaller and thicker than a legal pad. As the screen on the iPad has gotten larger, and as we have gone from an age of third-party styluses which were just so-so to the fantastic first generation Apple Pencil, the iPad has moved closer to a lawyer’s familiar legal pad.
Apple’s newest iPad Pro, the 12.9” third generation iPad Pro, is the closest that Apple has ever come to an iPad Legal Pad. The size is almost exactly 8.5” x 11” (letter size), the second generation Apple Pencil is even better than before, and the shape of the device with its flat edges almost feels like a brand new legal pad with crisp edges. Moreover, the incredibly powerful processor inside combined with the latest iOS and powerful apps makes the latest version of the iPad an incredibly useful tool for lawyers. Much like the legal pad is an essential tool for any lawyer, the third generation 12.9” iPad Pro is the perfect iPad for many attorneys. This device is amazing.
The size of a legal pad
One of the reasons that I love using the new iPad Pro is that the screen size remains 12.9” diagonal, just like the first two generations of the iPad Pro, but overall size has reduced. It’s almost like someone figured out a way to take all of the writing space you get with a legal-size legal pad but shrunk it down to a less awkward size of a letter-sized legal pad.
Although Apple has reduced the bezels on all sides of the new iPad, and reduced the width a little bit, what you really notice is the decrease in length. The width only decreased from 8.69” to 8.46” which is not very noticeable. But on the longer sides, the length decreased from 12.04” to 11.04” and that one-inch reduction is noticeable every time I pick up this device.The depth decreased a little in size from .27” to .23”, and that is nice, but what you really notice is the difference in shape on the edge. Instead of being curved and tapered on the edges, the edge is now flat, although the corners are rounded so that they don’t hurt your hand. The end result is that the edge of the new iPad Pro has a feel that reminds me of the iPhone 4 introduced in 2010, although the iPhone 4 depth was larger at 0.37”.
Put it all together, and I love the size and shape of this device. It feels better to hold, and the weight difference between the first generation iPad Pro and this iPad Pro seems more substantial than it really is. (The weight decreased from 1.57 pounds to 1.39 pounds.) Here is a new iPad Pro on top of an old iPad Pro:
Maybe it is something about the flat edge being easier to hold that tricks my mind into thinking that this device is even lighter than it was before. Indeed, while writing this review I've gone back to my older 12.9" iPad Pro to compare the two, and even though I've been using the new iPad Pro less than a week, the older iPad Pro already feels so much bigger when I hold it. Apple has gone from a 12.9" iPad Pro which was longer than a letter-size legal pad to a 12.9" iPad Pro which is shorter than a letter-size legal pad because it is now the same size as a letter-size piece of paper.
I worked on a project this past Saturday at a coffee house, using my iPad to do online legal research and to read and annotate cases I downloaded, and then also to draft a memo using a Bluetooth keyboard. This new size was really nice to use, with a nice big 12.9" diagonal screen in a lighter and easier to hold device. Don’t get me wrong, I’d prefer for the iPad Pro to be even thinner and lighter, like a legal pad. And I’m sure that it will head that direction over time, although if it gets much thinner I’m not sure how there will be enough space for a port on the side to plug it in. But given what is possible with modern technology, I consider this the perfect size for an iPad.
I realize that many folks prefer smaller iPads, and Apple also sells a new 11” iPad Pro, which weighs a half-pound less and is 9.74” x 7.02”. I played with that model at an Apple Store a few days ago. It is certainly more compact and lighter when carrying it around, but in my law practice, I am often using my iPad to display documents, and it makes far more sense to me to have something which can show a letter-size document at virtually full size in portrait mode, or in an even larger size in landscape mode. Whether I am writing or editing a document in Microsoft Word, reading an opinion, annotating a brief from my opponent, reviewing exhibits, or reading a transcript, the 12.9” size is fantastic and much better, in my opinion, than a smaller screen. Carrying around a device which is slightly bigger and heavier is more than worth it for me to have the advantage of the large 12.9” screen. Even if you previously have been a fan of smaller iPads versus the 12.9” iPad, you owe it to yourself to see if the smaller size of the third generation 12.9” iPad Pro will win you over, even if the first two generations did not.
As I said in my preview of this new iPad Pro, much like the iPhone X with its edge-to-edge screen seems like the perfect design for the iPhone, the much smaller bezels and reduced size of this new iPad Pro seems like the perfect design for the iPad. This is the iPad that was always meant to be. Even if the only new feature of this iPad was the size, that would be enough for me to be a huge fan.
No. 2 Pencil
The second best feature of the new iPad Pro for attorneys is that it works with the new second generation Apple Pencil. I already loved the tip on the old Apple Pencil, which worked infinitely better than prior third-party styluses thanks to the sharp tip and incredible responsiveness. But there were a few shortcomings with that first generation Pencil, which led me to wish earlier this year that Apple would open the door to third-party styluses with the same tip, something that Apple did this year for Logitech and its new Crayon stylus, which only works with the 6th generation iPad.
But with the second generation Apple Pencil, Apple has addressed all of the minor complaints I had with the original model. First, I love that you can now tap the side of the Pencil with your finger to change tools. For example, last week, I was taking notes in the GoodNotes app while participating in a telephone conference with a judge, and taking notes on my iPad was so much better because if I wanted to change something that I previously wrote, I could just quickly double-tap the side to change to the eraser, erase the word, and then pause a second and GoodNotes automatically switched back to the pen tool. (Here is more info on how GoodNotes works with the new Apple Pencil.) Not having to stop what I was doing to find and then tap the eraser tool on the top of the screen may only save about a second or two in actual time, but it made a huge difference in reducing distractions so that my attention remained focused on taking notes of what the judge or the lawyer for the other side was saying. This one change makes the Pencil vastly more useful for taking notes. And as app developers come up with additional creative uses for the double-tap (although switching to an eraser is pretty awesome), I’m sure that this feature of the new Pencil will become even better.
One thing to keep in mind: an app has to be updated to use the double-tap feature with the new Apple Pencil. For example, GoodNotes works great, but when I double-tap the Pencil in GoodReader, the GoodReader app just ignores that because GoodReader has not been updated (much to my annoyance).
Second, I love that the new Pencil has a flat edge which connects with magnets to the side of the iPad Pro. It means that I always have a perfect place to put the Pencil when I’m using the iPad but not using the Pencil, and I always know where to reach for the Pencil without hunting around my desk. I used to keep my Pencil in a shirt pocket using a third-party clip, but that is unnecessary with the second generation Apple Pencil. When I was doing that online legal research in a coffee shop on Saturday, I kept my Pencil attached to the side as I was searching for cases, and then after I downloaded a case in PDF format, my pencil was in easy reach so it was quick and convenient to highlight key language and add notes in the margins.
Because the Pencil charges while it is attached to the edge, my Pencil always has a sufficient charge. With my first generation Pencil, if I hadn’t used it in many days, it would sometimes be almost dead when I went to use it. The new Pencil is similar to the fantastic AirPods; when you take the Pencil from the side of your iPad or you take the AirPods out of their case, they are charged and ready to go.
The magnetic connection works well. As I walk around my office with the Pencil attached to the side, it is incredibly secure and isn’t going to fall off unless I pull it off. But when I’m ready to use the Pencil, it comes off easily. I don’t trust keeping the Pencil attached to the side of the iPad Pro when it is in a briefcase or other bag; it seems like something could knock it off, so instead I just put it in a pencil/pen compartment. But when the iPad Pro is being used, my Pencil is usually either attached to the side or in my hand.
Third, that flat edge on the new Pencil also feels really good in my hand, and combined with the new matte finish keeps the Pencil more secure in my hand when I am writing. There is a reason that so many pencils and pens have one or more flat edges. The new Pencil shape is also a little shorter than the prior Pencil. For me, both lengths are fine, but some folks might prefer one size over the other.
Fourth, good riddance to the cap on the back of the original Pencil that you had to remove to charge the device (and risk losing), and good riddance to having the Pencil protrude like a flagpole from the edge of the iPad when it charged. There are no removable parts on the new Pencil, and that is as it should be.
Finally, keep in mind that if your order an Apple Pencil from Apple, you can get it engraved for free. I didn't do that because I was afraid that it would take too long for Apple to do the engraving, but I see other folks saying that it didn't add any delay, such as California attorney David Sparks.
Speed
The advances that Apple is making with its A-series processors are the best in the business, and for many years have been putting companies like Intel to shame. Tests show that the new iPad Pro is now faster than all but the fastest laptop computers.
Let’s face it: for most of the tasks that a lawyer will do with an iPad Pro, that speed is more than you need. Folks running sophisticated games or working with huge images in a photo editor will get the most use of the new processor, whereas I’m going to notice it less frequently, such as when working with huge PDF files. But the same can be said for most modern computers; they are capable of speeds that you probably don’t need for most tasks like word processing and reading emails.
But what I do notice whenever I use this new iPad Pro is how incredibly responsive it is. When I am moving between apps, scrolling through screens, swiping through photos, moving my finger down from the top of the screen to see the notification center, etc., everything is as smooth as silk. This makes a difference because it means that the interface does what I need when I need it, and doesn’t distract me from the task at hand. I wrote this 3500+ word review using the new iPad Pro and an external keyboard, and I’ve been scrolling up and down this post as I edit it without even a hint of lag.
Finally, the fast A12X Bionic chip means that this iPad Pro is going to remain fast even as iOS is updated over the years and apps become even more power-hungry.
USB-C
Apple has removed the Lightning port to replace it with industry-standard USB-C. For now, I’m reserving judgment because I don’t yet have any USB-C devices to test (other than cables), but I have high hopes for this being a great change.
Right now, Apple is touting USB-C as an improvement over Lightning because it allows for faster data transfer and thus can support external 5K displays. I’m sure that is true, but that is obviously only going to be useful for a small part of the iPad Pro market. How many of us have a frequent need to use a 4K or 5K monitor with an iPad? If that was the only advantage, I cannot believe that Apple would have made the change to USB-C.
I think the real reason that Apple made this change is that it has bigger plans for USB-C in the future. For example, right now, the iPad cannot access files on an external storage device such as a thumb drive or a small hard drive (absent some workarounds using special apps). My guess is that Apple will add this feature in the future, make it far easier to transfer large files to and from an iPad Pro and share those files with others.
I also suspect that Apple was keenly aware that USB-C is an industry standard, which vastly increases the potential for third parties to come up with accessories. Just to take one example, I want the ability to connect via HDMI to a projector, something I do whenever I give a Keynote or PowerPoint presentation from my iPad. In the past, my only option for doing so was Apple’s own $50 Lightning-to-HDMI connector. But now, I see that there are tons of HDMI-to-USB-C options on the market. Do I want something with just HDMI for $17, or something with HDMI and VGA for $33, or something with HDMI and an extra USB-C port (for keeping the iPad charged while also connecting to a monitor) such as this one with HDMI and extra USB-C and a USB port for $40 or maybe this big one with 10 connections including HDMI and VGA and Ethernet and more for $56? All of those devices are already for sale on Amazon, and they were there before the new iPad Pro was even announced. Companies are currently working to develop even more options designed especially for the iPad Pro, such as Satechi's upcoming Type-C Mobile Pro Hub (pictured below). USB-C is going to result in far more accessories that can be used with your iPad.
Note that there are some growing pains associated with any transition. For example, I prefer to back up my iPad to the Mac at my house rather than iCloud, and as I was driving home from work the day that my new iPad Pro arrived, I realized that I had no way to connect the new iPad Pro to my Mac to restore from a backup of the old iPad Pro it was replacing. I needed a USB-to-USB-C cable, which I didn’t own. Fortunately, there is an office supply store on the way home and they had tons of those cables for under $10 (because many Android phones use USB-C) so it was cheap and easy to pick one up, but I’m glad that I realized that before I got home. Similarly, I’ve long had a Lightning cord on my desk in my office which I have used to charge both my iPhone and iPad. With this new iPad Pro, I now need two cables on my desk: Lightning for the iPhone and USB-C for the iPad Pro.
As Apple updates iOS to better support USB-C, and as third party companies come out with even more products, I suspect that it won’t be long before USB-C becomes one of the best features for power users of the new iPad Pro. Perhaps the only downside will be that there will be so many options out there that it will be tough to choose the best ones.
And the rest...
The size/shape, Pencil support, and speed are the main reasons that I have loved using this new iPad Pro since I first received mine last week, but there are lots of other nice features which will be nice but less important for most attorneys. I listed the other new features in my preview of the new iPad Pro so look there for all of the details, but just to pick one of them, I really like the screen. The Liquid Retina display is beautiful with vibrant colors, and it has the same ProMotion and TrueTone features that I discussed in my review of the second generation iPad Pro. The screen on a regular iPad looks just fine, so I find it hard to believe that someone who is not a graphics professional, such as a lawyer, would choose a new iPad Pro just because of the display. Nevertheless, it is a nice bonus to have this beautiful display along with all of the other more important new features.
Conclusion
I’m not sure what Thomas Holley would think of the new iPad Pro. Perhaps he would fear that it would put the company that he founded out of business. That would have been a valid concern. He founded American Pad & Paper in 1888 to sell legal pads, and the company eventually changed its name to Ampad and became one of the largest sellers of legal pads and thousands of other office products. But about 20 years ago, the company was delisted from the New York Stock Exchange and went bankrupt, and what remains of the company is now owned by TOPS Products.
But as for that judge who asked Mr. Holley to add the line on the left side so that he could annotate documents — I bet you that judge would love the new iPad Pro. When I am working in my office, this new iPad Pro is a fantastic companion for my computer. For example, I can review and annotate briefs and exhibits on the iPad while I am writing an appellate brief on my computer based on that brief/exhibit. When I walk out of my office to go work elsewhere, I can just grab my iPad Pro (and sometimes also grab my external keyboard) and I have everything that I need for a meeting with other attorneys or clients. The iPad Pro is powerful enough to do most of what I do on a computer, plus it is far better than a computer for so many other tasks like reading and annotating documents, so it often is all that I need. And then when I return to the computer at my office or at home, I can pick right up with the work that is best done on a computer, with the iPad at my side. This is all stuff that I’ve been doing for years with an iPad, and it all works better with the new iPad Pro. Thanks to the iPad Pro. I have almost no need for paper or for legal pads.
For any attorney only planning to use an iPad occasionally, the 6th generation iPad introduced earlier this year might be sufficient for your needs and it is much cheaper. But whenever you are next in the market for a new iPad (or your first iPad), if you want to have the best iPad experience and are willing to pay over $1,000 for an iPad and accessories that will significantly aid your law practice, this is the perfect iPad to get. The new 12.9” iPad Pro with its larger screen is a great size and shape, it works with the amazing second generation Apple Pencil, and it is so fast and powerful that the iPad will let you do all that you want to do. No prior iPad has ever deserved the word “pad” in its name as much as this one.
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This article won the BlawgWorld Pick of the Week award on November 13, 2018. The editors of BlawgWorld, a free weekly email newsletter for lawyers and law firm administrators, give this award to one article every week that they feel is a must-read for this audience.
