The area’s third largest law firm became the first Wednesday to integrate the popular iPad 2 technology into its practice.

Damon Morey purchased 100 tablet computers—about a $65,000 investment — and distributed them Wednesday to its 90 lawyers and 10 other staffers. And the firm also plans to buy iPad 2s for lawyers who join the practice in the future.

“It gives us the ability to be more responsive and connected to our clients, allowing us to respond to them in real time,” said Peter S. Marlette, managing partner of the firm. “It shows we are a progressive firm.”

The iPad 2 is being used by Damon Morey, and increasingly by other firms around the country, to improve communication with clients, efficiency and productivity.

The tablet makes legal research quicker, putting files, records and documents at attorneys’ fingertips, Marlette said. Lawyers can conduct video conferencing with clients, access files and immediately connect to social media sites for juror research. iPad 2’s Facetime and Dropbox are especially useful applications and features for attorneys, Marlette said.

The tablet’s multimedia platform also decreases trial preparation time by allowing lawyers to organize photos, video and sound files for courtroom presentations.

The Damon Morey iPads feature increased security, and their contents can only be accessed by passwords, Marlette said.

Damon Morey also provides its lawyers with Blackberry and digital dictation devices, but the iPad 2 will relieve lawyers from carrying heavy brief cases, Marlette said. The company’s profits were “excellent” last year, and the tablets are a thank-you gift to lawyers, he added.

esapong@buffnews.comnull