1.  Use a local Internet Service Provider (ISP) rather than national ISP.

2.  Use one of the top two e-mail programs (Netscape or Outlook/Outlook Express).

3.  Get e-mail delivered to office computer rather than home computer (you wouldn't have the Post Office deliver your office mail to home, would you?).

4.  Edit the preferences or options on your e-mail program so your e-mail address and your name is correctly shown on outgoing messages.  Remember, this is business mail coming from an attorney.  Don't share the same account with your spouse and kids.  Would you do this with business mail from the post office?

5.  Edit the preferences to automatically append a signature block to all outgoing messages; create a signature block file to show your name, address, phone, fax, e-mail address, web address, and any disclaimers you deem appropriate.

6.  Learn to send and receive messages yourself rather than relying on a secretary or assistant to do it.

7.  When an attachment is received, click on the attachment and save it to a file on your computer; remember the file location; open the file in your word processor.

8.  Check for new e-mail regularly; at least once every day.

9.  Use the address book feature to store names and e-mail addresses of those you send messages to you regularly.

10.  When you reply to a message put your reply above the original message so the recipient can easily read your message but still know which prior message you are replying to.