Nice!
I have an M1 Air here too. Except for the diminuitive size, it’s a beast of a machine. And that battery life! I had it 3.5 weeks on standby and it was still over 30% 
(And yes, I have three other Macs to work on 
)
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yes!
same here. i’ve had mine about a month or so. i replaced my MBpro 15 mid 2015 machine, which i must say has been a war horse. i upgraded to 1TBSSD and maxed the ram several years ago. it has been a warrior. i retired it to my son.
the m1 is terrific and is the FIRST laptop that i’ve EVER used on battery power. its really unbelievable.
i, too, have other macs but this is my do-all-everything machine right now. i’m moving sideways soon and putting a few m1 mini’s* stationary here in the office and home. but this m1 laptop will be my world, more or less.
*will wait and see what’s up with the m2 deal we hear about. i can get by on this m1 for now.
Indeed! I have an aged Mini in need of replacement. I’ve put a pause on a purchase but would likely be happy with an M1 Mini if I can’t keep my wallet closed
And I can likely play Diablo III and World of Warcraft on an new M1 Mini quite nicely! My old Mini can’t keep up! 
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Sidvicious,
I am late to this party.
My file structure is one database for all current matters, my Infobase (precedents, case notes and legislation clips), accounts, personal with completed matters archived into a yearly database.
For large matters, I will start a seperate database.
The structure of a matter database will vary depending on the matter type. Much of my work is either commercial or commercial litigation. I keep templates of different folder structures for the type of matter.
I generally import all matter related material into the relevant folder and then replicate those parts relevant to particular aspects, such as pleadings, offers, evidence, etc. By having all material at the top level of the folder I have a running chronology of the matter which can be exported to create a chronology, if required.
Happy to add to the above if it is of assistance.
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my 2 pennies on the issue now that i’ve completed the single database import.
go for the big one. if DT will handle it, why not?
i’m in this game to save clicks. unless i’m doing something wrong, moving items from Inbox to a database requres the database to be open.
i don’t need that grief if i can avoid it. with the big base open, i’m saved that hassle, and it’s these little hassles that make or break my workflow.
i don’t have the luxury of uninterrupted work during the heat of the day, and by the time the day is over, i’m beat and not in the mood for clean up. i’ve got to be able to do housekeeping as much as can while i’m actively working.
i DO go back and clean up, BUT, i do everything i can to avoid having to do it.
so simplifying the process of moving data from one place to another is the lifeblood of these systems. if it isn’t, its not for me. tagging and linking will only go so far and i use those processes where i can. but at the end of the day, where data LIVES is key to my world.
@BLUEFROG am i off target here? making something out of nothing as far as the process i mention? is it just as easy to move from Inbox to a closed database as opposed to an open one?
Take a look at Script: Store stuff temporarily in global inbox and let it automatically move to the right database when the time has come.
Meanwhile it might be possible to do it all with Smart Rules, though.
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While there is a LOT of talk on this forum about moving data, tagging, linking, … even using some esoteric things like images in markdown documents … those are edge cases. Using multiple databases for stuff does not lead to that.
If one BIG database suits you. Go for it.
Me: I think it’s too everything. Too big. Too risky for corruption. Too long to create archive backups. Too much stuff popping up on searches that’s irrelevant (from very old files/cases still in the system … for that stuff, just don’t open the databases).
I’m not advocating one database per case/client/whatever, but the biggness of your solution just seems in place due to perceived risks which aren’t as great as perceived.
That’s my 2 pennies. If you are happy with what you got … go for it!
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I’ve read this thread with interest, as I am also a lawyer who uses DT. Personally, I think one database per client would be way too unwieldy, at least for my use. I currently have one database for all clients/cases, and that is one main indexed folder with a subfolder for each client (there are subfolders under each client for the way I structure my cases: pleadings, discovery, doc drafts, etc.). Currently that folder is 57GB.
I find that having everything “under one roof” works best for me, as I can search across cases for relevant case law, motions, and so forth. Thus far, I can not think of any major problem I’ve ever run into, and I’ve been using this setup for a few years now. The only issue I did run into recently was the database randomly renamed itself into a file name. I had to completely wipe DTTG on the iPad and re-sync a couple times to get that fixed, but overall it’s worked out for me.
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Well, there are recommended max sizes and @BLUEFROG has already indicated that. I for one do not recommend one database per client without consideration of what the problem is, what needs to be fixed, etc. I don’t know much of that for people on this thread. I just know in my world I want to offload the old stuff, and when I want the old stuff to be integral with the current stuff, I just “open” the database and then it all acts like it’s all in one big/huge database. I think the debate of how many databases, frankly, is a bit moot–from the user perspective. Yet we can’t get away from worrying it.
The issue is really how much can the computer really handle, sync speeds/time/reliability, backup/restore resiliences, disaster recovery capability, etc. These are all the things traditionally that IT departments concerned themselves with. Now that we do our own IT, we should not forget those things else we incur the risks IT was trying to mitigate.
The technology is like magic, but not infinite and omnipotent.
Definitely agree with you on getting rid of the old stuff! Once a matter is closed I remove that client file from the indexed folder and re-index the db so all that stuff is gone, or things would get way too cluttered.
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i’m set up the same way, as you can see from my later posts here. i ran into the clunkiness of separate databases per client.
it works and fits the the demands of the environment best. there’s so much more advantage to having the entire filing cabinet with one reach.
and a lawyer’s search needs are probably different than others, or some at least. if we need a “summary judgment standard of review” search will pop of several and we can zip through them in seconds. “wronful death” complaint. BAM! there’s 5 handy!
BUT - i don’t move closed stuff out. its there still and will stay. its always come in handy.
Do you update the indexed folder via menu File > Update Indexed Items or do literally re-index them via File > Index?
Asking because with the latter all records get new UUIDs.
I do Update Indexed Items.
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I failed to mention that I have a “Work Archive” database specifically for client matters that…well…get archived! This way I don’t pollute my See Also and Sort AI with old stuff and it keeps the database manageable for mobile syncing.
I also tend to archive my email in the Work Archive database too.
Edit: We should form a club of DT3-using Lawyers!
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There are no expectations, part of being a lawyer is having no time for clubs…but we can form one anyway! 
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I’m new to the thread but have learned quite a bit from all the good advice. I am not a lawyer (no club membership for me) but do need to manage data in a similar fashion as a college professor and nurse practitioner with an active patient case load. Everything is stored in OneDrive and I’m debating on indexing vs importing. Sidvicious it’s helpful to know you took the plunge with your large Dropbox folder and it has been working out.
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Welcome @bex
Make sure to read the Help > Documentation > In & Out > Importing & Indexing section before committing to any large additions to the database.
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I’m practicing law in Kenya. New to Devonthink. (have been using Evernote). I have a similar sort of challenge. I like the suggestions I read in this thread. At the moment I prefer to retain the voluminous files @ Dropbox and only transfer to DT that which I am processing at the moment. Thus for me, Dropbox is the filing cabinet and DT the ‘processing desk’ as I prepare for trial. Once file is concluded, I don’t think I will want to retain it at DT for it may just clog up the space.
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It will probably take more cases than you will have in a career to “clog” it up. If the case files go into an archive case data base (one car per database or many cases per database…your choice) on can simply not open that/those old databases until needed.
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