Get a Free Demo
When it comes to legal research tools, the internet is the most widespread resource everyone uses, almost without question. Having the savviness to find and use the best free and/or budget-friendly tools gives attorneys an edge – especially at smaller or mid-size practicing firms. As we’ve seen, these tools continue to evolve, providing legal researchers (no matter their role) the agility to find the right information needed for the case. Complete with alerts and filters that prevent endless scrolling and frustrating hours lost sifting through everything but the statute you’re looking for, it’s clear legal research has made life easier – if you know how to access the right tools, that is.
Having hands-on resources for your law firm’s needs will undoubtedly create more meaningful research that drives cases forward. This has been a game-changer for smaller firms who once had to shell out huge expenses for legal research software. Gone are those days; and good riddance, too. Simplifying research will also open up more time for other things, such as organized calendaring and day-to-day operations.
We’ll be covering the following questions:
Although nothing can quite replace a powerful paid tool depending on your needs and area of law, there are some free and more affordable tools available that make top-level research quite easy:
Even the best attorney doesn’t always have all the answers. The best offense in any matter is having a good defense – including knowledge on opposing counsel, and the relevant authorities and cases they’ll be relying on. It can be difficult to navigate strategy when you’re too busy trying to search for the opposite counsel’s angle as well. These obstacles can mount, especially when you’re fighting or are getting blocked and limited on your research attempts. If the research comes easy, so, too, will the brainstorming.
As a smaller firm, the cost analysis could also prove problematic if you’re billing clients for extensive research conducted. It’s important to weigh these options before going into a case that you anticipate will require ample research time, especially for newer attorneys not as well-versed or equipped with as many resources at a smaller firm or solo practice. This is all part of mapping out features that will be user-friendly for you, this time and the next – so clients stay happy, too.
As we mentioned before, organization begets organization – so adding these online legal research sites and databases to your toolkit is only going to further empower your firm to drive business and spend time brainstorming rather than doing mindless research. The very same can be said about your case management software that’s used day-to-day.
In Calendaring Best Practices: Seems Simple, but Is It? we talked about calendaring best practices, and establishing a workflow. Today, we will connect some dots and focus on the dreaded missed deadline, bad habits, and improving inefficiencies. Calendaring is critical to your day-to-day operations so don’t take it lightly! If you don’t believe us, keep reading.
Did you know that lawyers have a 17% chance of being sued for malpractice every year?
According to the American Bar Association, nearly a quarter of all legal malpractice claims are based on lawyers procrastinating or failing to calendar.
Crazy, right?!
If you look at all of these statistics, you will see that they are predominantly related to bad habits and inefficiencies. Let’s take a look at some of the bad habits plaguing the attorneys who are getting hit malpractice suits.
Waiting to schedule deadlines
If you’re not tracking and recording these deadlines as soon as they come in, you could be leaving yourself at risk for malpractice.
Missing centralized calendars
If someone at your firm loses their calendar, or cannot see deadlines the rest of the firm is trying to meet, the more likely a misstep will occur. A rule of thumb to successful calendaring is transparency and visibility.
Lack of research
If you’re practicing in a new jurisdiction, you need to know the local rules or any rule changes. Even if you’re a new attorney, brush up on the regulations and make sure your bases are covered.
Failure to plan
If you do not have a plan of attack as to how you’re going to meet your deadlines, you will be leaving room to not only procrastinate but to forget about what you have due entirely.
Deadline reassignment
If your staff changes or someone gets sick, those court deadlines won’t change. Your clients should not be on the receiving end of your firms' disorganization when life happens. Always be prepared, and have a backup plan in case your team faces a disruption.
Entering deadlines
It is very inefficient to enter deadlines on a calendar one-by-one. If you have a high volume practice and one person is in charge of entering deadlines, it may take them a few days to enter everything in accordingly. And at that point, you are now a few days into a 10-day timeline, or whatever the timeframe may be.
There are many things that can go wrong in the span of one case. Many of these things are out of your control, but some are not. Let’s go through some of those examples:
All of these examples severely impact your client. It is worth taking the time to modify and ensure that your calendaring practices are not only accurate but are standardized across the firm.
You may have read those three steps and sighed. That’s a lot of work! But it doesn’t have to be.
Instead of researching deadlines and inputting dates manually, there are ways to automate this process so that you are not only spending less time on it, but you are remaining more accurate and consistent as well.
There are a considerable amount of advantages that come with using a practice management software, let’s take a look:
Aside from having to meet court and document deadlines, you have regular tasks and everyday to-dos that you have to keep up with. Whether that includes client consultations, new client intakes, progress reports, managing your staff, and not to mention being able to go home and turn off your work brain for a little and enjoy your personal life. All it takes is a plan, and we encourage you to try to implement one of these calendar tips today.
Make sure all your appointments are filled in, check your upcoming deadlines, and ensure you have blocks of time reserved to be able to work towards those deadlines and begin crossing things off your list of to-dos. Also, be thinking about the top 2-3 activities that you can accomplish for that day. You don’t need to write this down, but take mental note of what went well that day, what you're grateful and blessed to have, and what you appreciate. It may seem insignificant, but in this fast-paced, high-stressed industry, it is important to take a moment to acknowledge the good.
In addition to looking at your calendar and mentally taking note of everything you have on your plate, try to solidify 3-4 concrete action items or tasks to complete for your work, your relationships, and your personal life. If you already know this, then bear with us for those who don’t. Your work productivity, happiness, and satisfaction with your life are influenced by your relationships and personal life outside of work.
For relationships, this could be anything from calling your parents to check-in, or writing back to an old friend or old co-worker. Little things like this make a difference and they do matter. For your personal life, this could be as simple as scheduling yourself a lunch. Often times, attorneys and legal teams will get so busy they forget to eat. We aren’t scientists here, but glucose level and productivity go hand in hand. All these things may feel like a distraction at times, but your motivation and the type of work results you produce will correlate in some shape or form with how the rest of your life is going. So take a minute to incorporate those elements into your calendar because they are important.
Sometimes when people have access to a firm-wide calendar, there is a tendency to grab any time they want and book you for things without asking first. All this does is throw you off. If you spent Friday planning out your week and then you find that come Monday there are multiple chunks of your day booked out already without you knowing, you will have to completely adjust what you had planned to do. How do you fix this? You set verbal and transparent boundaries. For example, set specific days for allotted activities. Maybe Tuesdays and Thursdays are when you do your inbound consultations and client calls. So when someone calls your staff requesting your time, they will know to slot them in on either Tuesday or Thursday.
The Pomodoro is a proven and popular time management technique. The premise here is that you work in blocks that typically last 25 minutes that are called Pomodoro sessions. You work for 25 minutes straight, focusing on your work with zero distractions then you follow that up with a 5 minute period of rest or a break. The result of this is productivity and higher management of distractions. Now after 4 Pomodoro sessions, you’re supposed to take a longer, 20-minute break to step away from your work, catch your breath and clear your mind.
Delegate where appropriate and have dedicated time to review with staff. If you’re using practice management software, you will have a way to manage projects at a glance and also get really granular insights into the work your team is doing. This will enhance your firm's productivity overall and the quality of service you are able to provide to your clients.
If your scheduling regular dates to review your matters and you have specific staff assigned to those matters, pull up the calendar and go through everything that you expect needs to be done or completed by that person. The earlier and more often you do this, the easier it will be to catch mistakes and avoid missed deadlines. Additionally, give these staff members the opportunity to talk about their workload, and give them feedback on the quality of their work. Also, use this time to offer support and constructive feedback; if you don’t like how something is being handled, let them know, or if you are happy with something you should express that as well.
Calendaring is important. If you walk away with only one thing, it should be that. You may not be able to implement everything we just talked about overnight, but if you can start today, you will only improve company morale, ensure that no task is being forgotten, and you will help foster a system of efficiency and excellence within your firm.
Technology is a driving force behind trends that significantly impacts the way your clients consume and interact with data. Ditching old habits can be hard, there is no argument there, but the benefits of adopting these new tech-driven changes will be the difference makers between profitable and unprofitable firms.
Calendaring. It seems so simple and trivial, but there is nothing more critical to your day-to-day operations than an accurate and up-to-date calendar. It is really important to evaluate and understand what types of calendars each attorney is using. If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that we must be able to effectively utilize distributed workspaces; so if your calendar is a paper planner zipped up in your briefcase, staff working remotely will most certainly not be able to access it.
This blog will be broken up into two parts, part one today will focus on best practices, and establishing a workflow, and part two will focus on the dreaded missed deadline, bad habits and inefficiencies, and how to achieve calendar zen.
Let’s jump in.
An office-wide master calendar is a really good rule of thumb. Having one place where all of your dates are listed across the firm, regardless of the attorney that’s working on it, is a really good thing to have. Having a redundant calendar is important. If you’re using Outlook 365, that needs to sync to your practice management system. Transparency and visibility cannot be sacrificed.
You should set one review date for every matter to ensure they are being kept on track. What does this mean? You don’t want to have 200 matters in your system and then realize in 6 months that you’ve only touched 40% of them. Having a recurring date to review your matters on a regular basis gives you time to see where each case is, to check in with your clients, and most importantly just keep everything organized and up-to-date.
The longer your case stays in your office, the less profitable it becomes. Take in cases, wrap them up efficiently, get them out the door, and collect your payment. The tighter you can make this process, the more money you will make.
Enter your deadlines as soon as you’re aware of them with spaced out reminder dates. As soon as you know that a deadline is apparent, whether you’ve been served with discovery from opposing counsel, or a trial date has been scheduled, you want to make sure you get those dates into your calendar so that you do not forget about them. Having a tiered system to enter dates is also a smart thing to implement. Setting a reminder date to notify you that a deadline is coming up, an urgent date to alert you that you must take action now, and lastly a warning date right before the actual due date. By creating this tiered level of reminders, you will be able to stay more organized, and file motions for extensions if need be.
Make sure all attorney and non-attorney staff are held accountable. Everyone should know what their role or responsibilities are when it comes to deadlines. Whether they are in charge of entering the activity, drafting paperwork corresponding to the event, editing, filing etc. Everyone should know what they are responsible for. If one person drops the ball and misses a deadline, there should be no reason why anyone else attached to that activity misses the deadline.
Give yourself enough time to investigate and work towards a deadline. Some dates are pretty clear cut. But there are other rules that are slightly more ambiguous and may require more research. An example of this could be if you’re taking on a case in a new jurisdiction. Give yourself enough time to investigate and work towards those deadlines.
Failure to react to the calendar is another field the ABA takes into account when they look at reasons for malpractice. So even with the best technology and minimal human error, if you’re avoiding or dismissing deadlines, there may be a bigger problem. For example, if you’re practicing law in an area you are not 100% familiar with, or if you’re working for a client you don’t particularly like, you need to figure out if you can find ways to combat those issues directly because if you cannot meet the deadlines, you need to remove yourself from the case.
A good master calendar is crucial for firm-wide visibility, collaboration, and accountability. Many attorneys have the ability to manage their workload in their own way, this includes managing their own court calendar. However, every firm should still have a master calendar that is managed by a well-trained member of the team that can constantly keep it updated. If events are not updated, attorneys assisting on matters may be more prone to miss key dates or information.
Firms should also consider different viewing formats or filters. Your calendar must be agile and flexible enough to provide you with filtering options. In most cases, there are many filtering options that you can utilize, but it is best practice to explore which filters work best for specific teams. If your firm has different geographical locations you can filter by a specific area, or if you only want to view some members of the team over others, you can filter by that criteria as well.
A good master calendar should be backed up regularly, either offsite or in the cloud. Depending on what you’re doing, if you have an on-prem system you are going to want to have a backup copy of that calendar in another location that is not your physical office. This is for reasons like natural disasters, break-ins, server malfunctions, etc. There are so many things that could happen and you have to be prepared for them. Cloud-based backups are very easy to implement. If you’re already paying for cloud services, your cloud provider should be doing most backups for you automatically.
Your master calendar should also flow to and from matter-centric calendars. If you’re using practice management software, you want anyone who has privileges to access a matter in your system to be able to see the relevant dates and information for that matter. Additionally, this calendar should be accessible from your mobile device. Attorneys are on the go more often than not, so it is crucial that this information is available wherever they are. Make sure you turn on push notifications and reminders so that when you are using your mobile device for calendering, you are alerted to what is due and when just like you would be on your computer.
The roles and responsibilities for everyone involved with calendaring should be clear. Who enters the dates when activities are made clear? Is there someone who is going to be responsible for double-checking those calculations for deadlines? Have tasks been assigned according to the upcoming deadline so everyone knows what their responsibilities are in order to meet them?
Your calendaring process should be standardized across the firm to ensure continuity if staff changes. If that staff change does occur, then will you be able to easily train them on your process? Or if someone is out of the office, or they’re sick, you don’t want to have to call them with an emergency because the people who are available are not trained on how to read and operate the calendar.
Proper calendaring using case management should also funnel into easy billing. Why you may ask? It is part of productivity. You want to make sure that if you are putting in the work to make sure you are meeting those deadlines, then you also want to make sure that you’re billing for it too. Some practice management software today have the capability to allow you to bill on the go, or enter time from the programs you’re already working in. For example, you can record your time as you save documents in Word or when you send client emails from Outlook.
Nobody should be able to opt-out of using a calendar because you want to maintain that accurate centralized firm calendar that is used not only consistently but in a uniform and standardized way. The workflow for each matter should allow everyone to know what step needs to be taken and when. This will lead to a higher level of firm efficiency, a higher level of communication, and as a result, higher client satisfaction.
Calendaring seems simple, and in part it is. But it also can be the difference between a malpractice suit and a profitable law firm. It is important to learn and train your team on best practices because although calendaring seems like a no brainer, you’d be surprised about how many firms struggle to keep their schedules buttoned up and organized.
To learn more about Centerbase's calendar, schedule a free no-obligation product demo!
The threat landscape for data security is incredibly vast. Today, law firms have the responsibility and duty of technological competence to ensure that their client's information is safeguarded and monitored.
The sad reality is that law firms are often the center of data attacks because of the type of sensitive information that is being dealt with on a daily basis. Often times, attorneys assume that their email or personal information is safe. This is a mistake.
Maybe unbeknownst to you, your personal information includes clues into larger portals of information that can then be categorized and cataloged for hackers to use to gain access to other sensitive information.
Crime today has been commercialized, and organized crime groups use tools to professionally infiltrate your information. The hacking industry now runs much deeper than someone sitting in their basement chugging a Mountain Dew, it has evolved into an illegal business that has cost firms and businesses billions of dollars.
Because of this, clients are no longer just paying for legal services, they are also paying to ensure that their data is protected. Today, class-action lawsuits can be brought against a firm for failure to safeguard and protect their client's information.
An attorney may be required to take special security precautions to protect against unauthorized disclosure of information or when the nature of the information requires a higher degree of security. So, for example, does everyone at your firm have access to the same information? Is it classified and compartmentalized across the firm? Is the data protected according to its sensitivity?
All of these things should lead you to question, are the measures you’re taking and putting in place strong enough to protect your client’s sensitive information?
At the end of the day, it's about organizing your information in ways that keep it safe and accessible to those who need it. Do you keep all your client files on one hard drive? Do different clients warrant a different type of security to access their files, are they cleaned up regularly?
The Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) published model information and security controls that have been adopted almost nationwide as the defacto standard for attorneys to follow. Whether you have an IT team or not, it is your duty and responsibility to understand these measures and be able to act on them.
Let’s go through some of these together:
1. Understand your information
In order to protect your firm’s and your client’s information, you must understand what information you have. You must then classify and organize it, and then thoroughly document what you are going to do to protect it.
2. Review the rights and responsibilities
You’re either doing a good job and following best practices, or you’re not. You need to know what procedures you have or will have in place to secure what needs to be protected.
3. Physical security
Does your office and your third party vendor’s space utilize badges and door codes? If not, this is the easiest thing to quickly implement. You can also go one step further and store data in different access-based locations and create logical controls so people are only accessing the information they are authorized to.
4. Information disposal
What you do when you’re done with the sensitive information should be reviewed and documented with your clients as well. Are you giving their information back? Are you destroying it? Are you doing both? That needs to be outlined and made clear.
5. Monitor
Make sure your people and your vendors are doing what they’re supposed to be doing. Conduct vulnerability assessments, make sure your devices are encrypted, and know if something is open or publicly accessible. Encryption is a very basic security measure that your firm needs to be aware of and implementing (if you’re not already). Your information should be encrypted both at rest and in transit. For example, if you have an encrypted computer that gets stolen, you don’t have to report that because the thief cannot do anything with the information on the device. Yes, you'll be out an expensive piece of equipment, but your data will be secure. That is encryption at rest. Encryption in transit is the protected information that is being sent or received between devices like through email or text.
The most dangerous people at your firm are the ones who lead your IT team, but they are also the most helpful. This type of trust is a commodity. There must be controls in place to ensure that the work they have done is accurate and secure. If you do not have an IT team, you need to do your due diligence with your cloud provider or your third-party vendor and ensure that they are up to date with the latest security measures and you have records that they are constantly monitoring your information.
6. Insurance
You don’t know what you don’t know. Buy cyber insurance. Only 34% of firms have cyber liability insurance. Take the opportunity to limit your exposure because the cost of a breach will end up being significantly more than the cost to prevent it.
Now that you have all this information in place what do you do? You prove it. Take the time to get an industry certification or a privacy shield and be proactive to show your clients that their highly sensitive information is in good hands.
Third-party vendors constitute a lot of risk. Did you know that 60% of breaches are linked to third-parties? Even today, many firms do not adequately assess these relationships because they feel that their staff is well trained and will assume their vendors are too.
Let’s look at some numbers here:
32% of firms do not evaluate third-party vendor security.
60% of attacks come through third-party vendors.
And only 34% of firms have cybersecurity insurance.
So when someone asks? Why do we care? This is why. These figures are staggering. Even though you may have a buttoned-up security system, can you trust the third parties?
If you’re working with third-party vendors, you need to follow some basic steps to ensure that the work they are doing is not only correct but protected as well. Ask yourself:
As we discussed earlier because third parties are very susceptible to cyberattacks, clients are asking for assurance from their law firms and as a result, many of these firms are seeing an increase in information security and data governance audits coming from their clients. It is becoming more common practice to audit your third parties, both from the client and firm side because the risks of cyber attacks are so high. At the bare minimum, if you’re using a third-party vendor, make sure they are doing at least as good of a job as you are in implementing security controls. Do not assume anything because it is not if you will experience a potential breach, it is when.
You don’t have to be an IT professional to ensure that your firm and your client's information are safe! If you're using a third-party vendor to store your data, consider asking them these three questions…
1. How are you protecting my information?
This is an open-ended question for which the vendor should immediately answer by showing you their security policy documentation, standards documentation, and instant response plan. If they respond with something along the lines of that information being proprietary, you should raise concern. The best practice in security is always transparency.
Additionally, when you ask your vendor any questions regarding your data, pay attention to how they answer it, and take note of the amount of detail they give in their response. They should be able to tell you what they are going to do with the data, how long they’re going to keep it, and how the data is classified.
2. What are you doing with my information?
What infrastructure is your third-party vendor using? Where are they physically located? What class systems are their server hardware and firewalls? Using a third-party vendor is a lot of work because you need to do your homework and make sure that your information is secure. For example, look at their data flow diagrams, this will tell you all the buckets where your encrypted data sit at rest and all the paths they take between those buckets when they’re encrypted in transit. It is important to ask how they encrypt your information and the humans that are physically accessing that data at each point.
3. Business Continuity Plan
This is your backup plan! Some firms use Amazon Web Services (AWS) as a hosting vendor. Just last week, their system went down. Not for a few seconds or minutes, but for hours. The reason for this outage was undisclosed (scary!). Because of this, you need to know does your third-party vendor have an off-site disaster recovery location to allow for a quick transition? Ask to see what their uptime has looked like over the course of several years and if they have had a lot of impactful outages. Your job depends on being able to access your stored documentation and files. If you don't have access to what you need, you can't do your job.
Using third-party vendors may pose many avoidable risks. It is best practice to consolidate your tech stack and make sure you know exactly where all your data is stored. At all times.
When it comes to IT and your security, you need a strategy. You cannot hope things go your way, or hope a backup can be produced. Your clients expect nothing but excellence from you, you should expect the same from your vendors.
And if you remember anything from this blog, remember this- If you didn’t document it, it doesn’t exist and if you didn’t test it, it doesn’t work.
If you're still curious to learn more, check out our blog: Data Security for Law Firms: Everything You Need to Know
If you had to guess what one emotion is elicited when lawyers are faced with the ability to adopt new technology, what would you guess?
If you guessed hesitancy then you’d be right. When it comes to advancements in new technologies, that emotional resistance has become almost an expected response for the legal industry, and it isn’t without justification. The importance and sensitive nature of matters handled by attorneys prove reason enough to proceed with caution before diving headfirst into the unfamiliar tech waters.
However, whether firms want to believe it or not, the water is warm and because technology has transformed the capabilities of attorneys in rendering legal services, attorneys and firms that fail to embrace new developments risk depriving their clients of the most effective representation possible. With the level of competition we are seeing today, firms have no choice but to modernize the way they practice.
If you take a stand back and look at the legal landscape and where it has evolved from, there are undeniable trends that in some ways, have pushed firms into modernization (whether they were initially willing or not). The explosion of legal technology and improved service delivery models have evolved our use of big data and have led to the digitalization of billing, the automation of client intake and matter management, and ultimately has increased firm's ability to close out cases at a much faster rate. However, demand is rising faster than available resources can accommodate, and firms are faced with a level of strain they haven’t seen before. Automation, workflow management, and legal software are easing the pressure, but the adoption of these resources is still slow to catch on. The boundaries of many legal functions within a firm are expanding, and these trends are calling for a few things: new processes, new skills, and new approaches. Unfortunately, fewer attorneys are equipped to thrive in this environment, which is resulting in the isolation of many traditional law firms.
Before we dive deeper into how firms can combat the modernization of the legal industry, it is important to understand what is driving these trends. In one word, it’s data. 10 years ago the driver was globalization, but now with the proliferation of information consumers have access to, it’s clear that data rules. These quantifiable metrics have no boundaries and they certainly transcend jurisdictions. We’re in a consumer-centric world now, and the only way to keep up with the people you serve is by knowing what they want. And you do that by looking at the numbers.
So what exactly is a modern law firm? Why are they different? Do they really embrace new strategies and methods? Let’s find out.
The definition of ‘modern’ is to relate to the present or recent times as opposed to the remote past. As new technologies are released and new things are discovered, firms have to be willing and able to grow and adapt to these changes. A firm's vision and objective must be clear in order to overcome challenges that will prevent you from keeping up with the rest of the world. And more importantly, how your clients expect your services to be rendered. As the pace of society continues to speed up, and expectations are increased, younger attorneys don’t have time to waste on processes that could be simplified and made easier. Today, it is about more than hard work, it’s about innovation, creativity, and providing a level of top-notch service that cannot be found anywhere else. To be a modern firm, you must rely on data and technology because that is the best way to serve your employees and clients in this new world.
The Greek philosopher Heraclitus was quoted by Plato as noting that “everything changes and nothing stands still.” From one generation to the next, we continue to see a divergence from what used to be popular in culture and technology to the “next best thing” or trend. What was once a gold standard business procedure for Baby Boomers or even Millennials, is now obsolete or antiquated to Gen X-ers. This age gap can lead to misunderstandings and disconnect between younger associates and more senior attorneys. Recruitment is a top priority for firms, but it is also one of the biggest pain points. If management can’t understand the technologies the talent they are trying to recruit is using, or if they won’t come to terms with the reality of these differences, newer attorneys will find a firm that will. Understanding and taking steps to adopt these technologies will not only bridge this gap but will make your firm more agile and lean.
Poor communication is often cited as the biggest factor that leads to client complaints. Similarly, a lack of communication within your law firm is just as detrimental, not only for efficiency but for accuracy as well. Innovation, collaboration, and calculated risk are paramount to a successful firm, and with the prevalence of conferences, virtual meetings, and online and in-person communities, firms have started to recognize the benefit of coming together to share real data. As the industry continues to evolve, these communication channels need to stay open and attorneys need to make use of their time and their client's time. In a world that is always on the go, clients expect fast responses to their questions and routine updates on their cases. There are now technologies that let you privately send and receive texts and calls from your phone while simultaneously tracking and billing for that time automatically. Software like this function to make your life easier. Not to mention it helps you make more money. It’s a no-brainer, and although adoption and technology training may seem like an uphill battle, the benefits of utilizing it at your firm far outweigh those initial burdens.
There is a significant gap today between companies that have adopted (and understand) Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its potential advantages and those who do not.
Savvy law firms are also savvy businesses. They embrace AI to perform repeatable tasks and to process data that is essential for their business campaigns or strategy. Firms also adopt AI to streamline existing business processes, and they have established solid management support for each AI initiative. For example, you can automate your case management to get your bills sent out faster. By creating a workflow, software can automatically assign or complete tasks for you. This should be a no brainer! Letting traditional ways (looking at you paper people!) go is hard, but if you have a smartphone (as 81% of Americans do), then I bet you adjusted to that technological jump in 07’ just fine!
Despite high expectations of AI, statistics show only 23% of businesses have incorporated it into their processes, product, and service offerings. The AI industry and technology involved are surely new, but it is crucial for any business or firm that wants to do better now and in the future to look into it.
When you think of marketing and online presence, law firms, or even the legal industry as a whole, probably don’t come to mind. Due to the nature of your work, there has never really been a need for a heavy emphasis on brand positioning. But as we enter this new digital society filled with digitized and remote work, that is beginning to change. We are in an age where everything is and can be found online. Because of this, it is essential that your firm meets the needs of clients who are moving to online resources to help craft their decision making. Everything from your website, your blog, and your social media profiles are essential for the modernization of your company. With the internet, your website is probably the first contact between your audience and your firm. And if we’ve learned anything from our days sitting across that oak desk at law school entrance interviews... First impressions are everything.
Every element of a well-designed website is carefully planned, executed, and updated when need be. A modern firm knows that their clients are on the internet, which means if you’re not, you’re behind. At the end of the day, if your site doesn’t accurately reflect your firm, it might be time to take additional steps. The clients you will one day serve are the millennials who are currently fully immersed in technology. To win their business you must be aligned with their needs.
Implementing these strategies will not happen overnight. They will require time, resources, and commitment. But, if you want to stay competitive, you must make it a priority to modernize your business, otherwise, your days of competitive advantage will soon be over. It is only a matter of time.
Do you want to hear some scary facts? In 2014, 500 million Yahoo users were compromised. In 2016, 57 million Uber customer accounts and profiles were breached, and in 2017, 143 million social security numbers were stolen from Equifax. Breaches to this scale may not happen every day, but smaller ones do. And as the prevalence of cyber threats grow, smaller companies are now being targeted at a much higher rate.
Between January 2015 and December 2016, there was an approximate 2,370% increase in identified exposed losses. Email scans were reported in all 50 states and from 2013-2016, the Internet Crime Complaint Center reported exposed losses of more than $2 billion. As privacy concerns continue to grow, governments are now instituting laws that require companies to report every incident of hacking and data breach.
Let’s take a look at the threats your firm faces, the obligations you have with your clients when you communicate through text, and how to protect yourself while you communicate in today’s day and age.
According to a Legal Technology Survey Report that the American Bar Association released in 2016, more than one-quarter of firms with more than 500 lawyers admitted they experienced some type of breach. Approximately 40% of those firms reported significant resulting business downtime and loss of billable hours. 25% recounted hefty fees to correct the problems and one in six reported loss of important files and information.
Today, 25% of all law firms have been subjected to, or experienced, some form of a data breach involving hackers. Computer-oriented crimes span a wide variety of actions, intentions, and goals, and no company is too large or too small to be affected by a cyberattack.
So why are firms being targeted? Lawyer’s handle very sensitive information for their clients, intellectual property, financial information, and legal strategies, all of which are incredibly valuable for malicious third parties.
As this continues to become a problem, rules that govern the legal industry are changing. Let’s dig deeper.
What are some of the challenges that law firms face?
Unfortunately, even with the advancements in firewalls and encryptions that we see today, people are the largest weakness in a firm’s security network. Whether it’s due to failure to follow protocols or insufficient training, social engineering hacking is on a rise.
The rise of texting is undisputed. It is our primary means of communication. 81% of Americans are sending and receiving texts, with 27 trillion texts being sent every year. According to Nielsen, on average, Americans text twice as much as they call and for Americans under the age of 50, sending and receiving text messages is the most prevalent form of communication. The need and ability to send and receive communication instantly is a primary reason for the rise of this communication method. I'm sure you're familiar with this; people want what they want and they want it now, no questions asked. Today, if it takes longer than thirty minutes to respond to a text (and even that’s generous!), some eyebrows will inevitably be raised. As this trend has evolved, advanced, and continued its way throughout the 21st century, the legal field has slowly started to capitalize on the advantages of the fast and easy communication style too.
There are three compelling reasons why lawyers turn to texting their clients as a dominant means of communication.
And if all of that isn’t enough to compel you, how about the fact that 78% of people wish they could have a text conversation with a business. You don’t have to be good at math to know that’s a lot of people.
Of course, with all this being said, there are downsides to communicating in this modern and rapid way; those being ethical obligations, confidentiality concerns, over accessibility, record preservation, and simplicity. As the legal field continues to evolve, and texting becomes more and more commonplace, there is a framework of rules that all lawyers should abide by as they continue to utilize this form of communication. Doing so, will not only enhance your customer experience but will also protect everyone from malicious third-party threats.
As a lawyer, you have a duty of competence that you must provide to your clients. Competent representation requires the legal knowledge, skill, thoroughness, and preparation reasonably necessary for the representation.
Back in the 90s, when email came onto the scene, the ABA said that lawyers had a reasonable expectation of privacy in communications made by all forms of email, but they also included that the encryption of emails sent over the internet was unnecessary, despite some risk of interception and disclosure. So twenty-some years ago, you didn’t have to worry about protecting your communications. But in 2020, with the rise of breaches and personal information being exposed, the ABA adjusted its statement to include that a lawyer shall make reasonable efforts to prevent the inadvertent or unauthorized disclosure of, or unauthorized access to, information relating to the representation of a client. Today, it is a lawyer’s duty to keep abreast of the knowledge and changes in the law and its practice, including the benefits and risks associated with relevant technology. Now, all lawyers are required to act competently to safeguard information relating to the representation of a client against unauthorized access by third parties and inadvertent disclosure of information.
The first thing every law firm and lawyer must be able to do is to understand the nature of the threat. Being able to identify what kind of threat is being imposed will help you determine how you should communicate with your staff about combating it.
Not only should you be able to understand the potential threats, but you should also have an understanding of how your confidential information is being stored and transmitted. How does your firm store information? Are you cloud-based or on a physical hard drive?
Next, you must know how to use reasonable security measures to protect what you’re communicating with your clients. This means you also need to determine how your electronic communications and client matter is being protected. It goes further than your IT department making a unilateral decision, it’s your responsibility to make the decision to protect your clients.
Lastly, firms must train their lawyers and staff in technology and information security and conduct due diligence on vendors providing communication technology. This includes how vendors process and handle your data, whether or not it complies with your ethical obligation, vendor conflict check, and understanding how they do business. Additionally, it is important to note whether or not these vendors are storing your information overseas, what jurisdiction they have over that data, and in the event of a breach, what are the steps to mitigate or resolve the hack?
The factors to be considered in determining the reasonableness of lawyers efforts include:
As you move forward and continue to grow your firm and expand your client list, it is best practice to speak with your clients and discuss their expectations for communication. What suits them best? Are they comfortable with communicating back and forth via text and are they aware of the security risks and threats in today’s day and age?
Simple answer, yes. You may send texts to and receive texts from clients. There are no statutes prohibiting this, however, there are regulations around data security and confidentiality as mentioned above.
If you’re trying to solicit new clients via text there are some standards you must follow. For example, the first line of your text must say that what you’re sending is an advertisement. You must track who received the texts and what content they are specifically receiving. You must ensure that the prospective client is not responsible for the data costs by working with cell phone service providers and you must have a method for prospective clients to opt-out.
If all that sounds like a hassle to you, consider this: the average open rate for text message campaigns is 98%, compared to a 20% open rate for email campaigns. SMS response rates are 295% higher than phone call response rates and 75% of people wouldn't mind receiving an SMS text message from a brand if they opt-in for the service. All this data leads to the undeniable fact that texting yields the highest rate of response.
The information you handle every day is critical, because of this, firms all across the US are at risk. Any firm relying on existing non-secure messaging systems to communicate with clients is putting themselves and their clients’ confidential information at risk.
In today’s world, protecting yourself, your firm, and your clients is critical. Here are some basic measures and steps you can take to protect yourself.
To learn more, check out our blog, Data Security for Law Firms: Everything You Need to Know
Like many industries, the legal profession isn’t immune to the rapid changes in technology. Constant developments in legal automation have made scanning documents, finding case matters, and handling client communication a whole lot more efficient – but at what cost, really? How is the legal industry rising to these new challenges in automation, and what ways can you stay ahead of the curve?
We’re glad you asked. In this blog, we’re going to discuss the ways legal automation tools help bolster operational efficiency in a way that benefits your firm, and doesn’t add unnecessary steps or complications.
For context, legal automation is the process of using software to help organize and manage all tasks in a firm.
What does that mean, exactly? Things that attorneys and other firm employees used to do via a physical paper trail are now all (or mostly) accomplished digitally. Many common tasks attorneys performed twenty years ago are now automated – a whopping 23%, according to McKinsey – which has undoubtedly raised new disruption challenges throughout firms. Ensuring these legal tech systems are secure, adopted by everyone, and made for efficiency are essential. For many firms, adopting new technology while maintaining a profitable level of operations feels incredibly daunting, which is why resistance may occur.
From employees touting the age-old “I’ve always done it this way,” to partners feeling reluctant to invest in a technology they may not feel comfortable in, there’s plenty of worries about stepping into the nascent world of automation. But when you dive in, there are double the amount of benefits to doubts if implemented correctly. Not only does it help mitigate human error, but it also saves considerable time, which is the biggest benefit where automation is concerned. The very definition of efficiency denotes organization and orderliness – two things legal automation is primed to accomplish for you.
The above are just a few reasons as to why it’s essential to choose software that ticks all the boxes on efficiency, and gets everyone onboarded in a way that rewards adoption, not rejection.
No matter what department you work for in a law firm, there are iterative tasks always needing to be done every month. Billing statements. Client reminder emails. New client paperwork. The list goes on and on. In order to reduce the time spent, workflows use Artificial Intelligence to create and recreate these scenarios through a set of actions you enter into a software system.
The nice – not to mention extra efficient – thing about practice management software is you can customize these actions to your firm’s needs. That admin work of endless data entry is greatly reduced with the proper set of rules established while onboarding your software.
Whether it’s generating a monthly report on case matter stats and what stage they’re all in, these workflows are a huge time saver that we’ll expand on more later. Or if you're very intrigued, you can check out the blog, Everything You Need to Know About Legal Workflow Automation and Why You Should Have It.
The biggest takeaway here: workflows are both customizable and easy to use, which yield themselves to increasing efficiency in any firm.
We’ve all been there – moving too quickly between tasks, trying to check off as many things on our to-dos as possible. It’s unfortunately the prime opportunity for mistakes to occur, and we all know mistakes are costly in time and money, not to mention inefficient.
Auto triggers are a form of workflow, and fire off whenever you create or modify a record or when a given set of criteria is true (usually taking the form of a query). This lets you automatically transfer information from Centerbase into your matters, which is extra convenient if you’re trying to send correspondence or follow an exact timeline for litigation. Legal automation makes everyday data entry and updates simpler than ever before.
Want to see how Centerbase does it?
Here’s a use case where we assign a client email address to their matter that generates if the query is blank.
Templated documents for clients is a tale as old as time, but legal automation takes it one step further with merging queries and data en masse. The ability to create document templates by merging information stored in your legal software cuts down on data entry and the chance to make mistakes.
Even better – you can easily open and save client documents from Microsoft Word in Centerbase, making it easy to work within the programs you and your employees are comfortable in. The idea of bolstering efficiency is not reinventing the wheel and having software that doesn’t overcomplicate, but empowers people to work efficiently. Integration with Microsoft and NetDocuments is one of the many ways Centerbase strives to take the curve off learning something entirely new.
Client reminder emails become effortless with legal automation. You can kiss goodbye the days of sticky notes and harsh dings on your calendar reminding you to send update emails. With the proper legal tech, an automatic email notification can be sent every time a case matter moves to a different stage, meaning everyone stays informed and up-to-date on the case in real-time.
Less manual project management means more time back in everyone’s day to focus on staying profitable and delivering above and beyond customer service that creates rapport, referrals, and client retention.
Technology is changing the legal landscape for everyone involved, and now’s the time to put plans in motion for boosting efficiency. In order to adapt, great software and great people are going to be your best resources for saving time. The automation features discussed are among the few benefits that encompass legal software – there are many more. These powerful additions will help improve day-to-day processes and ensure your staff get things done faster and more effectively.
Due to this technology, everyone’s jobs are going to change in ways that require more people interaction. Technology will become a bridge toward helping us interact without a computer screen being a barrier. If nothing else, it will be an invitation to ensure communication and relationships get built, and that everyone at your firm can be ready to adapt – attorneys, accountants, legal assistants, and all working together toward a common goal. It’s this ideal we strive for with legal technology and software.
Still wondering how to save time and increase efficiency in the form of billable hours and extra time back in your days, weeks, and months? (That’s another benefit of legal automation – you’ll continue to see the time saved compared to when you didn’t have it.)
Our mission is to help you serve your clients better – whatever that looks like. Every area of law and its requirements are different, after all, but the right software system adapts seamlessly to what you need. At Centerbase, our technology adapts to fit your needs, not the other way around. Feel free to schedule a free, no-obligation demo with Centerbase to see how we can boost efficiency in your everyday processes with legal automation.
Throughout the course of history, technology has been a disruptive force that has completely changed the landscape of many industries. Technology continues to reshape the way the world works and that is no exception for the legal space. The emergence of the technologies we’re seeing today, such as A.I., virtual law, and integration tools are a few of the disruptors that will most likely change the trajectory of the next generation.
The bad news is, if your firm can’t keep up with technology, you will quickly lose your competitive edge. But don’t worry, there is good news. Adopting this technology is not as dreadful as it sounds, in fact, once you get over the mental hurdle, the actual implementation and utilization will have you regretting that you didn’t make the jump sooner.
We are in an era where the shift to mobile and cloud computing for small to medium firms is as far-reaching as the shift to adopting computers was over 30 years ago. At the end of the day, the technology that is available now will allow you to provide better client services and attain higher revenue-driven results. Additionally, you will begin to notice that technology becomes an integral part of attracting new clients. Technology has the power to improve an organization’s efficiency if used appropriately. Most traditional law firms are gradually losing ground due to increased competition put on by the digitally advanced firms.
If that made you start to sweat, don't worry! The simple answer to this is to be open to new technology and avoid resistance to change. The return on your investment will be far more impressive from an operational and financial standpoint than the risks associated with pursuing the technology needed to remain competitive. As the adage goes, work smarter, not harder. Implementing legal technology at your firm will allow you to focus on your clients and generate more revenue without increasing your workload. If you think that sounds too good to be true, you better believe that in 2020 it’s an attainable reality.
Let’s take a look at some of the ways firms can successfully operate in this new world and meet the pace of demand that the younger, tech-savvy consumer base is expecting.
With the introduction of AI and automation systems, law processes are being simplified. Today, legal documents are being recorded, physical paperwork is being organized and converted into digital files, search and discover features are increasing efficiency, automated workflow engines are assigning tasks for team members, and much more.
AI has not made a huge splash in the marketplace just yet, as rigorous testing and experimentation is still being conducted. However, let’s take a look at some of the features this type of advanced technology could offer your firm in the future. Currently, what many researchers are talking about is AI’s ability to assist in the discovery phase of a lawsuit. AI’s ability to rapidly confirm facts expedites the process of finding background information, which can accelerate arbitration and litigation proceedings. According to an article from Forbes, AI “can review documents and flag them as particular to a case. Once a certain type of document is denoted as relevant, machine learning algorithms can get to work to find other documents that are similarly relevant.” This type of AI and automation can often help sort out problems faster with fewer mistakes that are often overlooked by the human eye. In general, automation enhances consistency in contract and document creation and streamlines your client intake process.
As research and development continue, AI and automation will become increasingly more prevalent with many more functions than the ones just listed. Artificial Intelligence can’t take the place of a lawyer, but law firms today can choose more tech-savvy professionals over others. Doing so will significantly decrease the learning curve and informed pessimism of technology adoption in the future. For now, this type of technology may not be widely used, but one day it will be.
In The Disadvantages of Working Remotely: How Legal Professionals Can Overcome Them, we discuss the challenges of working outside of the office and the solutions to mitigate some of those pain points. Our new normal includes this transition between working at the office and at home, and there are a variety of drivers, such as work-life integration, travel requirements, and cost-of-living management that all come into play. Working remotely, however, means that technology needs to be used to facilitate business activity in an effective and professional manner.
Some firms are starting to support their teams bringing their own electronics and devices, like personal tablets and laptops. This requires implementing controls to configure and protect noncorporate devices and reimbursement protocols. This also implicates document sharing technology to discourage local storage and encourage central document management.
The younger generations are contributing to this trend as they strongly identify with specific tools and technology, and prefer to continue using tools familiar to them when joining a new company.
Corporate cultural norms are also changing. For example, remote employees are encouraged to turn on their cameras in video meetings so that others on the call may personally interact with them. Because of this, anyone who works in an office must still adapt to virtual practices when working with outside counsel or business partners. Right now, and for the foreseeable future, there will be a mix of remote versus in-office staff, and technology is the only link between them.
Norms also include the prevalence of instant messaging or chat capability, which fosters less stringent communication protocols — which as a result may lead to increase council involvement in potential risk situations stemming from hostile work environments, generally inappropriate discussions, or communication surrounding IP.
With all this being said, the virtual work environment is a tremendous advantage to business continuity and emergency activities. With technology, firms can easily manage workload while remote, stay abreast of litigation matters, and sign documents — without these capabilities, moving forward through the future would be much tougher.
Given the prevalence of virtual workstyles, globalization, and scope of work, lawyers seem to never be away from work. Newer generations of lawyers — digital natives — grew up managing communication channels. Their integration of tech into their workflow is more natural than for those who are just learning to maximize technology.
Many mobile devices and apps now include virtual assistants that can add tasks and calendar slots based on email or oral statements. At times, this may seem intrusive, but the convenience is real. Smart homes that integrate with your car, phone, and emails can truly simplify everyday items, such as displaying the security wait line time for your flight or order groceries to be delivered right as you arrive home. These same luxuries can be put into context for your firm. With a click of a button, you can deliver anything you want to your front door. With that same click, you can seamlessly send your clients their bills, and everything related to their matters are now in one easy to access place. View deadlines, parties, documents, emails, and outstanding bills from one screen with your deadlines automatically generating and populating your calendar.
It is also common for people to have two or more email accounts on their phones that allow easy navigation between work and personal messages. Unfortunately, apps also make it easy to save documents to an online service for anywhere-access. This makes it too easy to commingle work and personal documents, so firms should remember that convenience comes with a cost.
Managing your work-life balance is crucial. Cloud-based practice management technology is the best way to keep you organized and connected. And best of all, it will always be available when you need it, where you need it. As we look to the future and how the world is developing, having a cloud-based practice management software is a simple advantage you can’t afford to look past.
Technology is so advanced these days, almost everyone has a smartphone, most corporate offices are tech-savvy, and even children are given more technical educations.
In a world that breeds competition, clients only continue to lean towards the tech-savvy law firms who meet their needs in the most modern and advanced ways possible. Because of this, there is an undeniable threat to the existence of the law firms who choose not to take advantage of what technology offers them.
At the end of the day, all the legal processes become very time consuming when technology is not used. Introducing automation can help in various small to large scale problems and cloud-based technology provides users secure access to their data whenever and wherever they are.
Change is the only constant in the world, and technology, in large part, is what drives that. Emerging digital technologies like AI are uniquely positioned to disrupt how law firms conduct their businesses today. This, coupled with the fact that client’s needs are changing and the younger generation is inherently more immersed in tech means that Law firms need to be constantly innovating and should invest in technologically driven infrastructure to keep up with the pace of the economy and these customers.
The nonstop progress in technology is changing how many lawyers work and how firms operate as a whole. Between changes in their working style and enhancements that improve efficiency, the field is evolving. The legal industry and all its parts must advance along with the rest of the world because the innovation and change we are seeing right now is only the beginning, and it won’t stop for anyone.
If you’ve ever braved the cold winter in Chicago to attend the ABA TECHSHOW or if you plan to attend in the future, you’ll quickly notice that over half the vendors tout themselves as ‘Practice Management Software.’ But, as hot as the practice management space is in legal tech, less than 60% of small-to-midsize law firms actually have practice management software. The vast majority of firms primarily still rely on their billing software to store client information, Outlook to archive emails/calendar/store contact information, and a folder on their firm’s 'x drive' to manage all case documents.
Change can be hard, that’s not a new fact. But what could be even harder is getting partner buy-in to pursue and adopt that change. Over the years, we have compiled some tips and tricks on how our clients have successfully pitched purchasing practice management software to their law firms. We found that the firms who have adopted new technology look for the best ways, venues, and times to voice their ideas and concerns—using rhetorical skill, driven data, and interpersonal connections to move the right leaders to action. These internal change-drivers are seen to employ specific tactics significantly more often than individuals who don’t succeed in gaining firm buy-in.
Before you even begin thinking about shopping for software, you need to clearly understand the pain points your firm is experiencing. Are you having a hard time managing your matters? Do you have a slower intake process? Poor internal and external communication channels? Identifying your weaknesses and eliminating waste should be your first step. Take time to do your research. Speak with multiple people from different departments, different positions, and different tenures at the firm. Try to be open-minded and listen to all the issues your staff is having, even if they don't directly affect the decision to purchase new software. The more pain points you can find, the more open ears you’ll have in the room eager to hear a new solution.
Building a task force generates organizational buy-in more quickly and on a larger scale as more people contribute energy and resources. Negotiation experts would tell you to mobilize your allies, persuade your blockers to support the software or at least back-off, and show the fence-sitters why they should care about what you’re presenting.
If you are a small firm, it might only be one or two people, but having a few people on your side is always helpful. Creating a task force also offers you multiple perspectives when you are meeting with software vendors.
A problem’s place on your firm’s list of priorities depends heavily on how you package the idea. A new software might seem like techie trivia until you explain how it supports a strategic goal. For example, if your team is losing notable time manually sending out bills, legal software can completely eliminate that wasted time by allowing you to email bills out to your clients in one click. Now, that problem is a priority to solve. Once people in your firm see how your initiative fits into the big picture, they’ll be more willing to devote resources to it.
Similarly, if you’re a firm administrator presenting a use case to your partners on the benefits of financial reporting software, you can describe how transitioning to the new software will enable you to quickly generate the reports they need. It will allow you to understand what receivables are due to be collected, pinpoint who the high revenue clients are, quickly build general ledger budgets to identify trends, timekeeper budgets to hit more targets, and matter budgets to keep clients satisfied. By highlighting specifically what would be gained from the software, you create a sense of urgency for partners.
Although focusing on business benefits is often safer, also consider presenting the software as an opportunity that shouldn’t be missed. Present what your firm stands to gain from your ideas and emphasize the positives. This will work to inspire optimism and buy-in. Additionally, highlighting a threat—a consequence of not adopting your idea—can also create pressure to act. But take note that it can also backfire: The person who created or currently implements the method of operation may be sensitive to your critiques and proposal for change. It may be hard to predict whether it will spur action—the classic “fight” response—or result in “flight.”
Because selling your firm on a new software is an interpersonal activity, often involving financial and cultural change, it will inevitably stir up some emotions. Passion, if appropriately expressed, will improve your chances of gaining attention and triggering action. There’s a fine line, however, between passion and anger. You may be proposing a new cloud software because your hard drives are simply not cutting it, or you’re just fed up with existing inefficiencies. And as you encounter roadblocks to your selling efforts, your frustrations may intensify.
Though strong emotions can be channeled into a rousing appeal for action, when unregulated, they’re more likely to diminish your influence. Unfortunately, managing partners who detect negative emotions from associates offering input may tend to perceive those employees as complainers, not as change agents.
It’s critical to find the right moment to pitch the new software. That moment might be when organizational priorities shift, when certain players leave or join the firm, or when a partner’s preoccupations change. Take notice of when more and more people are beginning to care about a larger topic or trend that’s related to the issue they face. For example, if you notice that your attorneys are becoming increasingly annoyed with having to repeatedly print pre-bills to make corrections, that could be a good time to bring up features like electronic pre-bill approval that will help streamline your billing process and improve cash flow.
In addition to keeping a close eye on larger trends and events, it’s important to be mindful of deadlines and initiatives too. If your firm is looking to improve its client intake process and focus on client conversion rates by a certain time, then that would be an optimal moment to highlight the benefits of a software that includes custom contact forms, automated intake processes, and comprehensive conflict checks. Conversely, when a deadline is far away and partners are still in exploration mode, open-ended inquiry can be more effective than proposing a specific solution.
Tailor your findings to the people who you’re pitching to. At the end of the day, everyone’s end goal at the firm should be the same, but every team has their own day-to-day objectives and priorities. For example, a partner is most likely concerned with growing top-line revenue, while a paralegal may be more wrapped up in client and matter onboarding. If you’re pitching a new software to your firms managing partners, frame the obstacles in a context that would most pique their interest. If you know they are worried about ensuring costs get billed back to clients, bring up features where integrated credit card feeds and account payable modules are available to make it easier to bill expenses back to clients as they’re being entered. Or if you know management's top priority is automating non-billable activities, show them workflow engines that make it easy to automate non-billable, administrative work such as sending follow-up emails, updating client information, or calendaring tasks. You will have greater success if you familiarize yourself with your audience’s unique blend of goals, values, and knowledge and to allow that insight to shape your pitch.
There are many types of legal software to choose from. Evaluating where your firm is will be critical in not only selecting one, but then proving to your management team why the firm needs it. Your pitch will fall flat if you can't articulate what is needed and what is not. Locate your pain points, assemble a task force, and identify the right time and emotional setting to present your findings and solutions to your partners.
There are no set prescriptions that can capture the nuances of every environment or remove the risks and potential difficulties of pitching a software. If you can give actual ROI numbers, you have a better chance of selling partners that aren't totally sold. Bring literature from the practice management software providers you've chosen, include pricing quotes, and have some success stories in your back pocket. Arming yourself with as much information as possible will greatly assist you in selling the adoption of the software you want.
In this world of “new normal,” remote work is here to stay – so the question is, how do we effectively manage this new way of working moving forward? While there are considerable advantages to working from home, there are also disadvantages of remote working for legal professionals that need to be addressed. In this pandemic, and moving forward, some degree of remote work will become commonplace, so it’s time to get ahead on managing performance and balancing the pros and cons that will inevitably crop up.
In this blog, we’ll be providing insights on some of these disadvantages and how you can better integrate fixes that are both actionable and effective toward maintaining your level of day-to-day efficiency.
The Disadvantage: For a firm depending on billable hours to maintain profitability with client work, getting accurate hours from your workers can be a big challenge when working remotely. Time may feel different for people at home, and keeping track of billable tasks can easily get lost in the shuffle of other distractions.
The Fix: Time Tracking Software
Without the constant flux of in-person client visits and immediate office distractions, many law firm workers of all departments have an opportunity to divide up their day accordingly. By using project management software that effectively gathers time spent on matters takes the headache out of manually inputting it every day. This also keeps communication clear on the status without the need for constant status updates or pesky emails that clog the inbox and stunt productivity flow.
Centerbase offers automatic time tracking, so you can capture every billable hour spent on client-based calls and interactions. Your billing department and your bottom line will thank you.
The Disadvantage: Without a clear separation between work and home, blurred lines can create rapid burnout in remote employees. This can result in lowered performance, inaccurately recorded working hours, and poor time management that affects day-to-day duties. Since you aren’t able to monitor their habits and what goes on, how do you appropriately measure time worked in comparison to hours off?
The Fix: Communicate processes and benefits
With everything around people working remotely still feeling new and unfamiliar, it’s important to take that extra mile to communicate and clarify processes and resources available to everyone. Reiterate what hours everyone needs to be available, and reassure that they don’t have to be connected to their computers all hours of the evening. Many are juggling between being a full-time worker, parent, and teacher right now, so a little understanding also goes a long way.
Due to the pandemic, many healthcare providers have lifted some of their restrictions on telehealth appointments. Check what your benefits packages are offering, and consider adding a telehealth option for employees to get appointments easier and help maintain mental health during this turbulent change. This may not reflect immediately, but employees will have an extra layer of resources to help in case things become too blurred. Not to mention the benefit of additional help from experts to better manage their day-to-day routine. That trust and investment in their well-being will definitely pay off in their productivity in the long run.
The Disadvantage: Less face-to-face interaction means more chances for miscommunication or no communication entirely from staff. This can create confusion and perpetuate uncertainty that mounts with every email that goes un-replied or client followup that’s ignored. Or worse, the possibility of technology failure. If a VPN doesn’t allow access to all areas of a matter, and staff are stuck having to circumvent the system or store sensitive information where it’s not safe
With remote work, your staff needs to communicate like a well-oiled machine – even more so than they did while in the office. You’ll need a system and a communication model that works for everyone and runs efficiently without detracting from everyday duties.
The Fix: Document management from anywhere
By easing the ability for workers to document matter updates – whether they’re at home, or even on their phone in line at the grocery store on their lunch break – you’ll help continue the open communication culture you had in an office environment. Ensuring you provide updated permissions for remote workers to add notes to files and safely access key information in real-time will make a huge difference in keeping everyone aligned. Also, plan daily huddles and a longer weekly meeting to check the pulse of everyone’s workload and pace. Are things harder for them now? Is something stopping them from doing their jobs from a software or operations standpoint? Open up the floor and listen.
Centerbase’s document management lets everyone retrieve and share documents easily through programs you use all the time, such as Microsoft Word and your own web browser.
The Disadvantage: Lack of client contact can be problematic for some – especially those who may need to be in-person for legal proceedings or prefer face-to-face updates regarding their case. Some of that client-facing work can bolster the attorney-client relationship and keep confidence high regarding their case. This can be especially taxing for attorneys accustomed to more traditional office meetings and client interactions.
The Fix: Use a client portal
Old software depends on cumbersome intake forms and notes that have to be manually uploaded to a digital format. Even worse, much of the client conversation could be in a paralegal's mind, but the interaction could be recorded or notated incorrectly in the file.
With a speedy, 24/7 client contact with the Centerbase mobile or web app, our versatile client portal gives clients everything they need, when they need it. This can be a gamechanger for remote work, especially since you can keep conversations and notes directly tied to a client’s account so you’ll always remember where you last left off on their case.
The Disadvantage: An unfortunate pitfall around the disadvantages of remote working can be a decrease in referrals or new sources to find clients. And without in-person events and community networking, you may find collaboration between colleagues screech to a halt, which can hit incoming business hard.
The Fix: Online events and weekly team meetings
One of the nice things with remote work is, on some level, everyone can stay connected and informed through social media channels. If your firm has a Facebook or Instagram page, consider holding live sessions where you answer commonly asked questions and provide legal advice with a few attorneys in quick, bite-size sessions.
Appoint a legal assistant on your team to help manage the page and arrange times where attorneys and their colleagues from other firms can also participate. For example, if you’ve got a personal injury firm, you can collaborate with someone from another area of law like family or criminal to have a wider scope of knowledge to answer questions. By tagging each other, you can repurpose this content into blogs and other resources and create backlinks to help flesh out a content library for people searching and asking online for legal help.
The Disadvantage: Between children crying, laundry going off, video games, and phone notifications, the distractions are endless while working from home. While some can thrive in this environment, others struggle immensely and procrastinate on tasks by doing chores or finding their favorite comfy spot on the sofa. All of which leads to feeling unfocused and unmotivated.
The Fix: Flexible work times
For any children in e-learning, some workers may thrive when the kids are done with the day and can focus on tasks undisturbed while little ones watch their favorite show. Be prepared to ask workers if some added flexibility to their hours would help keep tasks on schedule to prepare for necessary matters deadlines and client updates. You’d be surprised how this model can help boost productivity during remote work, because everyone’s home lives are different.
The key to continuing business with working from home is to be aware of the disadvantages of remote working and find a harmonious balance. There’s no single clear-cut solution to remote working. Being aware that every firm is going to have a unique set of clients and matters means you’ll need to experiment and communicate with your staff to see how they’re managing and balancing home and work life.
Do they feel isolated from each other knowing their priorities? If so, how can you help bridge that gap in a way that drives culture and keeps drawbacks of remote working to a minimum? Remove those barriers, and you’ll find remote employees will feel better about communication and this new transition.
Another big part of counteracting the disadvantages of remote working can be ensuring their technological access is sound, and doesn’t inhibit them from completing tasks and updating matters.
There are clearly pros and cons to working from home, and it’s important to know how to best prepare your workforce as they transition between remote and in-office work. Although clear disadvantages to remote exist, we hope this was helpful on how you can ease the burden and create an environment that keeps your workers reassured and prepared to continue adapting.
Do you have any other questions about how to transition your workload to remote capabilities for legal professionals? Centerbase has adaptability and permission-based access, so everyone only sees what’s needed to do their jobs most effectively. Feel free to schedule a no-obligation demo and discern how our software can best help your needs going into this new world of remote work in law firms.
