Case Study
Case Study

Maupin, Cox & LeGoy Cuts Manual Work, Saves $24K Annually, and Captures More Billable Hours Through a Single Platform

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About
Maupin, Cox, and LeGoy (MCL) is a Nevada-based law firm with a reputation for excellence in civil law, tax law, estate planning, and complex dispute resolution. Recognized among the top law firms in the country, MCL combines over 50 years of expertise with a deep commitment to client success and community service.
Featuring
Correen Drake
Legal Administrator, Maupin, Cox & LeGoy
Location
Reno
Nevada

Maupin, Cox, and LeGoy (MCL) is one of Nevada's most respected law firms, with a reputation for excellence in civil law, tax law, estate planning, and complex dispute resolution. While its 50-year legacy inspired trust and credibility, numerous challenges prevented it from operating as efficiently as possible.

Challenges

Juggling outdated systems

MCL relied on two separate systems to run the firm: Tussman for billing and accounting, and Amicus for client management. The lack of communication between the two systems created confusion, and using legacy software had its own hurdles.

“Tussman had been our billing and accounting software since the early 90s”, explains Correen Drake, MCL’s Legal Administrator. “It was completely out of date, slow, and would shut down all the time. I was terrified we wouldn’t be able to extract the data we needed one day.”

Inefficient processes and human error

Without integrated systems, staff had to bridge the gap manually. Legal assistants would input client details into Amicus, print out the information, and then hand it to a billing clerk to re-enter into Tussman. This process consumed valuable time and made mistakes inevitable.

“There were errors all the time,” recalls Correen. “Spellings of names and addresses wouldn’t match across systems. Attorneys would receive incorrect bills, or conflict checks would fail because of a misspelling. I had to put in a ton of work on the back end to make sure things lined up, which was brutal.”

Even time tracking was a logistical nightmare. Attorneys used different systems—or even paper time sheets—to record their hours. Their assistants then had to manually enter the information into Tussman, wasting valuable time and leading to inaccuracies in billable hours.

“It was a headache for everybody involved,” says Correen.

Limited data accessibility

Apart from highly manual processes, the team experienced difficulties accessing information. Critical billing and accounting data were only available to a few team members, which could transform the simplest inquiry into a complicated task when those people weren’t available.

“The staff couldn’t even pull up a bill if a client called about it—my billing clerk and I had to field all of those calls. It became very time-consuming and caused delays for the client,” Correen says.

Negative impacts on the client experience

In addition to causing internal pain points, MCL’s outdated systems negatively impacted client activities. They had to mail paper invoices, which often lacked crucial details about retainer agreements or past payments. It wasn’t the image MCL wanted to portray.

“We’re a highly respected and very reputable law firm, and our technology just wasn’t meeting our standards,” says Correen. “We were better than that.”

Solution

An all-in-one platform for law firms

Correen sought a single, easily accessible platform for billing, accounting, and client management. She was so determined to make the right choice that she spent six months researching and demoing the best solutions.

It was a big decision, but after sorting the pros, cons, and pricing for different platforms, the top choice was clear.

“Centerbase was my front runner almost the entire time,” she says. “I knew that it would pay for itself. If it helped our attorneys bill just one more hour a month, it would be more than worth it.”

Customizable and easy to use

Today, MCL uses Centerbase for billing, time tracking, client management, workflow automation, reporting, and data visibility. Centerbase’s configurability and user-friendly interface allow the firm to tailor dashboards and features to suit every team member’s needs, from young, less experienced attorneys to seasoned partners.

“Visually, it’s appealing and easy to use,” says Correen. “We tailored the dashboards so people only see what they need. It’s accessible for everyone—a win all around.”

Minimizing repetitive workload

Centerbase eliminates the redundant data entry that previously slowed operations. Teams enter information once, and it automatically syncs across all related workflows.

Tasks that used to be a five- or 10-step process are now just one or two.

“I used to spend hours reconciling operating accounts, trust accounts, and client costs by hand, hoping there were no errors and everything balanced at the end of the month,” Correen says. “Now, I reconcile everything in minutes. It’s amazing.”

This automation reduces errors, saves time, and allows legal professionals to focus on higher-value activities that foster growth.

Accurate, trustworthy data

Aside from decreasing manual efforts, centralizing information in Centerbase minimizes the errors and inefficiencies that plagued MCL. Now, data is reliable and time-tracking is accurate, making reconciling accounts easy.

Having accurate data ensures fail-safe conflict checks, safeguarding MCL and protecting their practice. “Before, even a misspelling could lead to something not being flagged, which could be costly for us,” says Correen. “Now that risk is gone.”

With trustworthy, accessible data, the team enjoys faster decision-making, more accurate forecasting, and improved client communication.

Better visibility and accessibility

Centerbase gives MCL unprecedented visibility into their data. Attorneys and staff with the appropriate permissions can pull up client files, review invoices, and access payment details instantly without waiting for Correen or a billing clerk.

“Having all the data in one spot is incredibly helpful,” she says. “People can go in and have the information they need at their fingertips. They don’t have to rely on anyone or wait for answers.”

An experienced team facilitated a smooth transition

Transitioning decades of historical data while supporting a workforce spanning multiple generations required care, but Centerbase’s team made the process as smooth as possible.

The Centerbase implementation team migrated 50 years of records—500,000 client files and financial data—and provided support throughout the process.

“They even recorded training sessions so our attorneys could learn when it suited them,” says Correen. “This reduced disruption for our attorneys, which is important when their time is money.”

These days, many staff can’t imagine life without Centerbase.

“Centerbase is incredibly valuable,” says Correen. “People look back at our old system and say, ‘Could you even imagine using that?’”

Results

More billable hours and $24K a year in savings

The firm has seen a significant impact in less than a year with Centerbase.

“Centerbase is a complete lifesaver, money saver, error saver—everything,” says Correen.

For starters, attorneys are capturing more billable hours and driving up revenue.

“Our attorneys tell me they’re tracking more time because they’re doing it daily instead of trying to remember at the end of the week.“

"Even an extra 10 minutes a day adds up to an hour a week," says Correen. "When they’re billing $500 an hour, that’s $500 right there.” Multiply that across the firm, and the impact is massive.

The firm has also cut accounting fees by 80%, from $2,500 a month to $500. Over a year, that’s $24,000 in savings.

“Our accountant has access to everything they need in Centerbase, which saves them time and cuts our accounting fees dramatically,” says Correen.

Moving faster than ever

Centerbase has streamlined countless processes for MCL in every area of the business.

Check processing, for example, used to involve four steps and take hours every day. Now, It takes just 20 minutes to deposit 100 checks. Generating reports is just as seamless.

“Certain reports that I had to piecemeal together from our old system used to take 10 hours. Now, with Centerbase, they take minutes,” says Coreen.

Another time savings comes from easier time tracking. Attorneys log hours directly into Centerbase, and this newfound autonomy improves accuracy, too.

More time for attorneys to practice law

Centerbase has reduced stress and inefficiencies, making life easier for everyone at MCL. Attorneys have more time to practice law, teams can focus on their strengths rather than fighting with technology, and clients receive clear invoices that improve their experience.

“With Centerbase, I can give attorneys back an hour or more of their day to focus on clients and their cases,” says Correen. “And that means more money in their pocket.”

Reflecting on the transformation with Centerbase, Correen concludes: “I would recommend Centerbase to other law firms. It brings people together, helps them do things on their own, and become more efficient.”

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