Time is one thing no amount of power, money, or influence can buy. Treat it as the very precious commodity it is. If you haven't jumped in to technology to support your law firm, well, now is the time. Putting it off robs you of future efficiency and limits your law firm's growth. Here is our step-by-step guide to get you to greater efficiency.
The first step is understanding where your firm stands now. What are your current time consuming processes? Take a few days or even a week or two to understand where your time is being spent. Be as specific as possible and take notes. Try to rank them in terms of greatest use of time. Categorize them by purpose. Delineate client requests and needs from law firm processes. You can take it even further to specify research, gathering data from the client, document creation, keeping clients informed, etc. The better understanding you have of your current time uses, the better the impact you can have on addressing them.
Some things are important to keep. Client communications, to the extent that it drives client satisfaction and comfort are key. Clients don't want to solely communicate with an app. But at some point, needing to make a call to inform the client of every update gets very time consuming. Giving clients an option to get their information online, anytime, drives greater efficiency for your firm and peace of mind for the client.
Consider the byproduct of each efficiency focus. Not everything can be summarized in terms of facts only. And not all matters or clients are the same. But it is important to understand which aspects of efficiency can have the biggest advantage. If it's document creation, there is little effect to the client. But if you automate or streamline it, there are great benefits to the firm. But if document creation isn't a big use of your time, then it's not a big priority. You get the idea.
So, what can be done? This is often where many firms start losing steam, so to say. But there is no need. There are so many online sources that can quickly give you the research. We love Bar Associations. They are a great untapped resource for many attorneys and law firms. Contact your local Bar Association or check their website. Look for summaries and comparisons. Now, it's important to take that with a grain of salt, too. As all organizations need to ensure they are financially stable, some of the selection of tools reviewed rely on the product provider, like SimpleLaw, to provide some sort of promotional fee. That is not always true, but very common. The point is, this is a great starting point. But do look further. There are many options out there, like us, that may or may not be included on your local Bar Association research.
There are other online resources, like Lawyerist and Attorney At Work. Similarly, the information shown may be limited to sponsoring companies. So it's a great starting point, but not the final point of research. Do a quick google search too.
Be sure to understand your law firm's particular needs. Budget is a big consideration. Onboarding, data migration, training, and more. But that's a different blog.
Be sure to take advantage of free trials. Do a mock version of the issue or issues you are facing. Remember that there is some time required to get used to new software. But testing how the software actively addresses your prioritized item is critical. Be sure to compare notes and time required to ensure it is actively addressing your issue.
Some items can't be tested. Client access and time are just not known. But suffice it to say most clients want access and are hoping that technology will reduce the cost of managing their matter. Transparency, efficiency, and the ability to contribute to the resolution of their matter continue to be top needs for clients. And they are choosing law firms that give these benefits.
You reviewed your needs. Prioritized them. Researched and trials some options. It's time to jump in. Working with your provider, it's time to get started. Be sure to understand how much training is available, data migration needs if moving from various other solutions, and ongoing maintenance and improvements. Then it's time to get to it. We highly recommend law firms include all members of the firm in the training. But again, that's another blog.
Driving efficiency is good for the firm as you will have more time to handle more matters. Spend less time on the administrative tasks and more time actually practicing law. Or, have a greater work/life balance. Or maybe both. The important thing? You get the choice. And that's the best kind of wealth.