Practice Management and Digital Work Flow

Practice Management ToolsPractice Management Tools

Craig Bayer: cbayer@lawot.comCraig Bayer: cbayer@lawot.com

New OrleansDecember 30th

New OrleansDecember 30th

Digital Workflow for Lawyers

PMS and Digital Work FlowPMS and Digital Work Flow

PMS stands for Practice Management Software

Can be used to Enhance Digital Workflow

Solves the People Problem by forcing users to follow a Workflow

PMS stands for Practice Management Software

Can be used to Enhance Digital Workflow

Solves the People Problem by forcing users to follow a Workflow

Three ComponentsThree Components

Front Office: Contact, Docketing, Case Management

Back Office: Billing and Accounting Software

DMS: Document Management Software

Front Office: Contact, Docketing, Case Management

Back Office: Billing and Accounting Software

DMS: Document Management Software

BILLING & ACCOUNTING SOFTWARE

● Most packages are becoming integrated.

● Timeslips requires you to also have an accounting package like Quickbooks or Peachtree.

● PCLaw, Tabs 3, Juris, and Billing Matters have billing and accounting functions.

● Legal specific accounting software makes it hard to commit malpractice

PRACTICE MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE

● Combines ▸ calendaring/docketing

▸ tickler functions

▸ case information tracking,

▸ address book functionality

▸ conflict of interest searching,

▸ document assembly capabilities

▸ Palm and laptop portability

● Turn wasted time looking for case info and documents into billable time

● Avoid malpractice

The PlayersThe Players

PricingPricing

1st\Add UserAmicus Premium: $699\$599Amicus Small Firm: $499\$399TimeMatters Enterprise:

$700\$400PracticeMaster: $295\$150Clio*: $49\$25 a MonthRocket Matter**: $59 a Month

1st\Add UserAmicus Premium: $699\$599Amicus Small Firm: $499\$399TimeMatters Enterprise:

$700\$400PracticeMaster: $295\$150Clio*: $49\$25 a MonthRocket Matter**: $59 a Month

Maintenance PlanMaintenance Plan

This is the profit center for the software companies (except Clio)

Amicus Small Firm $280/$180Amicus Premium $350/$250TimeMatters $350/$150Practice Master $130/$53Clio IncludedRocketMatter Included

This is the profit center for the software companies (except Clio)

Amicus Small Firm $280/$180Amicus Premium $350/$250TimeMatters $350/$150Practice Master $130/$53Clio IncludedRocketMatter Included

My OpinionMy Opinion

Amicus is most intuitive and easy to use

TimeMatters has the most bells and whistles, most customizable

PracticeMaster is a solid product, but seen very little in the area

Clio and Rocketmatter are young and promising and never go down

Amicus is most intuitive and easy to use

TimeMatters has the most bells and whistles, most customizable

PracticeMaster is a solid product, but seen very little in the area

Clio and Rocketmatter are young and promising and never go down

The PartsThe Parts

They all have Email Management

They all have Open Ended Document Management Aspects

Costs range from $45 a month to $1000 per user

They all have Email Management

They all have Open Ended Document Management Aspects

Costs range from $45 a month to $1000 per user

Email ManagementEmail Management

Outlook is King in the PMS World

All Products have hooks into Outlook

Gmail is fine, as long as it hooks into Outlook

Exchange Integration is the best solution and is needed for smartphones

Outlook is King in the PMS World

All Products have hooks into Outlook

Gmail is fine, as long as it hooks into Outlook

Exchange Integration is the best solution and is needed for smartphones

Example on Email Integration

Example on Email Integration

Following Slides shows us how to get an Email into Practice Management Software.

Following Slides shows us how to get an Email into Practice Management Software.

Practice Management (Email)

Practice Management (Email)

View Emails on a MatterView Emails on a Matter

Everyone in the firm can see this Email

Everyone in the firm can see this Email

Document IntegrationDocument Integration

Two Types: Closed End and Open Ended

Amicus, TimeMatters, PCLaw, are Open Ended Systems

Worldox and NetDocs are Closed Ended

Two Types: Closed End and Open Ended

Amicus, TimeMatters, PCLaw, are Open Ended Systems

Worldox and NetDocs are Closed Ended

Open EndedOpen Ended

Add on to Word, Adobe, Excel, WordPerfect

Still has to be saved in a folder structure

Add on to Word, Adobe, Excel, WordPerfect

Still has to be saved in a folder structure

ResultResult

All Documents are linked to the Matter

All Documents are linked to the Matter

Closed End DMSClosed End DMS

No Choice, Linked to Open and SaveNo Choice, Linked to Open and Save

The PlayersThe Players

Email in a DMSEmail in a DMS

Copy or Move to Outlook

Email can stay in Outlook or go into the DMS. User have a choice

Copy or Move to Outlook

Email can stay in Outlook or go into the DMS. User have a choice

Audit Trail – Closed Feature

Audit Trail – Closed Feature

Allows for version savingNo more saving over the originalVersion Comparisons

Tracks changes made to documentsFull history of the document

Allows for version savingNo more saving over the originalVersion Comparisons

Tracks changes made to documentsFull history of the document

EquipmentEquipment

SwitchesServersDesktopsScannersBackups

SwitchesServersDesktopsScannersBackups

WIFI NETWORKING

● Configurations

▸ The most common type is now the faster 802.11g - many laptops come with it already

▸Causes problems running client server applications

● Cost▸WAP - $10 to $750▸WiFi PC Access - $5 to $100▸Wireless Print Servers - $50 to 300

Switch

●Gigabit●No Daisy Chains●Cat 5 or 6●Most Critical Piece of Hardware●Need POE (Power over the Ethernet)

PowerConnect 3524P Gigabyte Switch: $715

Server

● Choose over Workstation● Choose 64bit Operating System● 8GB Ram (At Least)● Redundant Systems● Raid 5 Configuration (3 Drives)● Harder to Setup● Must have Warranty

PowerEdge 2900: $2500

DESKTOP PC

● Intel Core 2 Duo● Windows 7 Professional● 4GB RAM● Sound● 20 Inch Wide Monitor● DVD-ROM● 80 GB 7200 RPM SATA 3● 3 Year Warranty

Dell OptiPlex 360: $945

Desktop Scanner

●50 Sheets●Duplex●Adobe 9.0 Standard●ABBYY Fine Reader●Scan to Word

Fujitsu ScanSnap S1500: $400

Portable Scanner

●USB Powered●Duplex

Fujitsu ScanSnap S300: $275

Backups

●Tape vs. USB, Use USB

●Have an Online Backup as well

●Test Restore at least once a month

THE CLOUD

Hosted vs In-HouseHosted vs In-House

Hosted or SaaS have become popular in the upcoming years

Clio and Rocketmatter are the two most popular SaaS Practice Management solutions

Browser Agnostic so they will run on anything

Young in their product cycle (less features)

Hosted or SaaS have become popular in the upcoming years

Clio and Rocketmatter are the two most popular SaaS Practice Management solutions

Browser Agnostic so they will run on anything

Young in their product cycle (less features)

CLOUD ESSENTIALS

● Data Escrow – In Case the company goes out of business

● Redundant Locations

● VeriSign or Something Similar

SAAS For LEGAL

http://www.goclio.com

http://www.netdocuments.com

http://www.lawot.com

TRAINING

Top Training Tips

TASK-ORIENTED not FEATURE-ORIENTED

NO GENERIC TRAINING

PROFESSIONAL TRAINERS

TRAIN OFTEN, TRAIN GENTLY

MAKE TRAINING MANDATORY

LIVE IS ALWAYS BETTER, BUT IF NOT TRAIN ONLINE

THE TRAINER’S PHYSICAL LOCATION IS IRRELEVANT

FREE TRAINING (LA)FREE TRAINING (LA)

Fifty or fewer employees. In business in the state for at least three

years, contributing and in full compliance with state UI tax laws.

Training costs cannot exceed $3,000 per trainee per state fiscal year (July 1 - June 30).

http://www.laworks.net/WorkforceDev/IWTP/IWTP_Overview.asp

Fifty or fewer employees. In business in the state for at least three

years, contributing and in full compliance with state UI tax laws.

Training costs cannot exceed $3,000 per trainee per state fiscal year (July 1 - June 30).

http://www.laworks.net/WorkforceDev/IWTP/IWTP_Overview.asp

Thank You For Listening! Thank You For Listening!

Law Office Technologywww.lawot.com

Craig Bayer (Cbayer@lawot.com)

Law Office Technologywww.lawot.com

Craig Bayer (Cbayer@lawot.com)