Technology Connections - Summer 2008

For example, your firm might be using Time Matters version 6.  One workstation dies and needs to be replaced - but will be purchased with Vista as the operating system. Time Matters 6 is not supported under Vista.  So,  in order for the program to run properly on the Vista machine, you will have to upgrade to the most recent version of Time Matters (TM9). But you can't just upgrade the software on just one machine.  In order for the application to work - the entire firm must upgrade.

So what should you do?  Well, you should start by making sure you have a very clear picture of all the programs in use in you firm.  Are they still supported by the manufacturer?  Are they compatible with Vista?  What will you need to complete an upgrade to a version that supports Vista?  You will also need to take an inventory of your desktop systems.  This will help you plan your PC purchases as the machines need to be retired.   For some, you may be able to increase the PC's memory or processor and simply upgrade the operating system.  For others, it may be more cost effective to just replace the machine.  Note that it is not necessary to replace or upgrade ALL systems to Vista at once.   Your network support group should be able to manage a dual XP / Vista environment.   

You should also consider which version of Vista is right for you.  When you decide to move forward with the Vista purchase, know that any computer purchased for business use should have Windows Vista Business or Windows Vista Ultimate. You should never use Windows Vista Home or Home Premium in an office network setting because the Home editions are missing important security and remote access features.

With this information in-hand, you'll be in a much better position to plan for the operational and budgetary requirements of the inevitable conversion to Windows Vista.  

Many firms hear about litigation support software such as Summation and assume it is overkill for their needs. Nothing could be further from the truth. Whether you are handling small civil matters or multi-million dollar cases, CT Summation can get you organized from the BEGINNING of the case, and can make preparing for trial seem like a breeze.

CT Summation Software has been around for over 20 years, and focuses on technology that assists legal professionals search, organize, and analyze their case information.  

Loading documents and transcripts into CT Summation from the beginning of the case allows the legal professionals to easily search for all documents containing a particular key word, or all documents created within a particular data range. Transcripts of depositions, hearings, etc., are easily loaded into CT Summation and can be searched. In fact, your search results will take you directly to the page and line where a particular keyword appears in your deposition transcript. Further, when working with transcripts - all of your notes regarding that transcript can be housed in Summation, which are then available to everyone in the Firm (see image). This is an excellent replacement for highlighters and sticky notes that get lost and can only be viewed by one person at a time.

Next time you prepare to negotiate a settlement or draft a demand letter, remember the best practice is to always be prepared.  Summation is a powerful tool for organizing your case material while providing you with quick access to all of the relevant case data that you need.

If you have questions about CT Summation and what it can do for your firm, contact our CT Summation certified consultant, Maria Shust.   

Check out these very useful and entertaining websites you may have not heard of:

1.	www.yapta.com	Travel web site with tremendous reviews.  Any option to save on travel is worth the time to try.
2.	www.fullbooks.com	Boasts full text of thousands of books.
3.	www.funnyordie.com	Great option if you’re in need of a chuckle.
4.	www.lala.com	Excellent music site that lets you preview an entire cd (not just 30 seconds worth of a song) and download to your iPod.
5.	www.opensecrets.org	In this silly political season, this is a good site for monitoring where our candidates get their $$
6.	www.wikitravel.org	Learn more about the area you're visiting.
7.	www.mozy.com	A GREAT home PC back up option.
8.	www.foodio54.com	Hungry for something? Find out where it is near you!

Why Does Your Firm Need Practice Management?

"Can’t we just use Outlook?"

This is the question we hear time and again from attorney's being pushed toward a true Practice Management system.  Many simply wonder why the calendar, tasks, and contacts in Microsoft Outlook aren't sufficient to organize their firm.

While Outlook is a fantastic program with a lot to offer, it falls short of providing the real benefits of a Practice Management (PM) Program.  Here's why - Outlook is a 'user' focused system.  Its calendar, task and contact functionality is geared toward the person using it.  A Practice Management system is client & matter focused.  It's geared toward the person paying your bill.  More over it is built to be collaborative in nature.  In other words, it facilitates teamwork.

A Practice Management system is built to be collaborative in nature. It facilitates teamwork.

So, for many firms and attorneys, this means being able to find and manage information related to a client or matter on a case by case basis.  How do you tell Outlook what matter or client an appointment is related to? You have to type it in the title. Unfortunately, there are no tools in Outlook to actually link that appointment to the appropriate matter.  With a Practice Management program, you schedule an appointment and you associate it with the correct matter.  Then, when your client calls and says "Can you tell me again when my pre-trial hearing is?", you don't have to click through each day in your Outlook calendar until you find the entry.  In a PM program, you go to the matter, look at a list of all the appointments or events related to the client or matter and find the hearing in 2 seconds (instead of 20 minutes). 

In Outlook, you can also keep track of your contacts but have no ability to relate that contact to a particular Matter or even another contact record. With a Practice Management program, you can open a contact and see not only the Matter he or she is related to but also other people on the file (judges, opposing counsel, etc) as well as a chronology of events related to that contact.  It provides the attorney and staff with complete picture of the firm’s clients and matters.

And best of all, PM programs are a firm wide database. So, instead of updating contact cards in 10 different Outlook accounts, you update it in your PM program and everyone gets the benefit of the updated information. This saves time, reduces redundant data entry, and minimizes the chance for error.   Practice Management programs aren’t for everyone – but the gains that can be realized are often well worth the cost and effort of getting one started. 

Accellis Technology Group is proud to support three of the industry leading Practice Management Programs; Time Matters, Amicus Attorney, and Practice Master. Join us for one of our free demos. If you can’t join us for an already scheduled demo, contact us to schedule a time that is convenient for your firm.

   

Ways to $ave When Times are Slow

We are all well aware of the economy, and so are our wallets.  Soaring gas prices and energy costs have made us more price conscious then ever.  So we've gathered the following ways to help your firm save $$. 

Here's what you can do:

1.  Stay Current - Look to stay within 2 releases of your Practice Management or Billing & Accounting systems - upgrading from 3 versions or more can be VERY expensive.   Conversion costs are higher, consulting costs are higher and big jumps in software versions can also require increases in the hardware that supports them.    

2.  Automate! - Stop paying people to do what can be done in half the time with very reasonable productivity tools such as document automation and document management.  Many of these tools are already owned by the firm but the staff and users just don't know how to use them.  Time Matters, Amicus Attorney, Practice Master and many other systems contain very good document automation tools that firms often don't capitalize on.  More substantial document management and automation tools such as HotDocs or Worldox can also provide significant productivity gains.

3.  Make a Technology PLAN - Time and time again we see firms that fail to budget for technology related expenses and have to react to very expensive situations that often can be avoided.  Pro-active expenditures always save $$ over reactive ones.  Companies can save 25% or more on computer equipment through proactive spending.   In addition, many firms make the mistake of not applying the necessary updates, patches and service controls, which can lead to a shorter lifespan, lower productivity and ultimately, higher costs. Your environment should be monitored constantly and reviewed monthly to assure your equipment is functioning properly and efficiently. Outsourced Network Services are a great solution for lowering IT costs through monthly monitoring and maintenance activities. 

4.  Train Your Staff- Get the most out of your people and tools by making sure they have the knowledge to save the time and $$ you expected when you first implemented the software.  A study of 540 U.S. companies concluded that those who invested more in training realized a 37% higher gross profit per employee (ASTD, 1998).  HR costs can often be effectively managed with resources that are quick to learn and utilize the tools at their disposal. 

5.  GO MOBILE- Leverage the technology that comes with most new Microsoft servers to develop a truly mobile workforce.  MS Terminal Server can be a great tool for providing all your office solutions to a geographically distributed workforce.

6.  Manage Communication Costs - Review your Phone and Internet Contracts - many firms are stuck on older contracts that are no longer competitive with today's DSL and Cable Internet options.  Also, look for more effective 'Share Plans' for your wireless accounts - by aggregating your minutes across all the attorneys or staff, you can save a lot of $$.  If you are not a heavy email or internet user, ask your provider about a reduced data plan.  Verizon, for example, offers a $45 / month plan and a $25 / month plan.  Average this across 8-10 staff and you can save several thousand dollars per year! 

7.  Lower Your Printing Expenses - Lower your print costs by renegotiating your contracts or simply purchasing the equipment yourself.  The return on investment may be 12-18 months, but at that time you'll be further ahead than continuing with monthly printer payments.

8.  Reduce Storage Costs - Look to scanning as a way to stop paying for that storage facility.  Summer Interns can often be found to perform the scanning needed to get 'caught-up' with such an effort.  Be sure to plan for future scanning activities once the intern is gone - you'll need agreement across the firm on what information will be scanned going forward.

I hope you found this newsletter helpful for your firm.  As always, I'm happy to receive any questions or comments you may have.

 

 

Sincerely,                                                              

      Joe                   

Joseph Marquette

President

Accellis Technology Group