The tech stack your law firm needs to succeed
By Nicole Black, MyCase
Does your law firm utilize technology that eases your workload by simplifying processes ranging from client intake to final billing? If not, you’re losing valuable time by relying on systems that are both outdated and unrewarding.
A robust tech stack, or group of technologies a company uses to build or run a project, will help your law firm run smoothly. The first step in identifying the technology that will be most useful to your firm is to conduct a tech audit.
We’ve put together a list of the technologies you need to ensure streamlined productivity and business continuity.
Computer hardware: this includes desktops, laptops, scanners, printers, and other peripherals.
Client intake forms: online intake forms simplify the process of taking on new clients and make it easy for potential clients to provide contact information via your law firm’s website at any time, day or night.
Lead management: lead management features centralize data and help your firm streamline intake and tracking processes. Additionally, analytic tools track and provide insight into leads as they’re added and converted.
VOIP software and virtual receptionists: these tools facilitate communication from any location regardless of the circumstances and ensure your law firm never misses a call.
Contact management: a contact management system connects all your firm’s contacts to the relevant files in your system, ensuring that client and contact information are readily accessible.
Legal calendaring: online legal calendaring tools help manage deadlines. By providing oversight features and shared calendar access to all firm members, everyone is on the same page and crucial tasks are never forgotten.
Document management: legal document management software provides 24/7 access to your law firm’s documents and a built-in organizational system.
Document automation: document automation makes it easy to create document templates, which can be used to create new documents such as intake forms, retainer agreements, and pleadings.
E-signature: use E-signature to get documents signed online by adding a signature template into a document.
Automated task management and workflows: use task management tools to track projects or create case workflows so you never miss important deadlines.
Time-tracking tools: record all billable activities by tracking and entering time contemporaneously from any location, at any time of any day.
Online invoicing: create client invoices quickly and easily, and share them instantaneously with clients.
Online payment processing: set up online payment processing tools so your clients can easily pay legal bills via ACH (e-check) or credit card payments.
Client portals: offer clients instant access to information about their cases with client portals so they can quickly and easily find answers to their questions.
Online Fax: online faxing makes it easy to send and receive documents in a digital format. Documents can be exchanged via email, an online portal, or via a smartphone app.
Real-time chat: real-time chat allows lawyers to instantly communicate and collaborate with their colleagues.
Video conferencing: use video conferencing to have secure, encrypted face-to-face video meetings with clients, work colleagues, and co-counsel.
Law practice management software: law practice management software centralizes law firm data, including contacts, calendars, invoicing, time-tracking, documents, internal and external communications, and financial data.
Missouri Bar members receive discounted rates on top practice management solutions, including a 10% discount on MyCase.
Missouri Bar members have access to more than a 100 white papers, comparison charts, and checklists to help identify the tech-related needs of their firm, research and compare solutions, and implement these solutions through Missouri Bar Practice Management. Have legal technology or practice management questions? Members can schedule a no-cost, one-on-one consultation with the experts from Affinity Consulting.
Reprinted with permission of MyCase. Originally published here.