Comprehensive computer management for law firms.
Both large and small law firms face case management issues on a daily basis. These issues are multifaceted and all have an effect on a case at hand or in the firm practice as a whole.
Most of an attorney’s work is performed behind the scenes, out of the courtroom and away from the eyes of the client. This applies to litigation and nonlitigated matters. A few of the tasks an attorney must keep track of are as follows:
• Document control. Most legal matters, whether or not they go to trial, involve a great deal of document generation, filings with courts or government agencies. A comprehensive record of the documents filed, the dates of filing and the dates of preparation and signature dates is needed to keep abreast of the case and avoid missed filings.
• Contact information. Every matter will require contact information for parties, opposing counsel, court information, witnesses, and third parties. The information must be organized and available for quick access. For a large firm, cross referencing this contact information with other cases in the firm is often performed to avoid potential conflicts of interest;
• Investigation documents, such as fact statements of witnesses, deposition transcripts, medical records, and other evidence can be imaged and stored electronically;
• Legal Issues. Every matter will have various legal issues for which the case is dependent. The research of an attorney involves statutes, administrative regulations, case law, memoranda, briefs and motions. Retaining these research materials in a central location and being able to insert this research into briefs or motions is an important part of the job of the attorney;
• Calendar and case control. An attorney faces deadlines on a daily basis. But there are more deadlines than just a trial date. Motions, discovery requests, witness lists and brief filing all contain deadlines. Deadlines for all cases must be tracked and available for access quickly and accurately to avoid scheduling conflicts;
• Billing and invoices. An Attorney normally charges by the hour and contemporaneous recording of tasks is needed. An attorney will record conferences, document preparation, phone calls, court time and case investigation. Recording time spent on legal tasks is made easier with quality legal management software. Case costs can also be recorded in this method.
Comprehensive legal management software such as Mitratech integrates these tasks into a single program. Rather than rummaging through files or opening multiple programs for information, centralized software makes for a more efficient operation with fewer mistakes. For additional efficiency, the software may be accessed through multiple platforms, such as desktop, laptop, smart phone and remote access.
