Woman Lawyer in a suit considering how to make workflow more efficient

Rethink Your Tired Processes to Improve Everything for Your Legal Operations

Published on : 15/01/2021 15 January Jan 01 2021

"Change can be frightening, and the temptation is often to resist it. But change almost always provides opportunities – to learn new things, to rethink tired processes, and to improve the way we work." Klaus Schwab (Renowned Economist)

Cited: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/klaus_schwab_745774

In-house counsel and law firms deal with a massive amount of paper documents in various formats. For legal organizations who want to get their arms around the sheer volume of deadline-driven documents, it may be time to rethink the out-dated approach they have always relied on to get things done. 

In your day-to-day work environment, you focus on what is right in front of you, so you might not allocate time to consider a better, more efficient way to operate. You may think you are already making the most of technology by using your smartphone or laptop.

However, it is how you use the data that you are accumulating that has evolved. 
It may be hard to visualize how technology helps you be more efficient. Remember when you used to think carbon paper was the best way to have duplicate copies? Or using a typewriter was as professional as you could get? Technology can revolutionize how you work and free you from repetitive tasks to engage in projects that add more value. 

Once you have embraced a legal software solution that includes a document management system, you'll wonder how you ever performed your job without this time-saving technology.  
In-house counsel and law firms must manage their documents and email communications and retrieve them from a single repository to quickly find the information they need. A modern legal solution can do that and more. 

Here are some compelling benefits for adding document management technology to your legal operations:
 

Stop wasting time with ticklers

Are you still using a recipe box or "tickler file" to keep track of clients, deadlines, and priorities? While this method may have worked in the past, manually reminding yourself of what needs attention is outdated and could clog up productivity. 
What if you could digitize every document, no matter the format, and easily search, and more importantly, find the document you need electronically? 
And what if you could get automatic notifications, so you knew which deadlines are imminent? Maybe it's time to trade-in that clunky recipe box for automation designed to help you get more done. 
 

Answer questions with a mouse-click

The phone rings and the caller requests information from the final version of a signed contract. You can answer that question without having to manually search for the document (forcing you to call back later when you finally find it). Instead, search electronically and instantly access the contract to provide an answer immediately. 
 

Wrap up contract negotiations rapidly

The back and forth of contract negotiations can be demanding. With version control, you'll never lose track of which document is the latest. You can also secure the entire contractual cycle, with the freedom to sign anywhere, anytime, and on any device with an electronic signature.
 

No more guessing which version of the document is the right one

Your client documents and files are at the center of your activity. All the information from the parties involved should be in one easy-to-access place. A modern legal software solution would allow you to drag and drop to keep your records classified, including enabling version history. 

Also, your team will be able to access all the documents and projects within the legal department, safely and securely. 
 

Save precious time by generating documents from templates

There is no need to laboriously start from scratch when you can automatically generate documents from a template. You'll think it's magical when your system automatically fills in the relevant data for that document from the information previously entered in your system. 

For emails, letters, contracts, or other agreements, the written word is an essential part of legal activity. Create these documents rapidly through automation which allows you  to make room for tasks with higher added value. 

Your document matrices are standard documents created with Word, which will serve as the basis for your letters and deeds. The only data/information that changes relates to the files: parties and persons involved, amounts invoiced or paid, etc.
 

Running your business the "old way" eats up most of your time

Do you spend more time running the business than applying your legal knowledge? 
When dealing with mundane, repetitive business tasks in place of making the best use of your legal skills, your attitude and business may suffer. 

Inefficient processes cost law firms and in-house counsel more than just time. For law firms, the time lost to non-billable tasks affects profits. For both in-house counsel and law firms, the quality of the work provided to clients suffers. Your reputation and opportunities for referrals take a hit. 

And the best reward may be that you gain an edge over organizations that are content to stay with the same archaic time-consuming manual processes. You’ll stand out in a crowded industry by your commitment to working more efficiently through automation. 

Give your business a modern legal software solution and cutout laborious, manual, and inefficient processes. With legal software that includes document management, you can streamline your processes to free you to attract new business, do quality client-work, and make sure you can address other crucial functions. 


About the author:
Legal Suite is the worldwide leader in digital transformation for lawyers. We have delivered our state-of-the-art software for lawyers, law firms, and in-house general counsel to 65,000 users for over two decades. www.legal-suite.com

Please review our most popular blogs for more productivity tips for legal organizations:
 

History

<< < ... 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 ... > >>