Knowing What You Need Is Half the Battle - A Guide to Understanding Legal Software
By: Britt Knuttgen

The software and technology needs of attorneys and their support staff are very different from the needs of other professions.  The problem is that attorneys want to practice law, not be software experts, and deciding on what application(s) will benefit their practice can be an arduous and time-consuming task to say the least.  There are hundreds of products on the market, and who has the time to research the pros and cons of each one?  We do. 

The staff at Automated Horizons has spent countless hours researching and testing a multitude of products.  We recognize that every firm is different and what works best for one office, may not be the best solution for another.  We have partnered with various products that we feel are outstanding, but we are always looking for new applications that might fit a particular client’s needs.  We pride ourselves in our ability to assess your office’s individual requirements and to find the right solution for you.

The questions that should always be answered before any software implementation are:

Why does the firm need it?
Ask yourself what tasks are redundant in your office.  How much time would automating those tasks save each employee per week?  Translate that into billable hours saved and increased efficiency/productivity.  What is that worth to you?

Who in the firm needs it/who will use it?
Is the software you are considering something everyone will use, and therefore need to be trained on, or is it specific to particular employees (e.g. accounting personnel)?

What does the software do?
Use the guide below to determine what type of software you need and make sure you understand all the features of it before investing in it.  It is important to know what you are getting so that you have reasonable expectations of the software.  Familiarize yourself with the tasks it will automate.  Likewise, make sure that you are willing to allot appropriate amounts of time for the staff to be trained on these functions.

When should we implement it?
Think about the timeframe for the implementation.  For instance, if you are installing new financial software, you may want to wait until year-end, or at least month-end.  If you have a technology budget, you may want to implement based on when your firm can afford it.  Or perhaps you will have large amounts of data to transfer from an old system to the new one.  In this scenario you may want to wait until a “slower” time of year so that your staff can handle the workload more efficiently, as well as have more time for training.

Where do I use it?
Is remote access important to you?  Is the software capable of being “briefcased” onto a laptop for portability?  Or is the software only needed while at the office?

How will it be implemented?
It is important to understand the hardware requirements of a new software implementation, as well as what other applications it will be integrating with.  Work with your consultant to make sure everything necessary is in place before the actual implementation occurs. 

The biggest mistake most firms make is to spring new software on their staff and not properly invest in staff training.  This can make or break a successful implementation.  Regardless of how wonderful a piece of software is, it becomes useless and a waste of money if your staff doesn’t use it effectively.  It is important for your staff to understand why the implementation is happening, how it will increase the firm’s productivity, and what is expected of them.  If they are properly trained and understand the software’s capabilities, they are much more likely to embrace the change and use it effectively.  If they are left to “sink or swim”, the software will never give you the return on investment that you expected.  It is important to understand that the staff will have a learning curve, and if there is data to be entered into the new software by the staff, you must allow appropriate time for that, or perhaps hire temporary staff to compensate.

Many of our clients have asked us for a guide that will assist them in assessing their software needs, and distinguish the various types of programs that exist on the legal technology market.  Keep the above questions in mind as you review the following information about the various types of legal specific software applications.

Case Management 
Case management software has existed for many years, however recent advances in technology and processor power have taken it to an entirely new level of capability. Essentially, case management software automates the physical client file that has previously only existed in paper format. In other words, it provides a central network location from which law office staff can enter, edit, review and dispense all information pertaining to a particular case.  

Case managers are now capable of using this centrally collected information to automatically generate new documents from templates, maintain a central firm rolodex, and organize calendars by grouping and linking to-do lists and appointments. By centralizing all information on a case and/or client in a single program, all users on the network can efficiently access key data without having to stop and look for the physical file. Most case managers are also capable of tracking different data, depending on its Area of Practice, and these fields are usually customizable.  Additional examples of tasks that are automated by case management software include tracking the status of a case, reviewing fees and costs accumulated to date, finding a telephone number, or checking conflicts of interest.

Top Case Management Software Applications: 

• PracticeMaster (Software Technology, Inc.)
• Amicus Attorney  (Gavel & Gown)
• Lexis Nexis Time Matters
• Abacus Law
• ProLaw
• Needles
• TrialWorks (Lawex)
• Practice Manager (RealLegal)
• Client Profiles
• Perfect Law

Document Assembly
Document assembly is essentially the creation of new documents from new and/or existing information. These programs use either pre-purchased templates or templates which have been customized for the firm.  They generate a document in WordPerfect or Word, by merging data that has been entered by your staff (either in a database such as case management software, or in answer files).  Once key information on a case has been entered and saved, it is accessible to generate any additional documents that might require the same information.  This eliminates duplication of effort and repetitive data entry.

The ability to efficiently and easily reuse existing information is the key to making document assembly programs cost-effective. Everyone agrees that reusing existing information is more efficient than retyping the information into the computer, and almost every area of practice has repetitive forms and templates.  The hardest part about these software applications is programming the templates themselves.  The firms that benefit from this the most are those that have an onsite person who can learn to effectively customize templates for the firm’s use.

Top Document Assembly Software Applications:

• Lexis Nexis HotDocs
• Ghostfil
• ThinkDoc
• SmartWords

Document Management
Document management software often confuses users who have never seen it in action and experienced the advantages of it.  Unfortunately for most law firms, the lack of a good document management system creates chaos, inconsistencies and is also the source of major inefficiencies. Thankfully the software is fairly easy to use and is relatively inexpensive for the value it delivers.

Basically, document management is a method of organizing electronic documents through the File-Open and File-Save operations. It forces standardization upon the user by dictating where documents are stored, how they are named when saved, and how they are retrieved for future use.

Top Document Management Applications:

• Worldox
• iManage
• IPRO
• Atlast!
• Hummingbird

Litigation Support Software
Litigation Support applications traditionally offer the ability to database key evidence, including documents and transcripts, though features vary from product to product.  The idea is to bring together into one place the vast amounts of disparate evidentiary information in any given case.  From the database you can cross-reference and search, in order to better organize your case.  Some allow you the ability to scan/image your key documents, then use coding, as well as OCR (optical character recognition) capabilities to easily access and reference those documents time and time again, without having to retrieve the physical document each time.  You can select documents from your database to be marked up, redacted, and/or Bates numbered, then reproduce them onto CD or print them.  Most of these applications also have the ability to organize the notable events and issues in your case, allowing you to create chronologies and outlines.

Top Litigation Support Software Applications:

• Summation
• CaseMap/TimeMap/NoteMap
• Binder (RealLegal)
• Concordance

Time & Billing/Financial Software
Managing a firm’s financial data is critical, and there are various aspects to doing that.  You have accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, trust accounting, etc.  Many software applications on the market are specifically designed to manage your time and billing only, not your overall ledger.  In other words, they take care of your Accounts Receivable, but what about the rest of your accounting?  If you choose a program that does only time and billing, it is important to be aware of whether or not it integrates with your other accounting system, or else you will find yourself unable to run the financial reports you desire.  Likewise, if you are looking at Case Management software, it is important to think about its ability to integrate with your time and billing system.

Top Time & Billing/Financial Software Applications:

• Tabs3, GLS, APS, TAS (Software Technology, Inc.)
• Lexis Nexis PCLaw
• Juris
• Timeslips

Trial Presentation Software
Trial Presentation software is specifically designed to help you present your case in front of a judge and jury, by using it in conjunction with a laptop and projector or other audio/visual tools available in the courtroom.  It assists you with organizing your evidence electronically for quick retrieval and aesthetically pleasing presentation. 

Top Trial Presentation Software Applications:

• Sanction
• TrialPro

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Britt Knuttgen is the President and Director of Legal Technology for Automated Horizons, a firm specializing in information technology, legal technology, web design and marketing.
Copyright © 2004 by Automated Horizons, Inc. All rights reserved under U.S. and international law.
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