Standing out amongst the numerous law firms in Charlotte can be challenging. Fortunately, you can leverage technology to differentiate your firm from competitors, as well as boost productivity and profits. Here are some essential IT solutions you need to consider:
Document management program
The practice of law involves a lot of paperwork. Each case you take on has corresponding supporting files, from legal documents to images to audio and video recordings, among many others. Fortunately, a document management program makes it easy to store and organize files by author, date, and custom categories. You can also use its search, filter, and sort functions to quickly find the files you need.
Case management software
Case management software helps law firms stay on top of many ongoing cases. It lets you link all documents, notes, contacts, time entries, calendar events, and billings to the appropriate case. With all case details in one place, you can quickly access the information you need so you can thoroughly review the case and meet or exceed your clients’ expectations.
What’s more, case management software gives you an overview of all the cases from a single dashboard. Using this dashboard, team members can track case developments in real time, allowing them to easily collaborate on cases.
Contact management solution
This IT solution lets you create a profile for every person who interacts with your law firm, such as clients, witnesses, outside counsel, and vendors. On their profile, you can add records of every conversation you’ve had with them across all channels, including emails, phone calls, text messages, and in-person meetings. This enables you to keep tabs on every interaction with clients and other parties.
A contact management solution also provides an overview of all of your firm’s contacts, enabling you to quickly check for any conflict of interest.
Read also: IT services for law firms
Time tracking and billing application
Many attorneys charge by the hour, so they need a solution that lets them easily and accurately track their time. A time tracking and billing application lets you do just that. You can start the timer when you begin a job, pause the timer if you need to at any point during the task, and press stop once you’re done. Alternatively, you can add time entries based on your notes, calendar events, communication logs, or other files so you can record the time you spent working on each case.
The application’s billing feature lets you generate, approve, and send bills electronically. You can automatically charge interest to late payments or apply a percentage or fixed amount discount to certain bills. You can even automate bill collection by enabling the app to accept recurring credit card payments.
Moreover, you can select from different types of billing plans, letting you easily charge your clients an hourly rate, a flat fee, or on a contingency basis. You can also customize payment details per client, such as grace periods, special interest rates, and discounts for prompt payment.
Online payment processing solution
Gone are the days when law firms accepted payments only in person or through the mail. Today, especially with the ongoing pandemic, law firms are also expected to accommodate online payments. By subscribing to an online payment processing solution, you can securely receive credit card, debit card, and eCheck payments. This makes it easier and more convenient for your clients to pay, allowing you to get paid on time.
Video conferencing app
While there is still much value to in-person meetings, they are not always possible (e.g., while stay-at-home restrictions are in place) or preferable. Clio’s 2020 Legal Trends Report found that 37% of respondents prefer to talk to their lawyers virtually for consultations or first meetings. What’s more, 50% of them would rather have virtual follow-up meetings.
With a video conferencing app, you can communicate with your clients wherever you or they may be, as long as both of you are connected to the internet.
Let the IT experts of SpectrumWise handle your technology needs. We have a deep understanding of the legal industry’s unique technology challenges, so we are confident that we can help your firm succeed. Schedule a consultation with us today.
