1. ATTORNEYS AT LAW
RIM in a Law Firm Environment
HOW TO IMPLEMENT A SOLID RIM PROGRAM
DESPITE THE ECONOMIC DOWNSWING
January 12, 2010
Jim Merrifield – Records Manager, Finn Dixon & Herling LLP
177 Broad Street
Stamford, CT 06901-2048
T:203-325-5000
F:203-325-5001
59 Elm Street, 2nd Floor
New Haven, CT 06510
T:203.848-6488
F:203-325-5001
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2. FINN DIXON & HERLING
ATTORNEYS AT LAW
 Main Office – Stamford, Connecticut
 42 Attorney’s
 12 Practice Areas – M/A, Lending Hedge Fund,
Commercial Litigation, Bankruptcy, etc.
 2 administrators in Records Department
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3. ATTORNEYS AT LAW
 Where We Were
 Challenges
 Business Drivers
AGENDA  Program Today
 Lesson’s Learned
 Questions
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4. Where We Were
ATTORNEYS AT LAW
 Conflict Checking – MS DOS
 Client/Matter Intake – manual process
 Off-site Storage – limited electronic
features
 File Management – MS DOS
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5. Where We Were
ATTORNEYS AT LAW
• IN THE STONE AGE!!!

6. ATTORNEYS AT LAW
We Began To Dream Big…..
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7. ATTORNEYS AT LAW
Too Big
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8. Fantasy RIM Software
ATTORNEYS AT LAW
 We wanted the best all-in-one Records Information
Management Software in the industry.
 Automate Intake & Conflict process
 Manage Physical & Electronic files
 RFID
 Control E-mail
 Imaging capabilities
 We wanted to make all these changes and implement them
Overnight!!
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9. FDH TIMELINE
ATTORNEYS AT LAW
Research
2006 - 2007
Conflicts – 2/2008
2010
Off-site Storage – 5/2009
ELF – 5/2008 Document Management
File Management – 8/2009
Intake – 10/2008 E-mail Archive Solution
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10. ATTORNEYS AT LAW
 Economy
 RIM not a priority
 Upper Management not
CHALLENGES educated in RIM
 Limited Resources – no
consultant/small staff
 Change
 “This is the way its always been”
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11. ATTORNEYS AT LAW
 Manual processes were very
time consuming
 Inconsistent data being entered
Business into various databases = High
Drivers Risk
 MS DOS database going to crash
 Missing Files
 COST! COST! COST!
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12. Conflict Database
ATTORNEYS AT LAW
 Rainmaker Platinum 8.0
 Ability to make relationships between
client/matters and/or parties.
 Robust Search Options – phonic, fuzzy,
synonym, stemming
 Search – contacts, addresses,
marketing, specially designated national
 Report features
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13. Conflict Database
ATTORNEYS AT LAW
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14. Client/Matter Intake
ATTORNEYS AT LAW
 Automated the process using Microsoft Outlook
 Records Department e-mails all intake docs. to the
Intake Committee
 Intake chooses to either “Accept” or “Reject” using
the voting buttons
 This new process has streamlined the intake process
and reduced interruption in lawyers day to day
activities = increased productivity
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15. Client/Matter Intake
ATTORNEYS AT LAW
 Intake Documents – attached in email to
committee
 Completed New Client/Matter Request Form
 Conflict Search Results (with completed conflict response list)
 Engagement Letter
 Aged WIP report, Aged A/R report
 Completed New Client/Matter Intake Committee Approval
Form

16. Client/Matter Intake
ATTORNEYS AT LAW
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17. Client/Matter Intake
ATTORNEYS AT LAW
 LESS TIME PERFORMING
ADMINISTRATIVE TASKS
+
 INCREASE BILLABLE
HOURS
_______________________
= HAPPYLAWYERS!!!
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18. Off-site Storage
ATTORNEYS AT LAW
 Dupont Business Archives – Southington
 Lawyers need information at their finger
tips
 Scan-on-demand – converts hard-copy
records into a digital image and sends to
FDH via e-mail as an PDF.
 Shredding
 End Result – received documents faster
and at a lower cost
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19. File Management
ATTORNEYS AT LAW
 FileTrail – manage all our hard-
copy records.
 Records 50% more productive –
by automating our file creation
process
 Automating the check-in/check-
out process using barcode
technology – fewer missing files.
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20. File Management
ATTORNEYS AT LAW
 Ability to apply our retention schedule to all
records to insure timely destruction
 Audit Trails
 Integrates with our off-site storage vendor
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21. File Management
ATTORNEYS AT LAW
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22. ELF
ATTORNEYS AT LAW
• What is ELF ?
• ELF is an records management initiative of
ARMA International to promote the use of
letter sized paper in order to minimize costs
associated with creating and filing the larger
documents.

23. ELF
ATTORNEYS AT LAW
• What are some Benefits of ELF?
Reduce costs by eliminating the need to purchase file
supplies & equipment to accommodate multiple paper
sizes.
Reduce inefficiencies associated with files containing
multi-size documents (e.g. it is often difficult to find
letter-sized records inter-filed with legal-size records).

24. ELF
ATTORNEYS AT LAW
Reduced accommodation costs by reducing the amount
of floor space required to store records on-site & off-
site.
Reduce paper consumption
Reduce mailing costs (letter-size paper is 21% smaller
and 24% lighter than legal-size paper)

25. Program Today
ATTORNEYS AT LAW
 Client/Matter Intake – Microsoft Outlook
 Conflict Checking – Rainmaker 8.0
 File Management – FileTrail
 Off-site Storage – Dupont Business
Archives
 ELF – eliminate Legal Files
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26. Results
ATTORNEYS AT LAW
 Lawyers & Upper Management are educated
on importance of RIM
 Out of the STONE-AGE
 Controlled Databases
 Records is more efficient & productive – doing
more with less (2 administrators)
 Saved $ (consultant fees, staff, etc.)
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27. FDH TIMELINE
ATTORNEYS AT LAW
Research
2006 - 2007
Conflicts – 2/2008
2010
Off-site Storage – 5/2009
ELF – 5/2008 Document Management
File Management – 8/2009
Intake – 10/2008 E-mail Archive Solution
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28. Lessons Learned
ATTORNEYS AT LAW
Communicate with IT – talk their language – if
you do they will be your best resource
Changes do not happen over night – be
patient
Educate, Educate, Educate
Take advantage of resources provided by
ARMA, AIIM, ILTA, ALA, etc.
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29. ATTORNEYS AT LAW
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30. ATTORNEYS AT LAW
Jim Merrifield
THANK YOU! Finn Dixon & Herling LLP
(203) 325-5000
JMerrifield@fdh.com
177 Broad Street
Stamford, CT 06901-2048
T:203-325-5000
F:203-325-5001
59 Elm Street, 2nd Floor
New Haven, CT 06510
T:203.848-6488
F:203-325-5001
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