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How to Create & Maintain The Paperless Law Office
This document provides an overview of the Paperless Law Office Webinar. The webinar will discuss how to create and maintain a paperless law office. It will cover three phases: contemplation, implementation, and optimization. The presenter, Ernie Svenson, has 27 years of legal experience and runs the website PaperlessChase.com. He advocates for realistic definitions of "paperless" that focus on benefits rather than rigid policies. The webinar will discuss common questions, challenges, and benefits of going paperless as well as provide tips for getting started and maintaining success in reducing paper use.
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How to Create & Maintain The Paperless Law Office
- 1. Welcome! The Paperless LawOffice Webinar Will Begin in a Few Minutes
- 2. About MyCase MyCase LegalPractice Management Software MyCase is the premier web-based legal practice management software. Built as a complete platform, MyCase offers features that seamlessly cover all the daily functions that a modern, small law firm requires in one place at an affordable price. Just $39/month per attorney ! $29/month per paralegal or staff
- 3. About MyCase MyCase Websites •Modernand professional design built for your firm! •Social media and blog integration! •Complete integration with MyCase practice management software
- 4. How to Create & Maintain Paperless The Law Office Ernie Svenson
- 5. Ernie Svenson ‣EDLA LawClerk ‣Practiced law 27 yrs ‣ErnieTheAttorney.net ‣“Acrobat in One Hour for Lawyers” (ABA book) ‣PaperlessChase.com ‣ernie@paperlesschase.com
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- 7. 3 Phases 1. Contemplation 2. Implementation 3. Optimization 9
- 8. Poll Question #2 What best describes your paperless state now? 10
- 9. Contemplation You may be surprised to learn you’re already on your way 11
- 10. Common Questions • Am I ready to go paperless? • How hard? Expensive? • Need to hire a consultant? • Convince staff & lawyers? • Possible in my practice area? • Isn’t it impossible to be totally paperless? 12
- 11. Define “paperless” forget definitions; focus on benefits • No paper: impossible, silly, self-‐defeating • Reasonable: “less paper” • Focus on benefits, not rigid definitions 13
- 12. Key Questions be realistic about the true challenges • How much less paper? • How quickly to reduce? • What process should you follow? • What benefits do you most want? 14
- 13. How much less? depends on factors such as… • how much paper you have now • where it’s being stored now (onsite, offsite?) • How much can or should be digitized 15
- 14. How quickly? depends on factors such as… • how many people in your firm • how much paper you have now • your folks’ technology skills • commitment to act (not just plan) 16
- 15. What process? The ideal path should be… • The simplest & easiest • Minimally disruptive • Tried & true (by lawyers) • Reliable; likely to succeed 17
- 16. Which benefits? Keep in mind the things you most want to attain • Organization & efficiency • Information retrieval • Remote access to files 19
- 17. Benefits Summary reasons why digital documents are better • Easier to store, retrieve • Cheaper to store • Oversight is possible • Access from anywhere (e.g. iPad) • Backup & remote synchronization 20
- 18. Some downsides it’s true: paper is easier in certain situations • Easier to reorder pages • Easier to browse certain kinds of information • Easier to read (but eInk technology is changing this) • Need to practice “digital hygiene” 21
- 19. Poor excuses Bad reasons to dismiss becoming paperless • E-‐filing isn’t allowed • Judge requires paper in court • My practice isn’t conducive to being paperless • Other attorneys send me paper 22
- 20. Ethics issues aren’t an impediment, but require attention • Rule 1.1: competence • ABA 20/20: tech requires attention • But what about wills and promissory notes etc.? • Create a good engagement letter 23
- 21. Engagement letter should make it clear to the client that… • You’ll scan all files to PDF • You’ll destroy all paper you receive • You’ll only keep digital files for X years (but actually keep longer) • You’ll give client digital copy upon written request (via digital download) • Engagement letter is valid in PDF format 24
- 22. Implementation Is mostly about building momentum and avoiding catastrophes 25
- 23. Getting Started Is not as hard as you’d expect, because: • You’ve already started, so… • Build momentum steadily • Use consultants for “digital hygiene” & training. 27
- 24. Keys to Success grab low-‐hanging fruit & avoid land mines • Tackle the easy stuff first • Avoid premature (or unnecessary) challenges • Use consultants appropriately 28
- 25. Two Principles to keep in mind as you steadily move forward 1. Keep digital things digital 2. Make paper into digital 29
- 26. Keep it digital Is not as hard as you’d expect • Don’t print emails • “Print to PDF” more often • Capture faxes to PDF • Think digital at all times 30
- 27. Make it digital is your first small challenge • Buy the right scanner(s) • Use often; get familiar • Send out large jobs to scanning services where appropriate Fujitsu iX500 31
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- 29. PDFs ‣widespread use (inlaw too) ‣“portable document format” ‣think: ‘digital paper’ ‣learn: how to manipulate them
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- 31. Key PDF Skills •Create PDFs from Word, Excel… • Zoom, Jump to Page, Rotate • Bookmark, Highlight, Comment • Search PDF, or group of PDFs • Bates-‐stamp & Redact • Digitally sign a PDF 35
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- 34. Consultants optional, helpful, or mandatory? • Optional: for the easy stuff • Helpful: for digital hygiene and software training • Mandatory: for major challenges like setting up a DMS, or if firm is large 38
- 35. Implementation Costs Summary Equipment & Tools Stuff you need, or should, buy Fujitsu ScanSnap iX500 Cost $409 Adobe Acrobat: Professional $413 (Adobe Acrobat: Standard) ($289) Book: Acrobat for Lawyers $50 Tips: PDF for Lawyers.com Free Tips: PaperlessChase.com Free 39
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- 37. Document Mgt Key questions ask in deciding how to manage • How big is your law firm? • How many attorneys? How many users? • How many separate offices? 41
- 38. Digital Workflow how will you work in a less paper-‐centric world? • Start with a simple model • Refine based on need & real world experiences • Continue refining as new technologies are adopted 42
- 39. Current System How do you manage digital files right now? 43
- 40. Doc Mgt 101 nested folders special software • Phase 1: Nested folders • Phase 2: DMS software 44
- 41. Two Phases Ordinary Folders SpecialDMS Software Jones v. Smith Hawkins v. Magee Kramer v. Kramer Masters v. Johnson Jarndyce v. Jarndyce Bushmill v. Gored Fordham v. Chevy Thompkins v. Carr 45
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- 43. Crown v. Royal 01Pleadings 02 Correspondence 03 Documents 04 Word Processing 05 Depositions 06 Legal Research 07 Attorney Notes 08 Trial Documents
- 44. Simple file names [Date][Description]
- 45. [Date] [Description] 2014-02-27 Motionfor Summary Judgment… 2014/02/27 Motion for Summary Judgment… 2014_02_27 Motion for Summary Judgment… 2014.02.27 Motion for Summary Judgment…
- 46. 01 Pleadings 2009-01-01 OriginalComplaint 2009-01-08 Summons to … 2009-02-15 Return on Service 2009-03-02 Extension Request 2009-04-02 Answer by Defend.. 2009-07-17 Motion for Summary 2009-08-01 Opposition to MSJ 2009-10-19 Order granting….
- 47. 02 Correspondence 2008-02-13 EESltr K Smith 2008-02-01 K Smith email EES 2008-01-04 Thompson fax EES 2007-12-14 Chisom ltr EES 2007-11-11 Ward fax Counsel 2007-10-16 EES ltr Marion 2007-09-23 EES ltr Feinberg 2007-08-08 Mangione ltr EES
- 48. Problems nested folders are simple but… • Deletion: someone makes a mistake. • Conflicts: two people access at same time; now we have 2 versions. • Version control: which version is the last one we worked on? • Email: how do we put emails into the nested folders? • Naming convention: not everyone is adhering to the system for naming files and folders 52
- 49. Firm Size More than 3 -‐ 5 users: time for DMS 53
- 50. DMS Software Leading “Document Management Systems” 54
- 51. Benefits DMS imposes organization •Forced save: have to save to the system, and have to profile document to an open matter • Conflicts: are no longer possible. • Version control: system automatically creates and keeps track of versions • Email: can be saved to DMS, and shared with everyone as needed. • PDFs: can handle storage & manipulation • Remote access: pull files from outside of office 55
- 52. Bottom Line regarding DMS systems • You can now afford it • You almost certainly need it now (or soon) • You may need a consultant to help you 56
- 53. Wrap Up Things you can work on now to build momentum 57
- 54. Summary Equipment & Tools Stuff you need, or should, buy Fujitsu ScanSnap iX500 Cost $409 Adobe Acrobat: Professional $413 (Adobe Acrobat: Standard) ($289) Book: Acrobat for Lawyers $50 Tips: PDF for Lawyers.com Free Tips: PaperlessChase.com Free 58
- 55. 5 Takeaways the best keys to getting started now 59
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- 57. ernie@ernestsvenson.com If you havequestions feel free to email me Interested in MyCase?! www.MyCase.com! www.MyCase.com/blog! Get 10% off your first 6 months ! with MyCase for attending.! Use promo code: PAPER14 63
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