The backbone of any law firm in today’s modern practice is technology!
- Technology runs your internal systems.
- Technology runs your financial systems.
- Technology runs your Human Resources.
- Technology runs your case management.
- Technology runs the new client intake process.
- Technology researches the law.
- Technology must communicate across distances effectively, immediately and seamlessly.
- Technology must account for, protect, and distribute the financial management of the firm.
It is literally all about technology!
It used to be that law firms were run using the hard labor of secretaries, paralegals, and associate attorneys. A good firm needed specialized skills in each of those jobs to complete the whole process of organizing and operating a law firm. Legal secretaries had to know how to complete the necessary paperwork for each type and area of law. Smart associates were needed to assist with library runs and hours of research, reading, and writing. Finding that “needle in the haystack” case that could win your legal issue. Then you need wise senior leadership to Shepard & strategize cases from their inception to a successful conclusion.
But starting about the time I went to law school in 1987 (OMG that was so long ago!) The world started to change. Westlaw and Lexis both came out with online legal research products. The mainstream internet wasn’t born yet, but computers were getting ready for that jump. Many of us remember the dial-up line, DOS-based, exceptionally slow and tedious research systems. When I was in law school I refused to use it because my library skills were exceptional and I could research and write quicker than my friends could find cases over a dial-up line. The best case management system was just to use “WordPerfect”. In fact, the fastest system was a DOS-based word processing system that allowed us to keep your case’s individual electronic files. It also allowed us to create templates so that we could use a general “form directory” to recreate individualized pleadings or letters from a prior draft. A HUGE upgrade. I thought those first advances; DOS to Windows), and dial-up to broadband, was amazing. But things went crazy from there!
By 1992 I had a clear vision of my “dream law firm”. A place where lawyers had their own courtroom to practice in. Where they had public exposure in a big building we would own right on I-95. We would also use our own color printer to create winning trial graphics! That was the dream! How little I saw at that time.
As we know technology ran forward at light speed from 1992 until today. The capacity of computers to handle big data, along with huge memory capacity advances, and combined with a public internet delivering results drawn from a literal world of data at light-speed has forever changed every industry – Law included! Sadly, a lot of law firms were not prepared for the vast changes. Many firms that did not keep up with technology are now gone. Their lawyers are the associates for the firms that did keep up.
I did finally build my dream firm, but before that dream was realized I recognized I needed to change that format of the dream and make it much bigger because the technology was changing so quickly. There was no way I was going to allow the firm of my dreams to be left behind.
In 1997, we decided to create an organized effort to make big investments in technology. First, we started with internal infrastructure. We researched the best-automated case management systems and picked one that worked. After 10 years that system fell behind; so we went back to researching and found the best system at that time and switched. This was exceptionally hard to do, the firm all knew and understood the old system, but it was necessary to keep up. We looked at the architecture and office design of the best law firms. Then we built outbuilding (along I-95 as dreamed!) to have the same “smart office technology” as major corporations. We ran ultra-expensive fiber optic internet glass to the office for the fastest possible connectivity. It’s a huge monthly cost, but that alone allows us to conduct business at the speed of light between here and other locations around the country. We also recognized the need to help thousands of calls and internet inquiries per month. To do that we developed our own software to control our intake process, help as many people as we can, and understand each person’s individual case facts quickly. It’s the only product of its kind and is being reviewed by a major software developer to sell to other law firms who did not keep up! We have systems for backups and virus protection that I call our Captain America Shield. We have created a consumer protection law firm ready for the new world of business over the internet.
Let’s be clear though, our brick and mortar business is beautiful second to none. It’s called “The Palace” by some competitors and we love for our clients to come in for personal meetings. But many clients now don’t want that old-world “office meeting” system. The new generation has no time for long drawn-out meetings with their lawyer. They want a fast electronic interface that includes lawyer-to-client private chatting over the internet – not in the office. They want good legal advice, sage strategy, hardcore lawyering, and as much money as possible at the end of their case. Lawyer meetings are not required using today’s technology to get that result!
We are ready to serve the new generation of clients in all those areas. We started video consultations in 2009. We created the electronic instant sign-up in 2015. We made our own Internet Intake Case Triage software in 2012. Finally, we made our newest “light speed case management system” in 2015.
We are blessed to live in this incredible new age. The key is to embrace all that it can do to help people. We are there now!
Remember, we are 100% contingency fee-based. That means no matter what type of law you need we don’t get paid unless we make money for you! If you have a case for our South Florida attorneys, please email, text or call us today for your free consultation.
