Running a law office does not only mean winning new clients and providing services but also administrative work which is often laborious and time-consuming. Sometimes, instead of focusing on things really important in their job, lawyers are condemned to many hours of documenting, checking e-mails, contact details management, settlements, and running records concerning their employees. Their needs are addressed by law office management platforms which are becoming more and more popular both in Poland and abroad. They do not only solve the above mentioned problems, but make it possible to access documents at any place and at any time.
Commercially available systems effectively assist in work organisation in a law office and ensure professional client service. Law office owners are aware that it is these factors which constitute the basis for effective activity. Wanting to assure that their activity is consolidated and cohesive, they decide to implement the platforms. Thus they can benefit on three different levels, which—apart from improving work organisation—include full security and reduction of business costs.
How do the platforms work?
Many of available platforms are based on real needs of law office owners and employees. Their modular structure allows to meet diverse client needs. It allows to expand the system by adding new functions and to integrate it with all areas of activity.
The basic functionality of the systems consists in the facilitation of company organisation. It is done, among others, by creating a working environment shared by all employees and thus improving communication, as well as by storing documentation in one place, permanent access to information and the possibility to edit the information, even off-line. Users may also avail themselves of the contact details bases they enter in the system which contain addresses of clients, courts and prosecutor's offices. Some platforms also allow remote assignment of tasks to employees and scheduling appointments.
The most advanced systems enable law office owners to manage the company by means of only two resources: Internet access and a computer or a mobile device. Thus, they can completely resign from the impractical and costly paper documentation, which in turn allows to minimise business costs. The majority of available products ensure fast implementation and do not require investment in additional equipment. Additionally, the most advanced products guarantee unlimited storage space, owing to which database extension does not incur additional cost. Moreover, costs connected with system use are usually totally predictable and depend on the scope of functionality and the number of users.
The majority of platforms guarantee data security. It is an essential feature, as lawyers belong to the so-called high-risk group. This means that the data they collect may prove valuable to cybercriminals or dishonest competitors of their clients. The platforms guarantee total information security owing to the encoding systems implemented. Some products also offer functionality responsible for the regular automatic archiving of information entered.
A completely new system for law office management has just made a debut in the market. It is equipped with an additional module which makes the system stand out from similar ones, and all law office owners will certainly appreciate its functionality. It is the risk management module available within the CasuSoft platform. It allows automatic analysis of two basic personnel-related risks: the risk of having too many clients assigned to one employee and the risk of having too many cases assigned to one employee.
'The risk management module allows to analyse client distribution among individual employees and, thus, protect the user in the highest possible scope from the hazards resulting from the termination of cooperation with an employee', explains Marcin Ralcewicz, the software developer.
'Frequently, a small group of employees takes care of as many as 80 per cent of key clients. We know cases in which a single employee has achieved this result. The problem is that when such an employee leaves, it usually means that his client leaves, too', says Dorota Hołubiec, expert on professional services management.
'The risk management module also allows to organise and control employees' working time and generates reports on their efficiency', adds Marcin Ralcewicz.
Solution for each law office
Today, even the smallest law office may use a professional management system which favourably affects work organisation, guarantees data security and allows to reduce business costs to a minimum. What was the best practice for the biggest law offices not long ago, today is a necessity for the smallest ones as well. It is because the legal sector is developing very dynamically. Law offices have increasingly more clients and cases. The growing number of administrative duties require optimal management from the law offices. The majority of platforms have been designed in such a way that they can be developed by adding new functions.
This allows to adjust the systems to the needs of all clients.
'Additionally, CasuSoft supports law offices in the customer service area consisting in establishing and maintaining relations with clients. Smooth communication, document flow transparency and the access of interested parties to documents related to them constitute the areas of law office activity which may significantly influence its efficiency and image', says Dorota Hołubiec.
The software was developed by NSolutions, a company which created the e-service using funds from the European Regional Development Fund under the Innovative Economy Operational Programme. For more information on this solution, please visit: www.casusoft.pl
Project co-financed from the European Regional Development Fund under the Innovative Economy Operational Programme
