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Lawyers are intelligent, driven, and multifaceted, yet many can struggle when it comes to staying productive day-to-day. And as productivity dwindles, stress and anxiety soon follow as the workload piles up. Let’s take a look at the worst work habits of attorneys and go over some tips that can help any lawyer be more productive and stress-free.

Flawed Document Management

Most attorneys consider the path of least resistance when it comes to technology. After all, attorneys do not have tech degrees. And with technology constantly evolving at a rapid rate, lawyers may find themselves struggling to keep up. If your team finds themselves burning through time searching for documents or taking the old fashioned approach of utilizing paper records, it’s time to take advantage of technology in order to work more efficiently. If your firm fails to do so, you’ll find yourself wasting time and money with outdated document management strategies and inefficient workflows. Ultimately, documents are your law firm’s intellectual property and a large part of your value offering. Make the smart business decision of implementing a document management strategy driven by technology solutions, and you’ll see your firm operate that much more smoothly.

Focusing on the Smallest Details

Too many attorneys obsess over the minutia of agreements and language. Though the small print certainly matters, it should not always be a deal-breaker. If you find yourself constantly getting caught up in the details when performing your day-to-day tasks , it’s time to reevaluate your mindset when it comes to your work and conjure up with a strategy. Be proactive about meeting deadlines, split up your work into manageable chunks throughout the week, and you will see yourself working much more efficiently. If necessary, designate certain times of the day to delve into operational and administrative tasks; you can even delegate certain tasks to associate attorneys or paralegals.

Investing an Abundance of Time on Emails

Email is certainly a necessity for attorneys, yet it has the potential to monopolize your time. In fact, the typical worker spends about 5 hours a day looking at emails, on average. And if you spend too much time on email, you won’t be able to focus on your actual work. The solution is to dedicate specific times of the day to read and respond to email. Carve out these time windows, stick to them, and you will find yourself feeling less distracted and bogged down by your emails.

Still Worried About Your Productivity?

We can help. Rekall’s Private Cloud empowers lawyers, paralegals, and administrative staff to work with complete freedom. Our Private Cloud allows you to work from anywhere, at anytime, on any device. It works with all of your favorite legal software, too.  Learn more about how we can help your law firm here!

As COVID-19 continues to force law firms to work from home, we wanted to share our top remote working tips that can help keep your legal staff healthy, happy, and productive during this transitional period.

1) Communication is key

Use video conferencing software to ensure that you are in constant communication with your coworkers. There are numerous paid & free tools available to ensure you are on the same page when it comes to key decision making, collaboration, and project management. While emailing is always an option, face time and real time communication is key during a prolonged period of working at home. Our top recommendations:

Zoom

Google Hangouts

Skype

2) Be flexible, but establish a routine

Working from home presents different challenges and distractions for everyone. It’s important to understand these concepts and give your staff some flexibility when it comes to their schedule. As long as expectations are clearly laid out, your staff will maintain productivity while also experiencing a smooth transition to remote work.

While flexibility is important, it’s also crucial to set up a routine when working from home. Maintain the same morning routine as you would if you were preparing to come into the office, with some slight adjustments if need be. Having such a routine not only vastly helps with your mental health, but it also puts you in the right mindset to tackle all of your tasks for the day.

3) Ensure your practice management software is on the Cloud

Hosting your legal applications on the Cloud is the best option for remote work setups. Rather than having to use complicated software such as TeamViewer to remotely connect to your work computer from home, having your firm on the Cloud allows your staff to work from anywhere, at any time, on any device with an Internet connection.

Want to learn more about utilizing the cloud to work from home? We’re currently offering 2 months free if you sign up by June 1st. Learn more here or call us at 732.276.1505.

Choosing the right software to help facilitate the growth and success of your law firm is a tough, yet crucial business decision. With law firms using Tabs3 Billing software for over 40 years, this trusted program offers an extensive array of in-depth features that can be tailored to even the most specialized of billing needs.

An Overview of Tabs3

Tabs3 is a highly flexible piece of software designed for those facing intricate billing challenges. Specifically, Tabs3 Billing allows you to record your time worked with ease, and then turn those time records into fees with one click. And because Tabs3 accepts credit cards, you can turn those fees into income, fast. Emailed statements come with a payment link, which enable clients to pay for your services online.

As a user, you also receive a variety of tools that enable you to easily send out bills and statements tailored exactly to your business’ needs. With Tabs3’s Email Statements feature, you can set up email templates tailored to each of your clients and send out PDF statements. The template automatically adds any relevant client information to your statement, and you also have the ability to send batches of statements in just a few clicks.

It’s also noteworthy to mention that this software prioritizes the security of your firm’s information, and allows for you to block any user from deleting, editing, or even viewing any content related to any of your clients or cases. Lastly, Tabs3 offers a Client Manager visual tool that functions as an all-in-one dashboard. Highlighting a client’s contact information, account balance, and recent payments, this aid increases your productivity and makes client management a breeze.

Notable Features

Tabs3’s most unique feature comes in the form of its in-depth and highly customizable billing system. Set up default billing rates for new clients, create customized rates for any existing client, and charge contingency, flat fees, or retainers hassle-free. Various timekeepers can charge standard or customized rates based on their role within the firm, and when a client pays their statement, the payment can be easily allocated across all timekeepers. What about dealing with multiple clients for one case? Tabs3 makes splitting payments simple, allowing you to charge a percentage of fees and/or costs for a case.

One other notable feature that deserves highlighting is the breadth and depth of the software’s Reports feature. With nearly two dozen unique reports giving insight into your firm’s billing and overall productivity, this feature is immensely useful for firms of any size. Tabs3’s extensive list of report types includes a top client, collections, and work-in-process report. These tools give you an accessible and easy to read breakdown of who your most important clients are, which accounts are highest priority for collections, and which accounts are still unbilled. Other notable report categories include client productivity and timekeeper profitability reports. These statements allow you to at a glance identify which clients and cases are most lucrative for your firm, and which timekeepers at your company are operating at a loss or profit.

Rely on the Cloud for Optimal Functionality

Cloud service providers can implement Tabs3 and enable the software to function at its peak without the need for on-site servers or complicated I.T. solutions. Rekall Technologies has nearly 10 years of experience assisting law offices with cloud services and can optimize your network hassle-free. Learn more about how we can host your legal software on the cloud here.

Final Thoughts

Tabs3 is a well-designed piece of software that has a unique scope of features and should be considered by law firms of any size. With its highly customizable billing system and comprehensive reports feature, Tabs3 has a lot to offer and can be a valuable tool to increase billing efficiency and overall productivity.

Want to learn even more about Tabs3? Check out this video from the developers:

An abundant amount of law firm software exists in today’s marketplace, and although most have existed for several years, deciding which program to use for your firm is a difficult decision. ProLaw, provided by Thomas Reuters Elite, is perhaps the only software that includes practice, document, and accounting management in one bundle. This makes it a unique piece of software in comparison to its competition, and when hosted on the Cloud, can be an even more powerful tool for your law firm. Let’s review ProLaw’s features in more detail below.

The Merits of ProLaw

As ProLaw incorporates three separate management systems into one bundle, it is a useful tool for both front and back-office functions and workflow. Additionally, it includes a true Document Management Solution (DMS), which again makes it exclusively the only management application to do so. However, because the software is so inclusive and wide in breadth, it requires a dedicated I.T. infrastructure to support it. This can be hosted either on-premise or via the cloud.

In terms of user interface, ProLaw is perhaps the most intuitive and approachable piece of law firm software out there. Designed to look like Microsoft Office’s collection of products, most users will be able to pick up the nuances of this program very quickly.

ProLaw allows users to increase workplace efficiency through the ability to track deadlines and deliverables, and get legal research from sources such as Westlaw with one click. The program also includes the ability to save and retrieve documents, and even enter billable time directly into programs like Microsoft Office and Adobe Acrobat Reader. ProLaw also lets you see in real time, case and client profitability, as well as, information such as billings, deadline adherence, and staff efficiency. Additionally, the Report Builder feature allows you to not only efficiently build reports with data relevant to your business, but also export them directly into Microsoft Excel.

Documents Live Within the Database

Because ProLaw is a fully integrated program hosted on dedicated I.T. infrastructure, users have the advantage of documents actually being stored in the ProLaw database when they are being linked together to a specific matter. On the other hand, most legal practice management applications require you to store documents in a separate location upon linking. This avoids the need to keep a separate file database, and instead ensures that data is kept together in an easy to access location.

Rely on the Cloud for Optimal Functionality

Cloud service providers can implement ProLaw and enable the software to function at its peak without the need for on-site servers or complicated I.T. solutions. Rekall Technologies has nearly 10 years of experience assisting law offices with cloud services and can optimize your network hassle-free. Learn more about how we can host your legal software on the cloud here.

The Bottom Line

ProLaw is one of the most powerful programs on the market. With an expansive set of features that are supported by a dedicated I.T. infrastructure, mid to large sized law firms will be able to make great use of this software’s capabilities. As the only program on the market to include practice, document, and accounting management, ProLaw is adept at handling anything your firm throws at it.

Law firms are just like regular businesses in that they are likely to struggle unless they have a narrow focus.  Square your focus on a specific area of the law, master that subject matter and the clients will eventually arrive.  The challenge lies in making as much money as possible while limiting the type of legal work performed.  Unfortunately, most attorneys try to do it all rather than master a single niche.  The average attorney assumes it is better to practice different types of law rather than focus on one single area of the law or a couple areas.  Let’s take a quick look at why it might not be prudent to cast as wide of a net as possible.

Legal “Generalists” Unnecessarily Attempt to be Jacks of all Legal Trades

There is no reason to attempt to master every area of law.  Prospective clients are looking for those who thrive in particular niches rather than those who try to practice every type of law.  Market your law firm as a jack of all trades and people will assume you are a master of none.

A Narrow Focus Develops Your Brand

Zeroing in on one area of law or even a couple areas of law will help establish your brand.  Perhaps more importantly, a narrow focus makes it easier to distinguish your law firm from the rest.  The bottom line is an overly-broad focus makes it difficult to establish your attorneys as true experts in any one area of law.  Be clear to your prospects about the type of law you excel at, make it your bread and butter and you will corner the market in due time.

Begin With Focused Market

If you are like most attorneys, you are hesitant to reduce the focus of your law firm.  After all, practicing in fewer areas limits the number of potential clients for your firm to serve.  However, in the long run, it makes sense to master one or a couple areas of the law.  The transition to a singular focus will prove much easier if you start by shifting the focus of your firm’s marketing efforts.  Marketing that zeroes in on a single niche helps highlight your firm’s expertise in that area, bring in more of those cases and ultimately charge higher rates for your expertise.

Ramp up your marketing efforts to highlight your legal specialty and it will be that much easier to establish your firm as a true leader in this area of practice.  Furthermore, you will be able to charge lofty rates as you continue to master your chosen area of the law.  The icing on the cake is the fact that you will not have to worry about the nuances of other legal specialties; you can square your focus on perfecting your selected area of law to provide clients with truly unparalleled legal services.

A Narrow Focus Helps Inspire Referrals

Square your focus and your clients will be motivated to refer you to others in need of legal assistance.  The singular focus on a particular area of law really does make it that much easier for your clients to remember your assistance.  These fond memories inspire happy clients to spread the word about your law firm’s merit to friends, family, co-workers, etc.

The world of legal software is convoluted with numerous programs that claims to have the best features, and even the best customer support. Of course, each type of software is different, and specializes in certain areas. Needles, a legal case management program that has been around for over 30 years, was developed for personal injury attorneys in mind. Let’s take a look at its features below, and determine if it is a good fit for law firms of all types.

About Needles

As stated in the introduction, Needles was initially designed for personal injury attorneys. This makes it a somewhat unique piece of software, but Needles also has some other unique properties. Needles is in the minority when it comes to pricing. Most software includes licensing and monthly fees, but with Needles, a one-time purchase is all that’s necessary. Once you purchase this product, you own both the software and license for life. Additionally, any future upgrades are included for free. This can be extremely useful for small scale law firms that have to save on costs.

Level of Customization

Needles has a highly customizable interface that can be helpful in managing and tracking cases. Creating workflows and checklists for specific cases is highly intuitive, and adding custom fields and tabs to the program to assist in adding relevant case and client information is a breeze. This level of customization is especially useful for case management, and makes dealing with numerous clients simple.

Essential Features

Needles truly shines as a comprehensive case management solution. With Needles’ Status Tab, you can easily pull up all relevant client information in one click when answering a call. The program also enables you to keep track of all case-related documents, easily access them, and merge relevant client information into new documents that you create. Needles also makes keeping cases updated easy with their Mass Update feature. Tired of opening and updating cases one at a time? Mass Update allows you to update multiple cases with just one click.

In terms of its billing management, Needles’ Time Track feature allows you to easily record how much time is spent on a case, and it can combine each unit of time with its appropriate billing code. This feature can integrate with both QuickBooks and Timeslips. Another useful feature is the program’s Value Screen, which helps you check your firm’s financial status. Track time, total up costs, and print reports in an instant. It is also worth noting that Needles also integrates with both Outlook and Worldox.

Rely on the Cloud for Optimal Functionality

Cloud service providers can implement Needles and enable the software to function at its peak without the need for on-site servers or complicated I.T. solutions. Rekall Technologies has nearly 10 years of experience assisting law offices with cloud services and can optimize your network hassle-free. Learn more about how we can host your legal software on the cloud here.

Should Your Law Firm use Needles?

Needles is a comprehensive case management system that features a wealth of customization and flexibility, and is a very good fit for personal injury attorneys. Additionally, firms who place great importance on using a system that can be tailored to their specific needs will find great use in this product, especially if they want to increase overall client intake and workflow efficiency.

Still want to learn more about Needles? Check out this video from the developer below:

The security of assets is essential to business.  In some cases, digital assets represent the true value of the company.  Digital value has taken center stage now that Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies have made it into the mainstream.  However, asset protection plans do not always properly align with succession plans.  As an example, consider the recent case of a Canadian cryptocurrency exchange in which the CEO passed away, taking the private keys to the company’s cryptocurrency with him.  These wallets held more than $100 million in the enterprise’s money.  The company proved unable to return payment to investors and essentially went bankrupt.  This is just one example of succession planning failing to be in sync with digital asset protection plans.

Protecting a Company’s Cryptocurrency

Most of those familiar with cryptocurrencies understand the importance of keeping a private key.  Those who own such alternative currencies must also protect their private keys.  The loss or theft of a private key is likely to result in theft of digital value in the near future.  However, if a business is not actively trading a cryptocurrency, those digital assets should not be stored on conventional hosted wallets or exchanges.  Otherwise, the digital asset will be subjected to unnecessary risk.  Third-party wallets and exchanges store private keys on the behalf of users.  These groups store an abundance of currency so they are often targeted by evildoers.  If such an attack proves successful or if there is an issue with the host server, the value the coins present will be subjected to considerable risk.

Securing Digital Assets Offline

Instead of relying on hosted wallets, plenty of businesses are securing cryptocurrencies away from the web through cold storage or cold wallets.  The cold storage approach empowers businesses to hold private keys within an environment that is completely disconnected.  From external devices to paper, desktop applications, hardware wallets and beyond, there are all different forms of cold storage.  Do not select a cold storage option until you have considered your unique business’s needs as well as how access to the storage will be managed and implemented in the company’s succession plan.

Cold storage is not the only means of securing digital assets.  Company executives should work hand-in-hand with attorneys and digital security personnel to apply practices for information governance.  From asset tracking to data redundancy, the transfer of business knowledge and succession planning must be accounted for in order to ensure truly comprehensive digital asset protection in full accordance with the rest of the business.

The world of legal billing is inherently challenging.  In fact, legal billing has become so complex and convoluted that inaccurate billing has emerged as one of the top causes of Bar Association complaints issued against attorneys throughout the country.  With various types of billing software out on the market, law firms have numerous options out there to alleviate legal billing challenges and avoid such complaints. Currently, one of the most popular types of software on the market is Aderant. Aderant has been a mainstay in the legal community for over 35 years, and provides numerous project management and billing solutions. With their expertise in the legal industry, Aderant can help law firms of any size navigate difficult billing situations.

The Basics of Aderant

Aderant’s cloud-based BillBlast tool makes it easier for law firms to manage daily operations. BillBlast directly integrates with most time and billing systems, increases your billing staff’s productivity and efficiency, and allows them to focus on more important billing issues. Furthermore, BillBlast features a thorough yet easy to digest single view dashboard that incorporates multiple client management systems. This allows your firm to easily identify any billing issues, check on any outstanding invoices, and speed up your staff’s overall workflow. Aderant’s software even empowers law firms to automatically submit e-bills to third-party sites. You can even view the payment status for every single invoice.

Additional Features of Note

Aderant BillBlast eBilling has a variety of helpful features, ranging from a cloud-based interface that anyone can master, to payment tracking, the centralization of bill locations, bill template customization, LEDES standards compliance, payment acceptance and more.  The program also offers fax and email delivery as well.

Rely on the Cloud for Optimal Functionality

Cloud service providers can implement Aderant and enable the software to function at its peak without the need for on-site servers or complicated I.T. solutions. Rekall Technologies has nearly 10 years of experience assisting law offices with cloud services and can optimize your network hassle-free. Learn more about how we can host your legal software on the cloud here.

Should Your Firm buy Aderant?

Aderant provides an easy-to-use system for all billing needs.  As previously mentioned, Aderant’s array of features and tools allows your billing staff to increase their productivity and speed up their workflow.  The software’s ability to integrate with time tracking software allows attorneys and paralegals to spend more time on client issues rather than billing dilemmas. Resultingly, this software can be of use to firms of all sizes and should definitely be considered by your business as a potential tool to increase productivity.

Most of those who work in the legal field have not seized the opportunity to implement a truly in-depth data retention policy.  A surprising number of law firms lack a policy for the management of internally-stored information.  Law firms with comparably few employees are even less likely to have a comprehensive data retention policy.  This is quite the mistake, especially considering the context of legal work.  From setting standards for the use of personal computing devices to ensuring employees do not have access to the firm’s information when leaving the company and limiting data access based on authorization, there is plenty for the average law firm partner to be worried about.  Let’s take a quick look at the best way to implement a comprehensive data retention policy.

Simplify the Classification of Data

Data classification protocols often prove quite complex and fail to provide meaningful results.  Law firms of all types and sizes will benefit from unilateral protection standards.  Data should always be stored on a highly secure platform designed with specific access controls that minimize touchpoints.   It does not matter if the data in question is internal-only or client-facing; it should be shielded properly.

Perform a Data Audit

Data oversight is an essential element of a truly solid data retention policy.  However, it can be challenging to determine which employees are interacting with and storing specific content.  Determine where data is located and how it varies by department.  Data can be stored in the cloud, on-site, in print form and in other forms.  It is up to your law firm’s managers and partners to guarantee staff members are responsible for the data they generate as well as its storage and protection.

Detail the Retention Rules

Make your Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policy perfectly clear.  A hastily created or improperly worded BYOD policy makes it difficult for employees to understand expectations.  Focus on retention rules that shift data offline to secure spaces, make your BYOD policy details known and your employees will be obligated to follow your rules.  Communicate the importance of this new policy to your team in plain English and it will be that much easier to establish firm-wide compliance.

Don’t Forget to Perform an Audit

Once the data retention policy is implemented, your focus should shift to completing a yearly audit.  This is an opportunity to review the existing processes, address any concerns and modify policies in accordance with organizational alterations, changes in staffing, etc.