Document Automation

July 26, 2016
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Legal Document Automation: What’s Stopping You?

Tags : attorneys document automation legal services

I tend to repeat certain phrases when I talk to people about legal document assembly software. Increased productivity. Time and money savings. Overall profitability.

Because, after all the years I spent authoring and re-authoring pleadings and documents myself, the idea of using software is a no-brainer.

Many of my fellow lawyers agree. The 2015 American Bar Association Tech Reportsection on solo and small firms noted that 44%-50% of lawyers have access to document assembly software. The report also stated that almost 58% of respondents indicated that they budgeted for legal technology in 2015.

Of course, as the CEO and founder of JurisDOC, a legal document assembly software company, I’m a bit biased when it comes to the benefits of automation in the legal field.

That said, I sometimes hear legitimate concerns from other lawyers as they think about switching over from their tried-and-true method of manual document manipulation to software that does the job for them. Perhaps one of the following reasons for waiting is yours.

“It’s too expensive.”
Streamlining operating expenses is always a critical concern, especially for smaller firms. And, obviously, purchasing assembly software requires an upfront investment.

But, time, as they say, is money. Consider the amount of time you or your staff spend manually recreating or “cutting and pasting” words and phrases to generate legal documents for each new case.

Time that you could be using to, gee, I don’t know…find new clients, market your services, focus on research, play golf. You get the picture. Creating a new level of efficiency for your office will absolutely save you money, sooner than you think.

There are different priced tiers of software available, but unlike some software companies that nickel-and-dime you for customizable features, JurisDOC offers a flat monthly fee for unlimited use of all our software has to offer.

“Why would I want to cut down on billable client hours?”
Very few lawyers got into this business to run a charity, and the idea of being efficient at the risk of having to charge less overall can be a complicated issue.

Perhaps it’s time to reframe your thinking on the value you offer your client. A faster and improved level of service is a key benefit. One that can lead to more work, improved client relationships, more referrals, and ta da! More billable hours! The ability to convert part of your fee structure from hourly to flat can also improve customer satisfaction by eliminating hidden costs.

“I’m doing fine without it.”
Change can be challenging, especially within the sometimes traditional, conservative culture of the legal profession.

But, in his book “The End of Lawyers?“ Richard Susskind noted that document assembly software is one of 10 “disruptive technologies” that have radically altered the face of the legal profession.

The demand for faster and cheaper has led many would-be clients to seek out online services that have replaced the traditional role of lawyers. If you are not embracing this evolution of change, you’re going to lose business. Maybe not today, but definitely in the future.

“It will take too long for me and my team to learn it.”
Like every other technology, document automation has evolved from the old method of cutting and pasting from previously drafted forms to intelligently-merged document templates with existing data. Ease-of-use needs to be a critical selling point for any software provider.

JurisDOC provides a comprehensive collection of forms and pleadings that cover more than 10 keys areas of law including divorce, adoption, criminal defense, trusts, and wills. User-friendly, the software allows you to collect, edit, or add all the law forms you need to complete your casework.

Plus, we train your team on how to use the forms. With a QuickStart package, we’ll convert forms for you, plus you get administrator training, user training, and technical support.

So, what’s holding YOU back? JurisDOC can help you operate with the efficiency and profitability of a much larger office, but I’ll let you be the judge. Click here to try JurisDOC for free.

April 11, 2016
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4 Reasons Lawyers Should NOT Do Pro Bono Work

Tags : attorneys document automation legal services

Category : Pro Bono Work

To avoid any misunderstandings, let me start by saying that I believe that pro bono work is a good thing, and a mainstay of the legal profession (check out my last blog to learn why). Attorneys are in a unique position to make the legal system work for those who are desperately in need of our services, and I believe we ought to make the most of that.

However, I also believe that there are times when it’s inappropriate or unwise to take on pro bono clients. If you’re experiencing any of the situations below, it might be best to refrain from pro bono work for the time being.

#1 You’re biting off more than you can chew.
If you’re running your own law firm, don’t consider pro bono requests until you’ve reached business profitability and stability. It does no one any good if your firm goes under because of financial woes; least of all your pro bono clients. Similarly, don’t accept pro bono clients if you already feel like you’re in over your head with paying clients. Pro bono work is admirable and can make you feel happier and more fulfilled, but only if you truly have the time to take it on. Otherwise, you’ll just make yourself miserable.

#2 You don’t feel invested in the work.
Don’t take on pro bono work that doesn’t interest you. If you do, it will probably begin to feel like a chore, and you’re likely to wind up regretting and/or resenting it. There’s a plethora of pro bono options out there, so don’t just take the first thing that comes along. Find work for an issue or cause that you actually care about; that way the work will feel more meaningful to you.

#3 Your services aren’t appreciated or valued.
If you feel like your pro bono work isn’t appreciated or that you are being taken advantage of, it’s probably time to stop. While doing pro bono work is an important part of the legal field, having your services undervalued is not. Before making any drastic decisions, have a conversation with the client or organization you’re working for to see if the situation can be improved. If the feeling persists that your work is not respected, don’t feel guilty if you decide to leave.

#4 It’s taking a toll on you, the client, or the firm.
This point basically touches on all the previous ones. If for any reason your pro bono work starts to take a toll on you, the client, or the firm, it’s time to stop. This can be anything from being overwhelmed to providing subpar services because you’re not invested in the work. Everyone deserves the best possible pro bono experience, and if that’s not what’s happening during a given situation, it may be in everyone’s best interest to find an alternative solution.

These points are not meant to discourage you from taking on pro bono work. They are simply guides to the “whens” and “whats” of accepting such work. I hope that you choose to offer pro bono services to causes that interest you; when you do, though, it’s critically important to have the time to do it.

JurisDOC can help you find that time by making it easier and faster to generate pleadings and other legal documents. Try it out with a free trial at https://jurisdocpro.com/download.

Photo courtesy: SandorWeisz/flickr.com; https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/)

March 9, 2016
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6 Reasons Lawyers Should Take on Pro Bono Work

Tags : attorneys document automation legal software

Category : Pro Bono Work

It’s easy to pass on pro bono work when you’ve got a demanding caseload and are already working long hours. In your free time—you want to relax! But, before you stretch out on the backyard hammock or head to the idyllic vacation spot, consider these compelling reasons to do pro bono work, not the least of which is that it will make you happier:

Help People Who Really Need It
As a practicing lawyer, you are in a unique position to help people desperately in need of services you can provide, but they cannot afford. You have the opportunity to impact their lives in a meaningful and significant way – protect them from eviction, ensure their electricity stays on, or some other urgent issue. Whatever the issue, it’s a chance for you to make the legal system work for those who have nowhere else to turn.

Gain New Experience
Pro bono work can be a great opportunity to learn. For more experienced attorneys, it’s a chance to handle a different type of case. For junior attorneys, who don’t yet have much autonomy, taking on pro bono work allows you to get into the courtroom and obtain valuable experience appearing before judges, building client relationships, arguing motions, etc. Here’s a great article in the ABA Journal about several attorneys’ experiences with pro bono work.

Discover New Opportunities
Pro bono work is a great way to network and ultimately explore new opportunities. You can meet people with different backgrounds and interests, and who would not otherwise enter your daily world or work. It can lead to new business by connecting you with local business leaders or others in need of services; new professional opportunities, like serving as a board member for a nonprofit; or simply lead to new friends. Regardless of whom you end up meeting, chances are the experience will benefit you in some way.

Work on Issues That Interest You
Maybe you’re already in your absolute dream job and work on issues that you feel passionate about. If so, that’s great! Sadly, for many people, that’s not the case. Pro bono work offers such a wide variety of opportunities, you’ll likely be able to find an issue that legitimately interests you. If you’re wondering what kinds of opportunities exist near you, check out the ABA’s Directory of Pro Bono Programs.

It’s Not the Time-Sucker You Think It Is
Because most pro bono cases do not contain complex legal or factual issues, the amount of time you invest in the work tends to be relatively small. Most clients simply need a lawyer to evaluate their legal rights and present their case.

You’ll Be Happy You Did It
Pro bono work is very rewarding. Studies show that helping others makes people feel happier, and pro bono work is no exception. We are social creatures – biologically predisposed toward creating social connections – and pro bono work gives us the opportunity to make social connections through engaging in service to others. I think we’re also happier when we engage in pro bono work because we know it’s the right thing to do – a chance to practice kindness in a world that can often be unforgiving. There’s a lot to be said for that.

Whatever pro bono work you decide to take on, it always helps if you have more time to do it. JurisDOC can help save you time in your practice by making it easier and faster to generate pleadings and other legal documents. The software also helps you tabulate billable hours (for attorneys and staff) and manage invoicing and receivables.

You can learn more about JurisDOC at our website, and, to make you a little bit happier, we’ll let you test the software through a free trial.

January 29, 2016
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Good Client Service vs. Firm Profitability . . . Why Not Both?

Tags : attorneys document automation law firms

Category : Law Firm Management , Legal Document Automation

These days, clients are demanding better service for less. Providing good client service, however, does not have to come at the expense of your firm’s profitability. In fact, if approached properly, the two will go hand in hand. It’s all a matter ofmaking smart changes.

Value Pricing
You probably already know where I’m headed with this: alternative fee arrangements (AFAs). Clients want law firms to explore alternatives to hourly billing in order to obtain legal services at prices that reflect how they value these services, not just how the law firm values them.

That’s not to say that the clients are the only winners with this type of arrangement. Alternative billing should be based on what’s fair and reasonable to the client and the lawyer—that way you both come out on top.

Of course, clients perceive value in a variety of ways. The key to pricing legal services effectively is to understand what your client values most in their engagement with you (reputation, speed, highly specialized expertise, etc.), and to establish pricing accordingly.

In addition to being a fairer way to price your services, AFAs demonstrate that you care about what the client values. Clients who feel valued become loyal clients, who are more likely to return and to recommend you to others.

Staffing
As you well know, much of what goes on in legal work does not actually require highly experienced attorneys, so there’s no need to require clients to pay exorbitant prices for work that can be done for less. Several staffing alternatives offer equivalent work product at better cost-efficiency to clients.

Legal process outsourcing firms (LPOs) can provide routine contracts, legal research, document review, discovery, and intellectual property (IP) services. Experienced, former “Big Law” attorneys and in-house lawyers can be contracted on a project-by-project basis and their services provided directly to clients.

You can also reduce the costs affiliated with associates who are on track to partnership by hiring flex-time, part-time and temporary associates as needed. Traditionally, these attorneys accept lower salaries and ask for fewer benefits than lawyers on a partner track.

Another way to contain staff costs is to decrease the ratio of legal assistants to lawyers. Savings can go straight to the bottom line, or put toward the addition of personnel in litigation support, IT, marketing, project management, pricing, or any other area where your firm needs more staffing.

Efficiency
One of the biggest struggles for law firms today is increasing efficiency in order to remain competitive. Clients are happy when you do your work efficiently and happy clients are the ones that keep you in business, so it’s in your best interest to find ways to improve practice management, accomplish more work in a given time, and to do a better job. One of best ways to do this is to embrace legal technology.

Case management software makes it easier to manage, protect, and share information, as well as track and shape your cases to make them more manageable. Timekeeping software or practice management software helps you maximize efficiency by tracking and analyzing how firm personnel—including you—spend work hours.

Document automation software saves time for you and your staff by helping to select proper forms and completing them to the extent possible. Your team works with a database of forms to customize documents and build templates that can be used for individual cases and across the firm—reducing time spent on assembling documents, hunting for forms, and correcting inconsistencies.

Excellent client service and firm profitability don’t have to be competing goals. While it may require a little more initial effort, adopting alternatives such as AFAs, new staffing models, and legal technology is worth the investment. Your clients will thank you, and so will your bottom line.

JurisDOC provides document assembly software that makes it easier and faster for law firms to generate pleadings and other legal documents. The software also tabulates hours, prepares client invoices and tracks received payments. Learn more at our website or click here to download a free trial of the software now.

November 13, 2015
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A Lawyer’s Tips to Staying Productive and Happy in the Holidays

Tags : document automation law firms law practice

Category : Law Firm Management

The holiday season is once again approaching, along with the hubbub and disorder that inevitably accompany it. This time of year can be stressful enough with travel plans, gift shopping, and seeing your crazy relatives; the last thing you need is for work stress to pile on and turn you into a total Scrooge.

To help keep the holidays organized and productive—and maybe even joyful, I wanted to share a few tips that have been useful to me in navigating this time of the year.

#1 Send Holiday Cards
This is a no-brainer. Everyone likes to be remembered, and holiday cards are an easy and relatively inexpensive way to show your former and current clients that you are thinking of them. A few things to note:

Make sure the cards do not refer to one specific holiday. The world is culturally diverse, and holiday greetings are meant to show appreciation and good will—not to inadvertently offend the recipient. Cards that express “Holiday Greetings” or “Best Wishes for the Holiday Season” are the way to go.
Make sure it’s paper! E-cards don’t exactly elicit the same fuzzy feelings as paper greeting cards.
Get them out early—right after Thanksgiving is ideal. That way your card will be sitting on shelves—garnering awareness and appreciation—for a good while, and you can focus on other things.

#2 Get Your Finances in Order
Don’t wait until year-end to get down to tax planning. Meet with your tax advisor or financial planner now—while they can still affect this tax year, as well as help you plan for next year.

And don’t neglect to prepare your budget for 2016. Without a plan in place, you may end up making decisions that cost you dearly, like foregoing cases because of a lack of resources or bringing on co-counsel for cases your firm would otherwise be able to handle itself. Tax planning and budgeting might not be glamorous, but they’re well worth it in the end.

#3 Office Continuity
Don’t get blindsided during the holiday season by technical malfunctions or other office emergencies. Make sure you have a business continuity plan and disaster recovery plans in place, and that your employees understand the plans and their roles should an unexpected event occur.

Additionally, set in place the routines to keep your data safe and your machines running:

Reboot your devices in order to prompt software updates and to safeguard against losing files in the event of a crash
Back up your server and computers to remote or cloud storage
Check that anti-virus software is up to date
Update your passwords

#4 Network at Holiday Parties
Lastly, the fun part—go party! The holiday season provides an abundance of opportunities to connect with people, and the best part is that if you go in with the right mindset, you can have fun while you’re doing it. You never know when you’re going to meet a referral source or someone in need of a good lawyer, but you certainly won’t know if you don’t go.

There’s no need to turn into a Scrooge during this time of the year. Follow these tips during the holidays, and you can finish 2015 in celebration and start strong in 2016!

G. Thomas Harris has practiced law for more than 45 years and operates the Harris Law Office, offering law services in Kansas and Missouri. Specializing in family law, he saw the potential savings—of time and money—in developing software that could quickly generate and customize the volumes of paperwork that accompany any law practice.

His product, JurisDOC, provides document assembly software that makes it easier and faster for law firms to generate pleadings and other legal documents. Check us out at https://jurisdocpro.com or start your free trial here:
https://jurisdocpro.com/download.

August 17, 2015
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Apps & Automation: Is Your Law Firm Taking Advantage of Tech Trends

Tags : document automation law practice legal services

Category : Legal Document Automation , Technology

To remain competitive in today’s business environment, law firms need to be aware of the technology trends impacting the field and understand how to leverage these trends to maximize their productivity and profits. These are some of the current trends in the field:

E-Discovery: Predictive Coding
Predictive coding is changing e-discovery document review by making it easier than ever to identify relevant and privileged documents. Combining e-discovery software with artificial intelligence (AI), predictive coding finds and ranks relevant documents, so you save time on manual review and substantially decrease the amount of money spent on e-discovery.

Digital Legal Libraries
Most legal books will soon be available as apps, which are available at lower prices. With legal book apps, you no longer have to worry about compatibility or download another e-book viewer. You can rent these books from online stores or from the publisher’s site for a specific price and period of time (after which, it will expire). Many legal publishers are already taking steps toward this model, and its popularity and availability is expected to increase.

Cloud Computing
Cloud based computing is becoming the norm. Cloud providers are strengthening their security measures and providing specialized protections for sensitive information, so you can let go of your regulatory worries and concerns about data security. It’s time to embrace the cloud.

Social Media
As social media marketing continues its upward trajectory in the legal world, it’s time to hop on the bandwagon if you haven’t already. If you think that social media is only for teens and “friends,” reconsider: You can use LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, blogging and other social media to demonstrate expertise, build a following, develop relationships, and generate more exposure for your business.

Document Automation Software
Document automation software plays a critical role in providing legal services in an efficient and effective manner. By automating the creation of legal documents that are used repeatedly, you can avoid the hassle of finding the right form to use and cutting/pasting the same information over and over again. You save time, increase consistency across staff members, and increase your billable hours.

Taking advantage of the legal technology that’s out there will help ensure your business’ success. JurisDOC can help your practice run more smoothly with our legal document assembly software that makes it easier and faster for law firms to generate pleadings and other legal documents.

Now is the time to invest in document automation. Start with free use of JurisDOC, and see how it can be useful in your practice—saving time and turning that time into money. Find your free trial at https://jurisdocpro.com/download.

July 28, 2015
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The ROI of Document Automation

Tags : document automation law practice legal documents

Category : Legal Document Automation , Technology

Ever heard the saying sometimes you have to spend money in order to make money? In the case of document software, this couldn’t be more accurate. Yes, you’ll have to spend some money on the software, but what you end up saving as a result makes the software worth more than its weight in gold.

When used consistently, document assembly software can save an attorney 15-30 minutes, or more, each day. Time that could be spent on work that you can bill your client. Those minutes may not sound like much, but 30 minutes per day—every day—start to add up. Consider:

30 minutes/day x 5 days/week= 150 minutes per
150 minutes/week x 48 weeks/year= 120 hours per year

Let’s say you’ve got an attorney making $200/hr.

120 hours/year x $200/hr= $24,000 per year

$24,000 per year! And that’s just one attorney. Think about how much money your firm makes if every attorney in your office saves that much money each year! You have the potential to generate the equivalent of one or two full-time staff members. Isn’t that worth it?

Now is the time to invest in document automation. Start with free use of JurisDOC software, and see how it can be useful in your practice—saving time and turning that time into money. Find your free trial at https://jurisdocpro.com/download.

July 2, 2015
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Making the Case for Document Automation

Tags : document automation law practice legal documents

Category : Billable Hours , Law Firm Management , Legal Document Automation , Technology

Automate, automate, automate! We’ve all heard it numerous times. As an attorney, it’s difficult to escape that word these days, especially when it comes to document assembly and creation. The knee-jerk reaction may be to say “I’ve gone without automation software all these years and have been doing just fine, thanks.” But there are legitimate reasons why you should consider hopping on the automation bandwagon.

Standardization
Chances are, you or your staff prepares the same types of pleadings or documents over and over again, with minor changes, in the same types of cases. It might feel more comfortable to personally craft the words in each document because we can ensure they’re perfect.

With customizable software like JurisDOC, you have access to thousands of alternate clauses as well as the ability to edit each document. This means you can customize your documents, while at the same time, increase consistency across staff members. When changes need to be made, all relevant documents can be updated accordingly and made available to staff members, so everyone is using the most current and relevant documents, and error is minimized.

Save Time
Let’s be honest—crafting legal documents is a time-sucker. When you create these documents yourself, time gets wasted trying to find the right form to use. More valuable time gets spent as you repeatedly copy and paste the same information to the numerous forms required throughout each case.

With document assembly software, you don’t have to worry about any of that. In the case of JurisDOC, the right forms are easily accessible in an extensive database covering numerous areas of law, and with over 2,000 alternate clauses at your fingertips, little to no copying and pasting is necessary. If used consistently, document assembly software can save you 15-30 minutes, or more, each day.

Increase billable hours and monthly income
With that kind of time saved each day, you’ll get 6-10 additional billable hours each month, which translates to increased income. The question now is not whether you can afford it—but whether you can afford to be without it.

Stop wondering about how legal document automation can help you and find out—at no risk or cost. Download a free trial of our software and see how JurisDOC can help you spend less time assembling documents and more time practicing law. Get started today at https://jurisdocpro.com/download and try it free.

Legal Document Automation: What’s Stopping You?

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Legal Document Automation: What’s Stopping You?

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4 Reasons Lawyers Should NOT Do Pro Bono Work

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6 Reasons Lawyers Should Take on Pro Bono Work

-

Good Client Service vs. Firm Profitability . . . Why Not Both?

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A Lawyer’s Tips to Staying Productive and Happy in the Holidays

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Apps & Automation: Is Your Law Firm Taking Advantage of Tech Trends

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The ROI of Document Automation

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Making the Case for Document Automation

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