Launched in 1923, Melo Campos is a third-generation, family-run law firm based in Brazil. Although the practice’s primary focus is corporate law, they also have expertise in many other areas. The firm employs 40 attorneys and has offices in the states of Brasilia, Belo Horizonte, and Goiania.

Melo Campos is a member of BRALAW (Brazil Lawyers Alliance), which includes a network of 250 attorneys dedicated to maintaining consistency and integrity of law in Brazilian states. The firm places an emphasis on expertise, personalized service, technical skills, and a strong work ethic.

To achieve the efficiency they needed to uphold their lofty service standards, Melo Campos upgraded to Microsoft® Office 2010. The improved applications have resulted in a significant productivity boost through streamlined communications, seamless co-authoring, and a more intuitive interface.

SituationWith attorneys fielding hundreds of emails and several meeting requests every day, it was easy to become backlogged in routine messaging and scheduling tasks. To prevent delays, they also needed to streamline the time-

consuming process of preparing, reviewing, and formatting legal agreements and petitions for clients.

Although Melo Campos looked forward to exploring the new features of 2010, users were somewhat apprehensive about the implementation. The firm was transitioning directly from Office 2003 and the IT team anticipated a steep learning curve.

SolutionTo boost productivity and optimize client service, Melo Campos upgraded to Office 2010. The new applications have simplified everyday tasks and helped attorneys work more efficiently together.

The firm’s worries about a steep learning curve turned out to be unfounded. The IT team was pleasantly surprised by the quick ramp-up to Office 2010, with very little end user training required.

Customer: Melo Campos

Web Site: http://www.melocampos.com.br/

Size: 40 employees

Country or Region: Brazil

Industry: Legal

ProfileLaunched in 1923, Melo Campos is a third-generation, family-run law firm based in Brazil. Although the practice’s primary focus is corporate law, they also have expertise in many other areas.

Software and Services Outlook® 2010 Word 2010 Conversation View Co-Authoring Quick Steps

For more information about Microsoft Office, go to:www.office.com

Microsoft Office 2010Customer Solution Case Study

Brazilian Law Firm Saves 80 Hours Monthly with Microsoft® Office 2010

"We’re very impressed with Office 2010. Everything is very intuitive. Users don’t need explanations to know what to do. We were up to speed within a week."

Thiago Lima Massara, attorney, Melo Campos

“We’re very impressed with Office 2010,” notes Thiago Lima Massara, attorney at Melo Campos. “The toolbars, menus, and interface are all very intuitive. Users don’t need explanations to know what to do. We were up to speed within a week of implementation.”

Eliminating the Authoring BottleneckAttorneys were spending at least 4 hours per day working in Microsoft Word to create agreements and petitions for clients. In addition to the actual authoring, extensive time was spent formatting, reviewing, and printing. When a document required input from multiple sources, each attorney had to take turns accessing the file.

After upgrading to Office 2010, the improved formatting and template options in Word 2010 greatly expedited the authoring process, saving each of the 40 attorneys up to an hour of work time each day. Enhanced search functions and the new navigation pane have shortened the review process for petitions and agreements by a full 20%.

The new co-authoring* capability has transformed multi-user document creation into a parallel process, allowing teams to work together in tandem and cutting document turnaround time in half. “With Word’s new collaboration features, we’re making our customers happier by shortening the amount of time for document creation and review,” says Massara.

Communication Made SimpleEmail and calendar management make up a significant portion of each attorney’s

workload. The time commitment has diminished with Outlook 2010, saving each user an extra hour a day to focus on client satisfaction.

The new Conversation View has significantly streamlined email management, making it easier to determine current issue status. “After returning to the office from vacation, the Conversation View helps me get caught up quicker,” notes Massara. “I just need to read the most recent message to get up to speed.”

Scheduling is more efficient, too. When receiving meeting requests, attorneys appreciate the ability to immediately view their availability in the meeting request. Another feature, QuickSteps, allows them to consolidate repetitive tasks, such as replying to an email and setting up a meeting with just one click. Sharing calendars is also more intuitive, expediting the process of setting up group meetings.

“With Outlook’s improved scheduling capabilities, I can say goodbye to my planner,” says Massara. “I’ve got all the tools I need for everyday efficiency right at my fingertips.”

Progress Powered by Smart Design The success of Melo Campos depends on collaboration between attorneys and the efficiency of everyday tasks. Both are realized with the new features built into Office 2010. As the firm continues to explore the offerings of each application, they look forward to extending the improvements to all functions of their workday.

“I’d recommend the 2010 upgrade to any business that needs to get more done in less time,” says Massara. “It’s a smooth, painless transition that brings in a big return on investment.”

*Co-authoring capabilities require either Microsoft SharePoint® Foundation Services or a free Microsoft Windows Live® account.

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Document published 11/2009