Going Paperless With Law Practice

SoftwarePresented by:LexisNexis

http://www.lexisnexis.com

Going Paperless

n The thought of a paperless office has been around nearly as long as computers and the Internet.

n Practice management software makes a practically paperless office possible.

Before The Paperless Office

n Do paperless offices make good business sense?

n Yes! Paper documents are inefficient.

n The manpower involved in sorting, filing, re-filing, misfiling and searching for misfiled documents can become astronomical.

Early Electronic Documents

n Early electronic documents had problems too.

n Large files were problematic when emailed and often bogged down network servers.

n Because there was no longer an original, changes were untraceable and an audit trail was muddled.

n Attorneys often worked off old copies so it was nearly impossible to carry changes over from one version to another.

Modern Practice Management Software

n Modern practice management software eliminates these problems.

n A single, electronic document is stored on the law firm’s server.

n Changes are made to a single source so there’s no danger of parallel versions.

Document Distribution Methodsn There are a couple methods of distribution for

electronic document review.

n The simplest is the hot potato method. A document is passed from person to person on a distribution list. Changes are easy, but this can take a long time to complete because changes are made one at a time.

n Another method is known as the wide net. When using this method, reviewers edit the document and sign off simultaneously. This can be faster, but it can be problematic if two people request conflicting changes.

Advantages Of Practice Management Software

n Advanced law practice software automates quite a few document management tasks, reduces errors and improves audit trails.

n Documents are scanned, automatically named, stored in the proper folder and distributed to applicable recipients.

n Changes are easily tracked and the original is safely stored away.

n All modifications are made through the practice management software.

Benefits To The Paperless Office

n No more misfiled documents.

n Document searches can be done in minutes or seconds instead of days.

n Electronic files are more accessible.

n Electronic files are more secure.

n A paperless office means:

Law Practice Softwaren Features such as document

control, automated distribution and access permission have made the paperless legal firm a reality.

n The law practice software that makes this possible is available to practices of all sizes.

About LexisNexis

n LexisNexis is a leading provider of content-enabled workflow solutions designed specifically for professionals in the legal, risk management, corporate, government, law enforcement, accounting and academic markets.

n Its software, such as law practice software and legal billing software, can help make the paperless legal practice a reality.