When it comes to implementing a new legal software system, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Your organization is unique with varying needs based on the people you serve and how your organization operates. One of the most important things an organization must decide before implementing a new legal software solution is what you want your software to do before you roll it out to the entire organization. The importance of choosing a flexible software solution—that can grow with you—cannot be overstated when choosing your legal software.
One Company’s Success with Legal Case Management Software
Heritage-Crystal Clean (HCC), a leading environmental services company, saw a transformation in its organization’s operations after turning to legal case management software after years of using a computer system to generate file numbers for legal matters.
“For many years we had a random way of organizing information by folders—some on a computer, some as hard copy files—with a random numbering system. Our notes, documents and email were all over the place,” Samantha Corso, Legal Operations Manager at HCC, said.
The company’s legal team members were also using traditional file folders and manual systems to keep track of data and it wasn’t serving them well. HCC could not conduct automated reporting with its current system and gathering data was cumbersome and time-consuming.
As HCC set out to find a software solution to ease its pains, it quickly became apparent that legal case management software was exactly what it was looking for. Here are some of
the steps the company undertook during its journey to uncover the ideal platform and
seamlessly integrate it into the organization.
Identifying the Requirements For Software Success
Change in an organization doesn’t just happen by chance—usually an individual or team is the driving force behind the decision to overhaul existing operations. For HCC, this driving force was a new general counsel who wanted to see improvements in efficiency and effectiveness across the board.
One of the first things the company did was sit down with internal teams to conduct a discovery session to determine what requirements it needed in a new platform and what it would like to see changed. This helped the general counsel gain a comprehensive understanding of how people did things and why.
“We developed a detailed outline of the data we wanted the new system to capture,” Corso said. “We knew we needed to be able to track payments, agreements, contract terms, issues and more as well as a variety of matter management metrics such as the number of files opened/closed, matters worked on by specific users and bids won/lost.”
Selecting the Right Legal Case Management Software
The time HCC spent identifying requirements paid huge dividends when it came time to select the right software platform to meet its needs.
“Identifying our needs was not only paramount when we went to customize and implement the program, but also during our selection process,” Corso said. “When we first saw Legal Files, it made so much sense to us immediately, because we knew the software was going to meet our needs.”
Versatility is key when selecting a legal software provider. You want a system that can grow with you and meet your needs not only now, but in the future as well.
“What’s great about Legal Files is that depending upon the needs of the different sections, we use it for multiple types of work,” Corso said. “Our general counsel typically uses Legal Files for litigation, mergers and acquisitions. Compliance uses the software for board of directors and governance work, and our contract administrators use it extensively. I use it for legal operations. We all use the software for different things, and it meets all of our needs.”
Utilizing a Phased Approach to Software Implementation
Sometimes an organization has so much to overhaul that the thought of implementing everything at once can be overwhelming. If this is the case, you may opt to implement your software in phases just like HCC did.
“It was important to keep implementation simple at first. We knew if it was overwhelming, we wouldn’t get it done,” Corso said. “Legal Files helped us stay on the right path and build a strong foundation. We knew we could add more functionality later, which is what we planned to do.”
Once the software was installed and configured, HCC administrative users were trained and took some time to experiment with the platform to make sure it was set up the way they wanted, and any issues could be resolved before the larger team began using it. “We had the program set up the way we liked,” Corso said. “And two months later we rolled it out to everyone.”
The Benefits of Using Legal Software for Smoother Operations
There are numerous benefits your organization can expect to see after implementing legal software to improve operations. For HCC, the results were almost immediate.
“Legal Files has brought clarity to the department and has unified us,” Corso said. “We all have different responsibilities and work with different kinds of files and documents, but we have the same standard procedures all laid out in one place through Legal Files. Our legal department touches every department in this company, and Legal Files touches everything we do. It has made our work lives so much better.”
Consolidating Legal Data in One Place for Consistency and Clarity
If you are like HCC and are looking for a better way to manage your legal activities while increasing efficiency and productivity, then legal case management software is the tool for you. You can lay the foundation for successful legal operations by implementing basic functions while having the freedom to adapt and add-on as your organization evolves. Finally, you can say goodbye to siloed systems and manual, outdated processes that no longer serve you.
With Legal Files Software, you can consolidate all your contacts, email, file progress and documents into a manageable, collaborative repository that gives you a 360 degree view of your cases/matters. With software that supports an unlimited number of cases, matters, documents and users, Legal Files offers boundless possibilities to meet your needs.
As a partner in the implementation process, Legal Files Software, Inc. offers 30+ years of experience supporting organizations across numerous types of industries. Expertise is offered by full-time, professional team members who are committed to your success. Based on our years of experience helping other organizations improve and thrive through legal software, we can help you configure a system that meets your unique needs.
“It’s great to be able to step into someone else’s shoes when they are out of office. Before, we couldn’t always do that. Now we use Legal Files to tell us the status of anything and we are able to be much more responsive to requests that come in. With this ability, as well as automated external notifications, Legal Files has improved our department’s reputation throughout the company.”
Samantha Corso, Legal Operations Manager
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