As you and your staff adjust to working from home, it’s essential to have the right tech tools.
A good place to start is with a scanner.
“Because most lawyers are working remotely and because courts are closed for all but essential matters, digital documents have become essential in order to comply with the now-mandatory (in most jurisdictions) e-filing requirements,” according to attorney and legal tech expert Nicole Black. “That’s why scanners are now must-have technology.”
Your best bets: the Fujitsu ScanSnap iX100 wireless scanner (mobile), the Fujitsu ScanSnap iX1500 Desktop Scanner (low-volume), and the Fujitsu fi-5530C2 (high-volume).
Those recommendations are from the ABA 2020 Solo and Small Firm Legal Technology Guide.
“If your law firm is in the market for new hardware, including laptops, smartphones, printers, or networking equipment, this book has you covered,” Black writes in this review of the Guide for Above the Law. “Similarly, if your firm is in need of legal software to help you manage law firm documents, improve productivity, or secure your systems, you’re sure to find tips on how to choose the software that will be the best fit for your firm.”
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4 More Essential Remote Working Tools
Here are four other tech tools worth re-evaluating in these trying times. The quotes are from Black and the ABA 2020 Solo and Small Firm Legal Technology Guide:
- Cloud computing software. “Many firms like the mobility aspect of the cloud model, since they can access the applications from any machine with an internet browser…. In Chapter 16, the authors provide an in-depth analysis of the pros and cons of cloud computing tools, and then in other chapters they provide an overview of different types of software, all of which include cloud-based options, that can benefit law firms with a remote workforce. Notably, the authors highlight how advantageous mobile access from anywhere can be.”
- Online collaboration software. “Almost every one of the cloud-based case management vendors has a client portal so that clients can collaborate securely with their attorneys and even gain access to documents and other information for their matter. Clients are much more in tune with their lawyers when they use a client portal. They know what issues are pending, what tasks are completed, and the financial status (e.g., invoice, retainer amount, etc.) of their matter.”
- Time and billing software. “Although law firms have faced challenges while transitioning to remote work, one of the most difficult has been setting up a process to get paid promptly…. Cash flow can be negatively impacted by the unpredictability of the current situation. The authors cover many of the legal billing and payment processing options available to solo and small firm lawyers.” From the Guide: “We are seeing more and more attorneys using the billing function contained within their cloud- based practice management platform (e.g., Clio, MyCase, Rocket Matter, CosmoLex, etc.), but there are still some billing-specific options for the solo and small firm lawyer.”
- Law practice management software. “With all of your firm’s employees working remotely, it’s imperative that law firm data be stored in a centralized location that is easily accessible by all employees. That’s where cloud-based law practice management software comes in. Legal practice management software securely stores all data relevant to your law practice in the cloud, including: potential client lead data, contact, and calendar information; documents; billing data, invoices, and payment information; client communications; internal law firm communications; and much more.”
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